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World’s best knights to descend in Dubai for Global Chess League

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Hou Yifan, left, and Magnus Carlsen are among a stellar field for the inaugural Global Chess League.

The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) have announced the complete list of players for the upcoming inaugural edition, to be held at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club from June 21 to July 2.

The GCL, in association with the Dubai Sports Council, will feature reigning world champion Ding Liren, the top-ranked chess player and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, and four-time women’s world champion Hou Yifan, among others.

Grandmaster Liren, said: “Global Chess League appeared to be a fantastic opportunity from the moment I heard about it. Not only is it an interesting format, but also, as an Icon player, I get to contribute to an exciting concept that will change the face of the chess world for years to come. Further, knowing that GCL will see participation from players worldwide, it will be a strong field, and I look forward to meeting all the players.”

A five-time world champion, and the reigning four-time rapid chess world champion, Carlsen’s peak Fide rating has been the highest in chess history. “Chess is played by many people worldwide, but it needs to catch up to other major sports as a spectator sport, and I am optimistic that GCL will contribute significantly to this.”

All teams will compete in a one-of-a-kind joint team format at GCL, with each team consisting of six players with a minimum of two women chess players per team. Besides Liren and Carlsen, four former world champions will add to the thrilling level of competition – 2021 rapid world champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov, 2008 blitz world winner Leinier Domínguez, three-time blitz world champion Alexander Grischuk, and Daniil Dubov (2018, rapid).

The league will also feature top female superstars, including Grandmaster (GM) Hou Yifan, the second highest-rated female player of all time. She was the youngest female player ever to qualify for the title of grandmaster at the age of 14.

There will be six teams with each accorded an icon player and two women players in the mixed-team GCL. The full list of icon players is yet to be finalised.

Yifan will be accompanied by WGMs Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Kateryna Lagno, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Tan Zhongyi, Nana Dzagnidze, Bella Khotenashvili, Nino Batsiashvili, Irina Krush, International Master Polina Shuvalova, and 2018 European women’s champion in rapid chess, Elisabeth Paehtz.

Yifan said, “Global Chess League has already sparked widespread interest. GCL is certain to take the game in new directions and open doors, which have never been explored before. Chess fans all over the world are in for a treat.”

Six U21 players will also compete in the GCL, with the trio of Grandmasters, Praggnanandhaa R., Raunak Sadhwani, and Nihal Sarin, leading the pack of prodigies for India. GMs Jonas Buhl Bjerre, Javokhir Sindarov and chess prodigy GM Andrey Esipenko complete the list of players in the category.

ALSO READ: Anand sees ‘new beginning’ in Dubai with GCL

In addition to the players mentioned above, the GCL will feature several other superstars of chess, including Grandmasters Vidit Gujrathi, Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Yi Wei, Yu Yangyi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Richard Rapport, Kirill Shevchenko, Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Salem Salah.

Jagdish Mitra, the GCL board chairman, said, “Apart from being great players, all of them have been ambassadors for the game in their respective countries and worldwide. With them on board, GCL only adds another feather to its cap in becoming a true game changer for the chess ecosystem by introducing a mixed-team format in chess. This is a true testament to our belief in providing equal opportunities to all, regardless of gender.”

 

Education

CBSE results: UAE students celebrate after months of uncertainty

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Students across the UAE are celebrating as India’s Central Board of Secondary Education officially announced the 2026 Class 12 board exam results on Tuesday.

Homes and schools across the Emirates were filled with excitement and relief as students rushed online to check their scores shortly after the results were released.

Relief after months of uncertainty

The results come after an unusually challenging academic period for CBSE students in the Middle East.

In March, CBSE announced the cancellation of Class 12 board exams across Gulf countries, including the UAE, following regional tensions linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has since entered an extended ceasefire period.

Schools across the UAE had temporarily shifted to distance learning during that time, forcing major adjustments to academic schedules and assessment plans for graduating students.

Digital scorecards released first

Students are currently receiving provisional digital marksheets, while original certificates and official documents will be distributed later through schools.

CBSE confirmed that digital scorecards available through DigiLocker can, in the meantime, be used for university admissions and official applications.

Students celebrate across the UAE

While many schools are still waiting to receive consolidated results, social media has already been flooded with reactions from students celebrating strong scores and sharing their results online.

The announcement marks a major milestone for thousands of Indian curriculum students across the UAE preparing for higher education admissions in India and abroad.

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Learning to drive in Dubai? The RTA just changed the training curriculum

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Dubai is getting a major tech upgrade for trainee drivers. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has updated its light vehicle driver training curriculum to include modern smart driving technologies and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

The move reflects the growing number of vehicles equipped with intelligent safety features on Dubai’s roads and aims to better prepare new drivers for modern driving conditions.

What’s included in the new training?

The updated curriculum now covers training on:

  • Forward collision warning
  • Blind spot monitoring
  • Lane departure alerts
  • Parking assist systems
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • ABS braking systems
  • Other advanced driver safety technologies

According to Sultan Al Akraf, Director of Drivers Licensing at the RTA, the revised programme is designed to improve driver behaviour, enhance road safety and help reduce traffic accidents.

Integrated into driving schools and tests

The new content has been added to:

  • Theoretical lessons
  • Practical driving sessions
  • Official driver handbooks

The programme was developed in collaboration with Dubai’s driving institutes to align training with internationally recognised road safety standards.

RTA says more than 250,000 trainees have already benefited from the updated curriculum in recent years, while workshops continue to be held for driving schools to ensure instructors stay updated on evolving vehicle technologies.

As cars become increasingly automated and technology-driven, understanding ADAS systems is becoming a key part of safe driving.

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Know all about Dubai’s new AI parking cameras and how to pay

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Finding parking in Dubai could soon become much easier. Parkin has launched new AI-powered smart parking camera systems across three major locations in the city, introducing curb-side parking technology in the region.

The rollout covers Trade Centre One, Burj Khalifa and Al Corniche, where more than 500 curb and pole-mounted cameras are being installed.

How the system works

The new system uses AI to automatically capture vehicle images, read number plates and detect entry and exit times without the need for traditional parking meters or manual checks.

Parkin has also deployed 200 parking lot cameras capable of:

  • Calculating parking fees automatically
  • Enabling seamless auto-payment
  • Detecting parking violations
  • Tracking real-time parking occupancy

All cameras are solar powered, supporting Dubai’s wider sustainability goals.

Integrated with Parkin app

The smart parking system will be fully integrated into the Parkin app, allowing drivers to pay automatically through the Parkin Wallet feature.

Officials say the technology is designed to reduce congestion caused by drivers searching for parking spaces while improving overall traffic flow and parking management efficiency.

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