Weekend Digest: UAE antibiotic ban, Dh100 million winner, Ramadan 2027 dates

From major UAE updates to Bollywood buzz and sporting headlines, catch up on stories you may have missed this week. Find out about the upcoming ban on a widely used veterinary antibiotic, unusual odours reported across the UAE, and early forecasts for Ramadan and Eid in 2027. Discover how a Dh100 million lottery winner's life has changed, alongside celebrity property news and Indian cricket stars making headlines off the field. Plus, read about a Kerala airport closure, a swimmer's Asian Games experience, and a veteran actor's emotional return to work after a personal loss.

Here are the week's top stories:

Dubai: The UAE will ban the veterinary use of ciprofloxacin, a widely prescribed antibiotic for pets and farm animals, from November 1. The ban was announced by the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) and will cover veterinary medicines and raw materials containing the drug. 

Nine products will get affected because of this ban. Eight of these are imported while one company is registered locally, and uses this drug. The latest development asks companies to stop making, importing and supplying the drug. It also asks them to clear existing stock before the deadline. Companies will have to re-exported the remaining stock or destroy it under approved procedures. 

https://gulfnews.com/business/flying-to-the-uae-these-common-medicines-could-land-you-in-trouble-1.500717243

Dubai: Indian cricketer Sanju Samson has taken his admiration for Rajinikanth to another level, booking an entire cinema theatre to watch the superstar’s latest film, ‘Jailer 2’, with family, friends and teammates.

The India wicketkeeper-batter, a confessed fan of the Tamil cinema icon, said he was excited to catch the action thriller on the big screen after missing its opening day because of a commitment in Delhi.

https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/sanju-samson-books-entire-theatre-for-rajinikanths-jailer-2-as-film-nears-rs500m-milestone-1.500716824

UAE travellers heading to Kerala should check their flight schedules before travelling, as Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will temporarily suspend flight operations for five hours on October 20 to make way for a centuries-old temple procession.

The airport will halt services from 4pm to 9pm on Tuesday (local time) to facilitate the traditional ‘Alpassi Arattu’ procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) said on Sunday.

https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/uaekerala-alert-thiruvananthapuram-airport-suspends-flights-briefly-on-october-20-1.500714873

Dubai: Vedaant Madhavan has broken his silence on social media after a challenging Asian Games debut, with the Indian swimmer vowing to return stronger after missing out on qualification for several events in Japan.

The 21-year-old, son of Bollywood actor R Madhavan, shared pictures from Japan on Instagram, reflecting on his experience representing India at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

https://gulfnews.com/sport/r-madhavans-son-vedaant-madhavan-makes-first-post-after-disappointing-asian-games-debut-1.500718148

Sharjah: Sharjah Police have reassured residents that the situation remains safe following reports of unusual odours across Sharjah and several other UAE emirates, saying there is no indication of a threat to public health or safety.

Lieutenant General Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, said authorities had been monitoring the situation since the odours were first reported on Monday, in coordination with federal and local government agencies.

https://gulfnews.com/uae/sharjah/sharjah-police-reassure-residents-over-unusual-odours-across-uae-1.500717213

Dubai: India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav has invested in a luxury home in Dubai, choosing Shahrukhz Residences by Danube, a waterfront development named after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Suryakumar announced the purchase on Instagram, sharing his excitement about becoming part of the residential project in Dubai Maritime City. The property’s price has not been disclosed, while the original Shahrukhz commercial tower was entirely valued at Dh 2.1 billion.

https://gulfnews.com/sport/cricket/suryakumar-yadav-buys-luxury-dubai-property-named-after-shah-rukh-khan-1.500712953

Eight weeks after Kuku Kohli's death, Aruna Irani is back at work, and she wants her fans to know they helped make that possible.

On Sunday, the veteran actor posted a heartfelt video on Instagram, her first public message since filmmaker Kuku Kohli died in August. Speaking directly to the camera, she said she was deeply grateful for the affection people had shown her after his death, and admitted she had been surprised by how many stood beside her when things were at their worst. That support, she explained, is what gave her the strength to face the world again and return to her work. She closed with a wish that her well-wishers would remain with her “till my last breath.”

https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/aruna-irani-returns-to-work-after-husband-kuku-kohlis-death-thanks-fans-you-stood-by-me-in-my-tough-times-1.500715789

Abu Dhabi: A year ago, Anilkumar Bolla's life changed for good when he won Dh100 million with The UAE Lottery. Twelve months on, the Indian expat in Abu Dhabi says the biggest reward is not the money itself, but the chance to spend more time with the people who matter most.

The past year has brought him greater freedom, new experiences and the space to put his family first. He has supported his loved ones, bought property in the UAE and India, travelled, and started thinking seriously about his own business ambitions.

https://gulfnews.com/uae/dh100m-uae-lottery-winner-anilkumar-bolla-reveals-how-life-changed-one-year-after-historic-win-1.500719440

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn’s Juhu bungalow in Mumbai has had part of its interior work demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over alleged unauthorised alterations, according to media reports.

The action followed a stop-work notice issued by the civic body on September 10, 2026, over alleged unauthorised alterations at the 7,802-square-foot property in Kapole Co-operative Housing Society, Juhu.

https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/bollywood/ajay-devgns-juhu-bungalow-bmc-demolishes-part-of-alleged-illegal-construction-1.500713893

Dubai: Planning ahead for Ramadan and the Eid holidays in 2027? Astronomical forecasts have provided an early indication of when the holy month will begin and when UAE residents can expect to celebrate Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.

However, the final dates will depend on official crescent moon sightings.

https://gulfnews.com/living-in-uae/ask-us/ramadan-2027-eid-al-fitr-eid-al-adha-uae-public-holidays-1.500712923