On Saturday morning, outage tracker Downdetector UAE was still showing an alert that read: “User reports show possible problems with Microsoft 365.”

Report numbers are far below Friday’s peak, but they have not dropped to zero. Downdetector’s 24-hour chart for Microsoft Outlook shows nearly 400 reports late on Friday morning. Reports dropped steeply in the afternoon and were close to zero by Friday night. A small rise in reports began again early on Saturday and continued until about 9am.

Among Outlook users, 42 per cent of complaints were about the app, 31 per cent about receiving messages and 16 per cent about logging in. For Microsoft 365, 65 per cent of reported problems were about the app, 17 per cent about logging in and 12 per cent about the website.

Downdetector counts reports that users submit themselves, so the figures show trends rather than the exact number of people affected.

What Microsoft said

In its latest statement on X on Friday, Microsoft apologised for the disruption.

“We are deeply sorry for the disruption this incident has caused our customers and partners. We know the trust they place in our services and take that responsibility extremely seriously,” the company said. It added that it was “seeing broad recovery and stability across our services”.

Microsoft said the outage was “a technical issue not related to cyber or AI / agents”. It explained that the problem “was introduced by an issue during an earlier network capacity upgrade that surfaced following a recent network change”.

“We have addressed the underlying issue and continue to restore service to remaining customers and regions,” the company said.

Microsoft said it restored services gradually and checked stability at each stage. “While this took longer, it helped ensure a stable restoration,” it said. The company added that it will publish a full post-incident report once its review is complete.

Reuters later reported that Microsoft said on Friday that services had fully recovered across Teams, Outlook, Copilot and other applications.

Why some users may still have problems

Delays can continue after a major outage is fixed, while emails that piled up during the disruption are delivered. That could explain why “receiving messages” is still one of the most reported problems among UAE Outlook users.

What was affected

The outage began late on Thursday, November 12, and grew worse on Friday morning. It hit Outlook, Exchange Online, Teams, Copilot and other Microsoft 365 apps, and disrupted businesses and government agencies around the world.

For some football supporters, their love for a club lasts a lifetime. But Barcelona are offering their fans something rather unusual: a chance to remain at Camp Nou even after death.

The Spanish giants have unveiled plans for a memorial inside their famous stadium where supporters can have their ashes preserved, allowing their connection with the club to continue beyond their lifetime.

And there is a price to pay for that privilege.

According to The Guardian, supporters seeking a permanent resting place could pay €10,000.

How much will it cost?

The project, called Memorial FC Barcelona, will feature space for approximately 26,000 urns and 9,000 commemorative plaques.

According to the official memorial website, prices start at €2,490 for 10 years, €4,990 for 25 years and €5,990 for 50 years.

There are additional charges for maintenance and other services.

Supporters can also choose a commemorative plaque featuring the name of a loved one and a personal message.

And the interesting part? You do not even have to be a Barcelona club member to reserve a place.

'Hear the goals in the afterlife'

Barcelona vice-president María Elena Fort shared a touching family story while explaining the inspiration behind the project.

She recalled how her grandfather had expressed a wish to be buried near Barcelona's stadium so he could continue hearing the goals even after his death.

Fort said many supporters shared similar dreams.

The memorial will feature murals celebrating the club's history, illuminated displays and dedicated spaces for families to remember their loved ones.

More than 1,000 supporters have reportedly already reserved places.

The first phase is expected to open towards the end of 2027.

Barcelona are not the first Spanish club to offer such a facility, with Atlético Madrid, Real Betis and Espanyol having introduced similar memorial spaces.

But with 26,000 spaces planned, Barcelona's project will be among the largest of its kind in football.

For some supporters, watching Barcelona for a lifetime is not enough. They want to remain close to the club forever.

Here are five key developments UAE residents need to know this morning.

1. US intercepts Iranian drones targeting Bahrain

The US military said it intercepted two Iranian attack drones heading towards Bahrain on Friday, denying Tehran's claim that its Revolutionary Guards had destroyed an American early-warning radar installation.

US Central Command said both drones were shot down without injuries or damage.

Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said further military action against Iran was unnecessary, arguing that economic pressure was already weakening Tehran.

The developments underline the fragile security situation across the Gulf, despite efforts to prevent renewed large-scale fighting.

2. Houthis claim fresh missile attacks on Saudi Arabia

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said Friday they had fired two ballistic missiles towards Saudi forces in Al-Tuwal, in Jazan province.

Reuters reported that Saudi Civil Defence had earlier issued an all-clear for the region. It was unclear whether the Houthi claims were connected to those warnings.

The group separately claimed attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and a pumping station on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline.

Saudi authorities had not confirmed those claims.

The pipeline is particularly important because it allows Saudi Arabia to export approximately four million barrels of crude daily through Yanbu, bypassing Hormuz.

Fighting in Yemen also continues to threaten Bab Al Mandab, another strategic maritime passage linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

3. Iran claims two tankers struck mines in Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said Friday that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after striking sea mines while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Reuters, Iranian state television said the vessels were travelling without coordination with Tehran.

The claims have not been independently verified, and Iran provided no further details.

The International Maritime Organization separately reported that approximately 134 maritime security incidents had occurred across the wider Middle East region since February, leaving 25 seafarers dead.

For UAE businesses, continued insecurity threatens shipping insurance, freight costs and delivery schedules.

4. UAE-Saudi flight cancellations continue

Etihad Airways' current official advisory confirms that passenger and cargo flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and Dammam remain cancelled through November 19.

However, selected Abu Dhabi–Jeddah services resumed on November 6, providing options for residents travelling for Umrah.

Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have also experienced disruptions affecting selected Saudi destinations.

Passengers should confirm individual flight status directly with airlines before travelling to airports, particularly when making onward connections.

5. Oil closes below $96 as markets assess supply risks

Brent crude settled at $95.84 a barrel on Friday, Reuters reported, while US West Texas Intermediate closed at $88.56.

Both benchmarks fell approximately 2.5 per cent during the week as investors weighed signs of improving global supplies against continuing Middle East security risks.

The International Energy Agency's latest assessment pointed towards a growing global oil surplus, helping ease concerns about shortages.

For UAE residents, lower crude prices could eventually relieve some transport and logistics costs, although domestic petrol prices are adjusted monthly.

Residents should continue monitoring government guidance, airline notifications and maritime security updates as the regional situation develops.

Speaking exclusively to Gulf News during the premiere of an episode of 'Dreams' by Eight Sleep, in which he discussed his career, the Spanish star praised the country’s growing padel scene and predicted that the sport would become more accessible to the wider public as it continues to develop.

“Not just in Dubai, but in the UAE, in the whole country. I think this country is growing a lot. They do a lot of things for a great atmosphere and are creating a centre of padel in the Middle East,” Coello said.

“Dubai and Abu Dhabi have done an incredible thing.”

Coello was expected to compete at the Premier Padel Dubai P1 but was ruled out of the tournament for medical reasons, denying local fans the opportunity to watch the world’s top-ranked player in action.

The 24-year-old has been one of the leading figures in padel’s rapid rise and has formed a successful partnership with Agustin Tapia, with the pair playing together since 2023.

For Coello, their connection goes well beyond what happens on court. He believes trust and friendship between partners are essential, particularly when matches become difficult.

“It is very important. I have a great relationship with my partner. He is one of my best friends, not just on the court but outside it as well,” he said.

“If you don’t have confidence between you and your partner, it affects how you feel on the court. When you have that confidence, you can talk to each other and solve a lot of different things.”

Coello said his relationship with Tapia was different from some of his previous partnerships because they are closer in age and share similar experiences away from the sport.

“When I played with Fernando Belasteguin or Miguel Lamperti, there was a big age difference. Now, with Tapia, we have an incredible relationship. We share a lot of moments, our families spend time together and our teams work very well together,” he said.

“He is not just a partner. He is like family. When you build that kind of relationship, it does not matter what problems you face.”

Making padel more accessible

While padel has grown quickly in the UAE, the cost of playing remains a concern for some people. Coello believes that is a natural phase for a sport entering a new market, but expects access to improve as more facilities open.

He pointed to Spain as an example, where padel has developed from a sport initially associated with higher-level players into an activity that people can enjoy casually with friends.

“When padel arrives in a country, it normally enters in the same way, with only the highest-level players playing,” he said.

“But now in Spain, everyone can rent a court and play for an hour and a half with friends. I think the UAE, the rest of the Middle East and Asia will follow the same path in a few years.

“The sport is still very young in this country. As it grows, more courts and different places will be created, giving more people the opportunity to play.”

‘There is no need to compare padel with tennis’

Coello also dismissed the idea that padel and tennis are competing against each other, arguing that both sports have their own appeal and should be enjoyed on their own merits.

Tennis has a longer history, he acknowledged, while padel is developing at a rapid pace. But he sees no reason for the two to be compared.

“Tennis is older and is at a different level right now, but padel is going in a very good direction. We are growing a lot and creating something totally different,” he said.

“For me, it is a mistake to compare padel with tennis because they are totally different. You don’t need to compare them. Maybe you like watching tennis, or you like watching padel. I also like playing and watching tennis, and I have a very good relationship with professional tennis players.

“Padel is nice, tennis is nice. We have both, so we need to enjoy them.”

Doctors are increasingly seeing insulin resistance, prediabetes, and Type 2 diabetes among people in their 20s and 30s, challenging the perception that the condition mainly affects older adults.

According to the International Diabetes Federation’s Diabetes Atlas, approximately 1.27 million adults in the UAE have been living with diabetes in 2024. This has represented around one in six adults aged 20 to 79, with an age-adjusted prevalence of 20.7 percent.

Specialists have warned that the condition can develop silently over several years, meaning many people may have elevated blood sugar without experiencing symptoms.

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Risk starts early

Dr. Yousef Said, medical director at Metabolic, has noted that the growing prevalence of metabolic problems among younger people was particularly concerning.

“What concerns us most is that Type 2 diabetes is no longer a condition we should associate only with older people,” Said told Gulf News.

Research involving more than 33,000 Emirati men aged 18 to 29 has found that 4.7 percent had diabetes, while 41.3 percent had impaired fasting glucose. Another study among Emirati women aged 17 to 25 has revealed prediabetes in nearly one in four participants.

Said has bared that insulin resistance could develop years before blood sugar levels become high enough to indicate diabetes through standard testing.

“Being young, or having a normal weight, does not automatically mean being metabolically healthy.”

He has recommended looking beyond blood sugar levels when assessing metabolic health, with waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, muscle mass, and liver health also providing important indicators.

Said has mentioned continuous glucose monitoring, which uses a wearable sensor to show how glucose levels respond to meals, sleep, stress, and physical activity. Although it does not replace laboratory tests for diagnosis, it can help individuals understand their glucose patterns.

Citing the US Diabetes Prevention Programme, he has highlighted that people at high risk who lost around 7 percent of their body weight and completed 150 minutes of exercise weekly reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent over approximately three years.

Make prevention a habit

Dr. Ghaida Kaddaha, consultant endocrinology at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, has pointed out that changing lifestyle habits are making diabetes prevention an important priority among younger adults.

She has identified prolonged sitting, frequent consumption of processed foods and sugary drinks, weight gain, and genetic predisposition as key contributing factors.

Rather than relying on drastic diets or temporary fitness plans, she has encouraged residents to make manageable changes to their daily routines.

"Simple, consistent habits can make a meaningful difference,” shared Kaddaha.

Choosing balanced meals with vegetables and whole grains, controlling portion sizes, reducing processed foods, and staying physically active can help lower the risk.

In the UAE, she has suggested taking advantage of cooler months for outdoor walking, cycling, and other activities. During hotter periods, residents can maintain activity through indoor exercise.

Kaddaha has stressed that adequate sleep and stress management are important parts of maintaining long-term health. Her advice is to focus on sustainable routines rather than short-term lifestyle changes.

Teenagers are also at risk

According to Dr. Bhanu Malhotra, specialist endocrinologist at RAK Hospital, Type 2 diabetes has been increasingly affecting adolescents and teenagers, not just young adults.

She has identified increased screen time, sedentary lifestyles, stress, and smoking as contributing factors.

She has advised people with a body mass index above 25 to consider diabetes screening, particularly if they also have hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, heart disease, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or a history of gestational diabetes.

Malhotra has noted that warning signs could include excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, unusual tiredness, changes in eyesight, and recurrent infections.

For those already diagnosed, she has emphasised the importance of maintaining good blood sugar control through appropriate medication and lifestyle changes.

“Optimising the macronutrient proportion of meals, exercising at least 45 minutes a day for five days a week, and practising mindfulness for emotional wellbeing can help achieve good glycaemic control without affecting quality of life,” explained Malhotra.

She has also encouraged timely referrals to cardiologists, nephrologists, and ophthalmologists to help identify complications affecting the heart, kidneys, and eyes.

New medicines offer hope

On the other hand, Dr. Darvin Vamadevandas, specialist endocrinologist at Prime Medical Centre Burjuman, has underscored how advances in diabetes medication are improving treatment options for patients.

Newer medicines, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, can offer additional cardiovascular and kidney protection for suitable patients.

He has bared that treatment should be individualised according to each patient’s health profile.

“Effective management involves regular glucose monitoring, healthy eating, physical activity, medication adherence, and routine medical follow-ups,” stated Vamadevandas.

For screening, he has recommended HbA1c or fasting blood glucose testing from the age of 35, or earlier for people with risk factors. Those with prediabetes should generally undergo annual testing, while people with normal results can usually repeat screening every three years, depending on their individual risk.

He added that losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight can significantly reduce diabetes risk among overweight individuals with prediabetes.

For people living with diabetes, regular glucose monitoring and medical follow-ups are essential. Routine eye, kidney, and foot examinations are equally important in preventing complications.

Look beyond blood sugar

Meanwhile, Dr. Varsha Kachroo, specialist endocrinology at Aster Clinic Qusais, has highlighted that diabetes management should focus on protecting overall health rather than concentrating only on blood sugar readings.

Patients should undergo regular assessments of their heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves, even when they feel perfectly healthy.

Treatment should also be tailored to individual needs, with newer medications offering additional heart and kidney benefits for appropriate patients.

She has stressed the importance of family support, particularly in helping people maintain healthy habits without feeling judged or restricted.

“Instead of policing what a person with diabetes eats or constantly reminding them about their sugar levels, families should encourage healthier habits together,” said Kachroo.

She has emphasised that people should not allow fear, guilt, or stigma to prevent them from seeking medical help.

“Diabetes is not a personal failure,” she said, adding that early diagnosis, timely treatment, and regular follow-ups could prevent many complications.

For younger UAE residents, the message from specialists is not to wait until symptoms appear to check your health. Early screening and sustainable lifestyle changes can make a significant difference to long-term health.

In a post on X, Gargash highlighted the UAE's robust public finances, substantial sovereign assets and economic stability following Fitch's affirmation of the country's AA- credit rating with a stable outlook. 

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He noted that the assessment carried particular significance given the regional crisis, reinforcing international confidence in the UAE economy and demonstrating the success of its long-term fiscal and economic policies.

Gargash stressed that the country is becoming stronger in the face of challenges, more confident in its future and steadfast in its pursuit of prosperity.

Fitch's assessment cited the UAE's low consolidated government debt, substantial net external assets and high GDP per capita among the principal factors supporting its sovereign rating.

The agency also highlighted the country's considerable fiscal and external financial buffers, which help it withstand the economic consequences of regional instability. 

The incident reportedly occurred on November 5, following the school's earthquake drill, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said.

A police blotter report was filed.

On Friday (Nov. 13, 2026), the ABS-CBN channel reported that the school had already expelled the bully.

In a statement posted on its social media page, AdDU said it has completed the disciplinary proceedings against the student found responsible for the incident.

“Following due process, the student has been dismissed from the Junior High School, effective immediately. Our inquiry into other aspects of the incident, including the involvement of other students, continues,” AdDU said.

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Others responsible for the bullying incident will also face disciplinary measures and interventions, as per established protocol.

The school referred to the Student Handbook, the Department of Education's (DepEd) child protection policies and the Anti-Bullying Act in tackling the incident.

Viral video

The now-viral video showed a male student repeatedly kicking another student, striking him with a mop and hitting him with a belt.

They were both wearing the same school uniform. 

In a statement on Wednesday, AdDU confirmed the incident and said it had taken steps to ensure the safety of the victim.

The students involved have also been receiving "guidance and counselling support".

The institution also formed a task force on bullying prevention.

Editor's note: The video has not been embedded in this article out of respect for the sensitivity of the incident and to protect the identities and privacy of the minors involved.

AdDU added that it had reported the incident to DepEd and was coordinating with the agency.

"We must also protect all the children involved from public judgment, online harassment, and further harm," it said, appealing for sensitivity as the investigation proceeds.

The university also expressed sorrow over the pain and distress experienced by the students, stressing that no child should feel unsafe or afraid at school.

DCPO chief Police Col. Peter Madria also met with school officials to discuss the incident, coordinate appropriate responses and reinforce security measures on campus.

Police spokesperson Lt. Col. Maria Teresita Gaspan said the victim had been referred to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for psychological assessment, evaluation and appropriate intervention.

The university said it was reviewing its existing safeguards and would strengthen training for faculty and staff to help them recognise signs of bullying, report incidents and respond promptly.

What Philippine law says

The incident brings renewed attention to the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act 10627), which requires elementary and secondary schools, including private institutions, to adopt and enforce policies against bullying.

The law covers physical, verbal, psychological and electronic forms of bullying.

It requires schools to establish reporting and investigation procedures, prevention programmes and interventions for affected students.

Importantly, DepEd issued revised implementing rules and regulations in 2025, strengthening school-wide prevention, early intervention and procedures for resolving complaints and appeals.

The revised rules apply to public and private basic education schools.

Under the revised rules, physical bullying explicitly includes kicking, hitting and using objects as weapons.

The rules define bullying as a severe or repeated physical, verbal or electronic act that causes, or places a student in reasonable fear of, physical or emotional harm.

The revised implementing rules also requires schools to:

• Investigate complaints promptly and thoroughly.

• Provide appropriate protection and psychological support to victims.

• Give students accused of bullying an opportunity to respond before disciplinary penalties are imposed.

• Maintain confidentiality and protect the identities of children involved.

• Apply appropriate disciplinary measures alongside corrective and counselling interventions.

  Department of Education

What happens next?

The immediate priorities are the Child Protection Committee's findings, the victim's psychological assessment, and the school's decision on disciplinary action.

The police may also refer any conduct potentially covered by other laws to the appropriate authorities.

Because the students are minors, their identities and personal circumstances should remain protected.

Trump wants to talk about reducing nuclear arsenals at the trilateral talks on Thursday and is also set to bring up his war in Iran -- but he is not expected to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine, US officials said.

The three leaders will meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the southern Chinese city, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told reporters.

"The president has made it clear that, among other topics, he will discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons in the world. This proliferation, President Trump believes, is very dangerous," Wales said.

One of the major conflicts dominating Trump's second term as president will feature, but the other will not, the US officials said.

"I think the president does intend to talk about Iran in the trilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin," a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters on a call.

Washington has a "whole other track" of negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, the official added, referring to talks that US envoys have had in recent days with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

"China is not really a part of that track, so it doesn't seem appropriate to have the Ukraine discussion there," the official added.

Tesla and Space X boss Elon Musk will accompany Trump on his trip to China but won't be involved in the meeting with Xi and Putin, the officials said.

Trump will also hold a bilateral working lunch and meeting with the Chinese president on Thursday -- their fourth meeting since the US president's return to power last year.

But Trump is not scheduled to have a separate one-on-one with Putin.

Among other topics, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang's resignation over an affair with an alleged Chinese spy is not expected to come up in Trump's meetings with Xi, the officials said.

"The situation with Nvidia should not really have any bearing on the trip," a second US senior official said.

The United States also did not plan to discuss export controls on sensitive chip technology, which were at the heart of the Nvidia scandal.

"We do not negotiate American export controls. These are national security matters that we develop in the administration... and we don't expect it to figure at all in any of our conversations with the Chinese while we're there," the second official said.

Trump will leave Washington on Monday and arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit before heading to Shenzhen.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took aim Friday at what he deemed the "weaponisation of international law," calling it a tool of the elite, and issued a stark warning to the International Criminal Court.

Rubio cautioned the ICC against "quoting laws to men with swords," as he accused the Hague-based tribunal of trying to enforce rules that Washington does not recognise.

His remarks to the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention came around a month after the United States announced new sanctions on the ICC, vowing to cripple its operations.

The court prosecutes individuals accused of the gravest atrocities and acts as a last resort when countries do not have adequate legal systems to ensure accountability.

The US signed the Rome Statute establishing the ICC but never ratified the treaty. Israel, Russia and China are also not ICC members.

Iran's IRGC says two tankers hit sea mines in Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that explosions rang out on two oil tankers after they struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has restricted navigation.

Since war erupted with the United States in February, Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain its authorisation to cross the strait and has attacked ships that do not comply.

"A short while ago, two oil tankers that had switched off their radar and positioning systems and were secretly attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorised route exploded and caught fire after striking a naval mine," the Guards' navy said in a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster early on Saturday. 

The statement did not provide the names or origins of the vessels but said one was a supertanker.

Trump to discuss Iran, but not Ukraine, with Xi and Putin: US official

US President Donald Trump will discuss the Iran war with his Chinese and Russian counterparts in trilateral talks in China next week, but is not expected to talk about Russia's war on Ukraine, a senior US official said Friday.

"I think the president does intend to talk about Iran in the trilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin," the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters on a call ahead of Thursday's meeting in Shenzhen.

But Washington has a "whole other track" of negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow, the official added. "China is not really a part of that track, so it doesn't seem appropriate to have the Ukraine discussion there."

US‑Israel war on Iran: Recent developments

Day 258: Turkey, Qatar sign defence pact

Day 257: Trump says US does not 'need a deal with Iran'

Day 256: Iran warns US as Gaza crisis deepens

Day 255: ADNOC vessel sustained damage following attack

Day 254: Trump: Military action on Iran ‘doesn’t seem necessary’

Day 253: UAE rescues 22 crew in Gulf of Oman

Day 252: Iran's Revolutionary Guard lifts its missile-range limit

Day 251: Trump warns Iran of ‘heavy hit’ as Tehran steps up Gulf diplomacy

Day 250: Oman and Iran call for end to war and fresh dialogue

Day 249: US VP Vance says Iran war is 'the reason we lost' midterms

Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams were the three most reported services on Downdetector’s UAE site on Friday morning, with sharp spikes in complaints, showing that the disruption that began on Thursday was still affecting users across the country.

What went wrong at Microsoft?

Microsoft has blamed connectivity errors in part of its Exchange Online infrastructure, the system behind Outlook email, along with elevated load across multiple regions. The company first said the issue was limited to the Americas, but later warned it could affect users “in any region”. Read our explainer: Microsoft outage explained: What went wrong with Outlook and Teams, and how it is hitting UAE users

The day the world’s business lost a working day

The outage has exposed how heavily businesses depend on cloud services. In an opinion piece for Gulf News, Anoop Paudval, Head of Information Security GRC at Gulf News, argues that cloud availability is not the same as business resilience, and urges companies to plan for outages with backup communication, offline continuity and regular outage drills. Read more: O365 to O364: The day the world’s business lost a working day

Recovery still gradual

Microsoft has reported only “limited recovery” so far, warning that services will return gradually as users’ apps reconnect. It has paused deployments, moved traffic away from affected infrastructure and restarted servers as engineers work on alternative fixes.

Microsoft battling to fix global Outlook outage

Microsoft said on Thursday that efforts to repair a major outage of Outlook were not going as expected and the firm was seeking alternative solutions as users around the world were left without its crucial services. 

The hours-long disruption, which Microsoft attributed to "elevated load" on its infrastructure, has hit email as well as products such as Teams and the AI assistant Copilot.

The impact of the outage has been felt globally, with users ranging from companies to governments reporting that they were unable to communicate via Outlook.  

Indian airlines face disruption amid global Microsoft Outlook outage

Indian airlines are experiencing email support disruptions due to a global Microsoft Outlook outage, affecting carriers such as IndiGo and Akasa Air. While email services face delays, Air India reported that its flight operations and communication channels remain unaffected as of November 13, 2026.

Microsoft says 'not aware of any malicious activity' causing Outlook outage

Microsoft said Thursday that it was not aware of any "malicious activity" behind the hours-long disruption of its Outlook services.

"As of now, we are not aware of any malicious activity that is causing this incident. We will continue to treat this incident with urgency and priority until full resolution," Microsoft said.

How big is the outage?

According to reports, more than 430 million people use Microsoft 365 apps, based on figures on Microsoft’s website, though the full scale of the outage is still unclear. Outage tracker Downdetector recorded about 140,000 reports of Outlook problems from users in 74 countries on Thursday evening, and the real number is likely far higher, since the site relies mainly on people reporting issues themselves.

Because Microsoft 365 is used by companies around the world, the disruption has also spilled over into other services. OpenAI and Anthropic both reported problems linked to the outage, with the ChatGPT maker saying it was investigating an issue with its connections to Microsoft’s services that had stopped some tools from working as expected.

New Zealand pauses visa processing

Immigration New Zealand said it had paused the processing of all visa applications until further notice because of the outage.

Japan warns of ‘significant impact’

Japan’s economy, trade and industry minister Ryosei Akazawa said the outage would undoubtedly have a “significant impact”. “Since this software is used by a vast number of people, we will closely monitor the situation and take every possible measure to address it,” he told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

Elevated load blamed

Microsoft said the disruption was caused by “elevated load” on part of its infrastructure across multiple regions, which was “likely contributing to the connectivity errors”. The company said it was “aggressively pursuing all pathways to reduce impact”.

Outlook outage drags on in UAE

Microsoft 365 users in the UAE are still having problems on Friday, with Outlook and email worst hit, according to outage-tracking site Downdetector.ae. Reports first spiked late Thursday night, reaching close to 300 at around 10.30pm before dropping back after midnight. A second, larger wave began from about 6am on Friday as people started their working day.

Complaints rose sharply and peaked at more than 550 reports just after 9am. Reports have since fallen but have not gone away: they stood at roughly 300 by late morning and are still above 200 into the afternoon, which suggests the problem is not yet fixed.

Of the problems reported, 42 per cent were with the Outlook app, 29 per cent with receiving messages and 18 per cent with logging in. The disruption has also spread to Teams, Copilot and other Microsoft 365 apps.

Australian government and healthcare services disrupted

The Microsoft outage has disrupted government and healthcare services in Australia, affecting agencies and organisations that rely on Outlook and Microsoft 365.

Reportedly affected services include Service NSW, state and territory government departments, and Queensland Health.

The disruption has also affected telehealth appointments, school operations and business communications, highlighting the wider consequences of the outage beyond email access.

Microsoft restores contact centre access after eight-hour disruption

Microsoft restored access to Dynamics 365 Contact Center after a separate disruption left customer-service agents unable to handle voice and digital conversations.

According to Microsoft's service-health information reported by CX Today, the disruption lasted nearly eight hours, with access restored at 00.57 GMT on Friday (4.57am UAE).

The incident, tracked as CR1550885, involved connectivity failures affecting database infrastructure. It is separate from the wider Exchange Online outage, which remained unresolved at the time of the report.

Microsoft reports early stabilisation as outage continues

The company has deployed fixes more broadly, but service performance remains inconsistent as traffic is gradually reintroduced to affected infrastructure.

Microsoft has yet to confirm full restoration or announce when all services will return to normal.

Microsoft identifies overloaded server process behind outage

Microsoft has provided further details about the technical problems behind the outage.

According to the company, a process responsible for establishing secure connections on affected servers became overwhelmed, preventing the servers from processing requests.

Microsoft has been applying fixes and restoring capacity gradually. It has said there is no indication that malicious activity caused the disruption.

Microsoft expands outage fix as servers stabilise

Microsoft says it is expanding a technical patch across more of its infrastructure after seeing improvements in server stability.

The company said the patch targets an authentication and routing component linked to the disruption affecting Outlook, Exchange Online and other Microsoft 365 services.

Following positive results, engineers are extending the fix to additional infrastructure while monitoring service performance.

Microsoft has not yet confirmed full restoration.

Microsoft reports wider recovery, delayed emails remain

Microsoft says recovery is progressing across affected regions, with broader improvements in North America and sustained gains across much of Europe.

The company is also seeing encouraging recovery signals in Asia Pacific, although some users may continue experiencing intermittent mailbox access problems or delayed email delivery.

Engineers are working to clear email backlogs and stabilise the remaining affected infrastructure. Microsoft has not confirmed full restoration.

UAE users begin receiving emails as Microsoft services recover

Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Online users in the UAE have started receiving emails again as services gradually recover following the widespread outage.

Some users are reporting that previously delayed messages are now arriving in their inboxes, suggesting that email delivery is beginning to resume.

However, Microsoft has yet to confirm full restoration, and intermittent delays may continue as the company works to clear email backlogs.

Microsoft reveals cause of outage, says services recovering

Microsoft has apologised for the widespread disruption to its services, saying the incident stemmed from a technical issue linked to an earlier network capacity upgrade.

In a statement on X, the company said the problem surfaced following a recent network change and was not related to a cyberattack or artificial intelligence agents.

Microsoft said it had addressed the underlying issue and was seeing broad recovery and stability across its services, although restoration work continued for remaining customers and regions.

The company explained that services were restored gradually, with stability checks at each stage, because of the scale of demand.

Microsoft said it would publish a full post-incident report once its review was complete.

Since war erupted with the United States in February, Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain its authorisation to cross the strait and has attacked ships that do not comply.

"A short while ago, two oil tankers that had switched off their radar and positioning systems and were secretly attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorised route exploded and caught fire after striking a naval mine," the Guards' navy said in a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster early on Saturday. 

The statement did not provide the names or origins of the vessels but said one was a supertanker.

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The United States, in response to Tehran's choking of the strategic trade route, has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and provides military support to tankers using the waterway.

In recent weeks, Iran's armed forces have reported several fires or explosions on board ships in the strait, often saying the vessels had struck mines.

On Friday, the Guards released footage of a large plume of smoke rising from a vessel it said was carrying liquefied gas and hit a mine in the south of the strait.

The US military, however, says it has cleared the main routes through the waterway of mines.

1) Nirvana in Fire

If Game of Thrones had swapped the dragons for a sickly scholar who wins every fight with a cup of tea and a well-timed raised eyebrow, you’d get Nirvana in Fire. Hu Ge plays Mei Changsu, a frail strategist hailed by the all-knowing Langya Hall as the talent who can hand any prince the throne. He shows up in the capital of Great Liang, and suddenly the Crown Prince and Prince Yu are falling over each other to recruit him. Mei Changsu smiles, lets them both think they’re in with a chance, and plays them off against each other like a cat with two mice. Meanwhile he’s backing Prince Jing (Wang Kai), the blunt, unloved soldier-prince who couldn’t scheme his way out of a paper bag. Why?

Mei Changsu has a secret: twelve years ago, his father’s army was wiped out on false charges, and he’s come back unrecognisable, with a chronic cough and a very long memory. Cue 54 episodes of people underestimating a man in a fur cloak, a teenage bodyguard named Fei Liu who mostly communicates in grunts and sulks, and the most emotionally destructive game of political chess ever filmed. Bring tissues, a notepad for the names, and zero expectations of getting anything done that week.

2) Early Spring

If you thought Mei Changsu was hard work, meet Luan Nian. The Early Spring (2026) stars Jing Boran as Luan Nian, the brilliant, sharp-tongued creative director of a top Beijing ad agency, and Sun Qian as Shang Zhitao, an average-grades graduate he tells to quit on her very first day. She doesn’t. Instead, the two end up in a secret relationship that lasts six years, until a pile of misunderstandings sends her packing without a word. Years later, he finds her back in her hometown, running a restaurant and her own small company, and very much not waiting around for him. It is a a gloriously messy drama where every red flag somehow makes for great TV, and viewers clearly agree: the leads’ chemistry pushed it to No. 2 on Netflix’s global non-English TV list.

3) You Are My Glory

Qiao Jingjing (Dilraba Dilmurat) is living the A-list dream: hit dramas, billboard-sized endorsements and a flawless public image. Then a video of her spectacularly bad gameplay, in a game she’s paid to promote, goes viral, and her brand starts to wobble. Cue damage control. As luck (or karma) would have it, she runs into Yu Tu (Yang Yang), her high school crush, now a brilliant aerospace engineer who happens to be a gaming ace on the side. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so she talks him into coaching her in secret. The catch? She confessed her feelings to him back in school and got politely turned down. Ten years later, she’s still smitten, so she tries again. He turns her down again. Brutal. But the tables turn: Yu Tu can’t get her out of his head, and this time he’s the one doing the chasing.

You Are My Glory is a slow burn with chemistry that practically crackles off the screen. Jingjing and Yu Tu aren’t just a pretty pair; they challenge each other, push each other to be better and grow through the chaos together. The show does linger on game mechanics and aerospace geekery, so you may be tempted to fast-forward through those bits, but the romance will have you hitting rewind. Repeatedly.

4) Skate Into Love

If you like your romance served with a side of ice and attitude, Skate Into Love is your next binge. Li Yubing (Zhang Xincheng) is the golden boy of his university: charming, athletic and the star of the school’s ice hockey team. Then he crosses paths with Tang Xue (Wu Qian), his childhood nemesis and a former speed skating prodigy, and the old grudges come flooding back. In elementary school, she made his life a living nightmare. Now it’s payback time. Yubing pulls a few strings, gets Tang Xue roped in as his assistant, and the chaos begins.

Their relationship runs on playful jabs and nonstop bickering, but under all the snark, sparks start to fly. As the ice melts, Yubing realizes Tang Xue isn’t the villain he remembered; in fact, she’s the reason he fell in love with skating in the first place. What follows is a heartwarming story of healing, second chances and falling hard, on and off the ice. With Yubing cheering her on, Tang Xue finds her way back to the rink, and it’s game on for love.

5) The Romance of Tiger and Rose

f you’re in the mood for big laughs, wild twists and a heroine who refuses to stick to the script, The Romance of Tiger and Rose is your ride. Chen Xiaoqian (Zhao Lusi) is a struggling rookie screenwriter who has finally finished her dream historical drama, built around a fierce female lead. But as soon as filming starts, arrogant leading man Han Mingxing (Ding Yuxi) won’t stop picking holes in her script. Then comes the plot twist: she literally falls into her own story.

Trapped in her drama as Third Princess Chen Qianqian, a side character destined to die by episode three, Xiaoqian has one mission: stay alive and find a way out. But dodging death means tearing up the script she wrote. What she doesn’t expect is to become the real heroine, caught in a love triangle between the brooding Prince Han Shuo (yes, played by the same actor) and the noble Minister Pei Heng. Chaos, comedy and unexpected romance follow, because when the writer grabs the reins of her own plot, anything can happen.

Video from the scene showed the much larger Atlantic Asphalt tanker hit the American Heritage cruise boat while it was docked as metal and glass crashed and crunched.

Tugboat operators, nearby workers, police and other rescuers rushed to help.

“We have zero people unaccounted for, which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi,” New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said at a news conference as rescuers and others cheered.

The mayor said 32 people were taken to the hospital, but none of them had critical injuries.

Ship started listing within minutes

The boat started listing within minutes and flipped while emergency workers were still trying to get everyone off the ship.

Dozens of people on board and at least two police officers were dragged from the 66-degree Fahrenheit (19-degree Celsius) river onto nearby ships.

Devon Flanagan was at his job nearby at the Port of New Orleans when workers rushed down the dock. He got out of his truck and saw the ship on its side and passengers in the water.

“It was just chaos,” he said. “You had all types of ships, like other barges and other companies down there trying to help out, which also was a little convoluted because you had people still in the water.”

It appeared the tanker seemed to have “some type of loss of steering,” but the exact cause of the crash was unknown, Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said.

The National Transportation Safety Board planned to investigate the crash, but members were initially unable to make it to New Orleans because all flights nationwide were grounded due to communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.

Cruise line did a roll call to make sure all were accounted for

The people who weren't injured were brought to a nearby auditorium, and cruise officials did a roll call to make sure everyone was accounted for, Moreno said.

Many people lost their IDs and even car keys in the disaster. Most were from out of town, the mayor said.

“They needed chargers for their phones. Some people didn’t have phones,” Moreno said. “This has now made national news. They need to contact their families to let them know they’re OK. Food, hotel rooms, transportation.”

The cruise ship was built in 2015 and operated by American Cruise Lines. It is five stories and can hold up to 150 passengers.

The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The 520-foot-long (160-meter-long) vessel had a final destination in New Orleans, according to MarineTraffic, and was sailing under a flag for the Marshall Islands.

Expert says catastrophic failure of systems on boat

It's too early to tell what might have caused the crash, but videos indicate some kind of catastrophic system failure on the vessel and “super bad luck” that it struck the boat as passengers were departing, said Martin Davies, a maritime law expert at Tulane University.

The tanker was traveling upriver, going slowly against the current, Davies said.

“For something like this to happen for an upbound ship indicates that something must have gone really badly wrong,” Davies said.

Tankers have local pilots on board for guidance because they know the waters and the ship very well, and the ship had already made the difficult Algiers Point turn on the Mississippi River before it crashed, Davies said.

Tanker owned by subsidiary of Chinese shipbuilder

The ship is owned by a company called Nave Shipping SA, which is registered in Monrovia, Liberia, according to the International Maritime Organization.

It is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a sprawling Chinese state-owned conglomerate, according to the live shipping tracker MarineTraffic.

The Chinese company overseeing the asphalt tanker in 2022 accounted for nearly a quarter of the global commercial shipbuilding market, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. It was also the largest military shipbuilder in the world at the time.

China State Shipbuilding Corp. didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment Friday afternoon.

The tanker involved in the crash specializes in carrying large quantities of asphalt and bitumen, a semi-solid substance that is often used for road construction and roofing, according to MarineTraffic.

A second-half own goal by Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi followed by a fluky effort from Uruguay midfielder Maxi Araujo sealed defeat for the 2026 World Cup runners-up.

Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alavarez gave Argentina hope of a comeback with a 73rd-minute strike but Uruguay held on to clinch a third victory for new manager Diego Forlan.

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Messi played his final game for Argentina in an emotional farewell friendly victory over Benin last month, calling time on a glittering career that spanned 207 caps and 125 goals.

With the 39-year-old genius missing, Argentina struggled to break down a resilient Uruguay team for long stretches of Friday's friendly.

Nico Paz had Argentina's best chance of the first half, but saw his shot well-saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Cristopher Fiermarin.

Uruguay made the breakthrough soon after half-time when a Giorgian de Arrascaeta free-kick from the left caused chaos in the Argentina defence.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez attempted to clear with a header but his effort instead cannoned off team-mate Balerdi and into the net.

De Arrascaeta then set up Uruguay's second in the 53rd minute, his corner appearing to hit Araujo's shoulder before looping high into the net.

Alvarez pulled a goal back midway through the half, and had another good chance in stoppage time but Uruguay closed out the win.

Day 257: Trump says US does not 'need a deal with Iran'

Day 256: Iran warns US as Gaza crisis deepens

Day 255: ADNOC vessel sustained damage following attack

Day 254: Trump: Military action on Iran ‘doesn’t seem necessary’

Day 253: UAE rescues 22 crew in Gulf of Oman

Day 252: Iran's Revolutionary Guard lifts its missile-range limit

Day 251: Trump warns Iran of ‘heavy hit’ as Tehran steps up Gulf diplomacy

Day 250: Oman and Iran call for end to war and fresh dialogue

Day 249: US VP Vance says Iran war is 'the reason we lost' midterms

Vance considers face-to-face talks with Iran's Rezaei to end war: report

US Vice President JD Vance is considering face-to-face talks with Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei as he takes a leading role in efforts to end the war, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US and Middle Eastern officials and people familiar with the negotiations. President Donald Trump has told senior aides and foreign counterparts that he is open to Vance restarting negotiations with Tehran and has authorised him to negotiate, according to the report. Vance sent Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, a letter in October requesting a meeting, but no date has been set.

Yemen's Houthis say targeted Saudi East-West pipeline, Yanbu

Yemen's Houthis said Thursday that their forces targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and an oil facility in the port city of Yanbu on the Red Sea.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said in a post on X that one operation "targeted Pumping Station No. 7 on the East-West Pipeline using a drone", while a second "targeted the Yanbu oil facility using a ballistic missile".

He claimed both attacks - as well as two others targeting a Saudi airport and an airbase not far from the Yemeni border - had been successful.

Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi drones as attacks escalate

Saudi-led coalition air defences intercepted and destroyed another drone over Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki announced on Thursday the interception in a statement posted on X, without providing details about the drone's origin, possible damage or casualties.

The latest incident followed multiple missile and drone interceptions across the kingdom.

On Thursday, the coalition also reported intercepting drones over the Riyadh region. Arab News reported two separate interceptions in the capital region, while Anadolu Agency reported interceptions over Riyadh and the Eastern Province.

On Wednesday, Saudi air defences intercepted three cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and two drones heading towards Mecca and southern Saudi Arabia, according to the coalition.

Saudi Civil Defence separately reported that debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles fell in Sabuhah village in the Mecca region.

UN Security Council renews sanctions on Yemen’s Houthis

The UN Security Council unanimously renewed its Yemen sanctions regime against the Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday (Nov. 12), extending targeted asset freezes and travel bans until Nov. 14, 2027.

The UK-drafted measure was adopted by consensus, without a formal recorded vote.

The resolution also condemned the Houthis’ military escalation in Yemen and their cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia, including missile and drone strikes. It demanded an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities.

British Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh said the adoption showed the council’s determination to act against “reckless attacks by the Houthis” in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Trump warns Iran against assassinating senior US officials: ‘They will not exist very long’

President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it would face devastating consequences if it killed a senior US official. In a phone interview with Salem News Channel on Thursday, Nov. 12, host Hugh Hewitt asked what would happen if Iran killed a senior American official, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“They will not exist very long any longer,” Trump replied.

The warning came after Bessent was moved from his Washington-area home to a US military base following Iranian "threats" against his life, per US media reports.

A senior Trump administration intelligence official warned in a late-October memo that Iranian plots against US personnel and citizens had reached an advanced stage.

The threat follows heightened US-Iran tensions and reports of alleged Iranian plots targeting American officials. Bessent’s relocation underscores the security concerns surrounding senior administration figures amid the conflict.

Trump did not specify a response or timetable. His remarks signal that Washington views any assassination attempt as a potential trigger for a major escalation.

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‘Enemy’ strike hits Sirik in Iran's Hormozgan province: IRNA

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that Sirik in the southern province of Hormozgan had been struck by what it called an “enemy” attack. Citing official sources, IRNA described the strike late on Thursday (Nov. 12) as "military" in nature.

The agency did not identify the attacker, specify the target or give details on damage or casualties. Iran International reported that residents had earlier heard several explosions of unknown origin, per Iran International.

Sirik lies in Hormozgan province near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil-shipping route. There's no independent confirmation of the reported strike.

Iran's Guards say they targeted US radar system in Bahrain

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said their forces had targeted a US early warning radar system in Bahrain, according to a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster on Friday.

There was no immediate confirmation of a strike on Bahrain by Manama or the United States, whose bases and equipment in the Gulf were repeatedly targeted earlier in its eight-month war with Iran.

"A few hours ago, IRGC Aerospace Force fighters targeted and destroyed the US aggressors' early-warning radar on the island of Bahrain in response to the enemy's air aggression against a telecommunications tower in Sirik," the Guards said in the statement, referring to a port city in southern Iran.

"This is a serious warning to the aggressor enemy to stop its aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz," it added in the statement, posted by the state broadcaster on Telegram.

Iran says another ship hit mine in Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday that a ship was hit by an explosion after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has sought to restrict navigation.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East war in late February, Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain its authorisation to traverse the strait and has attacked vessels that do not comply.

The United States has in response imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and provides military support to tankers using the vital trade route.

"A few hours ago, a ship carrying liquefied natural gas east of the Strait of Hormuz tried to cross an unauthorised passageway south of the strait, but was hit by a naval mine and exploded violently," the Guards said on Friday.

They did not give the name or origin of the vessel.

IAEA calls on Iran to restore access to nuclear sites

The UN's nuclear watchdog urged Iran to take "incremental steps" to allow inspectors to return to key nuclear facilities in the Islamic republic, adding such access was "critical" in a report seen by AFP Friday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not had access to key nuclear facilities in Iran since Israel, joined by the United States, launched a 12-day conflict in June 2025 that included strikes on nuclear sites.

Nuclear facilities have also been hit in the latest war, which erupted on February 28, and the IAEA has repeatedly called for access.

In its report, to be discussed at an IAEA board of governors meeting next week, the agency noted that it was "critical" for it to conduct "verification activities in Iran without further delay".

"The director general encourages Iran to consider technical and gradual measures by which conditions are achieved that allow for the return of agency inspectors to Iran," the report said.

"Such incremental steps could pave the way to normal safeguards implementation in Iran while contributing to a confidence-building atmosphere conducive to a wider agreement," it added.

The report detailed correspondence in recent weeks between the IAEA and Iran.

IAEA inspectors were able to visit Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant in September, but have had no access to other facilities.

The IAEA "acknowledged that the military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and sites created an unprecedented situation".

But because of a lack of cooperation "the agency is not able to conclude that there has been no diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities in Iran", the report said.

"The agency's lack of information about ... nuclear material and access to facilities to verify it is a matter of serious proliferation concern," the IAEA said, adding it "needs to be rectified with the utmost urgency".

Global oil supply to surpass demand in fourth quarter: IEA

Global oil supplies are expected to exceed demand in the fourth quarter, after increased Gulf exports led to a market surplus in October for the first time since the Iran war, the International Energy Agency said Friday.

Even though attacks on tankers trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz have continued, Gulf shipments reached 18.4 million barrels per day (mb/d) - though that was still 26 percent below prewar levels, the Paris-based agency said in its monthly report.

Iran refuses nuclear inspections while US military threats persist

Iran told the UN nuclear watchdog this month that discussions on nuclear monitoring cannot proceed while it is under threat from military attacks.

According to a confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, circulated to member states on Friday and seen by The Associated Press, Iran insisted discussions on resuming inspections in the country cannot resume amid "a series of persistent, explicit, and public threats by the President of the United States of America … to commit further acts of armed aggression" against Iran "particularly targeting its nuclear facilities."

Iran said the situation won't resolve "until the root causes of the present situation are addressed and the essential requirements for normal safeguards implementation are restored," the report added.

Iran hasn't given IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites that were affected by Israeli and US strikes during the 12-day war in June 2025. The IAEA also has been unable to verify the status of Iran's stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing.

Iran nevertheless reaffirmed its "firm commitment to resume full implementation of its safeguards obligations as soon as the relevant legal and actual conditions permit it."

The UN nuclear watchdog said the lack of information about Iran's atomic sites and nuclear material is "a matter of proliferation concern" that "needs to be rectified with the utmost urgency." The IAEA noted that it is "fully prepared to resume its safeguards activities in Iran at short notice."

Turkey, Qatar sign mutual defence pact, pledge joint response to attacks

Turkey and Qatar signed a mutual defence agreement on Friday during talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Istanbul.

According to the Turkish presidency, the two countries agreed to adopt a unified stance against external armed attacks on either country and consult on security threats.

The agreement also provides for expanded joint military exercises, defence-industry cooperation and personnel training.

Erdogan said the countries would work together to prevent renewed conflict in the Gulf and promote dialogue and peace. Details of how the mutual defence commitments would be implemented were not immediately clear.

Yemen govt forces fortify Aden defences as Houthis advance

Yemen's internationally recognised government is fortifying positions on the outskirts of Aden province, home to their de facto capital, as their Iran-backed Houthi foes seize hilltops overlooking the area, three military officials told AFP.

Houthi fighters are now advancing east, consolidating their gains near the Red Sea while also moving closer to the Gulf of Aden. They have been taking hold of strategic hilltops in the Al Madaribah wal Ara district overlooking Aden province, the sources said.

"We received high-level directives to establish military fortifications west and north of Aden Governorate, as the threat to the government's interim capital draws nearer," one of the military officials said.

The fortifications include stacking up sandbags and digging tunnels.

All the sources requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Government forces have repeatedly tried to regain control of the Red Sea coast to no avail, with battles killing dozens on both sides in the past couple of days, according to government and Houthi sources.

Another of the military officials described the fortification outside Aden as a long-overdue precautionary measure.

The third military source, a field officer on the ground, said the Houthis were advancing east of the strait towards the Gulf of Aden coast after taking large parts of Al Madaribah wal Ara district adjacent to Aden province.

Nearby also lies the mountainous region of Al Maqatirah, home to a road serving as the main gateway to the city of Taiz, which has been besieged by the Houthis for weeks.

The source said Al Maqatirah had been captured by the Houthis, complicating government efforts to retake Taiz and opening the door to further advances in Al Madaribah.

US says shot down two Iranian drones targeted at Bahrain

The United States on Friday denied that Iran's Revolutionary Guards had destroyed a US radar system in Bahrain, saying US forces had intercepted two Iranian drones headed for the country.

"The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and both were shot down by U.S. forces," US Central Command said on X, adding there were no injuries or damage.

Earlier in the day, the Guards issued a statement saying its forces "targeted and destroyed the US aggressors' early-warning radar" in Bahrain.

Mossad chief visits Washington as Israel pushes for fresh Iran strikes

Israel’s Mossad chief, Roman Gofman, has arrived in Washington for high-level talks with Trump administration officials on the war with Iran, Axios has reported.

Gofman, one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, is also scheduled to meet CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Israel is making every effort to persuade US President Donald Trump to launch another major military campaign against Tehran.

Hormuz shipping still 65% below pre-war levels

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains approximately 65 per cent below pre-war levels, according to a report released Friday by UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The agency recorded 139 outbound and 169 inbound vessel transits in the latest seven-day period, alongside eight maritime incidents across the Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

UKMTO said 163 Iran-US conflict-related maritime incidents had been recorded since February 28. The maritime threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains severe, meaning an attack is assessed as highly likely.

The report also recorded 722 satellite-navigation interference reports in 2026, including six in the latest week.

Iran's IRGC says two tankers hit sea mines in Hormuz

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This allows the businesses clients to now scan and receive dirhams into a Sokin AED account. Platform partners gain embedded local payment rails to move money into and out of the UAE, and across more than 70 other currencies, for their clients.

The numbers behind the move are sizeable. Businesses move more than $11 billion a year through Sokin’s licenses and infrastructure, spanning 70 currencies across 170 countries. The company holds licences in 36 countries and runs eight offices. Founded in 2019, it has raised over $100 million from investors including Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Prysm Capital.

Setting the base right

Vroon Modgill, Sokin’s founder and CEO, insists the UAE is no side project. “This is not a satellite office for us,” he says in an exclusive interview with Gulf News. “We have a proven business model and we’re doing 100 per cent year-on-year growth.” He adds that Sokin aims to double its transaction flow next year.

The team in the UAE stands at about 65 people, Modgill discloses. Hiring will include roles in the partnerships team, which works with fintechs and software platforms that embed Sokin’s multi-currency accounts.

The company did not arrive overnight. Sokin entered the UAE nearly three years ago as a strategic partner of Seed Group, a company of The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. Modgill rejects the idea that the expansion is a sudden bet. “We want to be everywhere, not somewhere,” he explains. “We’ve been building the foundations. Now it’s time to accelerate.”

The licence and regulatory approvals is what pushed the firm to bet big on Dubai. Sokin obtained it through its Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) office, where it is regulated as a Money Service Provider with a Category 3D licence. It covers issuing payment instruments and executing payment transactions. It also covers account information and payment initiation services, plus advising on and arranging money services.

A partnership with Ruya Community Islamic Bank LLC delivers the onshore AED services. Ruya, licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE, holds the dirham deposits. UAE businesses can hold a dirham account alongside 28 other currencies.

How will Sokin simplify payments?

Competition is crowded. Banks and money transfer firms have operated in the UAE for decades. Modgill argues that price alone is the wrong battleground. Corporates operating in 10 countries often juggle 10 banking partners, 10 accounting platforms and 10 payment acceptance methods, he observes. That adds up to roughly 30 platforms. “What we decided as a team very quickly is what if we just condense that into one?” he says. “We’re probably the only ones in the market that has that full stack.”

Chasing rivals on price would backfire, he warns. In a pricing war, he says, “I might win one transaction, that’s about it.” Retention matters more, he adds, with existing customers doing more business with Sokin each month.

Stablecoins and artificial intelligence feature in the pitch. This year, Sokin launched stablecoin accounts and settlement. It also introduced an MCP connector that lets finance teams send payments through the AI tools they already use. Modgill says the company bought a firm in March that provides the settlement infrastructure.

He is sceptical of rivals rushing in. “We spent 18 months looking at stablecoins and seeing how it would fit into our infrastructure,” he recalls. Stablecoins coexist with Swift, and customers rarely care which rail carries the payment, only that it settles instantly.

AI has limits in this business. Licensing still needs a human touch, Modgill says. He recalls a regulator outside the UAE that made his team remove its AI note-takers from the first call. Sokin uses AI for operational efficiency instead.

Seed Group picks its partners selectively. Hisham Al Gurg, CEO of Seed Group and The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, says the group reviews far more companies than it backs. “Every year, we probably look at more than 2,000 companies,” he says. “How do we pick fewer than 20?” Its role, he outlines, is simple: “to help them succeed.”

He sees fintech as a natural fit for Dubai. “It’s very agile,” he says. “With software and with technology, you can customise, you can localise very quickly.”

Old photographs and videos featuring Samreen and popular YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani have resurfaced online, prompting speculation about their past relationship.

But Samreen is clearly unhappy with the way the clips are being circulated.

Taking to Instagram Stories on Friday (November 13), she clarified that the videos were from a professional collaboration four years ago and that the two have not been in contact since.

"The internet is truly a strange place, sometimes funny, sometimes disappointing," she began her statement.

She explained that she woke up to find old photographs and videos of herself with the YouTuber being edited into reels and circulated online.

Samreen made it clear that they had neither spoken nor worked together in the past four years.

She also urged social media users to stop recycling old content to create misleading stories and attract views.

'I am NOT the girl'

Samreen also addressed speculation linking her to comments made by Chanchlani about his past relationships during podcast appearances.

"More importantly, I am NOT the girl being referred to in these podcasts," she wrote.

She said she had clarified the matter several times over the years, yet her name continued to be dragged into discussions with which she had no connection.

Samreen described the situation as a misconception that had been taken too far.

Samreen warns of legal action

The actress also criticised social media creators for using outdated photographs, misleading edits and statements taken out of context.

She described the practice as irresponsible and disrespectful.

Samreen warned that her team would take legal action against creators using her name or photographs for clickbait.

But she also had a message for those sharing such content.

"A little fact-checking goes a long way," she wrote.

She reminded people that misleading stories can affect individuals, their reputations and their families.

"Not everything is content for clicks," she added.

She ended her statement with a simple message: "God bless, and good day."

Arshdeep and Samreen's engagement

The controversy comes just days after Arshdeep and Samreen announced their engagement on November 11.

The Indian fast bowler proposed to his longtime girlfriend during the team's tour of New Zealand.

The couple shared photographs of the special occasion on Instagram, along with a romantic message.

"And of all the things life could have given us, I'm the happiest that it gave us each other. To a lifetime together. 11.11.2026."

Their announcement attracted congratulations from fans and fellow cricketers.

However, the resurfacing of old videos has now prompted Samreen to publicly address speculation surrounding her personal life.

And she has made one thing clear: she does not want her past professional collaborations to be turned into misleading stories, particularly when other people's reputations and families are involved.

The FAA lifted the restrictions at 8.15pm Eastern Time (1.15am GMT on Saturday), after suspending departures at 3.54pm over concerns about communication systems used by air traffic controllers. Aircraft already in the air were permitted to land, while some international flights received clearance to depart before the nationwide restrictions were removed.

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The disruption affected one of the world's busiest aviation networks. According to aviation data company Cirium, approximately 11,000 flights carrying more than 1.5 million passengers had been scheduled to depart from US airports after 4pm on Friday.

Although flights were cleared to resume, officials warned that airlines would need time to reposition aircraft and crews and clear the backlog of delayed passengers. 

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the failure to ageing air traffic control technology and routers overwhelmed by data. Speaking at a White House news conference, he acknowledged that the FAA, rather than commercial airlines, was responsible for the disruption and urged Congress to provide additional funding to modernise the country's aviation infrastructure.

Duffy warned that similar shutdowns could occur without substantial investment in the system. He expressed confidence that normal operations would resume before the Thanksgiving holiday travel period, although he acknowledged that restoring flight capacity and accommodating affected passengers would take time.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said investigators had found no evidence that the outage resulted from a cyberattack or another deliberate threat.

However, he stressed that the investigation was continuing and that officials had not definitively ruled out all possible causes.

Airlines warned that disruption could continue into Saturday. JetBlue cancelled its remaining Friday evening flights, except for Europe-bound services departing from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston, and cautioned that further cancellations were expected the following day. 

The shutdown was the first nationwide suspension of US flight departures since January 2023, when a malfunction in a critical FAA computer system disrupted air travel across the country. Before that, the previous nationwide grounding occurred following the September 11, 2001, attacks. 

The five-day forecast, covering Saturday, 14 November, to Wednesday, 18 November, indicates increasing cloud cover and a possibility of rain over some coastal, northern and eastern areas.

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Saturday: Strong winds and rough seas

Saturday will be partly cloudy to cloudy at times, particularly over coastal areas and islands. Northwesterly to southwesterly winds will generally range from 10 to 25km/h, occasionally strengthening to 45km/h over the sea.

Conditions in the Arabian Gulf are expected to be rough, becoming very rough at times in western areas, while the Oman Sea will be moderate to slight.

Temperatures could reach 34°C in inland areas, 31°C along the coast and 26°C in the mountains. Minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 15°C inland and 10°C in mountainous areas.

Sunday: Cloudy conditions continue

Partly cloudy skies will persist on Sunday, 15 November, with low clouds forming over some areas, particularly along the coast and islands.

Winds will remain light to moderate, occasionally reaching 40km/h over the sea. The Arabian Gulf will be moderate, becoming rough in western areas, while the Oman Sea will remain slight.

Monday and Tuesday: Light rain possible

The possibility of rainfall will increase on Monday, 16 November, with partly cloudy to cloudy conditions expected across the country.

Light rain could fall over islands and some coastal and northern areas, with similar conditions forecast for Tuesday, 17 November.

Winds will generally range between 10 and 25km/h, occasionally reaching 40km/h over the sea on both days.

The Arabian Gulf will be moderate to rough in western areas on Monday. Conditions are expected to ease slightly on Tuesday, although the sea could become rough at times in the west. The Oman Sea will remain slight.

Wednesday: Rain chances extend to eastern areas

Cloudy conditions are expected to continue on Wednesday, 18 November, with a possibility of rainfall over some northern, eastern and coastal areas.

Winds will remain light to moderate, becoming fresh at times over the sea.

Marine conditions are forecast to improve, with slight to moderate waves in the Arabian Gulf and slight seas in the Oman Sea.

The NCM's forecast indicates that rainfall will be limited to certain areas, rather than widespread across the country.

The food fest has 16 pop-ups with Taste exclusive menus that come with just the right size of bite. Then there are the workshop areas, white and well lit to ensure cooking – and clean-up – is up to standard. There’s a spot you can learn how to make your favourite coffee, another where matcha is whisked to tease flavour out, and still a third where you’ll find chocolate rain for your ice cream.

The chefs behind the succulent meats heat up the grills and season the meat. Norbert Kasumba, of Oak Room, says it’s his second year cooking at Taste of Abu Dhabi. “I was here last year and it was amazing. I got a nice experience and we sold the burgers. We always have Wagyu beef sliders,” he says, adding that while the event has only just begun, there are already plenty of people there. “I think there are going to be big numbers.”

You must have strategy at these food events, or you’ll be full on the complimentary bites people are happy to share. (For those going, stop by the MLS counter for some of the most succulent steak you’ll find here. Or head to the Oak Room. Norbert wasn’t kidding about the perfectly seasoned burgers with patties so soft you’ll question your own experience. (But it’s true – they really are that good.)

But if you want a plan… first do a recce of all that there is and all that you must try – this is the food version of Marie Kondo’s ‘what gives you joy?’ strategy. Then, begin with what you want the most rather than the spot with the least line.

Japanese mum Kanako Yajima was at the Taste of Abu Dhabi for a second time this year with her two children. After trying a variety of dishes, they were soon to give a nod of appreciation to the sliders and the mac and cheese from the Oak Room.

Filter what you must eat with a tough edit. Eating when full really takes away from the experience. Fortunately, there’s plenty to get your appetite working. You could, for instance, join the pasta making class for beginners. Or just sing and dance along at one of the stages where nostalgia generally guides music choices.

One of the children ready to flex her cooking muscles is Kasia, who is four years old. Her father and mother join her in aprons as she gets ready for one of the little chef workshops. They are here for Kas, her father says. “We just wanted to give her some new experiences, and the Taste of Abu Dhabi is such a nice event to come to. And we also love cooking,” he adds.

For some, food just sweetens the deal. The al fresco environment, live music, and the space to relax and catch up after a long week are a draw.

Mitali Deshmukh, whose been going to Taste of Abu Dhabi for three years, is with her friends, Parisce Francis and Swapnil. She says: “So, we don't meet up [often] because of our hectic schedules, but then we are so used to this festival that my bestie literally books it and then tells me that we have to go.”

Meanwhile, her bestie, Parisce says: “We like the menus, we like the live music, and we like the family atmosphere.”

Their friend Swapnil is quick to add: “I also love the lamb chops from Soraya.”

The festival this time is well spaced – the furniture set up at different corners means each zone can be different and unique. And the spaces can double up as cozy spots for catch-ups.

There’s also that bouncing castle in Candy Zone luring in the littles. Irish expat Ruby has noticed this new focus on childcare. "I feel like it's bigger this year. The layout seems better. There's definitely more entertainment, especially for kids," she explains.

Among the chefs you can expect to run into during the fest are Gino D’Acampo and International Guest Chef Rachel Allen. Carry a notebook for all the tips and tricks they tell their audience during a class.

But most of all, don't forget to stop and smell the ramen. And eat the sliders.

Don't miss it!

Taste of Abu Dhabi runs until Nov 15 at Gateway Park North on Yas Island. Tickets start at Dh80.