• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged to crack down on bribery and rent-seeking, while urging unity and restraint after days of protests over economic hardship that have left at least three people dead. The deaths mark an escalation in the unrest that has ‌spread across the country since shopkeepers began protests in the capital Tehran on Sunday over inflation and the falling currency.
  • UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Tamim, Emir of Qatar, discussed efforts to bolster co-operation between the Gulf neighbours during a phone call. They reflected on the fraternal relations between the countries and exchanged views on the latest developments in the region.
  • International medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has urged Israel to allow it to continue operating in Gaza, after it announced a ban on more than 37 NGOs from working in the strip under draconian new registration rules. Senior European politicians have warned that Israel's move is “unacceptable”.
  • US President Donald Trump's Envoy for Iraq, Mark Savaya, listed militia groups, uncontrolled weapons and foreign interference among things Washington planned to end in the country this year. In a New Year message to the Iraqi people, Mr Savaya said the US was “working to make 2026 the year that marks the end of” 18 items.
  • There was confusion on Thursday over whether flights at Yemen’s Aden international airport had been halted, after reports of a suspension that sparked uncertainty among passengers crowded in the terminal, Reuters reported. Conflicting accounts emerged over what had happened, with different sides trading blame.
  • Israeli forces fired on civilians near the town of Al Rafeed in the countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria, killing several sheep, Syrian state media reported.
  • Iran has warned that US President Donald Trump's threat of further strikes on its nuclear facilities affects the credibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran's mission to the UN said that “in light of the recent US threat against Iran's peaceful nuclear programme”, it had sent a letter to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi that “warned of severe consequences for the global non-proliferation regime”.
  • Oman has approved its national budget for 2026 and launched the next phase of its economic programme that aims for 4 per cent growth through 2030, ‍as the sultanate continues to diversify from its reliance on oil.

More goings-on

  • The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that it had thwarted an ISIS plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
  • Syria's Ministry of Economy and Industry announced new measures to support the roll-out of the national currency and maintain market stability, including requiring all businesses to clearly display prices in both the old and new currencies during the transition period.

This newsletter was compiled by Mohamad Ali Harisi, Foreign Editor.

The National produces a variety of newsletters across an array of subjects. To get the best of our coverage straight to your inbox, sign up to them here.

Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
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. 

RESULT

Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)

Visa changes give families fresh hope

Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income

Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.

Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.

To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation

 

 

 

Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon Social Icon