UAE launches Entrepreneurship Programme to train 10,000 Emiratis, empowering youth to build startups and drive innovation through Ignyte
GCC
Dubai real estate
Dubai real estate: LIV Developers to deliver $626m in luxury homes as new projects launch
Dubai firm LIV Developers to deliver $626m in homes and launch new projects, reinforcing strong investor demand for waterfront living
Diriyah
Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company partners with Majid Al Futtaim for retail expansion and new VOX Cinema
Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company partners with Majid Al Futtaim in a major deal to open VOX Cinemas and flagship retail brands at Diriyah Square
Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK)
Abu Dhabi opens nine new nurseries and private schools adding more than 4,500 seats
The Abu Dhabi education regulator ADEK licenses seven new nurseries and two private schools, adding 4,500 seats across the emirate
dubai malls
Dubai shopping: Majid Al Futtaim announces new Ghaf Woods Mall, in $4.2bn community
Majid Al Futtaim unveils $4.2bn Ghaf Woods Mall in Dubai, the region’s first forest-integrated retail destination combining luxury and design
Abu Dhabi
AD Ports Group signs $670mn land sale agreement – one of Abu Dhabi’s largest
New project to create a mixed-use community in Al Mamoura, integrating residential, commercial, and leisure facilities in a strategic location
Diriyah
Diriyah megaproject executives detained by Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption watchdog – report
Detentions part of the kingdom’s continuing anti-corruption crackdown
branded real estate
Saudi real estate: Diriyah unveils Faena Residences Wadi Safar with 20 art-inspired ultra-luxury villas
Diriyah Company unveils Faena Residences Wadi Safar, 20 ultra-luxury villas blending art, design and hospitality in Saudi Arabia’s Wadi Safar
saudi tax
Saudi Arabia issues tax reminder ahead of October 12 deadline
Saudi Arabia’s ZATCA calls on businesses subject to withholding tax to submit September filings by October 12 to avoid late penalties
Blackstone
Abu Dhabi firm Lunate partners with Blackstone to build $5bn GCC logistics platform
Blackstone and Abu Dhabi-based Lunate launch GLIDE, a $5bn platform to develop and acquire Grade A logistics assets across the GCC
Ajman Bank
Mustafa Al Khalfawi outlines Ajman Bank’s bold new digital vision
Ajman Bank CEO Mustafa Al Khalfawi talks about a bold digital vision powered by AI, Sharia-compliant innovation, and customer-centric design
Hajj and Umrah
Saudi Arabia announces major Umrah visa update
Saudi Arabia confirms that all visa holders — including tourists, workers and visitors — can now perform Umrah under new Vision 2030 measures
banking industry
Wio Bank deposits exceed $13.6bn in under three years
Wio Bank offers savings tools, salary-linked benefits, multi-currency accounts, and a range of features through its platform
Excise tax
UAE to introduce new sugar drink tax from January 2026
Drinks will be taxed by sugar content under updated GCC-aligned rules
deep sea cable
GPS jamming, subsea cables cut, software glitches: The cracks in the global network
The modern world runs on invisible threads. When even one snaps, the cost of being always-on becomes brutally clear
Al Maktoum International Airport
Dubai Airports launches new 10-year accessibility strategy to transform travel by 2035
The strategy aligns with international best practice, the UAE’s commitment to the rights of People of Determination (PoD), and Dubai’s vision to be a disability-friendly city
hospitality industry
Oman to add 9,600 hotel rooms by 2030 as tourism sector expands: Report
Oman’s population grew by 4.5 per cent last year and 5 per cent in 2023, with similar increases predicted through the decade, the report said