Category: What’s On

Omoda and Jaecoo are preparing to introduce an AI-powered driverless parking system in the UAE, bringing automated valet-style functions to selected models as the country accelerates its push into smart mobility, artificial intelligence and autonomous transport. The system, called VPD, or Valet Parking Driver, enables a vehicle to identify a vacant bay, navigate through complex parking areas and park itself without the driver remaining inside or standing nearby. The feature is controlled through a mobile application, allowing the user to activate

Sharjah’s eastern coast is preparing for a new high-altitude tourism landmark as “Above the Clouds”, a crescent-shaped retreat on Mount Deem in Kalba, moves towards opening by late 2026 or early 2027, adding a dramatic mountain destination to the emirate’s expanding nature-led visitor economy. The project, positioned 850 metres above sea level, covers 4,700 square metres across two levels and is designed to offer panoramic views of Kalba’s coastline, valleys and surrounding mountain terrain. Its location on Al Deem mountain places

UAE residents can expect generally fair skies on Thursday as temperatures climb across much of the country, with low clouds forming over the eastern coast during the morning and humidity returning overnight into Friday. The National Centre of Meteorology’s outlook points to a stable early-summer pattern, shaped by weak surface pressure systems and an upper-air high-pressure extension. The combination is expected to keep conditions largely dry and clear while allowing daytime heat to build over internal and coastal areas. Temperatures are forecast

Dubai has opened the Dubai Esports & Games Festival 2026 with a stronger emphasis on gaming as a career pathway, placing digital skills, education and competitive play at the centre of a citywide programme running from May 22 to June 7. Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the festival is being positioned as more than an entertainment event. Its 2026 edition connects esports tournaments, game showcases, education sessions and family attractions

Dubai’s Eid Al Adha retail season is set to open with a wider-than-usual edition of the 3 Day Super Sale, offering discounts of up to 90 per cent across malls, shopping districts and participating outlets from 27 to 31 May. The campaign, organised under Dubai’s annual retail calendar, has been extended to five days despite retaining its familiar 3 Day Super Sale branding. The timing places the promotion directly alongside the Eid break, when family spending, visitor traffic and mall footfall

Mohammad Yahya’s PFL MENA debut ended in frustration at Coca-Cola Arena as Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi edged the Dubai-based fighter by split decision in the featherweight tournament headliner, while 18-year-old Zamzam Al Hammadi gave the home crowd a lift with a unanimous decision victory in her women’s strawweight amateur showcase. The mixed results at PFL MENA 9: Pride of Arabia on Sunday night underlined both the opportunity and pressure facing UAE fighters as the Professional Fighters League opened its 2026 regional season

Ras Al Khaimah’s first university research and innovation awards have drawn 189 submissions, giving the emirate a new platform to connect student ideas with national priorities in technology, sustainability, healthcare and advanced industry. The inaugural RAK Award for Excellence in University Research and Innovation 2026, organised by the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, brought together entries from 20 universities across the UAE. Of those, 94 projects from 12 universities were shortlisted for final evaluation, underscoring the widening role of campuses

Tourists arriving in the UAE can now open a digital bank account within minutes under a new Tourist Identity system linking immigration records, biometric verification and mobile banking. The initiative, launched by the Central Bank of the UAE, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, gives non-resident visitors a verified digital identity after arrival. That identity can be used through ADCB’s mobile app to open an account, activate a digital debit card and

Dubai Maritime City has opened Maritime Business Centre 2, an AED160 million commercial tower designed to add premium office capacity to DP World’s maritime, logistics and trade ecosystem at a time of sustained demand for Grade A workspace across the emirate. The new tower, located in the Commercial District of Dubai Maritime City, was completed in 20 months and had secured leasing commitments for 78 per cent of its space before opening. The development adds 125 waterfront office units ranging from

Dubai motorists will pay 5 per cent value-added tax on public parking and Salik toll services from June 1, 2026, in a shift that will raise daily transport costs while accelerating the emirate’s move towards digital payments. Parkin Company PJSC, Dubai’s main paid parking operator, will apply VAT across its services, including on-street parking, off-street parking, seasonal cards, permits and reservation services. Salik Company PJSC will apply the same tax rate to toll gate usage fees and tag activation charges from

Dubai will host the fifth Middle Eastern Alliance for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Congress on 4 and 5 June 2026, bringing more than 500 participants from over 15 countries to the InterContinental Dubai Festival City for a two-day programme focused on evidence-based nutrition support, patient safety and multidisciplinary care. The congress, known as MEAPEN 2026, will be held at Al Ras Hall and is expected to feature more than 70 speakers across 17 scientific sessions. Its agenda will centre on enteral

Dubai has unveiled the Museum of Digital Art at DIFC Zabeel District, positioning the planned five-floor institution as the region’s first museum dedicated to digital art and new technologies. Launched by Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the project brings together Dubai Culture and Dubai International Financial Centre in a cultural partnership designed to expand the city’s role in immersive media, artificial intelligence, interactive exhibitions and creative research. MODA will be developed within

Dubai will mark Eid Al Adha with a 10-day programme of leisure, hotel, dining and family experiences from 22 to 31 May, positioning the holiday as a major citywide driver for tourism, hospitality and retail activity. The programme forms part of the Season of Wulfa, a Dubai calendar built around community, family bonds and shared cultural occasions. It also aligns with the UAE’s Year of the Family, giving the campaign a wider social theme beyond commercial offers. Residents, visitors and families

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has completed 80 per cent of the Al Khaleej Street Tunnel Project, advancing a major part of the Al Shindagha Corridor programme designed to cut journey times from 104 minutes to 16 minutes by 2030. Spanning 1,650 metres, the tunnel extends from the end of the Infinity Bridge ramp in Deira to the intersection of Al Khaleej Street and Al Wuheida Street. It will carry three lanes in each direction and handle up to 12,000 vehicles

Dubai Opera will host MODANSE on 17 May 2026, bringing a one-night ballet programme built around the meeting point of classical dance, couture and the life of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. The performance, scheduled to begin at 8pm, will be staged in the Main Auditorium, with doors opening at 7.30pm. Tickets start from AED395, and the event is being presented by M Premiere and MuzArts as a third-party venue hire rather than a Dubai Opera-produced show. The evening is led by Svetlana

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and the Roads and Transport Authority have opened applications for artists, designers and architects to transform more than 40 road tunnels across the emirate into public art landmarks, widening the city’s effort to embed culture into everyday urban movement. The Dubai Tunnels Initiative is inviting Emirati and UAE-based creative professionals to submit proposals from 11 May to 15 June 2026. The programme seeks original works that can turn high-traffic infrastructure into durable visual landmarks while reflecting

Dubai is positioning itself as a citywide stage for blockchain and Web3 activity as MENA Blockchain Week opens a decentralised programme designed to connect founders, investors, institutions, regulators and technology communities across multiple venues. MENA Blockchain Week, known as MENABCW, has been launched as a seven-day initiative running from 18 to 24 May 2026, with Dubai serving not as a single conference location but as the broader venue. The event is organised by SkyNet X Solutions, a Dubai-based strategy and events

Dubai Basketball will face Buducnost VOLI in the ABA League semi-finals after the Podgorica club beat U-BT Cluj-Napoca 112-81 in the decisive third game of their quarter-final series, setting up a high-stakes meeting between the regular-season leaders and one of the competition’s most established sides. Buducnost secured the tie at Morača Sports Hall in Podgorica, turning a finely balanced series into a one-sided finish with a dominant second-half display. Rasheed Sulaimon led the Montenegrin side with 24 points and four assists,

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank has rolled out a next-generation mobile banking app built around artificial intelligence, moving everyday banking, investment access and customer service into a single conversational platform. The new application, unveiled in Abu Dhabi on 11 May 2026, is designed to let customers interact with the bank through voice and text commands rather than conventional menus. The AI-powered virtual assistant can help users check balances, move money, manage cards and services, track financial goals and explore the bank’s products

Dubai has opened its first smart bus station at Mall of the Emirates, giving commuters round-the-clock digital services, live travel information and AI-supported safety systems at one of the emirate’s busiest transport interchange points. The Mall of the Emirates Smart Bus Station, developed by the Roads and Transport Authority, is directly connected to the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station and serves 11 bus routes. The network includes six Dubai Metro feeder routes, three internal routes and two seasonal routes, linking

UAE defence companies used SAHA 2026 in Istanbul to turn a national showcase into a platform for export promotion, technology partnerships and global industry engagement as the five-day exhibition closed on 9 May at the Istanbul Expo Centre. The UAE National Pavilion drew about 5,000 visitors during the event, including senior military officials, defence technology specialists, government representatives and international delegations from the security, aerospace and aviation sectors. The pavilion, located at Stand 1A-07 in Hall 1, became a meeting

Dubai’s next private-island address is moving from concept to market signal, with Naïa Island emerging as a new test of how far demand for ultra-luxury coastal living can stretch in a city already defined by record-setting property deals. The project, developed by Shamal Holding off the Jumeirah coastline between Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah 3, is designed as a low-rise, low-density enclave with private beaches, estate plots, branded residences, sea-facing villas, landscaped open spaces and a private marina. Its central hospitality asset

Dubai has moved closer to launching commercial air taxis after the vertiport serving Dubai International Airport reached technical completion, making it the first site in the emirate’s planned aerial mobility network ready to handle electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The facility, developed as part of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority’s air taxi programme with Skyports Infrastructure and Joby Aviation, is intended to serve as the flagship hub for a four-site network linking Dubai International Airport with Palm Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai

Dubai has moved a new cluster of mega projects from ambition to execution, tying transport, aviation, finance, mobility and artificial intelligence into a single development push aimed at reshaping how the emirate lives, works and competes. The programme is anchored by the Dubai Metro Blue Line, the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, future mobility systems, a major widening of Dubai International Financial Centre and an AI-powered government model. Together, they signal a shift from stand-alone infrastructure projects to a broader

Digital Dubai has released a whitepaper introducing the AI Integration Matrix Framework, a government-wide model designed to move artificial intelligence use from scattered pilots to a coordinated operating system across public entities. The framework marks a new stage in Dubai’s effort to embed advanced digital tools into public administration, with an emphasis on interoperability, secure data use, institutional readiness and measurable service improvements. It is aimed at helping government entities classify AI use cases, set priorities, reduce duplication and align technology

Emirates has completed the first installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on an Airbus A380, marking a major step in its plan to turn onboard internet from a limited add-on into a core part of the long-haul travel experience. The upgraded superjumbo returned to Dubai after installation and certification work in Newquay, United Kingdom. The aircraft is the first A380 in the world to be fitted with the next-generation Starlink system, a milestone for a double-deck jet that carries hundreds of passengers across

  Dubai has moved to link social policy with high-end retail employment after the Community Development Authority signed an agreement with Louis Vuitton aimed at opening more career pathways for Emiratis and People of Determination across fashion, retail and craftsmanship. The memorandum of understanding, announced on 22 April, sets out training and employment tracks that officials say are designed to convert inclusion goals into long-term jobs rather than symbolic commitments. At the centre of the deal is a practical skills agenda. The

Oman’s pavilion drew brisk business traffic at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona this week as the sultanate used one of the industry’s biggest international marketplaces to deepen export links, court investment and showcase the scale of its fisheries and seafood processing sector. The 32nd edition of the event, running from 21 to 23 April at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, is the largest in the expo’s history, bringing together exhibitors from more than 80 countries and dozens of national

KUALA LUMPUR — The United Arab Emirates National Pavilion opened strongly at DSA and NATSEC Asia 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, drawing senior military, government and industry visitors as Gulf defence manufacturers used one of Asia’s largest security exhibitions to press for deeper commercial ties, technology partnerships and export growth in South-East Asia. The pavilion is part of the four-day event being held from 20 to 23 April at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, where organisers have

A rumour that distance learning in the UAE would continue beyond April 17 has been formally denied, with education authorities making clear that no decision had been issued to extend the current remote-learning period to May 1 and urging families to rely only on official channels for updates. Existing schedules, as communicated by the authorities, remained unchanged at the time of the clarification. The clarification matters because it came after weeks of shifting academic arrangements across schools and higher education

  Light showers, dusty winds and rougher sea conditions are set to affect parts of the UAE over the coming days, with the National Centre of Meteorology forecasting a shift from fair skies on Sunday to cloudier, more unsettled weather from Monday night through midweek. Coastal areas, islands and some eastern parts are expected to face the highest chance of rainfall, while winds could reach 40kph and reduce visibility in exposed areas. The official forecast shows Sunday staying largely fair to partly

Dubai will resume private school bus services from Monday, April 20, after education and emergency authorities cleared a return to operations under tightened safety procedures aimed at protecting pupils as campuses reopen. The move aligns Dubai with a nationwide decision to restart school transport across public and private institutions after a period of distance learning and transport disruption. The decision for Dubai’s private education sector was announced after what officials described as ongoing assessments by the National Emergency and Crisis Management

Louvre Abu Dhabi has opened its signature dome to visitors for the first time through a new guided “Architectural Experience”, giving the public access to the museum’s most recognisable feature as it broadens its appeal beyond galleries and exhibitions into design-led cultural tourism. The new 90-minute tour begins this month and runs on Saturdays, with separate time slots for individuals and groups. The move marks a notable shift for a museum whose architecture has long been as much a draw

United Arab Emirates has won a seat on the World Food Programme’s Executive Board for the 2026–2028 term, giving it a direct role in shaping policy at the UN’s main food assistance agency as conflict, supply disruption and funding pressure deepen the global hunger crisis. The appointment places the country inside the WFP’s top governing structure at a moment when aid agencies are being forced to balance emergency relief with longer-term efforts to make food systems more resilient. The board