The Agenda

Research from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts has shown that the average focused screen-time for any one activity has dropped from about two and a half minutes twenty years ago to just 47 seconds today. That's having a huge impact on the type of tech that's being developed that we could use and it's one of the several features at the ongoing Doers Summit at Dubai Digital Park in Dubai Silicon Oasis. It’s two days of innovation, investment and big ideas with speakers from around the world sharing their stories and helping shape the future of finance, technology, and entrepreneurship. We speak with Niklas Jansen, co-founder of Blinkist, an app that takes non-fiction books and turns them into short, digestible insights you can read or listen to in 15 minutes.

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That’s what Malaysia is planning from 2026 and it’s part of a global trend. Australia brings in its ban next month with France, Spain, all tightening restrictions. We explore whether bans actually work and who should be responsible for keeping kids safe online, with consultant in digital wellbeing, Dr Alison Burrows.

Next we head to the mountains — to the beautiful Hatta, where one of the UAE’s biggest development projects is rapidly taking shape. A new school and amphitheatre have just opened, and we ask how this AED 36 billion masterplan is transforming the area for business, tourism and the people who live there, with Dubai Holding's Roudi Soubra.

We also speak to the founder of the Hatta Strawberry Farm that is using hydroponics and smart farming to boost food security to grow something sweet in the desert.

And we have two very interesting animal stories: How parakeets are thriving in cities around the world, including right here in Dubai and the discovery that lions don’t just have one roar — they have two, and each one serves a completely different purpose.

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According to new figures, average parking fees have increased by 51% since Dubai introduced its variable tariff system. So with rising living costs and flat salaries, should employers be doing more to reduce everyday pressures on staff, like parking?

Staying with how parking is becoming more expensive and harder to find, it’s now playing a much bigger role in where businesses choose to set up. We speak with Daniel McCullagh from FAM Properties; his team recently published a blog showing that offices with good parking access are now commanding stronger investment interest.

We look at the implications of Google and Meta delaying their planned internet cable expansions through the Red Sea.New Zealand’s top book prize has just disqualified two authors from the longlist… not because of what they wrote, but because the cover designs of their books included AI-generated elements.

And from NZ to Japan, we look at the new discovery that moss spores were able to survive 1.5 years outside the International Space Station. 

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After that devastating fire earlier this month, Wolfi’s Bike Shop is back — in a new temporary home. We're joined by Wolfi himself to hear how the team is rebuilding, and what customers can expect from the new pop-up.

We also talk cycling safety — especially for children. Almir Mujic explains how he’s bringing road safety education directly into UAE schools.

Would you pay using just your face? No wallet, no phone. That’s the idea behind Agent Pay, a new system being piloted right here in Dubai. But are we ready to swap convenience for biometric data?

In a major legal development, two separate rulings from the Al Ain Court have confirmed that parents in the UAE can be held financially liable for their children's bullying.

We discuss a world-first move in Australia, where teens under 16 will soon be banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Meta is already deactivating accounts.

And with the UAE National Day fast approaching, many of us are looking ahead to the long weekend. So where are people going? And what deals are still available?

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There was a big claim at the Dubai Future Forum yesterday that says yes.  We speak with Mammoth Biosciences that is looking to make this a reality by using gene-editing technology. 

We also discuss longevity and the role of AI in public health with Dubai Health.

We get more details on Dubai’s first vertiport near DXB, straight from the Roads and Transport Authority.

With the UAE Central Bank scrapping the minimum salary requirement to get a bank loan, what does it mean for the finance industry and residents who can now have more access to banking services?

And what happens when AI doesn’t just remix art, but becomes capable of thinking, planning and making decisions on its own?

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As we broadcast live from the Dubai Future Forum at the Museum of the Future, we are looking at a first-of-its-kind, jet-powered drone developed by Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority designed to fly directly into extreme fire zones, places far too dangerous for humans. What could this mean for the future of emergency response? We speak with Major Eng. Ali Almadfaei, Head of Advanced Solutions and Emerging Technologies at Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority.

Emirates will become the world’s largest operator of Starlink-enabled aircraft — with plans to begin rolling out high-speed satellite Wi-Fi on its fleet starting next year. 

The UAE has announced plans to build its very own research base in Antarctica — the first of its kind for the region. We talk about the UAE Polar Programme with H.E. Dr Abdulla Almandous, President of World Meteorological Organization and the Director General of the National Centre of Meteorology. 

From AI to clean water, to prosthetics and planetary health — students from across the world are here in Dubai this week, showing what’s possible when science meets purpose.

And we speak to one company leading the charge when it comes to innovation and health.

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Dubai Police are cracking down on dangerous e-motorbikes, after teenagers were caught riding modified bikes at over 100 kilometres an hour on roads, pavements, and even jogging tracks. We hear from one mum whose son was seriously injured after being hit by one and a community that has banned them altogether. Plus, we get expert analysis from Dr. Mostafa Aldah, Founder of RoadHeroAcademy.com and former Head of the Traffic Research Section at Dubai Police.

With the festival season kicking in, shoppers are about to be hit with every kind of promotion imaginable. From “Buy One Get One” to flash sales and mega markdowns, it can be hard to know what’s genuinely worth your money. To help us navigate it all, we’re joined by Ahmad Ahli, Acting Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade.

The Dubai Airshow opens today and alongside the aircraft, the big story this year is the future of travel. New data from SITA shows baggage mishandling is now at its lowest level on record, even as global travel surges. 

And after premiering in Lebanon, the Arabic opera Antar & Abla is coming to Abu Dhabi in a giant open-air production at Zayed Sports City.

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The UAE Cybersecurity Council has issued a stark warning: hackers are now exploiting so‑called zero‑day vulnerabilities security flaws unknown even to the software developers. In one alarming example, a simple call on WhatsApp from an unfamiliar number could compromise a user’s phone without the user even answering. Cybersecurity expert Amir Kolazahdeh gives us safety tips.

We also turn to Apple’s new Digital ID and passport integration, a feature that could eventually put your entire identity onto your device. It promises convenience, but with zero-day vulnerabilities making headlines, how safe is a digital passport on your phone?

Today is National Seatbelt Day, a reminder that, despite all the awareness campaigns, too many people are still taking unnecessary risks on the road. We speak to David Devine who has been using something called the Seatbelt Convincer, a demonstration tool that simulates a low-speed crash. 

Abu Dhabi has just become the first city in the region to launch commercial driverless vehicles, taking autonomous transport from testing phase to public reality. 

And a row has erupted in the UK art world, and it all centers on ten tonnes of rope with a price tag of more than one million pounds.

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We speak to Dubai Cares about a nationwide campaign turning every bite into a chance to fight hunger and support education.

Then, we hear from Tashas Group founder Natasha Sideris, one of the first restaurateurs to sign on. So how is fine dining fuelling real change?

From doping to match-fixing and ball tampering, the integrity of sport is under growing scrutiny. With billions at stake and public trust on the line, how do we protect the games we love? We talk to the head of the Sports Integrity Global Alliance, in Dubai for a major new forum tackling exactly that.

The UAE is setting its sights on the next big leap in mobile technology. This week, the country’s telecom regulator, the TDRA, announced the launch of a major new 6G initiative. So what does all this mean for you and me? And how far away is it, really?

And move over Netflix... because a new streaming site has officially taken flight. 

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If you’re a regular traveler through Dubai International Airport, you may have noticed 
something new at the gates: discreet biometric cameras quietly tracking passenger 
movement through immigration and boarding. So how exactly does this technology 
work? Where is it being used? And what does it mean for the future of air travel?
We speak with the company behind the tech, Chris Rous, VP of Middle East and Africa 
for EMEA Airports & Borders at Amadeus.

We also ask: where is our data going? Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence and 
Data Science Dr. Ikram Rehman has the answers.

Abu Dhabi is set to get an emirate-wide vertiport system, laying the groundwork for 
air taxis to become part of everyday life. We get details from the Abu Dhabi 
Investment Office, the body leading this futuristic rollout through its SAVI cluster.

What happened to all the water on Mars? It’s one of the biggest mysteries in planetary 
science and now, new research from NYU Abu Dhabi is offering some fresh insight.

And we analyse how the ancient city of Venice has stood for centuries on marshy, 
unstable ground.

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