Author: Editorial team

ABU DHABI, 2nd May, 2026 (WAM) — Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement will showcase a range of regulatory enablers, industrial solutions and strategic initiatives at the Make it in the Emirates 2026, highlighting its role in developing the UAE’s defence sector. The council, the national authority responsible for regulatory frameworks, standards and compliance systems, will also present its work in overseeing testing, evaluation and certification processes. Tawazun aims to reinforce its role in advancing the national defence industrial ecosystem and supporting its integration and future readiness. It will also highlight the importance of specialised industrial zones in enabling defence manufacturing,…

MUSCAT, 2nd May, 2026 (WAM) — Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries outperformed the global average in the 2026 Economic Freedom Index, reflecting stronger economic openness and an improved business environment, data from the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat) showed. The GCC average Economic Freedom Index reached 66.9 points, surpassing the global average of 59.9 points by a margin of nearly 7 points, indicating a higher level of economic freedom across the region. All GCC countries recorded either improvement or stability in their scores between 2025 and 2026, with limited variation among member states, demonstrating the continuity of economic reforms and growth-supporting…

ADDIS ABABA, 2nd May, 2026 (WAM) — The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, will host the Zayed Charity Run tomorrow, Sunday, for the first time at Meskel Square in the city centre. The race will cover a distance of 5 km, with wide participation from men, women, and People of Determination. The local organising committee has completed all technical and organisational preparations, ensuring all requirements are in place for the race to begin at 7:00 AM. Participant lists for all categories, men, women, and People of Determination, have been finalised, and the race route has been set to start and finish…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.] As the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has lifted restrictions on the country’s airspace, airline ticket prices to and from the UAE are likely to drop slightly, according to travel agents. They said the move would bring in more flights and cut airline expenses, thus increasing travel appetite. “From February 28, when UAE imposed restrictions on its airspace, all scheduled flights were cancelled and only special flights were operational,” explained Sudheesh TP, General Manager of Deira Travels. “During this time, each airline had…

GENEVA, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — On stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie, UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s rider Tadej Pogačar took the day’s honours and became the new race leader. Just 24 hours on from the opening prologue, Pogačar stamped his authority on the race for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. For the world champion, it was his first road stage of the season and his first stage victory of 2026. The win moves Pogačar to five victories for the campaign, and puts him and his Emirati squad into control of the race leader’s yellow jersey. Just three days on from his…

BRUSSELS, 2nd May, 2026 (WAM) — Trade tensions between the United States and the European Union have intensified after US President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise import tariffs on European cars and lorries to 25 percent “from next week”. The current tariff stands at 15 percent. “Based on the fact that the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States,” President Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. “The Tariff will…

GENEVA, 2nd May, 2026 (WAM) — After winning two stages on the bounce at the Tour de Romandie, UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Tadej Pogačar was forced to settle for fourth place on stage 3. Raced to and from Orbe in Switzerland, the fourth day of racing saw the honours contested in a 34-man reduced bunch sprint, won by Dorian Godon of Ineos Grenadiers. Finishing strongly, Pogačar powered his way to fourth place at the finish, retaining his race lead of 17 seconds over Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. In third place overall lies Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), who sits 26…

The General Civil Aviation Authority in the UAE has announced that air traffic in the country’s airspace is now back to normal. The authority added that the precautionary measures that had been temporarily implemented have been lifted. These measures were put into place after the US-Israel-Iran war commenced on February 28. This decision, it said, came after it assessed operational and security conditions, stressing that real-time monitoring will continue to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety. technical and operational teams are fully prepared to handle any potential developments. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on…

WhatsApp messenger, a popular instant messaging platform, has become a mainstay of communication for UAE residents. However, there are several changes — from banking bans to legal risks and new features — that users need to know. Here are five updates that everyone needs to be aware of: 1. Central Bank bans WhatsApp for banking The Central Bank of the UAE has prohibited all financial institutions from using WhatsApp and other instant messaging apps for customer services from May 1. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. The ban, issued on April 17, covers…

When Iskandarbek Narzibekov moved his family from London to Abu Dhabi in 2023, colleagues questioned the logic. The restaurateur had built a portfolio of acclaimed dining concepts across the British capital through his Pachamama Group, and conventional wisdom suggested the Gulf imported restaurant brands rather than creating them. Three years later, his Abu Dhabi-founded brand Soraya is preparing to reverse that flow, launching in London as a one-of-a-kind restaurant concept born in the UAE capital designed specifically for international export. “For years everyone thought the region only imports names,” Narzibekov told Khaleej Times. “I want to prove something else. You…