Lebanon truce faces hurdles, UAE tightens wage rules and Dubai launches SME initiative

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, the latest ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel faces an early test as Iran and Hezbollah insist any lasting agreement must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. We also look at mounting pressure on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, where US military aircraft are occupying large parts of the country’s main aviation hub, disrupting operations and reducing commercial capacity. US President Donald Trump says negotiations to end the war with Iran have reached their “final” stage, while criticising efforts in Congress to limit presidential war powers. In the UAE, authorities introduce tougher penalties for companies that repeatedly delay salary payments, including fines, work permit suspensions and potential travel bans for managers. And Dubai launches the SME in a Box initiative, a new programme designed to help entrepreneurs start businesses faster and at lower costs through a single access platform. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.