Students across the UAE collected their A-level results on 17 August 2026, ending an examination cycle unlike any before it: British exam boards cancelled written papers for the May/June 2026 series after regional conflict made sittings impossible. Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA all suspended in-person IGCSE and A-level exams across the region, citing safety concerns linked to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. The cancellations extended beyond the UAE: Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA also pulled exams in Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon, according to School Management Plus. In place of formal papers, students were assessed through a Portfolio of Evidence process. Pearson…
Author: Catherine Smith
UAE doctors say the anti-ageing treatments most worth paying for are not the expensive infusions or biological-age tests dominating the longevity market, but the unglamorous fundamentals: cardiovascular fitness, strength training, sleep, blood pressure control and not smoking. The warning comes as clinics across the country report growing demand for a widening menu of peptides, intravenous infusions, stem-cell therapies and epigenetic testing, many of which, doctors say, remain well ahead of supporting evidence. What the evidence actually supports ‘Most of what actually works is subtraction and consistency,’ said Dr Ihsan Almarzooqi, co-founder of Metabolic, the Dubai-based hybrid care clinic he founded…
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, walked unannounced into LuLu Hypermarket at Mushrif Mall on a Tuesday evening, spending close to an hour moving through the aisles, speaking to shoppers and staff, and repeatedly asking one question: ‘Are you happy?’ Staff were given clear instructions before the visit: do not clear the aisles, do not stop shoppers, do not hold lifts, and let the mall function exactly as normal. ‘When he walked in, people started waving immediately,’ a senior LuLu staff member, who asked not to be named, said. ‘They called out to him. Some asked,…
The International Astronomical Center (IAC), the UAE Astronomy Center, issued a corrective statement on 12 August 2026 pushing back against media reports it said had exaggerated or misrepresented four astronomical events occurring that day: a total solar eclipse, the Perseid meteor shower, a planetary alignment, and a new moon. Total solar eclipse: real, but not visible from the UAE The IAC confirmed the solar eclipse is genuine. According to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the maximum duration of totality reaches 2 minutes and 18 seconds, with the path of totality crossing Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. Greatest eclipse occurs…
Both of the UAE’s senior leaders used International Youth Day on 12 August to restate their commitment to UAE youth empowerment as a national priority, posting separate messages on X that framed young people as the country’s primary force for progress. What the leaders said Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, wrote: ‘On International Youth Day, we reaffirm our deep-rooted confidence in the youth of the UAE and underscore our pride in their ongoing contributions to our nation’s development. By embracing innovation and leadership, young people are central to achieving a…
Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has revealed a study into levelling the summit of Al Awain mountain in Khor Fakkan and building a residential area on top of it, as part of a broader administrative reorganisation of the city. The announcement came during a telephone interview on the Direct Line programme on 11 August 2026. The Ruler also confirmed that a new administrative division plan for Khor Fakkan is complete and will be published shortly, according to the Ruler of Sharjah’s official media centre. Al Awain mountain and the Khor Fakkan…
Persistent tiredness, weight gain and brain fog in men over 40 are being misread as burnout or depression when low testosterone signs in men over 40 may be the underlying cause, doctors at UAE clinics have said. Two cases illustrate the point. A 42-year-old corporate executive spent nearly two years being treated for burnout and depression before tests revealed low morning testosterone and undiagnosed sleep apnoea. Treating the sleep disorder restored his hormonal balance. In a separate case, a 38-year-old man with persistent headaches and low libido was found to have a small, non-cancerous tumour in his pituitary gland. Medication…
Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has warned that the region cannot sustain a state of ‘no war, no peace’ indefinitely, as the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues to escalate and 15 ADNOC vessels have been attacked since the conflict began. In a statement issued on X, Gargash said the stability and future of the region’s people demand clarity. ‘The region cannot continue in a state of “no war, no peace” endlessly; the stability and future of its people demand clarity in vision and path,’ he said. ‘The coming phase cannot be based on fragile rules or…
Dubai Municipality has opened an integrated pet shelter and digital adoption platform at the Birds and Pets Market in Warsan, giving residents a way to browse rescued cats and dogs online before visiting the facility. Animal welfare volunteers and pet-industry professionals say the initiative could ease pressure on independent rescuers and make rehoming more accessible. The Dubai Municipality integrated pet shelter provides veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, grooming and adoption services under one roof. According to Gulf News, the digital platform lets prospective adopters review health and behavioural profiles for each animal, helping them make informed decisions before arriving at the shelter.…
Parents who post photographs and videos of their children online risk harming child privacy in the UAE, psychologists and a wellbeing coach have warned, after an Abu Dhabi court ordered both parents in a divorce dispute to stop publishing their children’s images and remove existing content. The court found that both parents had posted pictures of the children and ruled that the issue was not a dispute over who could share content, but the children’s right to privacy and protection, according to a Lexology report on the ruling. When sharenting harms child privacy: a case from UAE practice Wellbeing coach…