Author: Editorial team

CAIRO, 7th June, 2026 (WAM) — Egypt’s Ministry of Planning said the country’s economy recorded growth of 5.2 percent during the first nine months of fiscal year 2025-2026, covering the period from July 2025 to March 2026. Egypt’s fiscal year ends on 30th June. The Central Bank of Egypt also announced today that the country’s net foreign currency reserves rose to US$53.134 billion in May, up from US$53.009 billion in April. Source: Emirates News Agency

SHARJAH, 7th June May, 2026 (WAM) — Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, part of the Emirates Health Services, has successfully performed the UAE’s first series of robotic surgeries on children, marking a significant milestone in specialised paediatric healthcare and advanced surgical innovation. Dr Safiya Al Khaja, Director of Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, said the achievement marks a major step in the development of specialised healthcare services and reflects Emirates Health Services’ commitment to innovation, clinical excellence and patient-centred care. She noted that the introduction of advanced robotic surgical technologies has enabled medical teams to perform complex procedures…

VIENNA, 7th June, 2026 (WAM) — Morningstar DBRS has downgraded Austria’s highest credit rating from AAA to AA (high), while maintaining a stable outlook, citing deteriorating debt metrics and persistently high budget deficits. The move means Austria has lost its top credit rating with the last of the five major credit rating agencies used by the European Central Bank to assess collateral, bringing to an end a decades-long period during which the country ranked among Europe’s highest-rated sovereign issuers. In its report, Morningstar DBRS said Austria is running wider fiscal deficits than before the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to persistently…

DUBAI, 7th June, 2026 (WAM) — Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), received Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), and his delegation at Al Shera’a, DEWA’s new headquarters in Al Jaddaf. The iconic landmark is the world’s tallest, largest and smartest net-positive government building. During the visit, the Masdar delegation toured Al Shera’a and learnt about DEWA’s key global performance indicators and the building’s prominent features. Al Shera’a introduces an innovative concept for sustainable buildings based on the integration of smart solutions within a comprehensive cognitive…

[Editor’s Note: Follow the Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.] As the UAE navigates a period of regional tension, the country’s Filipino community used this year’s Philippine Independence Day celebrations to reaffirm its commitment to the nation it calls a second home. Speaking at the event, which brought together around 40,000 members of the Filipino community at the Dubai World Trade Centre today to mark the 128th anniversary of Philippine Independence, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, praised the community’s contributions to the UAE and highlighted the…

AL ARISH, 7th June, 2026 (WAM) — Four UAE humanitarian aid convoys carrying 740 tonnes of food parcels aboard 60 trucks entered the Gaza Strip this week as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, supporting the Palestinian people and helping address their humanitarian needs amid challenging humanitarian conditions. The UAE humanitarian aid team in Al Arish prepared and loaded the convoys through the UAE Humanitarian Aid Logistics Centre in Al Arish, following an organised mechanism that ensures the sorting, preparation and dispatch of aid in line with field requirements inside the Gaza Strip. The convoys are part of the UAE’s…

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed 90 per cent of a project to construct a 1,500-metre bridge with two lanes in each direction, providing direct entry and exit between Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai Harbour. According to the project timeline, the bridge will open to traffic this June for motorists travelling from Sheikh Zayed Road, from both Deira and Jebel Ali, towards Dubai Harbour. In July, traffic will open from Dubai Harbour towards Al Naseem Street, as well as from the new bridge towards the intersection of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street and Al Naseem Street.…

For Emirati overlander Waleed Al Shamsi, a year-long drive from the UAE to South Africa was never simply about reaching a destination. The journey, which took him across multiple African countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, and Angola, was driven by a desire to challenge himself, step away from routine, and experience the world at a slower pace. “I wanted to push my own boundaries, step out of routine and experience the world in a way that felt slower, richer and more personal,” Al Shamsi told Khaleej Times. “Africa had always inspired me because of its scale, its diversity, and the…

Questions: I am going on annual leave next month, but my boss has asked me to carry my laptop, as “some work may come up unexpectedly”. Is this legal? Can I be made to work during my vacation? If I am willing to do so, am I entitled to overtime? Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that you are employed by a private mainland company in the UAE. Therefore, the provisions of the UAE employment law are applicable. An employer and an employee may mutually agree on the terms and conditions of an employee working during his or…

Question: As a tenant in Dubai, can I make modifications to my rented apartment? I understand that I have to hand back the apartment in the same condition in which I received it. My question is whether I can make changes to the balcony and kitchen during my tenancy. Answer: Pursuant to your queries, as the apartment rented by you is located in the emirate of Dubai, the provisions of the Dubai land laws are applicable.  In the emirate of Dubai, a tenant may not make any changes or carry out any restoration or maintenance works in a rented property…