Verified News Online

UAE updates school admission age rules from 2026–27 / AI-Generated Image The UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) has officially hit the “refresh” button on school admissions. Starting from the 2026-2027 academic year, schools that begin in August or September, including British, American, and IB curricula, will move their age cut-off date to December 31.Previously, children had to reach the required age by August 31. This four-month extension is a game-changer for “end-of-year” babies who would have previously had to wait an entire extra year to start their journey. Under the new rules, if your child turns three, four, or five by New Year's Eve, they are officially eligible to step into the classroom that September. It’s a move designed to align the UAE with international standards and provide families with more flexibility.Who is affected and who is not?While much of the education sector is shifting gears, schools following the Indian, and Japanese curricula are holding steady. Becau..

Kuwait and Oman declared January 18 a public holiday to observe the holy Isra Wal Miraj/Representative Image As Isra Wal Miraj approaches, only two Gulf countries, Kuwait and Oman, have announced a public holiday to mark the sacred occasion, highlighting its importance in the Islamic calendar.Kuwait and Oman have declared Friday, January 18, as a public holiday to observe Isra Wal Miraj, coinciding with the latter part of the Islamic month of Rajab. The announcement comes as Muslims prepare to commemorate the night through prayer, reflection, and recognition of its historical and spiritual significance.What is Isra Wal Miraj?Isra Wal Miraj is a major event in Islamic history that commemorates the miraculous night journey of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).According to Islamic belief, on this night the Prophet was taken from Masjid Al Haram in Makkah to Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem, an event known as Isra. This was followed by Miraj, during which the Prophet ascended to the heavens.The occasion ..

AdvertisementSouth KoreaThis Week in AsiaPoliticsSouth Korea’s Yoon gets 5 years in prison for obstructing justice during martial law bidThe ruling comes days after prosecutors in a separate case demanded Yoon Suk-yeol be sentenced to death for masterminding insurrection
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 2:08pm, 16 Jan 2026Updated: 2:18pm, 16 Jan 2026A South Korean judge sentenced former president Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday to five years in prison for obstructing justice and other charges linked to his disastrous martial law declaration and in its chaotic aftermath.The sentence is the first in a series of verdicts for the disgraced ex-leader, who briefly suspended civilian rule in South Korea on December 3, 2024, prompting massive protests and a showdown in parliament.Now ousted from power, Yoon faces multiple trials for actions taken during that debacle and in the turmoil that followed.
AdvertisementAmong them are charges he committed obstruction ..

AdvertisementUS-China relationsChinaDiplomacyChina’s US envoy says world faces ‘stark choice’ as 2026 opens with instabilityXie Feng barely mentions Donald Trump by name but draws contrast between Washington’s recent actions and Chinese-led stability
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP3Mark Magnierin New YorkPublished: 2:00pm, 16 Jan 2026Updated: 2:04pm, 16 Jan 2026China’s top diplomat in the United States delivered a sharply worded rebuke on Thursday over US President Donald Trump’s tumultuous approach to global relations, laying out a stark choice between a world informed by China-led stability and one battered by Washington.
Chinese ambassador Xie Feng’s comments to the 1,000-member China General Chamber of Commerce come two weeks into Trump’s second year of his latest term in the White House.The past fortnight has already seen the Trump administration abduct Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro; threaten Greenland, Mexico, Colombia and Cuba; pull the US out of 61 international..