Author: Editorial team

SoftBank Group recently took out a $40 billion bridge loan from a collection of big name financial institutions. In part this move was calculated to cover an additional investment in OpenAI that the Japanese company committed to in February 2026. The company’s latest investment in the ChatGPT maker forms part of OpenAI’s $110 billion funding round announced last month, which also attracted $30 billion from Nvidia and $50 billion from Amazon. SoftBank’s contribution will come from its Vision Fund 2. According to a statement made in February, the additional cash will take the company’s cumulative investment in OpenAI to $64.6…

DUBAI, 31st March, 2026 (WAM) — The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai (KHDA) has opened applications for the third cohort of the Dubai Distinguished Students Programme for the 2026–27 academic year. Launched in 2024 in collaboration with the Knowledge Fund Establishment and Dubai’s private schools, the programme provides high-achieving Emirati students from Grade 1 (Year 2) to Grade 10 (Year 11) with a 50% tuition fee scholarship at schools rated Good or above. A total of 333 scholarships will be offered this year across 19 private schools in Dubai. The participating schools offer a range of curricula, including…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.] Two UAE school groups have announced waivers on transport fees during the ongoing period of distance learning, offering relief to families as buses remain off the roads. The Indian High Group of Schools confirmed that parents will not be charged for any days when classes are conducted online under regulatory directives. “Families everywhere are navigating uncertainty, and we recognise that many of our parents may be facing financial pressures due to the current regional situation,” Punit MK Vasu, CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, told…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.] Businesses in the UAE are continuing to grow and invest, with leaders showing strong confidence in the country despite ongoing regional tensions. Healthcare group Burjeel Holdings is among those moving ahead with its expansion plans, opening a new medical centre at Silicon Central in Dubai Silicon Oasis while announcing further projects in the pipeline. “We are not slowing down. In fact, we are opening more, with another centre coming up soon in Dubai and a hospital planned by the end of the year,” said Dr Shamsheer Vayalil,…

DUBAI, 31st March, 2026 (WAM) — OMNIYAT continues to advance project delivery across its portfolio, supported by a fully funded US$11.7 billion development pipeline currently under construction and progressing in line with schedule. This disciplined execution is underpinned by a strong financial position, a strategically positioned land bank, and sustained confidence in the UAE’s economic fundamentals. Across the UAE’s prime and waterfront locations, OMNIYAT holds a substantial 12 million sq. ft. GFA land bank, reinforcing its pipeline of future developments. Building on this foundation, OMNIYAT continues to expand its presence through strategic development, strengthening its position across UAE’s most sought-after…

BEIJING, 13th March, 2026 (WAM) — China launched a Long March-8A carrier rocket on Friday in the southern island province of Hainan, sending a new group of internet satellites into space. The rocket lifted off at 3:48 am (Beijing Time) from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. It successfully placed the payloads, the 20th group of low-orbit internet satellites, into preset orbit. Source: Emirates News Agency

Mistral AI is committed to furthering their ambition to build 200MW of data centre compute capacity in Europe by the end of 2027, securing $830 million in debt financing to up capabilities at a facility near Paris. The cash will be used to purchase 13,800 Nvidia GB300 GPUs for a centre in Bruyeres-le-Chatel which Mistral AI noted would bring its capacity to 44MW. Lenders are Bpifrance, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole CIB, HSBC, La Banque Postale, MUFG and Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking. In a statement on social media, the AI company asserted the backing “underscores their confidence in our vision:…

DUBAI, 31st March, 2026 (WAM) — The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), in coordination with the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council, has announced the extension of remote learning at higher education institutions until 17th April 2026. In-person classes will resume only for priority programmes requiring physical attendance, in line with the Ministry’s recent circular, with strict adherence to approved safety measures in order to protect students and academic cadres. MoHESR urged higher education institutions to monitor developments and coordinate with local authorities to ensure continuity, while maintaining learning quality and academic assessment standards. The Ministry…

A woman braves the gentle rain in Muwaileh, Sharjah, holding her child close as they navigate the wet streets together Women walk under umbrellas through the morning drizzle in Al Nahda, Dubai, as residents step out across the neighbourhood A man clad in a bright blue waterproof coat braves the rain, making his way carefully through the wet streets A woman strolls under her umbrella through the gentle morning drizzle in Al Nahda, Dubai A man and a woman walk through the streets of Al Nahda, Dubai, each holding an umbrella as the morning drizzle falls around them A woman…

Stuck in heavy rain-related traffic for more than three hours, a UAE expat family travelling from Dubai to Sharjah on Monday was running out of time as they rushed their son to chemotherapy. Then came a swift response from police and ambulance teams, turning panic into relief. Lamiaa Abdelaal, an Egyptian expat, said the journey began as a routine hospital visit but quickly turned stressful as roads slowed to a near standstill on the first working day after Eid Al Fitr. “Today was my son’s chemotherapy session appointment at Burjeel Hospital in Sharjah after the illness returned to him once…