A Filipino baker based in Jebel Ali took home the Dh20 million Big Ticket Abu Dhabi grand prize on 3 August, ending 15 years of monthly ticket purchases with a group of 10 friends. Reynaldo Herboso’s winning ticket, number 267822, was purchased on 13 July and drawn during the Series 289 live event. The final number was selected by the group’s Bangladeshi member. ‘I have been buying for 15 years continuously. Fifteen years, and that is a long time. I am so happy,’ Herboso said when hosts Richard and Bouchra called to share the news. Herboso said he was overcome…
Author: Catherine Smith
The National Media Authority has taken legal action against two individuals for publishing offensive content during a live broadcast on social media, suspending one violator’s publicity permit for three months. The NMA announced the penalties on 3 August, saying the content was disrespectful towards Emirati culture, violated standards of civilisational heritage and national identity, and offended “prevailing values in society”. The authority said it will not tolerate the use of digital platforms to generate views or engagement at the expense of societal values, or content that stirs controversy or undermines national identity. What the law says on live broadcast and…
Abdul Salam Muhammad Ashraf won the UAE Lottery Lucky Chance prize of Dh100,000 in a November 2025 Lucky Day draw and spent all of it on his son’s wedding, his own surgery, his daughter’s car purchase in Pakistan, and a charitable donation. The 55-year-old Pakistani expat, who works as a limousine chauffeur in Abu Dhabi, said he did not keep any of the money for himself. ‘I didn’t buy anything for myself,’ he said. ‘I wanted to use the prize to support my family and help with things that were important to us. That made me very happy.’ How the…
Fines for unregistered cats and dogs in Abu Dhabi came into force on 3 February 2026, after the one-year grace period for Abu Dhabi pet registration closed without any extension announced by authorities. The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) made registration mandatory in February 2025 and had been urging owners to comply since at least January of that year. Owners who have not yet registered each animal face a penalty of Dh1,000 per pet. Who must register and how The rules cover all cats and dogs kept in the emirate, whether by private owners or by establishments such as…
Abu Dhabi’s best cinemas cover everything from motion-chair 4DX auditoriums to no-frills screens with wallet-friendly ticket prices, giving residents a solid range of options for a film night out. Here is what each venue actually offers, and where to find it. VOX Cinemas Yas Mall VOX Cinemas at Yas Mall sits on Level 2 of the mall on Yas Island. Formats include standard screenings, IMAX, and 4DX, where motion chairs respond to on-screen action with effects including wind, scent, water and light. The premium GOLD by Rhodes tier pairs seating with a dining service. The Yas Mall location makes it…
Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) have announced the Al Freej Gardener initiative, which will connect residents with licensed gardening professionals through the Careem app from September. The three bodies signed a memorandum of cooperation to support the rollout, Gulf News reported. The signing was witnessed by Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police; Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai; and Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality. What the Al Freej Gardener initiative covers Residents will be able to book…
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast UAE rainfall through 6 August, with convective clouds forming over parts of the country as a surface low-pressure system extends from the east and a weak upper-air low-pressure system adds to the effect. Ahmed Habib, a meteorologist at the NCM, said El Niño is likely behind the summer rainfall. The climate pattern, he said, may be shifting wind and rain paths across the region. El Niño and the UAE rainfall pattern El Niño is a natural climate cycle that recurs every two to seven years and typically lasts close to a year.…
The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) and Dubai Police seized more than 3.58 million non-compliant excise goods packages across the UAE in the first half of 2026, identifying Dh82.06 million in tax dues and penalties tied to the confiscated products. The joint inspections, conducted with the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police, resulted in 3,587,315 packages seized and 59 seizure reports filed against businesses and individuals. What was seized and why it matters The FTA Dubai Police excise goods seizure operation targeted products subject to excise tax: tobacco, electronic smoking devices and liquids, energy drinks, and sweetened beverages. Under…
The rise of the Al Mirzam star marks the beginning of a transitional weather period in the UAE, even as temperatures remain extreme, with the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) recording a high of 50°C in Al Shawamekh, Abu Dhabi, at 14:30 on Saturday. Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said the star’s appearance is a long-established marker in the Arabian Peninsula’s seasonal calendar. ‘Al Mirzam is scientifically known as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. After disappearing for about four weeks in late…
Overseas Filipino workers in Dubai and the Northern Emirates can now obtain a digital OFW Pass at no cost, replacing the paper-based Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) as their exit clearance when travelling back to the Philippines. The pass is generated through the DMW Mobile App once a worker’s employment documents have been submitted and verified. What the digital OFW Pass replaces The OEC has long been required for overseas Filipino workers returning to their jobs abroad after a visit home. It is valid for 60 days and can be used only once. The digital OFW Pass carries no such restrictions:…