Dubai: In line with the stated vision to establish Dubai as a premier ‘global hub for virtual assets’, committed to responsibly scaling the ecosystem delivering 3% of GDP, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has prioritised anchoring its foundations to be the world’s most secure and progressive jurisdiction for the Virtual Asset Economy. According to Emirates News Agency, when establishing this first-of-its-kind regulatory regime in 2022, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, had mandated uncompromised investor protection and market stability as essential levers to drive market credibility, accountability, and sustainable

Abu dhabi: Almost three-quarters (73%) of UAE investors said that they would embrace AI as an alternative to human advisors, while 70.8% would trust AI to manage their portfolios, according to a survey commissioned by Alpheya. According to Emirates News Agency, the survey conducted between May and July 2025 covered 509 UAE-based investors, spanning a diverse mix of age groups, investment experience levels, and income brackets, including high-net worth individuals (HNWIs) and retail investors. Barely half (52%) of high-net-worth individuals reported satisfaction, the highest percentage of the segments surveyed, compared to just 37% of retail investors. The findings highlight both

Kuala lumpur: More than 11,000 people in seven Malaysian states have been affected by flooding caused by torrential rain, the national disaster agency said on Monday. According to Emirates News Agency, a report from the National Disaster Management Agency showed 11,009 people from 3,839 families have been affected by flooding in the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Terengganu, and Selangor. Floods are common on the eastern coast of Malaysia during the annual monsoon season from October until March, with thousands of people displaced each year.

Boston: Scientists claim to have found a way to restore vision in people with a common developmental eye disorder by ‘rebooting’ the retina to its early state, enabling it to grow and cure itself. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US discovered that temporarily anesthetising the retina could reverse the vision system to an early state, effectively treating a condition known as amblyopia or ‘lazy eye’. According to Emirates News Agency, in amblyopia, vision in one or both eyes does not develop properly during childhood as the brain learns to ignore one of the eyes. Current treatments

Abu dhabi: The Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, has strongly condemned the kidnapping incident at St. Mary’s Catholic School in northwestern Nigeria. According to Emirates News Agency, the abduction involved 315 students, teachers, and staff from the educational institution. The Council highlighted that attacking children and educational establishments is a severe violation of Islamic teachings, all divine religions, and human values. This act goes against international laws and conventions that ensure children’s rights to education and a life free from violence and fear. The Muslim Council of Elders expressed

Abu dhabi: An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck Indonesia’s East Java province on Monday. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km. According to Emirates News Agency, earthquakes frequently affect various parts of Indonesia, which lies along the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, where multiple tectonic plates meet, causing recurrent volcanic and seismic activity.

Dubai: Dubai Chambers organised four legal and compliance-focused workshops in October, designed to equip the business community with essential knowledge on the UAE’s evolving regulatory landscape. According to Emirates News Agency, the sessions covered critical topics including the UAE Bankruptcy Law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate compliance, and shipping and logistics law, attracting strong engagement with over 170 participants in total. The first workshop, which focused on Bankruptcy Law in UAE, was held in collaboration with Hadef and Partners. The session offered a detailed examination of the current bankruptcy law, exploring the three key proceedings available to distressed businesses: preventive settlement,

Ajman: The Ajman Arabian Horse Auction, organised by the Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS), recorded notable success as all horses offered for sale were sold, generating total sales of AED6,468,000. Held at Ajman Stud in the Al Bahia area, the event drew significant attendance from Arabian horse owners and breeders from the UAE, GCC region, and different parts of the world, while many remote bidders also took part in the auction through the EAHS’s mobile application. According to Emirates News Agency, a total of 74 owners placed bids during the auction, with 51 of them successfully purchasing horses. Among them