Dubai has issued a new decree (No 31 of 2025) granting Emirati government staff in the emirate 10 working days of fully paid marriage leave.

The new directive — signed off by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai — aims to support psychological and family stability while enhancing work–life balance.

It covers UAE Nationals working in Dubai government entities, including agencies overseeing special development zones and free zones.

It also applies to judicial and military personnel, excluding cadets.

Key highlights linked to the ‘marriage’ leave for Dubai government Emirati employees

• To qualify, employees must have completed their probationary period, and their spouse must also be a UAE citizen. The marriage contract must be certified in the UAE and concluded after December 31 of the previous year.
• Employees are required to submit the marriage certificate only once when applying for the leave.
• Marriage leave can be taken either continuously or in parts within one year from the date of marriage. During this period, employees are entitled to their full gross salary, including allowances and financial benefits.
• Government entities are not permitted to call on employees during their marriage leave, except in the case of military personnel where work may require it.
• If an employee is called up for national service or a promotion course during the leave period, the remaining days of marriage leave will be postponed.

Read: Sharjah approves new employee leave policy

Dubai has unveiled a global classification system aimed at distinguishing the role of humans and intelligent machines in the creation of research, academic, creative and scientific content, in a move that sets a precedent amid the growing use of AI and automation in content production.

The Human–Machine Collaboration (HMC) classification system, developed by the Dubai Future Foundation, was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

“Distinguishing between human creativity and artificial intelligence has become a real challenge in light of today’s rapid technological advances,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “That’s why we launched the world’s first Human–Machine Collaboration Icons, a classification system that brings transparency to how research documents, publications, and content are created.”

He called on researchers, writers, designers, and publishers globally to adopt the system “responsibly and in ways that benefit people.”

Sheikh Hamdan also directed all Dubai Government entities to start using the system in their research and knowledge-based work.

Human–Machine Collaboration classification for AI-generated content

The classification introduces five main icons reflecting varying levels of collaboration:

All Human: No machine involvement.

Human led: Human-created content enhanced or checked by machines.

Machine assisted: Collaborative iteration between human and machine.

Machine led: Machine-generated content reviewed by humans.

All Machine: Fully machine-generated with no human input.

It also includes nine function-based icons to indicate where machine interaction occurred — from ideation and data analysis to visuals and design.

While it does not quantify the percentage of machine involvement, the system aims to promote disclosure and encourage content creators to self-identify the nature of collaboration involved.

According to the Dubai Future Foundation, the icons can be used across sectors and formats, including images and videos, and are intended to help audiences better understand the origins of the content they consume.

Read: Why the Turing Test is still the best benchmark to assess AI

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has added two new Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet, bringing the total number of aircraft operated by the capital’s first low-cost carrier to 12, the airline announced on Wednesday.

The fleet expansion is part of the carrier’s broader strategy to scale operations and strengthen Abu Dhabi’s role as a growing aviation hub.

The airline also plans to add two more A320s by the end of 2025, which will raise total capacity by 40 per cent.

The increase is intended to support growing demand for travel and aligns with the emirate’s economic and tourism development goals.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi capacity increase aligned with plans

“The addition of new aircraft and our strategic fleet expansion reflect our ongoing commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and expanding our network reach,” said Adel Al Ali, group CEO of Air Arabia. “The planned capacity increase in 2025 will further contribute to the capital’s broader economic and tourism vision while continuing to offer value-driven air travel to our customers.”

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, launched in 2020, currently connects the UAE capital to more than 30 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and Eastern Europe.

Its latest route additions include Yerevan, Almaty, and Sialkot.

In today’s volatile global environment, travel risks have become a board-level concern for organisations headquartered in or operating out of the UAE and the Middle East.

Whether responding to geopolitical instability, natural disasters, health outbreaks or climate-related disruptions, businesses must remain agile and informed to safeguard their most valuable asset: their people.

Dubai and the broader UAE have long served as strategic hubs for multinational and regional companies, owing to their connectivity and business-friendly infrastructure.

As a result, many organisations here have employees regularly deployed to — or permanently based in locations with elevated risk profiles. These include areas affected by conflict, civil unrest, health crises or environmental hazards.

Sectors such as energy, construction, government services, NGOs and infrastructure development are especially prone to operating in such complex environments.

While risk is not new, the speed and interconnected nature of today’s crises demand a new level of preparedness.

The UAE advantage – But no room for complacency

Being headquartered in the UAE offers undeniable benefits — political stability, rapid response infrastructure, and strong global connectivity. However, these advantages do not come for granted outside of the UAE, whereby the security context can greatly shift. It’s critical for organisations to recognise that the risk does not disappear at the departure gate. The Duty of Care follows employees wherever they go, and any lapse in preparedness can have legal, financial and reputational consequences.

Thus, a holistic and proactive approach to travel risk management, one that is integrated into corporate strategy and culture, not just compliance checklists is a must.

The new geography of risks and key steps to building resilience

Today’s risk landscape is no longer confined to conflict zones or politically unstable countries. Disruptions can arise suddenly, and from multiple sources: political unrest, public health emergencies, cyberattacks, or extreme weather events.

Managing travel risk effectively requires a multi-layered approach. Based on our global expertise and regional experience, here are four key pillars UAE-based organisations should focus on:

1. Pre-travel planning and risk assessment
   Before sending staff to a new location, particularly those marked as medium to high risk—conduct thorough threat assessments, backed by intelligence from trusted sources.
2. Employee education and preparedness
   Regular training sessions, including crisis simulations, crisis management masterclass and security awareness briefings, equip staff with the knowledge and confidence to respond appropriately in dynamic environments.
3. Real-time monitoring and incident response
   Having access to timely, verified information can be the difference between disruption and disaster. Therefore, having a system or team in place for real time monitoring and incident responses is crucial.
4. Post-incident recovery and policy review
   Once a crisis has passed, it’s vital to review and refine policies, ensuring lessons are incorporated into future planning.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to travel risk. Each organisation, each employee, and each destination carries a unique profile that must be addressed with nuance and care.

Whether your teams are deployed for infrastructure projects in remote areas or executive meetings in volatile regions, having the right strategy and plan makes all the difference.

The writer is the GM Middle East, International SOS.