Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the primary tunnelling works for the Dubai Metro Blue Line project, a transport expansion project valued at more than Dhs20.5bn ($5.58bn).

The 30-km line will include 15.5 km of underground track and 14.5 km of elevated routes, with 14 stations comprising three interchange stations, seven elevated stations and four underground stations.

The Blue Line will serve nine districts expected to be home to around one million people under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

“Investing in the transport sector is an investment in the future and a key pillar of enhancing Dubai’s global competitiveness,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

He added that the metro line forms part of Dubai’s broader plan to build a more connected, efficient and sustainable city.

Work on Blue Line project is 20 per cent complete

The project is currently 20 per cent complete, with more than 10,000 workers and over 500 engineers and experts involved in delivery.

Authorities said completion is expected to reach 30 per cent by the end of 2026, with the line scheduled to open on September 9, 2029.

Sheikh Mohammed also gave the signal to begin operations of the tunnel boring machine named “Al Wugeisha”, which will excavate in three directions from International City 1 station toward Mirdif, the Auto Market and Al Warsan.

The machine is 163 metres long, weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and can excavate between 13 and 17 metres per day.

The Blue Line will connect with Dubai Metro’s Green Line at Creek Station and the Red Line at Centrepoint Station, while providing direct journeys to Dubai International Airport in about 20 minutes.

In other news, in April, Dubai announced the Gold Line project, the largest transportation project in Dubai. The new 42-kilometre metro line will pass through 15 key strategic areas across the city, serve approximately 1.5 million residents, and strengthen connectivity to 55 major real estate developments currently under construction.

The Gold Line project will cost Dhs34bn. It will increase the length of the Dubai Metro network by 35 per cent, and is scheduled for completion in September 2032.

Dubai’s existing metro and tram network spans 101 km and has transported nearly 2.8 billion passengers since operations began in 2009, including 295 million riders in 2025.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the launch of a national programme aimed at strengthening the country’s supply chain resilience and securing access to essential goods, state news agency WAM reported.

The programme is designed to safeguard supplies of key food, medical and industrial products amid global challenges, while boosting economic security and supporting the UAE’s long-term competitiveness and sustainability.

The initiative includes diversifying import sources, expanding local manufacturing and agriculture in partnership with the private sector, and strengthening international partnerships to ensure the continued availability of essential goods.

It will also identify priority products, assess import-related risks, determine strategic supply markets and explore opportunities to expand domestic production and investment in sectors linked to long-term supply chain sustainability.

Read: Dubai logistics sector sets global benchmark for efficiency, industry group says

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, has directed the expansion of flame tree planting across Dubai’s streets, homes, parks and recreational spaces, as the emirate steps up urban greening efforts.

The Crown Prince announced the initiative during a meeting with Dubai Municipality and Dubai Future Foundation.

He also ordered the distribution of flame tree seedlings to residents who want to plant them at their homes or farms, widening public participation in the initiative.

Dubai’s flame trees bloom in May

The flame tree, known for its fiery orange blossoms, typically blooms in Dubai from May through the end of July and has become a seasonal feature across the emirate.

The tree’s canopy can spread up to 15 metres and help reduce ground temperatures beneath it by around five degrees.

The tree is also suited to Dubai’s climate due to its rapid growth and relatively low maintenance requirements.

The move comes as Dubai continues to expand sustainability and landscaping initiatives aimed at enhancing liveability and increasing green spaces across the city.

Read: Dubai to roll out ‘Work from Park’ spaces in push to blend productivity with green areas

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said it had resumed normal air navigation operations across the country’s airspace after lifting temporary precautionary measures introduced earlier.

The authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions and was made in coordination with relevant authorities.

Air navigation ops will be monitored carefully

It added that continuous real-time monitoring would remain in place to ensure aviation safety.

The authority thanked passengers and airlines for their cooperation during what it described as a precautionary period.

It also said its technical and operational teams remained prepared to respond to any new developments.

Authorities advised the public to continue relying on official sources for updates.

Back pain rarely makes the morning briefing, yet it may be the most consequential health condition no one is treating as a strategic problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 619 million people globally were living with low back pain in 2020 — a 60 per cent jump since 1990 — and projections in The Lancet Rheumatology forecast 843 million cases by 2050.

WHO classifies low back pain as the leading cause of disability worldwide, with around 70 per cent of years lost to back-pain disability falling in the 20-to-65 working-age band.

Most back pain does not require an operating theatre. The challenge is sorting the cases that genuinely benefit from surgery from the much larger group that does not.

Few institutions have spent more time on that question than Mayo Clinic, consistently ranked at the top of US hospital rankings for orthopaedics and neurosurgery. Dr Ahmad Nassr is an orthopaedic spine surgeon there. He spoke to us about what’s driving the burden, how the technology is shifting, and what patients should watch next.

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. What’s behind this growing burden, and what does the picture look like in the UAE and wider Middle East?

Low back pain is the leading cause of years lived with disability globally, affecting hundreds of millions of people at any given time. The reasons are multifactorial, but several trends are consistent worldwide, including in the Middle East.

Populations are ageing, and spinal degeneration is cumulative. At the same time, rising rates of obesity and metabolic disease are accelerating disc degeneration and increasing mechanical stress on the spine.

We are also seeing more sedentary lifestyles, with prolonged sitting and reduced physical activity contributing to deconditioning of the musculature that supports the spine.

In regions like the UAE, these factors are often amplified by rapid urbanisation and lifestyle changes. The result is that patients are developing symptomatic spinal conditions earlier and living longer with them.

Importantly, most back pain still does not require surgery. Mayo Clinic takes a personalised approach to care, including identifying patients who will benefit from surgery.

Spine surgery still carries a perception of being highly invasive. How much has that reality changed?

The perception is outdated, but it hasn’t completely disappeared. Over the past decade, spine surgery has evolved significantly. Many procedures that once required large exposures can now be performed through more targeted, tissue-sparing approaches, resulting in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery.

That said, it’s important not to oversimplify this. Spine surgery is a surgical operation, and it should not be taken lightly. The more meaningful advancement is not just that procedures are less invasive, but that we are far more precise in determining who actually needs surgery — and who does not.

At Mayo Clinic, how are innovations like motion-preserving implants, robotics, and AI being integrated into everyday patient care?

At Mayo Clinic, new technologies are integrated when they provide clear value to patients. Motion-preserving implants are one example. Traditionally, many spinal conditions were treated with fusion, which eliminates motion at a segment of the spine.

Newer technologies aim to preserve motion while still addressing the underlying pathology.

These are not appropriate for every patient, but in selected cases, they may help maintain more normal spinal mechanics.

Robotics and advanced navigation have improved the accuracy and consistency of procedures such as spinal instrumentation, particularly in complex cases.

Artificial intelligence is an emerging tool in areas such as imaging interpretation, surgical planning, and outcome prediction. While still evolving, it has the potential to further refine how we match treatments to individual patients.

Ultimately, these are tools. The benefit comes from thoughtful application, not from the technology itself.

What sets Mayo Clinic’s approach to spine treatment apart from other institutions globally?

We are the largest integrated, not-for-profit medical group practice in the world. We specialise in complex cases.The defining feature is a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach combined with a strong emphasis on appropriate care.

Patients are not directed toward surgery by default. In fact, the majority of patients we evaluate do not undergo an operation. A significant effort is made to identify the true source of symptoms and to pursue nonoperative care when appropriate.

When surgery is indicated, it is done with a clear objective and a focus on durable, long-term outcomes rather than short-term fixes. Care decisions are also made collaboratively across specialties, including orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, pain medicine, and rehabilitation. This allows for a more comprehensive and balanced approach to treatment.

There is also a strong culture of evaluating outcomes and continuously refining care pathways based on data and experience.

What’s the next big shift in spine care that patients should be watching closely?

The next major shift is toward even more personalised and function-preserving care. There is also increasing focus on motion preservation and restoring more normal spinal function.

Looking further ahead, biologic therapies aimed at slowing or reversing disc degeneration are an area of active research and hold promise, although they are not yet ready for routine clinical use.

The overarching trend is precision. At Mayo Clinic, we focus on delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.