Author: Editorial team

All masses and activities at the two Catholic churches in Dubai — St Mary’s Catholic Church in Oud Metha and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Jebel Ali — are suspended from Friday, April 3, and will remain so until further notice. “Parishioners are requested to refrain from visiting the church premises, in the interest of safety and community well-being,” St Francis Church posted on its website on Thursday evening, citing directives from government regulatory authorities. “The church will remain closed and no livestream will be available,” it said. St Mary’s Church posted a similar announcement on its social…

DUBAI, 2nd April, 2026 (WAM) — Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the launch of the Technical and Future Competency Framework, aimed at establishing a clear vision for the capabilities of human resources in the years ahead by aligning required skills with accelerating technological advancements and global shifts. The initiative reflects RTA’s strategic commitment to enhancing corporate performance through modern approaches to human resources development, a key pillar of corporate excellence. It also reinforces RTA’s role as a proactive government entity in anticipating future job requirements and designing solutions that strengthen organisational readiness for decades to come. The…

Microsoft revealed it was on track to invest $5.5 billion in Singapore between 2025 and the end of 2029. This move includes the expansion of AI and cloud infrastructure. The sum comprises cash to support ongoing operations and funds to boost cloud and AI infrastructure. In its statement, the company also outlined measures to expand education and workforce programmes in the country. This includes giving tertiary students free access to AI productivity tools, supporting the government’s focus on digital skills development. More than 200,000 university and vocational students will receive a year of Microsoft 365 Premium with Copilot, providing access…

ABU DHABI, 2nd April, 2026 (WAM) — In efforts to enhance early diagnosis and timely intervention, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the emirate’s healthcare sector, has designated eight specialised Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic centres across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra region. This initiative brings children and their families access to accurate diagnosis and early support services within an integrated healthcare ecosystem. The designation of the diagnostic centres aims to standardise and strengthen autism diagnostic services across the emirate, while improving access through minimised assessment wait times. All designated centres are required…

Abu Dhabi’s food safety authority has shut down a cafe located in the emirate’s Al Dhafra region for food safety violations. Desert Breeze Cafe, situated in the Madinat Zayed Western Souk, was found to have repeatedly violated food safety violations. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture Food Safety Authority also revealed the eatery had failed to implement effective corrective measures, necessitating an immediate intervention to safeguard food safety. The establishment’s practices posed a serious risk to public health. The authority recently shut down Index restaurant located in Mussafah Industrial in Abu Dhabi for violating food safety laws. Crackdown on businesses for violating…

ABU DHABI, 2nd April, 2026 (WAM) — EDGE Group will mark its first participation at FIDAE 2026, Chile, expanding its presence in Latin America. From 7th to 12th April, EDGE will showcase a broad portfolio of cutting-edge solutions across air, land, and cyber domains, reflecting its integrated, multi-domain approach to modern defence. “Our debut at FIDAE highlights EDGE’s expanding role in Latin America’s defence technology landscape,” said Omar Al Zaabi, President of EDGE Commercial. “Building on our existing partnerships in the region, EDGE has positioned itself to offer highly disruptive systems while supporting local economic growth and technology development opportunities.”…

DUBAI, 2nd April, 2026 (WAM) — As part of its ongoing commitment to monitoring the workflow within the national food security system and supporting the local agricultural sector, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) carried out a comprehensive field inspection tour visiting a number of Emirati farmers in the UAE. The field tour was led by Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, who was accompanied by a number of Ministry officials. The tour aimed to assess the efficiency of the local agricultural system and ensure the uninterrupted flow of fresh produce…

OpenAI recently secured a record $122 billion in fresh capital, lifting its valuation to $852 billion. This move comes as the AI player continues to accelerate spending on chips, data centres and enterprise growth. The funding round, OpenAI’s largest to date, was led by Amazon, Nvidia and SoftBank, which Bloomberg reported together contributed $110 billion. According to the publication, Amazon committed $50 billion, while Nvidia and SoftBank Group each invested $30 billion. Other backers included MGX, D.E. Shaw Ventures and TPG. OpenAI also opened the round to a limited pool of individual investors, drawing in around $3 billion. In a…

The UAE expressed its solidarity with Afghanistan over the victims of the floods and landslides after heavy rains hit the country in recent days. The natural disasters affected a number of regions, leading to multiple deaths and injuries of a number of people. Heavy rain and storms have killed at least 45 people over the past few days across Afghanistan and Pakistan, disaster officials in both countries said Monday. Rain sweeping across Afghanistan since Thursday has caused floods and landslides in multiple provinces.  Across the border in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 17 people were killed and 56 wounded since Wednesday,…

DUBAI, 2nd April, 2026 (WAM) — The Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent regulator of banking, wealth & asset management, and capital markets in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation and facilitate the exchange of information relating to the regulatory oversight of auditors and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) within their respective jurisdictions. “The UAE has placed significant emphasis on developing a robust and advanced infrastructure for the financial services sector, given its importance as one of the main pillars for building…