Latest from Al Etihad
Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Health
- Al Etihad
UAE scores high on Social Progress Index with top marks in housing, healthcare
20 June 2025 02:32 KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI) The UAE has once again demonstrated its commitment to social development as it secured impressive scores on the recently released Social Progress Index (SPI) Global Report 2025. It stood out in several categories including housing and healthcare. With an overall score of 74.04 out of 100, the UAE ranked second in the Arab world, and 49th out of 170 nations across the globe. This marks a significant improvement for the country, which has climbed seven places since 2011. The annual index measures how well countries meet the social and environmental needs of their people, beyond just economic factors like GDP. It assesses nations across three key areas: basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing, and opportunity, covering indicators such as health, education, safety, rights, and environmental UAE achieved top-tier performances in housing and healthcare, scoring 96.35 in housing, securing some of the highest global marks in this category. It boasted 100% access to electricity, universal use of clean fuels and technology for cooking, and zero household air pollution, factors SPI said were critical indicators of quality living standards. The UAE also ranked an impressive 7th globally for the affordability of housing, underscoring its efforts to ensure residents can access safe and affordable the country scored highly in water and sanitation, achieving an overall score of 96.54 and placing 12th globally. The country was found to deliver 100% of its population with basic water service and excelled in providing basic sanitation services. Healthcare was another bright spot where the UAE attained a score of 73.32, with notable strengths in areas such as equal access to essential health services and low prevalence of non-communicable diseases. The country's life expectancy at 65 and its ranking of 14th for equal access to quality healthcare signalled a well-developed healthcare system that serves both nationals and residents housing and healthcare, the UAE performed well in other pillars of social progress. It ranked 14th globally in basic education, with high primary school enrolment and high scores in gender parity in secondary attainment. Its information and communications infrastructure were graded as robust, with full marks for internet users and mobile telephone users, while access to online governance services ranked 37th worldwide. On the safety front, the UAE recorded a score of 78.22, with relatively low levels of interpersonal violence and good perceptions of personal safety, indicated by its 7th rank globally for feelings of safety when walking alone.
Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
From lab to market: ATRC entities turn breakthrough research into real-world technologies
20 June 2025 02:27 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)Fuelling the UAE's push for innovation and a knowledge-based future are local labs and institutions that transform cutting-edge research into homegrown Advanced Technology Research Council's (ATRC) key entities - TII, ASPIRE, and SteerAI - are translating advanced science into real-world solutions that serve communities and national priorities, from AI to robotics and automation. "We are helping the UAE shift from adopting technologies to building them - delivering real economic and strategic value," said Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII, in an interview with Aletihad . "Whether it is AI, quantum, robotics, or advanced materials, we are working on scalable, secure systems that support industrial resilience and self-reliance."Radar systems, edge AI tools, and impact-responsive body armour are some of the technologies that are moving "steadily from lab to market", supported by TII's commercialisation partner VentureOne, Dr. Aaraj ProjectsTII has been working with major government entities to advance next-generation technologies across sectors, from aerial systems and quantum-secure space communications to AI-enabled healthcare."Our robotics centre worked with the GCAA on autonomous aerial corridors. In quantum, we are partnering with the UAE Space Agency on secure communications for space infrastructure," Dr. Aaraj said."In AI, we enable edge-based models for healthcare and government, while in autonomous robotics, we are advancing GPS-free navigation for logistics and inspections."TII also invests in local talent. "Programmes like NexTech embed top Emirati STEM students in international universities and bring them back to our research centres to build the next generation of UAE scientists," she with Real-World ImpactATRC's ASPIRE also seeks to "bridge the gap between breakthrough research and tangible, real-world impact", turning lab ideas into deployable tech across key sectors. Speaking to Aletihad , Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE and A2RL, said: "From tackling carbon storage monitoring to shaping air corridors for autonomous mobility, our work ensures that emerging technologies meet real industrial and societal needs." ASPIRE focuses on "dual-use, high-impact technologies", including AI, robotics, and advanced materials."We are proving high-performance systems can be designed and built in the UAE," Timpano said, highlighting projects like A2RL's EAV-24 autonomous lab-to-market process starts by identifying real-world challenges in priority sectors, he said."Then, we invite global and local innovators to solve (these challenges) through competitive, milestone-driven programmes. Once a solution proves viable, we help de-risk and scale it."The goal, Timpano added, is to "forge new collaborations and show how the UAE is not just buying innovation but building it"."Everything we do is designed to grow the UAE's intellectual capital," he SolutionsSteerAI, on the other hand, seeks to drive the UAE's shift from tech importer to innovator through sovereign autonomous mobility Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO of SteerAI, told Aletihad that the company is helping drive the UAE's shift from tech importer to innovator through sovereign autonomous mobility solutions."SteerAI is a direct product of the UAE's ambition to become a global leader in advanced manufacturing and AI innovation," said Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO of an instance, its autonomous GPS-free system, CoreX, was developed at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and is now being deployed with partners like A2RL and Milrem Robotics."CoreX allows our vehicles to navigate unmapped terrain in real time without relying on GPS or maps," Sonderby said. "It has huge implications for defence, ISR, search and rescue, and more." SteerAI's CoreX system is designed to keep humans out of danger zones, he said. "It does not tire, get distracted, or miss signals. We detect and avoid obstacles faster than human drivers." By supporting the country's autonomous tech ecosystem, SteerAI's "goal is to contribute to the UAE's vision of becoming a global tech hub", Sonderby said.
Al Etihad
6 hours ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
BEEAH launches multi-billion-dirham sustainable city in group's first real estate venture
20 June 2025 02:30 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)Sharjah-based sustainability leader BEEAH Group officially entered the real estate sector with the launch of Khalid bin Sultan City, a multi-billion-dirham freehold development that promises to set new benchmarks for smart, sustainable urban located between Dhaid Road and Khorfakkan Road, this project is inspired by the legacy of the late Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, a pioneer in the field of design and urban planning, who influenced the architectural identity of announcement took place on Wednesday at an event held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of city was designed by the world-renowned Zaha Hadid Architects as a master-planned, mixed-use development that integrates residential, commercial, cultural, and recreational spaces. It spans a 1.5-kilometre-long plot, offering 1,500 freehold residential in 2007 with a mission to drive sustainable transformation, BEEAH began by tackling landfill waste in Sharjah. Today, it boasts an over 90% landfill diversion rate, one of the highest globally. "This achievement laid the groundwork for expanding into sectors where innovation is essential for the future: environment, energy, technology, healthcare, and now real estate," Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of BEEAH, told Aletihad . "We have created an ecosystem that is interconnected and aligned with our goals of making zero-waste to landfill a reality, achieving net-zero targets, disrupting industries to be more sustainable, and fostering people's wellbeing and quality of life in tomorrow's cities. By entering real estate, we can leverage this ecosystem to create resilient and sustainable urban environments, which is unlike any other." Khalid bin Sultan City will reflect BEEAH's commitment to sustainability and innovation, he said. The development is set to include smart infrastructure, emission-reducing systems, and green design principles that promote harmony with nature and enhance residents' quality of life."It's a living, breathing model for cities of the future," Al Huraimel said. "This project will represent the full integration of BEEAH's capabilities – from circularity solutions and clean energy to technology, mobility and even healthcare – creating an urban environment that is regenerative, restorative and resilient for people and nature." Green Infrastructure BEEAH's LEED Platinum-certified headquarters embodies its vision for sustainability and innovation."As an office of the future, our headquarters uses on-site solar and water recycling plants, complemented by AI-powered systems for resource efficiency, significantly cutting emissions and operational costs," Al Huraimel has influenced other BEEAH-led projects, including the Sharjah Creative Quarter and the forthcoming Jawaher Boston Medical District, being developed with world-renowned architects and healthcare leaders."These projects echo our philosophy as we formally enter the real estate sector – to build developments rooted in design excellence, integrated with technology for future-ready infrastructure, committed to sustainability from the ground up, and, ultimately, fostering the well-being of people at every level," Al Huraimel expansion into real estate is tightly aligned with the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 initiative and UAE Vision 2031, particularly the aim to make Emirati cities among the world's top 10 for quality of already pledged to achieve net-zero emissions across UAE operations by 2040, a decade ahead of national targets, BEEAH's new developments are expected to be benchmarks in energy-efficient construction and carbon-conscious urban planning."Our real estate developments will directly support this ambition, incorporating energy-efficient design, circular infrastructure, and low-impact construction materials. Just as importantly, they are designed to create lasting value for communities," said Al real estate sector is witnessing unprecedented growth, with transactions surging to Dh13.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025 alone – a 31.9% increase year-on-year, according to the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Huraimel noted that what sets BEEAH's real estate strategy apart is the full integration of its broader innovation advanced recycling facilities in Sharjah to the region's first Waste-to-Energy and Hydrogen-from-Waste plants, BEEAH is applying its cross-sector expertise to urban digital ventures, including EVOTEQ, ION, and provide smart mobility, logistics, and supply chain solutions embedded in these new communities. In healthcare, BEEAH's vision for the Jawaher Boston Medical District, with green spaces, energy-producing canopies, and net-zero design, exemplifies how the built environment can enhance wellness.
Al Etihad
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Trump will decide on Iran attack ‘in the next two weeks,' White House Says
20 June 2025 00:45 (The New York Times)US President Donald Trump said Thursday he will decide whether the United States will attack Iran "within the next two weeks,' adding in a statement released by the White House that "there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.'For days, Trump had mused publicly about the possibility of ordering US forces to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, suggesting that strikes could be imminent, while also insisting that it was not too late for talks. With his comments Thursday, he appeared to opt for some breathing room to consider options that carry a lower risk of Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, said Steve Witkoff, the president's special envoy to the Middle East, has maintained correspondence with Iranian officials. She declined to provide any further details. Iran pulled out of talks with US officials about a nuclear deal after Israel began its attacks last Friday. Leavitt said any nuclear deal with Iran would have to include a ban on enriching uranium and block Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Al Etihad
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Etihad
IAEA continues monitoring Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear sites
19 June 2025 23:25 (Reuters) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that it is continuing to closely monitor and assess the situation regarding the Israeli attacks on nuclear sites in Iran. Earlier in the day, the UN nuclear watchdog said it had information that Iran's Khondab heavy water research reactor had been hit but reported no radiological effects.
