Donald Trump dropped his proposed 20% fee on Strait of Hormuz cargo shipments, citing productive talks with Gulf leaders and promising large-scale investment deals instead. He simultaneously declared a full blockade on ships linked to Iranian ports or cargo. Read more →

Volvo Cars is rolling out Apple Music across ten UAE model lines through an over-the-air update, with the EX60 and EX90 arriving in the Middle East with the service natively built in. Eligible customers can redeem up to three months free via the Volvo Cars app until July 2027. Read more →

Emirates has completed full cabin refits on 100 wide-body aircraft since November 2022, deploying more than 400 engineers and 4.4 million man hours at its Dubai hangars. The US$5 billion programme covers 219 aircraft in total, with the next phase bringing 4K OLED seatback screens from October 2026. Read more →

The UAE Ministry of Interior has warned residents about a vehicle insurance scam circulating on social media, where fake accounts pose as licensed brokers and collect advance payments without issuing valid policies. The ministry is urging the public to verify licences and buy cover only through approved channels. Read more →

A new IDEMIA Secure Transactions study found 63% of UAE residents have experienced hacking or data theft, nearly double the global average of 38%. Despite the exposure, demand for digital services remains near-universal, with consumers increasingly expecting security to be embedded into the products they use. Read more →

Radisson Hotel Group signed and opened 160 hotels globally in the first half of 2026, adding more than 22,000 keys. New properties arrived in Dubai and Riyadh, while India set the ambition highest: a target of 500 hotels by 2030 from a current base of 142. Read more →

Etihad Rail held a recognition ceremony honouring the contractors, operators and integrators behind the UAE's passenger railway, delivered in under five years. Services between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah are set to begin on 30 June 2026, with a network of 11 cities planned. Read more →

American Caldwell's Global University Visibility Rankings evaluated more than 1,200 institutions across all 193 UN-recognised countries, measuring public attention through news coverage, web traffic, and social media reach. Harvard leads for the fourth consecutive year, with Oxford the top non-US institution at fifth. Read more →