The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat said Eid Al Fitr prayers this year will be held only inside mosques across the country to ensure the safety and security of worshippers.

The move means worshippers will pray in designated mosques nationwide, rather than at traditional outdoor prayer grounds.

Eid prayers: UAE authority urges people to adhere to guidelines

The authority that oversees mosque operations across most of the UAE issues guidance on prayer arrangements and religious practices.

The authority has asked people to adhere to guidelines and arrive early to perform prayers in mosques to ensure their safety.

Read: Eid Al Fitr 2026 holidays for public and private sector employees

Tesla has announced that it is temporarily offering free supercharging at its network of charging stations across the UAE and select GCC markets, in a move aimed at supporting electric vehicle (EV) users across the region.

The announcement was made via the company’s official Tesla Charging account on X, confirming that customers can access its Supercharger network at no cost for a limited period.

The initiative applies to multiple locations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with the UAE accounting for the largest share of participating stations. These include key urban hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, as well as intercity and highway locations.

Ajman became the latest emirate to confirm Eid Al-Fitr holidays, announcing that government employees will observe a four-day break from Thursday, March 19, to Sunday, March 22, with work resuming on Monday, March 23, a WAM report said.

The move follows an announcement made on March 12 by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, which confirmed the same holiday period for all government entities, with exceptions for shift-based roles.

Sharjah had issued its decision even earlier, on February 23, when the Sharjah Department of Human Resources confirmed identical Eid Al-Fitr holiday dates for government departments and institutions.

Unified celebrations across the UAE

Across Ajman, Dubai and Sharjah, authorities extended congratulations to the UAE leadership, citizens and residents, as well as to Arab and Islamic nations worldwide.

Officials expressed hopes that the occasion would return with “goodness, prosperity and blessings for all,” reflecting the spirit of unity that defines Eid celebrations in the country.

With all three emirates aligning their holiday schedules, UAE residents can look forward to a synchronised long weekend marking the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid festivities.

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani was killed by Israel, the Iranian government confirmed on Tuesday, the most senior figure targeted since the US-Israeli war’s first day.

Larijani was widely viewed as one of Iran’s most powerful figures and a confidant of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and successor, Mojtaba.

His death was confirmed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which Larijani led as secretary. Larijani‘s son and his deputy, Alireza Bayat, were also killed in Israel’s attack on Monday night, the council said.

The targeted killings came more than three weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has quickly become a regional conflict that shows no signs of de-escalation.

Israel also killed another top official, Gholamreza Soleimani, who led the volunteer Basij militia, which plays a major role in domestic security.

Mastercard said on Tuesday it would buy stablecoin payments infrastructure firm BVNK for up to $1.8bn, as the card giant deepens its push into blockchain-based transfers.

Increasing regulatory clarity and broader usage of stablecoins have created opportunities for card networks to expand beyond traditional cards into faster, lower-cost digital payment systems. Mastercard and rival Visa are competing to establish an early lead in the fast-evolving segment.

Mastercard said the deal would enable its users to carry out cross-border remittances, business payments and payouts with stablecoin, which offers advantages in speed, cost and availability.

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“BVNK has spent the last seven years building not just the technology, but also obtaining licenses in multiple geographies,” said Mastercard’s chief product officer, Jorn Lambert, on a conference call.

Lambert added that building similar capability internally “would require quite a bit of time,” while an acquisition would allow Mastercard to “get to market much faster.”

The deal includes $300m in contingent payments and is expected to close before the end of 2026.

Analysts at William Blair said that BVNK’s stablecoin infrastructure “complements its (Mastercard’s) existing card solutions, in our view, offering greater payment and money movement choice across fiat and blockchain rails.”

BVNK, founded in 2021, specialises in infrastructure to bridge between fiat and stablecoins. The platform enables sending and receiving payments on all major blockchain networks across more than 130 countries.

“BVNK represents a major buy opportunity for MA given the former’s impressive existing geographic reach, difficult-to-acquire payments licenses, and strong relationships with key ecosystem participants,” said Citi analyst Bryan Keane.

The deal builds on Mastercard’s broader push into digital assets, including its Crypto Partner Programme, as it seeks to integrate blockchain-based payments into its global network and expand its addressable market.

Mastercard believes that stablecoin adoption is likely to broaden across the financial industry.