From UAE long weekend forecasts and visa-free travel tips to crypto-backed property deals and Saudi Arabia’s latest labour reforms, this week’s must-read stories capture the shifts driving business, real estate, and mobility across the Gulf
Latest News
inflight Wi-Fi
Qatar Airways now has the world’s fastest inflight Wi-Fi after Boeing 777 upgrade
Qatar Airways completes record Starlink Wi-Fi rollout on 54 Boeing 777s, sets new standard for in-flight connectivity
qatar real estate
Qatar real estate sales top $147m in early July, with strong activity in Doha, Lusail, and The Pearl
Qatar Ministry of Justice data shows continued momentum in residential and commercial property deals across key municipalities
cruise business
Saudi Arabia launches first national cruise ship framework to boost Red Sea tourism and marine sustainability
Saudi Arabia introduces national cruise ship framework to boost Red Sea tourism
eSports
Saudi Arabia hosts Esports World Cup with $70m prize pool, Kingdom targets $13.3bn GDP boost and 39,000 gaming jobs
More than 2,000 players from over 100 countries descend on Riyadh for Saudi gaming event
Dubai real estate
Dubai real estate: PRYPCO Blocks completes first Exit Window as over 2,800 fractional real estate units change hands
Platform sees 90 per cent reinvestment from existing users and $82,000 in transactions, confirming strong demand for liquid, income-generating real estate assets
gcc trade
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil trade surplus with GCC nations soars 203 per cent to $937m in April 2025
Saudi Arabia’s total non-oil trade with GCC hits $4.2bn, driven by booming re-exports and growing ties with UAE, Bahrain, and Oman
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City begins new self-driving car trials
Masdar City offers a real-world testbed for sustainable mobility by inviting manufacturers to test their level 4 autonomous vehicles in its integrated urban ecosystem
air travel
UAE summer 2025: flydubai announces limited-time deals for six destinations
The flydubai packages include return flights and hotel stays of up to three nights, targeting passengers travelling from the UAE
Dubai
Dubai real estate: Villa sales jump 65% in H1 of 2025 as property market surges
Villa sales in Dubai demonstrated triple-digit growth in three months of the year, fuelled by growing investor and buyer interest
anti-money laundering
UAE central bank fines bank AED3 mn for AML violations
The sanctions result from the CBUAE’s examinations, which revealed the bank’s failure to comply with the central bank instructions
Air Arabia
Air Arabia resumes direct flights between Sharjah and Damascus
Customers can book their direct flights between UAE and Syria through Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre, or through travel agencies
Artificial intelligence
From Paris to Abu Dhabi: Inside Thales’ three-continent growth strategy and post-AI roadmap
Patrice Caine talks Thales’ bet on quantum tech, growth focus shift to the Middle East and U.S. for years ahead
Artificial intelligence
EXCLUSIVE: Thales chief shifts focus to Middle East, accelerates quantum tech as ‘AI is done’
Thales is doubling down on Middle Eastern expansion and accelerates quantum research as Chairman and CEO Patrice Caine signals a strategic shift beyond AI
GPS spoofing
GPS jamming, spoofing continue to threaten global infrastructure after 500% surge
A surge in spoofing attacks linked to conflict zones is rattling the systems that run the global economy — and experts say it’s only the beginning
Golf
LIV Golf secures major sponsorship support from HSBC Bank
The London-headquartered bank becomes the Official Bank of the PIF-backed League and will also sponsor the Crushers and Majesticks teams
Lucid Air
Saudi Arabia’s Lucid Air sets world record with 1,205km drive on a single charge
Lucid Air Grand Touring sets new Guinness World Record with 1,205km electric drive on a single charge