Dubai Capitals have retained Bangladesh left-arm pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman on a direct contract for the new International League T20 season, according to a report published on August 9, 2026. The franchise has again placed its trust in the cutter specialist following his performances in the previous edition.

Mustafizur took 15 wickets in eight matches for Dubai Capitals last season, bowling at an economy rate of 8.08. The report said his effective bowling played a major role in the team’s success and was viewed as the main reason for retaining him for the new campaign.

Dubai Capitals presented the signing through a Facebook post showing a silhouette of Mustafizur’s bowling action and asking followers to identify him. Fans responded by naming Mustafizur and sharing Bangladesh flag emojis. The six-team tournament is scheduled to begin on November 22 and conclude on December 20. Desert Vipers won the previous edition by beating MI Emirates in the final.

A vessel belonging to the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, was targeted in a missile attack while crossing the Strait of Hormuz. UAE state news agency WAM said the attack occurred on Saturday morning as the ship was passing through the waterway.

Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera reported the incident on Saturday. The source did not identify the vessel, say who carried out the attack, or provide details about any damage caused by the missile strike.

According to WAM, no one was injured in the attack and the situation is currently under control. The source provided no further information on the vessel’s movement after the incident, security measures, or any investigation.

The Asian Cricket Council has announced the final schedule for the Women’s Asia Cup, which begins in Dubai on August 28. Bangladesh has been placed in Group B alongside defending champions Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. Bangladesh will begin its campaign against Indonesia on August 31 in the eight-team tournament.

India and Pakistan have again been drawn in the same group, Group A, which also includes Thailand and Hong Kong. Their match is scheduled for September 5. All matches in this edition of the Asia Cup will be played under floodlights, according to the announced schedule.

In the group stage, each team will play the other teams in its group. The top two teams from each group’s points table will advance to the semifinals. Group A’s champion will face Group B’s runner-up in the first semifinal, while Group A’s runner-up will play Group B’s champion in the second. The final will be held on September 13. Sri Lanka are the defending champions, while Bangladesh won the title once, in 2018.

At least seven explosions were reported within 20 minutes in Dubai’s Jebel Ali industrial area in the United Arab Emirates, according to an NDTV report published on August 5. The blasts sent smoke across the night sky, with footage circulating on social media showing large black plumes near a residential area. NASA satellite imagery also showed a fire at a facility used for fuel storage and transfer beside Jebel Ali port.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News, citing Emirati officials, reported that at least seven explosions occurred in the area. Two people were arrested on allegations of filming the incident, according to the report. The actual cause of the explosions has not been confirmed.

Some Iraqi media outlets claimed missiles were launched from Yemen at the UAE amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, but Emirati authorities had not released official information on the cause. No immediate information was available on casualties or damage. The report said the UAE was on high alert because of the continuing conflict between the United States and Iran.

The United Arab Emirates Football Association has expressed full support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid continuing controversy surrounding him. In a report published on August 3, 2026, the association welcomed the withdrawal of the disputed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan and said its confidence in Infantino’s leadership remained firm.

The proposal involved selling part of the commercial rights to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. Infantino ultimately withdrew the plan after strong opposition from UEFA and football federations around the world. In a statement posted on its official X account, the UAE association said withdrawing the project would positively protect the unity and interests of the international football family.

UAEFA president Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan said the association would support initiatives that develop international football, protect member countries’ interests and keep the global football family united. The body also said future proposals should be assessed carefully with consideration for sport’s development, supporters’ interests and the welfare of the international football community.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam said the visas of 626 Bangladeshis in the United Arab Emirates were automatically cancelled. Bangladesh has sent the UAE government a list seeking visa renewals for 417 of them, while information on the remaining people will be submitted in phases. She disclosed the figures to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Islam said employers also bear certain responsibilities when visas are cancelled because workers lose their jobs. Bangladesh’s embassy is directly coordinating and communicating with the relevant companies. She urged expatriates to comply with the laws of both Bangladesh and their destination country, and advised them to avoid controversial Facebook posts on sensitive issues or politics and to refrain from destabilising activities.

The state minister said the government is moving to amend the 2013 migration law. It plans strict legal action against people involved in fraud, including provisions for up to seven years’ imprisonment for submitting false information or documents. The ministry has also begun coordinated work to reduce migration costs, curb broker fraud, and prevent irregular migration and human trafficking, establishing a separate migration wing at the Foreign Ministry for the first time.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines cabin crew member Mirza Adnan has been held for five days by the Abu Dhabi branch of the United Arab Emirates’ CID police while on duty in the country. A Sharjah station source said Adnan went missing from Sharjah Airport on July 22 and was later found to have been detained by immigration authorities after operating Biman flight BG-151.

UAE authorities have not explained the allegation or suspicion behind his detention. Biman acting general manager for public relations Muhammad Mohiuddin said immigration does not provide such information and may release him after an internal investigation or take action if an offence is established. Flight Operations Director Captain A K M Aminul Islam said he did not yet know about the matter.

According to the Sharjah station source, Adnan was transferred from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi CID for further investigation and questioning and remains in its custody. Sharjah station manager Zakir Hossain said Biman’s Abu Dhabi station and the Bangladesh embassy were informed by an Abu Dhabi police station. Abu Dhabi station manager Anwar Ul Firdaus said airport authorities and CID personnel would not provide any information despite contact.

Dubai has launched the “Dubai Invite” initiative to support its tourism sector after international visitor numbers fell amid the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Under the programme, run by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, UAE residents can nominate foreign friends or relatives to visit Dubai. When nominated guests travel, residents can receive a benefit package worth 3,000 UAE dirhams, including free hotel stays, restaurant meals and tickets to attractions.

Residents can receive up to three benefit packages. Visitors must arrive by October 31, while benefits can be used until December. Nominees must be non-UAE residents, travel on valid tourist visas and can be nominated only once. The report said airline traffic at Dubai airport has fallen by half, overall business revenue has dropped by more than 50%, and many hotels are vacant. More than 10,000 applications were submitted within the programme’s first 48 hours, according to local media reports.

Dubai International Airport continues to operate at nearly full capacity despite ongoing military tensions and airspace restrictions across the Middle East, according to Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths. Speaking to Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Farnborough International Airshow, Griffiths said airport operations remain normal and passenger traffic has not been significantly affected. Emirates Airline is currently operating 80 to 90 percent of its regular flight schedule, using Saudi airspace and southern alternative routes while northern routes remain restricted.

Since the start of the regional crisis, Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airports have handled over six million passengers, more than 32,000 aircraft movements, and over 213,000 tons of cargo. Griffiths said these figures demonstrate the resilience and capacity of Dubai’s aviation infrastructure amid geopolitical uncertainty.

About 50 international airlines are currently operating in Dubai, roughly half the normal number. However, Emirates’ additional flights have offset much of the capacity gap. Some major European carriers, including British Airways and Air France, have delayed resuming services due to government travel advisories and insurance conditions, not operational issues at Dubai Airport.

In Dubai, widespread job losses have followed the outbreak of war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Migrant workers, including domestic helpers and accountants, are struggling to find employment as the city’s tourism- and aviation-driven economy suffers from Iranian missile and drone attacks. Many wealthy expatriates have left, while low- and middle-income workers face layoffs and pay cuts. The government has released little data on the economic damage, though the UAE’s economy and tourism minister described the disruption as temporary.

Workers from countries such as the Philippines, India, Egypt, and Cameroon report severe financial strain, with some unable to send remittances home. A ManpowerGroup survey found that one in four employers plans to reduce staff in the third quarter of 2026. Dubai Investments’ CEO expressed confidence in the city’s resilience, citing its history of recovery from crises. However, the downturn’s impact is extensive, threatening livelihoods and remittance flows across Asia and Africa.

Although a ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been reached, uncertainty over renewed conflict continues to weigh on Dubai’s labor market and economic outlook.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported that two of its oil tankers were damaged by Iranian missile strikes in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, the tankers, named Al Bahiyah and Mombasa, were in Omani territorial waters when they were attacked. One Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa was killed, while six other Indian nationals and two Ukrainians were injured. Both vessels caught fire but the flames were later brought under control.

The UAE Defense Ministry stated that its armed forces are on high alert and that all necessary measures are being taken to counter any attempts to undermine the country’s security and stability. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack and expressed condolences to India over the death of the Indian sailor. It described the targeting of commercial shipping and the use of the Hormuz Strait for coercion or economic blackmail as acts of piracy that threaten regional stability and global energy security.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strongly condemned Iran’s recent attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, expressing full solidarity with the two Gulf nations. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 9, 2026, the UAE described the assaults as hostile acts that clearly violate the sovereignty of both Bahrain and Kuwait and threaten their security and stability.

According to the statement cited by Al Jazeera, the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to stand by Gulf countries in protecting their sovereignty and security. The condemnation underscores the UAE’s position against actions that destabilize the Gulf region and its emphasis on collective regional security.

The statement reflects growing concern among Gulf states over regional tensions and reiterates the UAE’s call for respect of national sovereignty and stability within the Gulf Cooperation Council area.

Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev has confirmed that the country deployed Iron Dome missile defense batteries in the United Arab Emirates during its ongoing war with Iran. Speaking to Army Radio, Regev said the deployment took place at the beginning of the conflict, as the UAE recognized ballistic missiles as one of the major threats.

Regev’s statement marks the first public confirmation by an Israeli official following an April report by U.S. outlet Axios about the deployment. In May, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also confirmed that a battery had been stationed in the Gulf nation. The UAE’s Ministry of Defense reported that Iran launched around 550 missiles and 2,200 drone attacks on the country during the war.

The confirmation underscores growing military coordination between Israel and the UAE amid heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict.

The United Arab Emirates has announced major changes to its entry and residency visa policies, according to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. The 14-day and 60-day entry visa options have been extended to citizens of six additional countries—Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya, and South Africa—beyond the previously eligible Indian nationals. The list of countries whose residents qualify for certain visa benefits has also been expanded to include Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Dubai visitors can now obtain single-entry tourist visas within 48 hours through approved agencies.

Dubai authorities have revised the property-based two-year residency visa rules, removing the previous minimum property value requirement of AED 750,000 for sole ownership. For jointly owned properties, each investor must hold a share worth at least AED 400,000. The UAE has also granted a 30-day grace period to visitors previously exempted from overstay fines due to airspace closures, requiring them to regularize their status or leave by July 9.

Additionally, Dubai is introducing a “smart medical visa” to streamline healthcare travel, while visa issuance for citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan has been temporarily suspended to prevent Ebola spread.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that its citizens are now permitted to travel to Lebanon again. The travel ban, imposed two months earlier due to security concerns arising from the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, has been officially lifted. According to the announcement, Emirati citizens must register with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before traveling to Lebanon.

On April 30, the UAE had restricted travel to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, urging all Emiratis in those countries to return home immediately. While the Lebanon ban has now been removed, restrictions on travel to Iran and Iraq remain in place. The decision marks a partial easing of the UAE’s regional travel limitations.

The report also notes that, for the first time since the conflict began, air travel between Tehran and Dubai resumed on Monday, signaling a cautious normalization of regional connectivity.