
UAE carries out 70th airdrop of aid to Gaza
The shipment included essential food supplies, prepared with the support of UAE-based charities, state news agency Wam reported.
"With the completion of this airdrop, the total amount of aid delivered by air under the operation has exceeded 3,940 tonnes of various relief items, including food and essential supplies, underscoring the UAE's steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and bolstering their resilience," Wam said of the UAE's Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 programme.
"These initiatives reflect the UAE's leading role in international relief work, by mobilising regional and international efforts and promoting a humanitarian giving approach to alleviate the suffering of those affected in crisis areas."
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Khaleej Times
2 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Schools across UAE celebrate record-breaking A Level & BTEC results
Schools and students across the UAE began receiving their A-level results today, with this year's cohort achieving strong performances. In Dubai College, 77 per cent of students made expected or better-than-expected progress across all subjects. The school's A-Level results for 2025 include a 74 per cent A-A rate, matching last year's high, and a record 93.6 per cent of grades at A-B. Notably, 25 students earned three or more A* grades, with 15 of them achieving four A*s. Ateka Tarajia, Head of Sixth Form said, 'Dubai College is proud to announce an outstanding set of A Level results, as a staggering 74% of all examinations were awarded an A* or A, reflecting the exceptional hard work and talent of our students. Students have secured places on highly sought after courses, such as in Medicine, and many have confirmed places at Oxbridge and Ivy League schools. Taleem In Dubai British School Jumeirah Park (DBSJP), 25 per cent of entries have been awarded A* or Distinction*, 50 per cent achieving grade A or above, and 85 per cent at grade B or higher. With a 96 per cent pass rate, this year also saw a number of graduates across the UAE securing places at prestigious Russell Group universities and top international institutions. DBSJP Principal Rebecca Coulter said, 'These outstanding results reflect the talent, dedication, and resilience of our students, the expertise of our teachers, and the strength of our school community. We are equally proud of every individual journey, whether academic or vocational, and we look forward to watching our graduates thrive on the global stage.' Some high-achievers at DBSJP recalled their experience. Maxwell said, ' Today I got the highest grades I could have achieved on my course. I could not be happier seeing the last few years of hard work pay off. I am going to miss DBSJP so much and all the teachers who have helped me along the way.' Amelia noted, ' Two years ago I started A Levels, feeling nervous and unsure, but today all my hard effort and patience have paid off – achieving higher grades than predicted.' Alisha added, ' My time at DBSJP has provided many opportunities for growth. I am incredibly happy to see all of my hard work paying off, and can't wait to see what the next step in my journey is.' Jebel Ali School In Jebel Ali School, 55 students sat for 162 A-Level exams and 5 BTEC qualifications. School Headboy, Kye Raikundalia earned A* Maths, A Further Maths, A Economics, A EPQ, B Computer Science He said, 'I am thrilled at the prospect of studying Economics at King's College London, with the ambition of pursuing a career in Sales and Trading within Investment Banking. JAS has provided me with an excellent foundation, enabling me to work towards my goals.' Raikundalia added, 'The support of my teachers has helped me strengthen my skills and consistently strive for the best. I believe they have placed me in a strong position to succeed in the next chapter of my life.' Jebel Ali School Principal, Simon Jodrell said, 'Our Year 13 students have achieved the best Post-16 results in the school's history. With 62 per cent of all entries achieving the top grades of A* - B and 32 per cent of all grades awarded at A*- A (or equivalent). This year's outcomes reflect the exceptional hard work, dedication, and resilience of our Sixth Form students.' Repton Schools Repton AbuDhabi's 43 per cent of all A-Level entries secured A*–A grades and 72 per cent of all entries at A*-B. Repton Dubai also recorded a strong performance, with 31 per cent of entries receiving A*–A grades, and 62 per cent of grades awarded A*–B. Repton Abu Dhabi students have secured offers from prestigious universities around the world, including the University of St Andrews, New York University, the University of Western Australia, the University of New South Wales and University College Cork. Among the school's high achievers is Wahyu Wijaksono, who achieved an outstanding three A* grades and one A. Another standout student, Sandra Li, will be heading to New York University in the USA after achieving one A*, two A grades, and one B. Principal of Repton Abu Dhabi, Steven Lupton, said, 'We are immensely proud of our students for their exceptional achievements this year. Their results are a testament to their determination, resilience, and passion for learning, supported by the dedication of our teachers and the encouragement of their families. We are confident they will thrive at university and beyond, shaping their futures and making a positive impact on the world around them.' Repton Dubai also celebrated impressive university placements, with students securing offers from prestigious institutions including Imperial College London, UCL, LSE and Queen Mary University of London. High achievers this year include Zain Junadi, who achieved three A* grades and two As and will be joining UCL and Yilan Shi, who earned two A* grades and two As and will reading Computer Science at Imperial College London. Michael Bloy, Principal of Repton Dubai, said, 'This cohort has shown exceptional resilience and commitment to their goals throughout their academic journey. We are thrilled to see them succeed and take their next steps towards fulfilling and ambitious futures.' At Horizon International School in Dubai this year, A-level students achieved an average of +1 grade above their expected outcomes across all subjects. In English Literature, the average Value-Added was +1.12 grades, in Biology the Value-Added was +0.8 of a grade and in Chemistry, the Value-Added was +0.75 of a grade. In addition, the Value-Added in Geography and Business was +2 grades and in Media, the Value-Added was +1 grade. 54 per cent of HIS students achieved grades A* to B, in addition to 50 per cent of long tenure students achieving A*-B grades across 2+ subjects. Horizon International School, Principal, Stephen Quinn, said, "We are very proud of the remarkable progress our A-level students have made, consistently outperforming expectations and growing into confident, independent learners. As they venture into the next phase of their academic and professional paths, we are confident that they will carry forward the spirit of Horizon – continuing to excel and make meaningful contributions to their chosen fields.' Other schools in Abu Dhabi Meanwhile, Brighton College Abu Dhabi is also celebrating its pupils' Summer 2025 A-Level results, with A being the most commonly awarded grade, a value-add of almost two-thirds of a grade, and one quarter of pupils receiving A* or A grades in all of their subjects. The College achieved 17 per cent of grades at A*, 44 per cent at A*–A grades, and 68 per cent at A*–B. Standout subject performance included 100 per cent A* grades in Computer Science and Art, 100 per cent of grades in Geography, and 75 per cent A*–B in English Literature, Design Technology, Biology and Physics. The Class of 2025 holds 149 offers from Russell Group Universities, with seven pupils receiving all five of their offers from these prestigious institutions. Pupils here also set to join leading universities including Imperial College London, University College London, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), King's College London and the University of Manchester, as well as top US and other global destinations, with several earning scholarships. 21 pupils achieved a clean sweep of A* and A grades. In Dubai College, 77 per cent of students made expected or better-than-expected progress across all subjects. The school's A-Level results for 2025 include a 74 per cent A-A rate, matching last year's high, and a record 93.6 per cent of grades at A-B. Notably, 25 students earned three or more A* grades, with 15 of them achieving four A*s. Ateka Tarajia, Head of Sixth Form said, 'Dubai College is proud to announce an outstanding set of A Level results, as a staggering 74% of all examinations were awarded an A* or A, reflecting the exceptional hard work and talent of our students. Students have secured places on highly sought after courses, such as in Medicine, and many have confirmed places at Oxbridge and Ivy League schools. GEMS Education At GEMS education 1,999 students sat 5,379 A-level exams across its 22 schools in the UAE and Qatar. The results show sustained strong performance, with 32 per cent of grades at A*-A and 58 per cent at A*-B. The GEMS-wide results also reflect significant year-on-year grade improvements, with the number of A* grades awarded rising by two percentage points to 11 per cent, A*-A performance improving from 26 per cent in 2024 to 32% this year, as well as A*-B performance rising six percentage points to 58 per cent. Additional highlights include GEMS Cambridge International Private School – Sharjah, whose A-level students achieved a nine percentage point growth in A* grades awarded, as well as GEMS Wesgreen International School – Sharjah, where the number of students achieving an A*-A grade rose by 16 percentage points year-on-year. Across the GEMS network a total of 412 students took BTEC Level 3s — double the cohort of last year, demonstrating the increasing popularity of this vocational pathway.


ARN News Center
4 hours ago
- ARN News Center
UAE continues aid to Gaza, over 3,940 tonnes airdropped
The UAE carried out its 70th airdrop on Wednesday, with the total amount of aid delivered by air under the operation exceeding 3,940 tonnes. The UAE continues its humanitarian support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip under Operation Birds of Goodness, part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, in cooperation with Jordan, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France. #UAE conducts 70th airdrop of aid over #Gaza Strip #WamNews — WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) August 13, 2025 The shipment included quantities of essential food supplies, prepared with the support of UAE-based charities to meet the needs of residents in the strip.

Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Zafar Masud's ‘Seat 1C' inspires a journey of purpose and resilience
Zafar Masud, a miraculous survivor of a plane crash, recently visited Dubai for the book launch of his memoir, Seat 1C: A Survivor's Tale of Hope, Resilience and Renewal. The book launch was warmly received in the UAE, where Masud's narrative left audiences in awe of fate. Book readings were held in various cities, including Dubai, Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Though Seat 1C appeals to all age groups, it is written particularly for the younger generation about to enter the real world and for individuals in positions of influence who shape institutions. The lessons from the crash and the reflections in the book are highly relevant to anyone in decision-making capacities, as they address accountability, humility, and the consequences of complacency. 'Recalling the details of the day was not easy, as it was not just about the memory of the ill-fated crash. It was about revisiting the emotions, the uncertainty, and the awareness of what happened to me and some two hundred passengers on that day. The process of writing forced me to understand the event beyond just my own experience; it helped me to think about how people process shock, survival, and recovery,' Masud shares. Writing about his miraculous survival, Masud's writing became a source of detachment, stepping back to reflect, not just react, and in doing so, Seat 1C became more a narration of what we take away from life's difficult situations, rather than a narration of the crash itself. There were a few reasons that motivated Masud to write the book. He felt a great sense of responsibility to keep his own life lessons alive through his book. He felt it was not just enough for the news of the crash to make headlines for a few days and weeks and then disappear. He wanted to touch the heart of the matter, where survival becomes difficult, and life teaches one to survive against all odds. 'I have always believed that life's difficult moments, however painful they may be, by design of nature, offer greater clarity about life,' he says. The incident brought to light an important reminder that, at the end, no matter who we are in terms of our career or where we are in the realm of our social ladder, we are a 'human first'. By writing Seat 1C, Masud draws our attention to the true meaning of life in its vast compass and frailty. As Masud's life was spared, he spent endless hours thinking about the reasons behind his survival. Why had God spared his life was a question that consumed him for several months. However, there was a shift in his questioning as he moved from 'Why me?' to 'What can I do with this life that I was spared?' This forced Masud to rethink life and what he was meant to do in the world. 'I realised survival comes with a duty, to make your life more meaningful, to impact others positively, and not take time for granted. It changed my mindset completely, and that shift has stayed with me every day since,' he reflects. The primary purpose of writing this book for Masud was to move beyond a personal account of survival and instead offer a broader reflection on the state of societies and institutions, both in his country and elsewhere. Though the book revolves around the plane crash, the message in the book is much larger. It's about understanding how attitude, especially arrogance and complacency, can contribute to systemic failures, whether in aviation, governance, or any sector. At the same time, the book highlights the often-forgotten concept of the fundamental decency and resilience of ordinary people. 'I learnt the fundamental decency and resilience of ordinary people. I experienced that first-hand, through strangers who risked their lives to save me. The book invites readers to think about the contrasts in our society between the hubris of institutions and the quiet strength of the masses,' Masud explains. Masud's own experience made him rethink his life. When one faces death so closely, it for sure changes one's own perspective on life. It took Masud three years to write the book, and during these years, he went through many emotions of despair and helplessness he felt on the ill-fated day, and the fact that he survived in a calamity all transpired in a book that unfolds many lessons we forget in our busy days. An avid reader himself, Masud follows a career in banking. However, after the incident of PK8303, Masud has found a new meaning in life. 'At its core, the book is a call to introspection, for individuals to remain humble. The central theme of the book revolves around being a satisfied man with no regrets when they are leaving the world,' he says.