Egyptian archaeologists excavating the city of Pelusium, in the Tell El Farma region of North Sinai, have uncovered the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to the god Zeus Cassius.
Zeus Cassius was connected with Mount Casius — also known as Jebel Agra — a limestone mountain on the Syrian-Turkish border near the Mediterranean.
Said to be based on the cult of a mountain god, conflated with Greek god Zeus, Zeus Cassius was worshipped mainly in Syria and Egypt, though there was also a temple in Greek island Corfu.
Parts of the Sinai temple were found about 200 metres from a colossal mud-brick complex dating back to the Greco-Roman period — between the eighth century BC and sixth century AD — discovered in 2019, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.
The archaeological mission, which is managed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, is part of a government plan to develop the Sinai Peninsula and open more of it to tourists.
The mission was first alerted to the location of the temple when they found the remains of an ancient stone gateway that had been destroyed by an earthquake centuries ago.
“The location of the discovered temple was determined based on the presence of the remains of a huge gate on the surface of the earth that collapsed in the past due to a strong earthquake that struck the city,” said Dr Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Archaeologists suspected that the gate — which consisted of two massive columns supporting a giant stone slab, all made of pink granite — had to be the entrance to a place of significance.
The temple itself, however, was built with mud bricks.
Near the temple, several other large blocks of pink granite were also found, which led some on the mission to believe that the site was later repurposed as a stone quarry.
The ministry said the same pink granite was used to construct the city’s ancient churches, the remains of which are at Pelusium today.
“The archaeological mission succeeded in revealing for the first time the remains of the temple, which was built of mud bricks on a raised platform of rubble and broken stones, and its ceiling bears columns of pink granite,” said Dr Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Egyptian antiquities section at the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Historians have found evidence that Pelusium was an established city since the early first millennium BC. This places the city in the late Pharaonic period. It was also an important city in Greco-Roman and Byzantine times.
It has a special significance in Christian scripture, where it is mentioned as the gate into Egypt from the Holy Land that the child Jesus, Mary and Joseph used to enter Egypt.
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
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Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Zayed Sustainability Prize
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
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3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
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6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
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8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Rating: 3/5