Events UAE

Abu Dhabi to host 2029 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings as UAE signs hosting agreement in Bangkok

Miguel Hadchity 19/10/2026

Dubai, UAE –– Oct. 2026 ––The United Arab Emirates formally signed an agreement to host the 2029 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Abu Dhabi, with the heads of both institutions praising the country’s infrastructure and readiness. The signing

News UAE

AI agents now involved in 9% of Majid Al Futtaim transactions

Miguel Hadchity 16/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — AI agents now play a role in about 9 percent of Majid Al Futtaim Holding’s customer transactions, up from virtually zero a few months ago, CEO Ahmed Galal Ismail said on Wednesday. The agents recommend products, influence choices or direct purchases, Ismail told “The Consumer of 2035” session at […]

News UAE

Cashless payments reach 99.3% of transactions in H1: Dubai Customs

Miguel Hadchity 15/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — Cashless payments made up 99.3 percent of Dubai Customs’ payment transactions in the first half of 2026, the authority said, compared with 99.4 percent in 2025 and 99.2 percent in 2024. The figures support the Dubai Cashless strategy, which aims to integrate customs services with digital payments to simplify […]

News UAE

UAE Cabinet approves AED292.5bn budget plan: Social spending takes biggest share of 2027 allocations

Miguel Hadchity 14/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — The UAE Cabinet has approved a AED292.5 billion federal budget plan for 2027 to 2029, including AED90.1 billion for fiscal year 2027. The Cabinet, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai, approved both plans in line with the federal […]

News

IMF nudges up 2026 global growth forecast as economy shows resilience to energy shock

Miguel Hadchity 13/10/2026

Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – The International Monetary Fund raised its forecast for global economic growth in 2026 by 0.1 percentage point to 3.1 percent, saying the world economy has held up against higher energy costs and other shocks. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the Fund left its 2027 growth forecast unchanged at […]

News UAE

UAE, Singapore discuss deepening trade and investment ties

Miguel Hadchity 12/10/2026

Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi met senior Singaporean ministers in Singapore to discuss expanding trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. According to the Emirates News Agency, he held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, […]

Africa News

African Union launches continent’s first credit rating agency

Miguel Hadchity 09/10/2026

Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – The African Union launched on Oct. 7 the continent’s first credit rating agency, seeking to offer an alternative to the “Big Three” global rating agencies as debt burdens weigh heavily on many African economies. The African Credit Rating Agency was inaugurated in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, where […]

Space

NASA’s curiosity rover captures Martian dawn

Miguel Hadchity 08/10/2026

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – NASA has released a striking image of dawn on Mars, taken by the curiosity rover as it continues its exploration of the Red Planet’s surface. The image shows sunlight illuminating towering rock formations that took shape billions of years ago. It was captured about an hour […]

News UAE

UAE leads MEA in flexible workspace development, JLL report finds

Miguel Hadchity 07/10/2026

Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – The United Arab Emirates is the most mature market for flexible workspace in the Middle East and Africa, supported by strong occupancy rates of 75 to 85 percent in Dubai and 70 to 85 percent in Abu Dhabi, according to a new report from real estate services firm JLL. […]

News UAE

Fitch affirms Ras Al Khaimah at ‘A+’ as growth outlook improves, removes negative watch

Miguel Hadchity 06/10/2026

Dubai, UAE – Oct. 2026 – Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ras Al Khaimah’s long-term rating at “A+”, a move that reflects easing direct risks from geopolitical challenges since April 2026, which were limited to a minor delay and a marginal cost increase in the launch of one of the emirate’s major transformational investment projects. The […]

News UAE

UAE enters World’s top 25 most innovative economies for the first time in Global Innovation Index 2026

Miguel Hadchity 05/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — The United Arab Emirates has risen five places to 25th out of 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2026, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, up from 30th in 2025. The result puts the country among the world’s 25 most innovative economies for the first time. The […]

News SYRIA

Three power stations halted after gas pipeline blast in Syria

Miguel Hadchity 01/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — Three Syrian power stations have shut down after a gas pipeline exploded at the Tishreen thermal power plant, cutting the gas supplies needed to run them, state news agency SANA reported. The Syrian Electricity Company said in a statement on Wednesday that the fire caused by the explosion was […]

Travel UAE

flydubai suspends Israel flights after flight deck altercation forces Saudi landing

Miguel Hadchity 01/10/2026

Dubai, UAE — Oct. 2026 — A flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an altercation in the flight deck, injuring some crew members. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said flight FZ1073 from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport on September 30 experienced […]

News UAE

UAE has proven itself a global destination for capital, says CMA chief

Miguel Hadchity 30/09/2026

Dubai, UAE – Sept. 2026 — The UAE has cemented its position as a global destination for capital and has shown it can offer a safe and attractive investment environment over both the short and long term, the chief executive of the Capital Market Authority said on Wednesday. Speaking at the first day of the […]

Lebanon UAE

UAE to open Electronic Visa Center in Beirut next month

Miguel Hadchity 29/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that an Electronic Visa Center will open in Beirut, Lebanon, next month, a move officials say will strengthen ties between the two countries and simplify travel procedures for Lebanese applicants. Omar Obaid Al Shamsi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, […]

News UAE

Alef Group joins Sharjah Investment Forum as exclusive sponsor of investors’ lounge

Miguel Hadchity 28/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — The Sharjah Investment Forum has announced a partnership with Alef Group, the real estate developer behind integrated modern communities and destinations in Sharjah, under which the group will act as sponsor and exclusive partner of the forum’s “Investors’ Lounge.” The partnership is intended to strengthen

News UAE

Ras Al Khaimah Chamber signs cooperation agreement with Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

Miguel Hadchity 25/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, a move aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and opening new avenues for trade and investment between the business communities of Ras Al Khaimah and Greater Miami. The agreement […]

News UAE

UAE positioned to lead aviation MRO growth: GE Aerospace study

Miguel Hadchity 24/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — The UAE has the infrastructure, expertise and investment to become a leading aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul hub, a new GE Aerospace study has found. The study, produced with Aviation Business Middle East magazine and titled “Enhancing Strategic Alignment in the UAE MRO Ecosystem,” sets out how the country […]

News Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia marks 96th National Day

Miguel Hadchity 23/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — Saudi Arabia is celebrating its 96th National Day on Wednesday, honoring the Kingdom’s founding with a nationwide program of fireworks, air shows, concerts, and cultural events that drew crowds across the country’s major cities. This year’s National Day fell under the theme “Our Pride by Nature,” recalling

SYRIA

Assala returns to Damascus stage after 16 years, offering Syrians a rare moment of shared celebration

Miguel Hadchity 22/09/2026

Dubai, UAE — Sept. 2026 — Syrian singer Assala Nasri performed in Damascus on Thursday for the first time in roughly 16 years, a homecoming concert that drew thousands to Al-Fayhaa Sports Hall and was streamed live to millions more across the region. Titled “The Return of Assala,” the show was backed by Syria’s Ministry […]