News about UAE: events, facts and developments on tafs uz.
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Mark Leppard, who led the BSAK British school in Abu Dhabi for 12 years and worked in the Gulf region for 30 years, will leave in August to become head of Singapore's Tanglin Trust School. He will be succeeded by Robin Macpherson of Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen, who previously worked at Repton School Dubai.
Otabek YusupovG42 chief Peng Xiao said at the Dubai AI Festival that AI gives the UAE a chance to pivot from exporting energy to exporting intelligence, building on an AI campus under construction with 5 GW of capacity. Minister Omar Al Olama said AI plans are now reviewed every six months and announced a plan to deploy agentic AI across 50% of federal government sectors.
Aziz KarimovThe UAE aid agency has signed a $3 million agreement with UNHCR to build climate-resilient homes for 2,950 Afghan returnees in Kabul, Herat and Kunduz. The agreement was announced at the Aidex 2026 conference in Geneva, where the agency also held meetings with the ICRC, WHO and UN bodies.
Otabek YusupovAfter an oil spill off the UAE coast and the closure of beaches in Ras Al Khaimah, the Russian Union of Tour Operators reported no evidence of Russians mass-cancelling trips. The emirate accounts for 0.4% of Russian tourist flow to the UAE. Refund issues are being considered individually.
Aziz KarimovDubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed approved new strategic targets for the AI campus in the DIFC: attracting more than 1,000 specialized companies and creating over 5,000 highly skilled jobs by 2030. The campus has already met its previous targets two years ahead of schedule.
Aziz KarimovThe UAE Food Bank and Dubai's Community Development Authority have signed an agreement on collecting and safely distributing surplus food from weddings and events. The initiative supports the Dubai Social Agenda 33 agenda and includes awareness campaigns and volunteering.
Aziz KarimovUAE Minister Lana Nusseibeh, running for UN Secretary-General, spoke at an informal General Assembly dialogue in New York. She called for scaling back part of the organization's activities, promised to 'take risks for peace,' and answered questions about Sudan. Palestine endorsed her candidacy.
Otabek YusupovIndian national Kishore Pandurang Rao, who has lived in the UAE for about 30 years, won 5 million dirhams in the UAE Lottery in the October 3 draw, days before his 60th birthday. He plans to support his sons, buy a home, and apply for a Golden Visa.
Otabek YusupovSenior UAE officials rejected criticism from Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf of Lana Nusseibeh's campaign for UN Secretary-General. Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash called Ghalibaf's statements lacking objectivity, while Ali Al Nuaimi accused Iran of 'exporting instability.' Nusseibeh entered the race to succeed António Guterres, whose second term expires at the end of the year.
Otabek YusupovUAE President Sheikh Mohamed and President of Benin Romuald Wadagni attended the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Abu Dhabi. After ratification, the agreement will reduce or eliminate customs duties and improve market access. Non-oil trade between the two countries reached $2.15 billion in 2025, up 65%.
Aziz KarimovDubai authorities announced the launch of the Dubai Food Security Strategy 2030, approved by Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. The strategy covers five areas — availability, affordability, food quality and safety, sustainability, and support for the sector — and includes five initiatives: from developing local agriculture to reducing food waste and strengthening supply chains.
Otabek YusupovSheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will begin an official visit to Canada on Monday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney. The sides will discuss strengthening bilateral relations and the strategic partnership between the UAE and Canada. Specific sectors of cooperation were not announced in advance.
Aziz KarimovTwo UAE convoys of 10 trucks carrying 260 tonnes of food arrived in Gaza as part of Operation Gallant Knight 3. Since the start of the mission, 14,594 trucks carrying 138,290 tonnes of aid have been delivered to the enclave, and the total volume of UAE humanitarian aid has exceeded $4 billion — 46% of global aid to Gaza since 2023.
Otabek YusupovDubai Municipality has awarded four contracts worth AED 3 billion under the third phase of the AED 30 billion Tasreef programme. The project involves building 100 km of main drainage lines with a diameter of up to three metres and is expected to increase stormwater drainage capacity by 700% by 2033.
Aziz KarimovThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan has officially supported the UAE's decision to nominate Minister of State and former Permanent Representative to the UN Lana Zaki Nusseibeh as a candidate for UN Secretary-General. The mandate of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, expires at the end of 2026. Earlier, the UN Security Council failed to reach agreement on a candidate.
Aziz KarimovSheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, met with Emirati military students studying at the Technical Training and Qualification Centre during his official visit to Greece. The centre's programs are part of the military cooperation between the two countries. Earlier in the visit, major deals were agreed upon, and plans to invest an additional €15 billion in Greece were announced.
Aziz KarimovThe UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed an oil spill from a supertanker in the Persian Gulf that has affected beaches in Umm Al Quwain. According to BBC Verify, the vessel matches the tanker Gem No.2, damaged on 9–10 October in an attack near the Strait of Hormuz. Beaches in Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah are closed, and Al Hamriyah beach in Sharjah is also closed. The oil slick has spread over more than 35 km and is approaching a protected biodiversity area. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed an oil spill from a supertanker in the Persian Gulf that has affected beaches in Umm Al Quwain. According to BBC Verify, the vessel matches the tanker Gem No.2, damaged on October 9–10 in an attack near the Strait of Hormuz. Beaches in Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah are closed, and Al Hamriyah beach in Sharjah is also closed. The oil slick has spread over more than 35 km and is approaching a protected biodiversity zone.
Aziz KarimovMBZUAI in Abu Dhabi, together with the company Inception42, has unveiled Jais 3, an Arabic-language AI platform with the Jais Speech speech recognition model covering the dialects of 19 Arab countries. The system transcribes speech, recognizes language switching, and works with 24 Arabic benchmarks.
Aziz Karimov
