The Agenda

Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has just announced the launch of K2 Think V2, a cutting-edge model being described as the country’s most powerful sovereign AI reasoning system to date.

That power bank in your bag? It might be more dangerous than you think. 

The Child Digital Safety Law which has come into force and it brings new rules around age verification, harmful content, and platform accountability. How does this reshape the legal landscape for global tech companies operating in the UAE? What does it mean for ISPs and telecom providers? And how will these rules be enforced?

Some airports in Asia have started to screen passengers after a virus outbreak in India. What is Nipah virus? How does it transmit from one person to another?

A team of scientists from NYU Abu Dhabi has just wrapped up the first nationwide coral “stress test”. 

As Gulfood 2026 continues here in Dubai, one of the most talked-about themes this year is the future of protein. Not just where it comes from but how it’s made, how it tastes and how sustainable it really is.

And we hear about a global challenge to build the world’s first fully robot-constructed residential villa.

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Excitement is building over Disneyland Abu Dhabi, after the CEO of the company, Bob Iger, posted a picture of himself strolling along the coastline of Yas Island, around a sandpit. So with construction is still in its early phases, we ask Chris Seymour, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Mace, when we can expect the park to be ready.

Staying with that theme of confidence and capital flowing into the UAE, we also look at at Dubai’s most prestigious and glamorous properties with Ben Bandari.

For decades, the private office was the ultimate symbol of power. But now in the post-pandemic era of hybrid working and open-plan collaboration, that door may finally be closing. What does it say about the changing world of work? 

A large UK study has found the menopause is linked to changes in the brain similar to those seen in Alzheimer's.

The world’s first “Gold Street” is set to be built in Dubai as part of the newly-launched Dubai Gold District. We get details from gold expert Jeff Rhodes.

From ocean pollution to microplastics in our food and water, it's often painted as the environmental villain of our age. But is that reputation entirely fair?

And would you mind if your next burger came from a bioreactor instead of a cow?

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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has now completed 65% of a major new bridge project that will link Sheikh Zayed Road directly to Dubai Harbour. Hamad Al Shehhi, Director of Roads at Traffic and Roads Agency at the RTA gives us more details.

Is paracetamol safe to take during pregnancy? Well, according to a major new review published in The Lancet, the answer is yes. The researchers behind the study say there is no evidence linking paracetamol use to autism, ADHD, or other developmental issues in children. 

For the first time ever, the UAE will be sending not one, but two athletes to the Winter Olympics. One of them is Piera Hudson who has qualified to compete in alpine skiing at Milano–Cortina 2026, and she joins Georgia on the show today.

A remarkable new archive has just opened beneath the Antarctic ice designed to preserve disappearing climate records from glaciers around the world. We find out more information about the 'Ice Memory Sanctuary’ from Ice Memory Foundation Director, Anne-Catherine Ohlmann.

We discuss food trends and how neuroscience is revolutionising food product development as Gulfood takes place in Dubai.

And it’s already chilly across the Emirates, but is another cold wave on the way?

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More than 2,000 residents have managed to buy their very first home in Dubai in just six months and currently there are 40,000 on the waiting list of the First-Time Home Buyer Programme, launched in July last year by the Dubai Land Department and the Department of Economy and Tourism. It’s already driven over AED 3.25 billion in residential property sales… and the government is now looking to expand the initiative even further. Mohammed Yahya, Director of Real Estate Transactions at the Dubai Land Department, gives us the details.

What is it actually like on the ground for buyers navigating mortgages, deposits, and approvals for the very first time? We ask mortgage broker Jo Phillips.

A new report from Oliver Wyman reveals that the global cost of traffic congestion now exceeds 500 billion dollars a year. What can be the solutions to help cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

The Dubai Films and Games Commission is partnering with the UK’s National Film and Television School and Prime Video to launch a new Talent Development Programme aimed at fast-tracking the next generation of scriptwriting and production talent in Dubai.

And meet Austria's clever cow Veronika...

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As a parent here in the UAE, you now have a legal obligation to monitor your child’s digital activity. Lawyer Dino Wilkinson, partner at Baker, joins us to explain what the law says.

We also look at the psychological and behavioural side of this issue with consultant in digital wellbeing and meaningful learning with technology for children, Dr Alison Burrows.

The National Centre of Meteorology tells us how AI is helping with cloudseeding to boost rainfall. Ahmed El Kamali, Acting Head of cloudseeding operations at the NMC gives us the details.

A video recently shared on Instagram shows litter scattered along popular hiking routes, and it’s prompted a wave of concern from nature lovers who say it's time to take action.

And a group of UAE students transformed a plot of land at a school in Nairobi, turning it into a working farm that will help provide food for children in need.

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Renting a car should be straightforward. But based on the messages we've been getting from listeners, it seems a lot of people are facing unexpected fees, delayed

refunds, and damage charges they don’t agree with. Ahmad Ahli, Acting Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade joins us to answer your concerns.

We also discuss degree accreditation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Plus, we also ask, does where you studied really matter when you enter the UAE job market? 

And we tell you about a pair of smart glasses that are designed for people with dementia.

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We’ve had multiple messages from listeners alerting us to what appears to be a new scam targeting drivers right here in the UAE and it all centres around DARB, the Abu

Dhabi toll system. We ask cybersecurity expert Amir Kolahzadeh how you can tell the difference between a real notification and a fake one and how are scammers even getting your number in the first place?

There's been a surge in civil marriages and wills registered at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, marking a remarkable jump in demand for services introduced under the UAE’s non-Muslim personal status law. Family lawyer Byron James shares more details.

Earlier this week, the Dubai Land Department and the Higher Colleges of Technology launched a new Real Estate Diploma Programme, a major initiative

aimed at empowering Emiratis to play a bigger role in this critical industry. How significant is this move for Emiratis planning to move to the real estate industry?

More than 170,000 creators submitted proposals to take part on the UAE and Mr. Beast's "One Billion Acts of Kindness" campaign, and just 10 were selected. And one of them is joining us on the show today.

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Paid parking has been introduced in the residential community of Discovery Gardens in Dubai. We speak to some residents who are happy with the changes and to some too who feel it’s an extra financial burden.

What were the main factors that led Dubai to expand paid parking systems in residential communities? Is it a necessary solution? We get the take of Elev8's Pedram Rad.

It’s been twelve months since US President Donald Trump was sworn back into the White House. So how is this second term shaping up? And is it unfolding the way his supporters had hoped? Katie is joined by Stephen Collinson, senior reporter for CNN Politics. He covers the White House, and politics across the United States and around the world.

We also focus on Trump's statement that the United States would talk about acquiring Greenland at this week's Davos World Economic Forum because Denmark cannot protect the country. We speak with Dr. Timo Koivurova, Research Professor, Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland in Finland.

And the UAE has claimed the top position globally in a 2026 government trust index.

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If you're an influencer or a content creator in the UAE, the clock is ticking. Social media content creators have until January 31 to obtain advertiser permits if they want to continue promoting products and services legally online. Lawyer Munir Suboh tells us all the details.

We speak with Robert Walters about their latest Hiring Trends e-guide that shows 62% of employees say they’d prefer not to come to the office on Mondays. Many want a slower start to the week, or simply to avoid the Monday commute. But on the flip side, over half of respondents believe that Mondays are the most valuable workday, and a third say they’re more productive when they begin the week in the office. How about you? How do you see Mondays?

Women are significantly more likely to be injured in car crashes. So now a new more anatomically accurate female crash-test dummy has just been unveiled by Humanetics, the world’s leading dummy manufacturer.

And for the very first time, the United Arab Emirates is set to compete in the Winter Olympics.

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The RTA has just completed a major phase of its Hessa Street Development Project. This latest upgrade is designed to help ease congestion for the more than 630,000 vehicles that use that stretch of road every day. So what exactly has been delivered? How long is the upgraded section? And which junctions are now fully operational? We get the details straight from Hamad Al Shehhi, Director of Roads at RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency. 

We also ask transport expert Martin Tillman if it's enough to solve the long-term congestion problems in that part of the city.

We turn our attention too to kids bank accounts and financial literacy for children after receiving a flurry of messages from our listeners wanting to know how they can teach their kids financial independence.

We look at how local genetic data are being used to develop treatments and diagnostics that are tailored to this region’s population. 

A new eye injection in the UK uses a simple gel injected into the eye to restore pressure and improve vision in patients with dangerously low eye pressure.

We also speak with the Dubai Civil Defence about their Billion Readiness initiative that has already helped reduce fire incidents worldwide by 18%.

And check the details about Dubai's attempt to host the world’s largest virtual sign language class this month.

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