The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) have affirmed the UAE’s preparedness to respond to any health developments or emerging situations, including Ebola, stressing that the national surveillance and response system is continuously evaluated and reviewed in line with international standards and best practices.

The discussions took place during a meeting chaired by Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention, under the oversight of NCEMA, bringing together relevant entities and strategic partners, a WAM report said.

Public health readiness

The meeting reviewed the latest developments related to Ebola, alongside the UAE’s approved national health surveillance and response systems, the precautionary measures currently in place, and coordination and integration mechanisms with relevant entities at local, national, and international levels.

NCEMA and MoHAP reaffirmed the continued implementation of precautionary monitoring measures as part of the UAE’s proactive approach to strengthening public health preparedness and communicable disease response systems, while ensuring healthcare facilities and medical teams remain fully prepared to respond efficiently and effectively to various health situations when required.

Surveillance and coordination

They also stressed the importance of relying on official sources for information and refraining from circulating or publishing inaccurate information, reaffirming the UAE’s longstanding commitment to safeguarding public health and strengthening community health awareness.

Officials said the UAE will continue enhancing preparedness, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and ensuring rapid response capabilities remain aligned with global health security frameworks to protect the community from emerging infectious disease threats in line with national priorities and global standards continuously.

The UAE is set to witness mostly fair weather conditions through May 24, although residents can expect dusty skies, strong winds and fluctuating sea conditions over the coming days, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

In its latest forecast, the NCM said weather conditions across the country will remain generally stable from Wednesday through Sunday, with occasional dust and sand blowing across exposed areas due to active winds, a WAM report said.

Sea conditions are also expected to shift between slight, moderate and rough in both the Arabian Gulf and the Oman Sea.

Read more-Unusual weather system to bring clouds and rain to UAE

Wednesday’s forecast points to fair weather overall, although dusty conditions are likely during the daytime alongside a slight rise in temperatures. The NCM said northwesterly to southwesterly winds will remain light to moderate but are expected to freshen at times, reaching speeds of up to 40 km/hr and causing blowing dust in some areas.

“The sea will be moderate in the morning, becoming rough in the Arabian Gulf,” the NCM said in its statement, adding that conditions in the Oman Sea will become rough by evening.

Temperatures to fluctuate through the week

On Thursday, temperatures are expected to decrease slightly while fair weather continues across the UAE. Winds are forecast to remain active, with speeds ranging between 10 and 25 km/hr and gusts reaching 40 km/h. Forecasters warned that blowing dust may reduce visibility in open areas at times.

By Friday, temperatures are expected to rise slightly once again, with fair but dusty daytime conditions continuing. Winds will shift from southwesterly to northwesterly and could reach up to 35 km/h, while sea conditions are expected to remain slight to moderate.

Saturday’s outlook suggests another dip in temperatures accompanied by dusty weather and fresh winds. The Arabian Gulf is forecast to turn moderate to rough, while the Oman Sea will remain slight to moderate.

Looking ahead to Sunday, the NCM said skies will be fair to partly cloudy at times, especially in eastern regions where low clouds are expected to appear. Winds are likely to continue freshening periodically, with rough conditions forecast westward in the Arabian Gulf during the morning before easing later in the day.

Authorities have advised residents, particularly motorists and seafarers, to stay updated with the latest weather advisories during periods of reduced visibility and rough seas.

Etihad Rail has completed construction of its first passenger station in Fujairah, marking a major milestone ahead of the gradual launch of passenger rail operations later this year.

Located in the Madinat Al Hilal area, the Fujairah Passenger Station spans 51,900 square metres and is set to become a key transport gateway connecting the emirate with Dubai and Abu Dhabi, a WAM report said.

Adhraa Al Mansoori, executive director of Commercial for Etihad Rail, said the station’s strategic location places it close to several major landmarks and tourist destinations in Fujairah.

Read more-11 places Etihad Rail will connect across the UAE by end of 2026

“The station is around 12 minutes from Fujairah International Airport, six minutes from Umbrella Beach Corniche, and five minutes from Sakamkam Fort,” Al Mansoori said.

Faster travel, new opportunities

The launch of the passenger rail network is expected to significantly improve connectivity across the UAE while opening new economic and investment opportunities in multiple sectors.

According to Al Mansoori, travel time between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi will be approximately 105 minutes, with trains operating at speeds of up to 200 km/hr. Each train will accommodate up to 400 passengers.

She added that the first phase of operations will include the simultaneous launch of three routes connecting Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. Official travel schedules are expected to be announced closer to the operational launch date.

Al Mansoori also highlighted the project’s contribution to the local economy, noting that 70 percent of the materials used in developing the national railway network were sourced locally through 97 domestic suppliers.

Modern passenger experience

Passengers travelling through the Fujairah station will have access to a range of modern facilities and services, including retail outlets, a VIP lounge, high-speed Wi-Fi and onboard dining carriages.

The station also features integrated passenger facilities, directional signage, waiting areas, automated payment machines and dedicated customer service offices designed to ensure a smooth travel experience.

Officials said the development reflects the UAE’s broader vision to enhance public transportation and establish a world-class rail network across the country.

The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI), Omar Saheb emphasises, has reached a turning point. The industry’s focus, he says, is moving away from novelty and features toward “real-world value, trust, and usefulness”, and Samsung sees its role as leading that shift. Galaxy AI’s user base has grown from 200 million in 2024 to 400 million in 2025, with a target of 800 million by 2026. But scale, Saheb insists, is not the story.

Here, the regional VP of Marketing and Online Business at Samsung Electronics MENA discusses what real AI leadership looks like, why privacy and personalisation are no longer mutually exclusive, and how “AI Living” actually translates into everyday use.

Samsung has been aggressive in embedding AI across its device portfolio. Where do you see the biggest real-world impact for everyday users right now?

The conversation around AI has reached a turning point. Across the industry, the focus is shifting away from novelty and features toward real-world value, trust, and usefulness. At Samsung, we see it as our role to lead that shift, moving AI from something people try to something that quietly supports how they live every day.

I would frame our approach as deliberate, with a focus on the user experience first and foremost. In line with our AI for All vision, unveiled in 2024, we have been systematic in expanding the global user base of Galaxy AI from 200 million in 2024 to 400 million in 2025, and now aim to reach 800 million users in 2026.

Throughout this growth, our focus has always been on making AI within reach and accessible to everyone. This aligns with our long-term vision of “Your Companion to AI Living,” where intelligence works quietly in the background to support how people live, work and connect.

How do you ensure Samsung’s AI features genuinely improve the user experience rather than adding complexity for its own sake?

Samsung’s philosophy is to design for outcomes, not features, and that principle shapes how we develop intelligence across our entire portfolio. We always think about users’ interactions with the features we add and how they can derive value from them.

Of course, we care about adding more capabilities to our AI systems, but we intend to do that thoughtfully and in a way that supports users rather than confuses them.

This is how we deliver practical, high-impact capabilities like AI Sound Controller Pro, allowing sports fans to tailor audio to what matters most to them, whether that’s commentary, crowd energy, or ambient sound.

The goal across Samsung’s AI ecosystem is for AI to reduce the steps between intent and action. Our AI systems work cohesively across smartphones, wearables, TVs, and home appliances, removing friction rather than creating fragmented, app-dependent experiences.

By supporting everyday interactions in local languages, including Arabic and Turkish, Samsung AI becomes more intuitive, accessible, and genuinely meaningful in real-world use.

With every major brand now claiming AI leadership, what separates Samsung’s approach from the competition?

Too often, companies introduce AI as isolated features or confine it to single devices, limiting its real-world impact. From our perspective, true AI leadership is defined by the ability to embed intelligence consistently into everyday life.

What separates Samsung today is not isolated innovation, but the ability to execute at scale. While much of the industry is still experimenting with AI in silos, Samsung has already embedded intelligence across mobile, TVs and home appliances, and connected those experiences through a single ecosystem.

We also take an open and hybrid approach to AI. Instead of relying on a single model or assistant, we integrate multiple AI agents, including trusted partners such as Google and Perplexity, alongside Samsung’s own platforms, giving users greater choice, flexibility, and control.

Underpinning this openness is a strong focus on trust. All Samsung AI experiences across mobile devices, TVs, and home appliances are protected by Samsung Knox, our enterprise-grade security platform embedded from hardware to the cloud, ensuring that intelligence can scale responsibly as it becomes more personal.

The Privacy Display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a first for the industry — what problem were you solving, and what took so long?

Privacy Display was designed to solve an everyday problem many didn’t know they faced: people increasingly use their phones in cafés, offices, airports, public transport, and other public spaces, where sensitive information can easily be seen by others. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, we wanted to create a built-in solution that shields passwords, private messages, and other sensitive information from prying eyes without compromising the overall viewing experience.

Privacy features are only used when they are seamless, so unlike traditional stick-on privacy films, we built the Privacy Display to limit side-angle visibility only when activated, whether for the whole screen, specific apps, or notifications. The feature works without sacrificing brightness, clarity, or display quality, and gives the user full control of when and how much side-viewing is limited.

During development, our priority was to introduce an effective solution that makes a difference in users’ experiences, rather than rushing out a limited feature that does not add real value. Privacy Display underwent years of extensive research and development to integrate at the pixel level without adversely affecting screen brightness, heat management, or battery life.

The challenge was not just creating a privacy feature but doing so in a way that preserved the premium display experience users expect.

Read: Samsung’s Fadi Abu Shamat on how the Galaxy S26 redefines privacy, agentic AI, photography

As AI processes more personal data on-device, how do you convince consumers that Samsung can be trusted as a guardian of that data?

Samsung’s approach is centered on giving users control and transparency over how their data is used. Galaxy AI experiences are powered by a Personal Data Engine that analyses information on the device to enable more personalised features, while allowing users to decide which apps and services can access that context.

Users can choose which apps AI agents can use through Personal Data Intelligence settings, and they can also choose to keep more Galaxy AI processing entirely on-device through Advanced Intelligence settings. Personal information is shared only when necessary to complete a specific task and is not used for targeted advertising without user approval.

From a security perspective, Samsung layers these experiences with Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, Knox Vault hardware-level protection, and additional privacy features such as Privacy Alerts, Call Screening, Private Album, and post-quantum cryptography.

The company’s message is that personalisation and privacy are not mutually exclusive when users remain in control.

There’s an inherent tension between AI that learns from your behaviour and a device that protects your privacy. How does Samsung resolve that?

We adopt a hybrid approach that balances personalisation with privacy. Time-sensitive and highly personal actions are kept on-device whenever possible, while cloud-based intelligence is used only when broader processing is needed.

The Personal Data Engine allows Galaxy AI to learn from user behaviour and preferences without unnecessarily sending that information off the device. Users can also decide which apps AI agents can access for personalisation and whether they want certain features processed entirely on-device.

By doing so, access to personal information is always limited to what the user allows and to what is required to complete a specific task, and all Galaxy AI experiences remain protected by the Knox security framework, even when third-party services are involved. For cloud-based services, user data is not saved or used to train AI models.

This approach ensures that user interactions remain private and fully under the user’s control.;

Samsung sits at a unique intersection: devices, chips, appliances, and software all under one roof. How deliberately is that being architected as an AI ecosystem rather than just a product portfolio?

All of our products are designed to complement each other within an expansive ecosystem. Our AI strategy goes beyond smartphones and encompasses every category, including wearables, TVs, and smart home appliances, with the intent that these experiences work together as one system.

The breadth of our product offering, spanning personal devices, TVs, and smart home appliances, gives Samsung a unique position to think about AI at an ecosystem level rather than product by product. This is what anchors our “Your Companion to AI Living” vision. In practical terms, it means embedding AI across products, connecting those experiences through shared context, and using a platform layer that allows devices to coordinate actions without constant user input.

The ecosystem comes together through clearly defined roles across our businesses. Mobile acts as the personal entry point, where Galaxy AI understands individual intent and context.

Vision AI on TVs extends that intelligence into shared spaces, while Bespoke AI appliances apply it to everyday tasks in the home. Connected through SmartThings, these experiences work together as a coordinated system rather than as independent products.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, has approved a Dhs1bn ($272m) international space cooperation programme aimed at accelerating foreign partnerships in space research and development and strengthening the UAE’s position in the global space economy.

The initiative was announced during a meeting of Dubai’s Supreme Space Council, which Sheikh Hamdan chairs in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.

Programme to build collaboration

The programme is designed to deepen international collaboration between research institutions, academic entities, and global companies, with a focus on advancing technology development, expanding knowledge transfer, and converting research outputs into commercially viable space applications.

Sheikh Hamdan said the UAE’s space sector is a strategic pillar of its knowledge-based economy and that the new programme would help localise advanced technologies, develop national talent, and strengthen links between Emirati and international research centres.

He also said the initiative aligns with the National Space Strategy 2031, which targets doubling the returns of the space economy, increasing its contribution to GDP by 60 per cent, and expanding national capabilities in space research, development, and manufacturing.

Driving the global space economy

The meeting highlighted continued growth in the global space economy, valued at around $613bn in 2024 and projected to reach nearly $780bn by 2033, underscoring opportunities for the UAE to expand its footprint in future space markets.

The council also reviewed updates from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre on the UAE’s participation in the Artemis programme, which focuses on advancing infrastructure to support sustained human presence on the Moon.

At the meeting, Dr Hamdullah Mohib, chief executive of Orbitworks, outlined plans for a sovereign UAE satellite constellation built and operated domestically, aimed at developing AI-enabled space intelligence capabilities and positioning the country in the global space intelligence market.