Author: Gulf News Week

BBCI vividly remember the moment my hair began to fall out.I was kneeling over a bath, washing it in a hotel room one Saturday evening, getting ready for my friend’s 40th birthday celebration. Seventeen days earlier, I’d had the first of six chemotherapy sessions to treat my breast cancer, but days had gone by with no hair loss.I’d convinced myself I might be one of the lucky ones.But as I held the shower over my head, suddenly the stream of water turned dark, as long strands of brown hair began coalescing around the plug hole in front of my eyes.…

Getty ImagesGermany’s foreign minister says support for Ukraine and Israel may have cost votes after Berlin failed to secure a rotating spot on the UN Security Council.Johann Wadephul described losing out to Portugal and Austria as a “bitter defeat” after a vote on which countries would become one of the five new members of the council was held on Wednesday evening.”There is our firm support for Ukraine, the fact that Russia does not want such a voice at the Security Council,” Wadephul said, adding it was “no secret” Russia had stirred up sentiment against Germany.There are five permanent members of…

The father of a nine-year-old daughter says the windfall will help secure his family’s future, from buying a home to planning for her higher education Just 15 minutes before learning he had won $1 million (Dh3.67 million) in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw, Dubai resident Gaurav Madaan was drafting an email to request an advance from his employer. The Indian national, who works as a legal counsel and compliance professional, said he needed the money to help finance a Dh2.4 million home he had recently booked in Dubai. I was discussing with my wife during Eid Al…

The friend, originally from Karnataka, has been in a coma since sustaining injuries after falling down a staircase in Bahrain After becoming Dh20 million richer, Bahrain-based Indian expat Krishnakumar Syamala Ravindran was not thinking about luxury purchases or retirement plans. The winner of Big Ticket Abu Dhabi’s June grand prize said his first priority is helping a longtime friend who has been in a coma for three months after suffering a serious head injury. Ravindran hopes to use part of the prize money to bring his friend back to India for further treatment. The friend, originally from Karnataka, has…

Dubai’s private schools will once again undergo quality assurance visits, as the regulator revives its oversight programme to support school improvement and boost parent confidence After a brief pause, Dubai’s education regulator is preparing to bring back school quality assurance visits from the 2026-27 academic year. The move signals a renewed focus on strengthening oversight across private schools, while continuing to support improvement and build confidence among parents in the emirate’s education system. The announcement by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) introduces a refreshed approach to how schools will be assessed. Rather than relying on a single…

Tenants have been asked to vacate for up to 20 months as preventative remediation programme begins Several residents in Dubai’s Remraam community have been offered rent compensation and relocation allowance after being asked to temporarily vacate their homes for remediation works that could take between 16 and 20 months. Dubai Holding Community Management (DHCM), the operator of the community, said in a statement to media that the move was a preventative, long-term measure following routine inspections. According to one resident who spoke to media on condition of anonymity, the vacating process is expected to take place in phases beginning…

Salary increases are modest and employees aren’t job-hopping the way they used to, so the competition has moved to benefits that actually build trust, say HR consultants Employers in the UAE are expanding employee benefits and packages beyond traditional health insurance and travel allowances, adding mental health support, flexible work, wellness allowances, structured learning budgets, as well as financial and legal planning services to retain top talent, according to HR and legal consultants. Employers in the UAE are expanding other allowances and perks because they can’t compete on salary increases, which are growing by only about four percent. The…

ReutersElon Musk is set to become the wealthiest person on earth with SpaceX stock market debut.Elon Musk’s SpaceX has said it is even more valuable than anticipated as it approaches a public stock listing set for next week.In an filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission detailing its plans for an initial public offering (IPO), SpaceX said its shares should go for $135 (£100) each, ratcheting up its own valuation of the firm to roughly $1.75tn.Setting an estimated price for its stock listing so far in advance is a rare move, and the amount represents a large increase in…

Watch: Moment House votes to limit Trump’s Iran war powersThe US House of Representatives passed a measure that seeks to halt President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran.The 215-208 vote was successful after four Republicans joined Democrats in a rare public show of disapproval of the war, which began in February. This is the fourth attempt by the House to rein in Trump’s war powers, which critics say lack congressional approval.The House resolution still needs approval from the Republican-controlled US Senate. Even if it were successful in the Senate, the measure is unlikely to fully curb military…

Getty ImagesA satellite image of Antelope Reef in the South China SeaAntelope Reef is a small, teardrop-shaped island in the north-western corner of the South China Sea and, until recently, almost entirely underwater.But this year it has undergone a dramatic transformation.Millions of tonnes of sand have been dredged from the sea bed to create solid land. From being only a turquoise speck on the map, Antelope Reef now appears as a 6-sq-km (2.3-sq-mile) crescent of gleaming white sand, with a scattering of buildings in one corner. All in just six months.In the lagoon formed by the crescent dozens of ships…