About 98% of complaints about excessive electricity bills submitted to the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) are from customers who use electricity for heating, mainly with air conditioners, EWRC Chair Plamen Mladenovski reported during a hearing in Parliament on Thursday. Mladenovski s»»»

Military escalation across Iraq continues following the outbreak of the Israeli-US war on Iran, as the country is now facing a series of reciprocal attacks by multiple actors on its territory, along with mounting economic damage caused by disruptions to its oil exports. “Iraq has become one of the »»»

Dubai: Authorities in the UAE have moved to reassure the public that the country’s financial system remains strong and fully operational despite rising geopolitical tensions across the region. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Central Bank of the UAE said banks, fina»»»

Dubai: Flights have resumed on a limited basis at Dubai’s airports, with the chief executive of Dubai Airports confirming that operations are being closely monitored during this recovery phase. Stay updated: Get the latest faster by downloading the Gulf News app - it's completely free. Click here f»»»

Dubai: The International Union of Superiors General (UISG), representing more than 1,900 congregations of consecrated women religious across six continents, has called for a global moment of “prayer, fasting, and action for an unarmed and disarming peace” on Friday, March 6. The initiative is set t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Kuwait Airways has announced that it will operate flights for citizens wishing to return to the country from several destinations, with onwards travel to Kuwait via Saudi Arabia by land. It added that flights will operate from Manchetsr, London, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, Milan, Istanbu»»»

Dubai: The day is finally here! On March 5th, cricket fans across the UAE are gearing up for one of the most anticipated clashes of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 the semi‑final showdown between India and England at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium. It's going to be a big one! And naturally, Duba»»»

French authorities have detained two additional suspects over the recent fatal beating of right-wing activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon, with local media reporting that all principal suspects are now in custody. Eleven other individuals were arrested last month, some of whom are alleged to have link»»»

Kazakhstan’s service sector activity declined in February, with the decline in new orders the most marked in almost four years, according to the monthly Freedom Holding and S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey. »»»

The US is reportedly engaging with Kurdish groups in ways that position them against the Iranian regime, including discussions on arming and supporting cross-border operations to tackle IRGC forces, US media reported. The CIA is now working with some Kurdish groups, further building on historical U»»»

The UAE stock markets fell in early trade on Thursday, extending losses from the previous session after exchanges reopened following a two-day trading halt triggered by Iran’s missiles and drones. The UAE's stock markets reopened on Wednesday. Both exchanges said they will temporarily set a 5% lowe»»»

The last two names of the six US soldiers killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait were released Wednesday by the Pentagon, and they are from California and Iowa. The soldiers identified Wednesday were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, and Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien,»»»

Iran launched a new wave of attacks Thursday morning at Israeli and American bases and threatened that the United States would "bitterly regret" torpedoing an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean and a religious leader called for "Trump's blood," while Israel said it had begun a "large-scale" attack»»»

Sharjah: Al Hamriyah Municipality honoured a worker from Bee’ah Company after he returned a mobile phone he found while carrying out his duties in a public area, in a gesture reflecting honesty and professional integrity during the holy month of Ramadan. The worker discovered the phone while perfor»»»

The US is reportedly engaging with Kurdish groups in ways that position them against the Iranian regime, including discussions on arming and supporting cross-border operations to tackle the Iranian regime, US media reported. The CIA is now working with some Kurdish groups, further building on histo»»»

In Bansko, the winter tourism season is facing a severe crisis as the war in the Middle East triggers widespread cancellations. Reservations from Israel and other affected countries have been entirely scrapped, leaving hotels nearly empty. The local tourism sector warns that the season is on the br»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Germany has been left thinly protected against aerial attack due to the transfer of military systems to Ukraine and NATO's eastern flank, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing German officials familiar with the matter. Germany, Ukraine's largest European backer, o»»»

Israel carried out strikes on Dahieh and South and east Lebanon Thursday, while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official in Tripoli's Beddawi. Two people were also killed in an Israeli strike on the Zahle highway Thursday. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - There are no targeted bilateral contacts between Russia and the United States regarding the Iran crisis, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik. "Other than what is happening on international and multilateral platforms, and is being discussed and made public,»»»

Sharjah: A woman arrested for begging during the early days of Ramadan was found carrying nearly Dh12,000 in different currencies, highlighting how some individuals exploit the generosity of residents during the holy month, Sharjah Police said. The arrest was part of a wider campaign that led to th»»»

Decorating their soldiers with colorful garlands, hundreds of Afghans rallied in border provinces to decry Pakistan killing civilians and to show support for their troops battling at the frontier. A week of border fighting between the two neighbors has killed dozens of Afghan civilians and displace»»»

US President Donald Trump claims his country has a "virtually unlimited supply" of key weapons. Iran's defence ministry says it has "the capacity to resist the enemy" for longer than the US had planned. Weapons stocks and supplies alone will not decide the outcome of this conflict – Ukraine has lon»»»

Tokyo: Australia got the World Baseball Classic underway with a 3-0 win over a Taiwan team cheered on by thousands of passionate fans in Tokyo in Thursday's opening game. Home runs from Robbie Perkins and Major League Baseball prospect Travis Bazzana got the 20-team international tournament started»»»

Alpha Research has released a new survey projecting that five parties are likely to enter Bulgaria’s National Assembly following the April 19 early elections. The study was carried out between February 23 and March 2, 2026, using the company’s own resources. A representative sample of 1,000 adults »»»

Doha, Qatar: Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following recent military exchanges involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, expats in Qatar remain remarkably positive about the prospects for a quick diplomatic resolution to the unfolding regional crisis. The crisis intensified over »»»

CARACAS — US mining companies are lining up to invest in Venezuela, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said during a visit to Caracas on Wednesday as he pushed for greater access to critical minerals.Burgum represents an administration which says it in effect runs Venezuela and controls its vast natura»»»

Bulgaria's Acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov defined the launch of a ballistic missile from Iran toward Turkey as a serious and dangerous escalation, confirming that the projectile was intercepted and destroyed by NATO missile defense systems. Further reading: Turkey Just Shot Down an Irania»»»

The Canadian government is working to repatriate citizens who are stranded in the Middle East by organizing seats on commercial flights, contracting charter flights and offering ground transportation options to neighboring countries, Canada's foreign affairs minister said on Wednesday. More than 2,»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in the UAE edged higher on Thursday morning, tracking global gains as investors shifted money into safer assets amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and fresh volatility in currency markets. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.In Dubai, the price »»»

As war erupted in Lebanon, scenes of displacement quickly returned to the streets. Roads filled with cars packed with families fleeing bombardment, while some displaced people spread out along the seaside corniche in Sidon and Beirut, waiting for shelter. But the search for a roof has become an ord»»»

Amid the ongoing Iran war and Tehran’s announcement of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, Egypt has begun highlighting the SUMED pipeline linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean as a potential temporary alternative for oil transport. The move has raised »»»

Over the past five years, the government has allocated more than 170 billion soms to the construction sector, enabling the completion of 936 social facilities. The information was announced at a meeting of the Ministry of Construction, Architecture, Housing and Communal Services of Kyrgyzstan. Acco»»»

Dubai: As the US-Israeli war with Iran enters Day 6, UAE authorities have issued key updates affecting residents, from missile interceptions and travel disruptions to school holidays, market monitoring and warnings about online scams. Officials say security systems remain on alert while essential s»»»

Dubai: Kuwait has banned the export of all types of food products through its land, sea and air ports, according to urgent instructions issued by the General Administration of Customs. The directive follows Ministerial Decision No. (20) of 2026 issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, which»»»

Air India has introduced flexible travel options as ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue to impact flight operations. Passengers with confirmed bookings made on or before February 28, 2026 for flights to and from the Middle East, the UK, and Europe—travel scheduled up to March10, 2026—can n»»»

Due to ongoing regional airspace disruptions, UAE carriers have adjusted schedules across major airports. While most regular flights remain suspended, limited and special services are operating to support passengers with confirmed bookings, repatriation needs, cargo, and essential travel. Stay upda»»»

Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified for a third consecutive day on Wednesday, with Israeli ground incursions and air strikes across Lebanon and the group’s leader pledging continued resistance. The leader of the Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah vowed Wedne»»»

Dubai: The UAE is expected to experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions on Thursday, with a chance of rainfall in some coastal, northern and eastern areas, according to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM). In its daily weather bulletin, the NCM said temperatures will decrease slightly, wit»»»

Dubai: Qatar’s authorities have begun evacuating residents living near the US Embassy in Doha as a temporary precautionary measure, according to the Qatar Ministry of Interior. The ministry said in a social media statement early on Thursday that the evacuation is being carried out by the relevant a»»»

Amid the ongoing Strait of Hormuz tanker squeeze, oil prices continue to inch higher as global crude markets are currently buffeted by a full-scale geopolitical conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. As news of the US sinking of an Iranian warship emerged, tankers remain stranded f»»»

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the attempted targeting of the Republic of Turkey with an Iranian ballistic missile. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) air defense systems successfully destroyed the missile before it reached Turkish territory. Serious escalatio»»»

Dubai: UAE residents investing in global stocks may see current market dips as opportunities to buy rather than signs of a long downturn, according to strategists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Markets face pressure from the war in the Midd»»»

RIYADH:The official spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defence, Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, stated that three cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed outside the city of Al-Kharj, southeast of the capital, Riyadh. Also In This Package Saudi Arabia to Iran: Attacks will not go unanswered Saud»»»

Iranian intelligence has quietly conveyed to the United States that Tehran may be open to discussions on ending the war, CNN reported Thursday quoting sources "familiar with indirect communications". The messages were reportedly passed through a third country to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA»»»

MANAMA: The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) announced that its air defence systems have continued to intercept successive waves of Iranian terrorist aggression. A BDF statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA), said that since the onset of these attacks, the BDF's air defence»»»

Largely overlooked because of the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East, “open war” has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership. The fighting all along its southern rim represents a major setback for Central Asia’s global trade agenda. »»»

Largely overlooked because of the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East, “open war” has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership. The fighting all along its southern rim represents a major setback for Central Asia’s global trade agenda. »»»

Largely overlooked because of the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East, “open war” has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership. The fighting all along its southern rim represents a major setback for Central Asia’s global trade agenda. »»»

Largely overlooked because of the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East, “open war” has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership. The fighting all along its southern rim represents a major setback for Central Asia’s global trade agenda. »»»

Largely overlooked because of the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East, “open war” has erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership. The fighting all along its southern rim represents a major setback for Central Asia’s global trade agenda. »»»