Catch up on the UAE’s biggest news this week — from new holidays and Emirates ID updates to Dubai tourism growth, real estate tax analysis and more
Culture & Society
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority
Abu Dhabi approves 145 economic activities on farms to boost food security and tourism
Abu Dhabi has expanded farm economic activities to 145 under a new ADAFSA decision, boosting food security, investment opportunities and agri-tourism
Ajman
Ajman new professional licences up 37% in H1 2025 as new investors rise 24%
Ajman’s new professional licences surged 37 per cent in H1 2025, with new investors up 24 per cent and Ethiopia and Sudan joining the top 10 nationalities
Laws
Qatar passes major 2025 reforms to Legal Profession Law to strengthen justice and boost private sector
Qatar has reformed its Legal Profession Law with 2025 amendments, boosting transparency, lawyer rights, and private sector growth under Vision 2030
AI
UAE rolls out AI-powered HR Assistant to serve 50,000 federal employees
UAE launches AI-powered HR Assistant to serve 50,000 federal employees, automating 80 per cent of services and saving 170,000 work hours annually
social media
TikTok drives over $1bn boost to Saudi GDP, supports 25,000 jobs in 2024
TikTok contributed more than $1bn to Saudi Arabia’s GDP and supported 25,000 jobs in 2024, with over one million creators and 170,000 SMBs driving growth
Dubai Design District
Dubai Design Week 2025 to showcase over 1,000 designers and brands in November
Dubai Design Week 2025 will run from November 4-9, showcasing over 1,000 global designers and brands with exhibitions, talks, installations and Downtown Design at d3
Kuwait
Kuwait legal reform: 983 laws under historic review
Kuwait is carrying out the most comprehensive overhaul of its legal system, with reforms spanning civil, economic, judicial and family laws as part of Vision 2035
Dubai
Dubai Municipality launches first sand equestrian track in Hatta Mountains
The project operates under the Supreme Committee to Oversee the Development of Hatta and supports the emirate’s comprehensive development plan for the area
eid al etihad
Final UAE holiday of 2025 revealed
UAE residents and citizens have one more public holiday before the end of the year, get ready to mark your calendars
Cyber Security
70% of smart home devices in the UAE could be hacked, warns Cyber Security Council
The UAE Cyber Security Council warns that 70% of smart home devices are vulnerable to hacking, urging families to boost passwords, updates and privacy settings
border regulations
Saudi Arabia arrested over 20,800 last week in residency and labour operations
Saudi Arabia announces more than 20,800 arrests in a single week as it clamps down on residency, labour and security breaches
Astronomy
UAE total lunar eclipse 2025 to light up skies on Sunday night — here’s how to watch live
UAE to broadcast Sunday’s total lunar eclipse live, showing the Moon’s dramatic colour shift from yellow to deep red between 9.31pm and 10.53pm
Dubai police
Dubai Police 901 call centre handles over 540,000 inquiries in first half of 2025
Dubai Police’s 901 call centre handled over 540,000 inquiries in H1 2025, providing traffic, criminal, certificate, and community services
dubai malls
New UAE tax rules; Dubai real estate record; 100 best places to work; Oman launches Golden Visa – 10 things you missed this week
From record Dubai real estate sales to new UAE tax rules, Oman’s Golden Residency and Saudi retail growth—this week’s must-read headlines
Emiratis
UAE boosts family stability with $564m in housing approvals
UAE approves $564m in new housing support for citizens in 2025, reinforcing family stability and long-term national priorities
financial planning
UAE mini-retirements explained: How financial planning can lead to multiple career breaks
UAE residents are leading a global shift to “mini retirements”, with HSBC survey showing rising wealth confidence and new lifestyle priorities