Saudi Arabia’s ZATCA calls on businesses subject to withholding tax to submit September filings by October 12 to avoid late penalties
Industries
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
digital payments
DP World to collaborate with PayPal on cross-border digital payments
Transactions would be executed in minutes rather than taking up to a week, and complete cross-border payments with greater transparency and lower costs
Diriyah
Saudi Arabia’s giga projects drive $196bn in contract awards as Vision 2030 accelerates
Riyadh is driving Saudi Arabia’s giga project agenda, with developments including Diriyah Gate, King Salman Park and the 220km Sports Boulevard
Deloitte
Qiddiya to adopt Deloitte’s OneTrust and Informatica GRC solutions
OneTrust platform will help manage privacy, security, and third-party risk; Informatica solutions to facilitate seamless data integration, quality, and governance
Corporate tax
UAE corporate tax registrations surpass 640,000 as FTA reports record compliance levels
FTA says over 640,000 UAE companies have registered for corporate tax, marking record compliance and growing awareness ahead of deadline
dubai bridges
Dubai opens new Sheikh Zayed Road bridge to Mall of the Emirates, cutting travel time from 10 to 1 minute
The Dubai RTA and Majid Al Futtaim open a new Sheikh Zayed Road bridge to Mall of the Emirates, cutting travel time from 10 to 1 minute
Dubai law
Dubai issues new law to regulate engineering consultancy sector and attract global firms
Sheikh Mohammed issues Dubai law to regulate engineering consultancy offices, enhance global standards, and attract international firms
Dubai real estate
Dubai property sales surge 15% to $36.6bn in Q3 2025 as mid-market boom drives record growth
Dubai property sales jumped 15% year-on-year to $36.6bn in Q3 2025, with mid-market housing and strong rental demand powering record growth
Golden visa
Dubai awards Golden Visas to 223 exceptional educators under Sheikh Hamdan’s directives
Dubai grants Golden Visas to 223 exceptional teachers and academics under Sheikh Hamdan’s directives, recognising their role in shaping emirate’s future