With this expansion, Emirates will increase its Premium Economy capacity to nearly 5,000 weekly seats in and out of the UK from June
Industries
Airports
Dubai Duty Free records $565mn in first-quarter sales after strong February performance
Dubai Duty Free plans to expand its retail operations throughout 2025, including new luxury brand boutiques in Concourse A featuring Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Chanel
Abu Dhabi
AD Ports Group inks 10-year lease with TW Steel to enhance container fabrication at Khalifa Port
The new facility will cater to the tailored needs of shipping lines and container operators at the port
digital payments
Telr expands Saudi presence through strategic partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank
The partnership will provide merchants with access to a comprehensive suite of payment solutions
Aviation
GE Aerospace inks 5-year digital solutions deal with Royal Jordanian Airlines
The agreement is GE Aerospace’s first SaaS collaboration with Jordan’s national carrier
foreign ownership
Saudi property market booms with $29bn transactions as premium visas drive record foreign investment
Saudi Arabia recorded 93,000 real estate transactions in Q1 2025
ESG investments
Revealed: UAE, Middle East fast emerging as global capital for private wealth management
Ongoing global market turbulence drives wealthy elite to safer markets like the UAE and wider Middle East after suffering multi-billion losses
CBUAE
Tap Payments obtains UAE Central Bank licence for payment services
The digital payments industry in the UAE continues to expand rapidly, with transaction values projected to reach $80.37 billion by 2025
carbon footprint
Dubai RTA completes solar panel installation across 22 facilities to cut carbon emissions
The project, which supports RTA’s Zero-Emissions Strategy 2050, the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, is expected to generate 32 million kilowatt-hours annually
Al Salam Bank-Bahrain
Al Salam Bank and Eagle Hills Diyar to ease real estate financing for clients
The Manama bank to offer Eagle Hills customers competitive profit rates, a grace period of up to six months and loyalty reward points
Dubai
Dubai Land Department forms new alliance with four property developers to boost sector
The collaboration forms part of the broader implementation of the Dubai Real Estate Strategy 2033 and aims to strengthen strategic partnerships between public and private sectors
Dubai
Dubai real estate: Majid Al Futtaim appoints Dutco Construction for $427mn Serenity Mansions project
Serenity Mansions is positioned as the pinnacle of luxury living within Majid Al Futtaim’s flagship lifestyle destination in Dubai, designed for the most discerning clientele
delivery services
Egyptian q-commerce leader Rabbit expands into Saudi Arabia, targets 20mn deliveries by 2026
The fast-grocery delivery startup Rabbit has established its regional headquarters in Riyadh, with operations now up and running through a network of ‘dark stores’
Artificial intelligence
EDGE’s Beacon Red partners with Presight AI to advance smart city, security solutions
The partnership marks a pivotal moment for both companies as they work together to redefine the future of digital transformation and security innovation on a global scale
digital financial services
Pakistan’s Haball secures $52mn pre-Series A funding round, eyes Saudi Arabia expansion
The Sharia-compliant fintech Haball is exploring additional market entries across the Middle East, including the UAE and Qatar, as well as Asia
Aramco
Terra Drone, Aramco sign pact to advance drone, AI tech for Saudi oil & gas sector
The partnership will jointly work to accelerate localisation initiatives in these fields in the Kingdom
Dubai
Dubai real estate: Nakheel launches third phase of Bay Grove Residences on Dubai Islands
Dubai Islands is a waterfront destination comprising five islands with 17 square kilometres of land and 20 kilometres of beaches
