The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) has officially announced its operational schedule for the Eid Al Adha holiday period, ensuring uninterrupted support for residents, visitors, and travellers across the emirate.

According to the authority, the holiday working schedule will begin on Monday, May 25, and continue through Friday, May 29, with several customer service centres maintaining extended operations during the festive period.

24/7 Customer Happiness Centre

One of the key highlights is the continued 24/7 operation of the Customer Happiness Centre located at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3 arrivals area. The round-the-clock service is aimed at assisting passengers and handling urgent immigration and residency-related transactions throughout the Eid holidays.

Meanwhile, customers visiting the Al Manara and Al Twar centres will be able to access services from Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 1:00pm.

The Al Awir Public Services Centre will continue functioning daily from 7:00am until 8:00pm, including weekends, providing additional flexibility for those requiring in-person support during the holiday season.

GDRFA Dubai also highlighted the availability of its digital platforms, which remain fully active 24 hours a day. Customers can complete a wide range of services online without visiting service centres, as part of Dubai’s ongoing push toward smarter and faster government services.

Call centre assistance

Residents and visitors can also contact the Amer call centre at 8005111 for assistance and transaction updates at any time during the Eid break.

In addition to physical service centres, users can access immigration and residency services through the official GDRFA Dubai website and the DubaiNow smart application.

Chicken shopping in the UAE is about to change, with a new government-backed Premium Mark set to appear on selected locally produced poultry products from June.

The initiative, launched by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC), aims to help shoppers quickly identify chilled chicken products that meet higher standards for food safety, quality, sustainability and production practices.

Retailers say UAE consumers are becoming far more selective about what they buy, especially when it comes to fresh poultry.

The certification will apply to producers that meet advanced standards across the poultry supply chain, including farming methods, feed quality, inspections and final product quality.

The rollout will begin in phases from June with selected Abu Dhabi poultry producers. Participation is voluntary, but industry players believe the label could strengthen consumer confidence in UAE-made products and help local brands compete more strongly against imported premium poultry.

Officials also said the framework could later expand to include eggs, dairy and red meat products.

As Norway Chess 2026 gets underway in Oslo, all eyes are once again on the growing rivalry between D. Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen, a clash that has become one of modern chess’s biggest storylines.

Tournament organisers have confirmed the reigning world champion and former world number one will face each other twice during this year’s event, first on May 28 and again on June 5.

The rematch already carries extra intrigue after last year’s dramatic showdown, when Carlsen reacted emotionally after losing to the teenage Indian sensation, a moment that quickly went viral across the sporting world.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Gukesh kept things calm when asked whether he expected another fiery reaction from the Norwegian superstar.

“My job is to play chess. That is within my control,” said the 19-year-old world champion, who turns 20 later this week.

But the Indian grandmaster also admitted that moments of emotion and rivalry are helping chess attract a wider audience globally.

“Chess players generally don’t show a lot of emotions, but when it did happen, a lot of people got attracted to chess,” Gukesh said. 

“I feel that chess players generally expressing more is fun to watch.”

This year’s tournament also marks a major commercial moment for the sport. Earlier this year, Erling Haaland invested in Norway Chess and its new Total Chess World Championship Tour project, another sign of chess crossing deeper into mainstream global sport.

The event has also started building stronger Gulf connections. Last year’s Norway Chess Open featured Rouda Al Serkal, the GCC’s first woman grandmaster, reflecting the UAE’s growing presence in international chess.

The 2026 edition features another elite field in both the Open and Women’s tournaments.

In the Open section, Carlsen opens against Alireza Firouzja, while Gukesh begins his campaign against Vincent Keymer. R Praggnanandhaa will face Wesley So.

The women’s competition includes reigning world champion Ju Wenjun, Koneru Humpy, Anna Muzychuk and rising Indian star Divya Deshmukh.

Running until June 5, Norway Chess continues to position itself as one of the sport’s premier events, blending elite competition, viral rivalries and growing global appeal far beyond the traditional chess audience.

Photo credit: Norway Chess / Michal Walusza