The Agenda

New research from global talent specialists Robert Walters has uncovered that 71% of professionals in the Middle East have declined a job offer… simply because the interview process raised red flags. We get the details from the Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Jason Grundy.

We also dive into the UAE’s brand new Green Innovation District, launched yesterday at Expo City Dubai. We speak to Palmade, the Dubai startup turning palm leaves into biodegradable products, about why they’re one of the first businesses to sign up.

In a market that never stands still, attractions are having to evolve, offering experiences that are both meaningful and future-focused. So how do major destinations adapt to a more competitive tourism landscape, while keeping sustainability and education at the heart of what they do?

And with 2025 declared as the Year of Community in the UAE, we speak with H.E. Marwan Rashid Binhashim, CEO of Dubai Community Contributions Establishment (Jood), about a new initiative launched to give companies and individuals a structured, transparent way to give back to society.

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UAE launches Green Innovator District

Unveiled during this week’s Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors’ Forum is the Green Innovation District — a bold new project aimed at transforming how sustainable businesses grow, scale and collaborate here in the UAE. We speak with H.E. Dr Maria Hanif Al Qassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of Education and Culture, Expo City on why now is the right time for this kind of initiative in the UAE.

Chris Seymour from MACE discusses what it really takes to start building a city from scratch — we’re talking roads, utilities, homes, all as part of the next phase of Palm Jebel Ali.

In a world still grappling with burnout, rising costs, and widespread mental health challenges, the UAE has just been ranked second in the world for overall well-being. So what are we getting right?

But from the same international study, financial well-being scored just 35%, the lowest of all the well-being indicators here in the UAE. So what’s going wrong and more importantly, what can we do better?

We also headed offshore as Sharjah launched a new 140-foot transport vessel to serve Sir Bu Nair Island.

And could your dog be addicted to their favourite toy?

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Emirates has turned 40. What are your fond memories as a staff or as a passenger? We speak with two former employees-- Khaled Daghestani, he was part of the airline’s early crew and later helped establish the Emirates Training College, and the first Pakistani woman in ground services, Kishwar Rauf.

Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas also gives his take on how significant this is in global aviation terms.

There's been a surge in interest for defensive driving programme according to one of the top driving schools in Dubai. But how effective are these courses, really?

And can a floating museum shape a nation’s cultural identity?

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Six months after Dubai Police launched their new cybercrime platform, we speak to Lt. Aisha Ahmad Bin Sulaiman about how the public is fighting back against online scams.

With the long-awaited Zayed National Museum opening on December 3rd, we explore how its exhibitions will connect UAE history to the wider world.

Art Dubai’s Benedetta Ghione joins us to discuss why museums matter, shaping identity and sparking imagination.

UAE authors respond as Philip Pullman calls out AI “book scraping” and demands urgent copyright reform.

And scientists may finally have an answer to one of the world’s greatest mysteries - what really happens in the Bermuda Triangle.

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How far would you go for the perfect job? Because as Dubai continues to grow and sprawl, some jobseekers are starting to say: “Actually, no thanks." David Mackenzie, a leading recruiter here in the UAE, says he’s seeing candidates turning down roles, not because of the pay or the position, but purely because of the traffic.

The makers of ChatGPT have just launched a brand new AI-powered web browser called Atlas, which they say is designed to work entirely around ChatGPT—no address bar, no search box... just a chatbot that browses the internet for you. We speak with two tech experts to learn more.

And we're taking you to a place where you can smell... art.

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Dubai has just marked Diwali - the Festival of Lights - with families lighting candles, setting off fireworks and celebrating across the city. But with celebrations like this come very real safety risks, especially when it comes to fire hazards at home or in crowded neighbourhoods. And it’s not just Diwali, with National Day, Christmas, and New Year all around the corner, Dubai Civil Defence is ramping up its safety messaging across all major festivals.

A major awareness campaign has just been rolled out, targeting communities across the emirate with fire prevention advice, using AI. Lieutenant Ali Majed from the Smart Services Department, joins Katie live in the studio to give us the details.

A medical breakthrough: We speak to Dr. Mahi Muqit from London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital about a bionic eye implant that’s helping people read again after losing their sight.

Tougher penalties for dangerous drivers come into effect today across the UAE. We find out exactly what’s changing. 

Dubai has become the first city in the world to launch Amazon Now, a new ultra-fast delivery service. So how will that work alongside the city’s new rule banning delivery riders from the fast lane?

And are you experiencing "digital exhaustion"?

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From the 1st of November, a new RTA rule will force riders to stick to slower lanes on major Dubai roads, that's after 18 delivery riders lost their lives this year alone. Is it a smart safety move, or just another restriction on riders trying to do their jobs?

If your apps were acting up yesterday, you were definitely not alone. There was a major cloud services outage across the region, with AWS - Amazon Web Services - experiencing serious disruption. So what exactly went wrong? How badly were we affected here in the UAE?

An Air China flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a battery-powered device caught fire mid-air.  We speak with IATA about the launch of a new global safety campaign called Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries. 

And would you say “I do” over your smartphone?

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Dubai Police's new AI cameras are flagging drivers for five different offences - but how accurate is the tech?

We speak to the police and an AI ethics expert to explore what happens when algorithms make the call.

Plus, Canada's WestJet is ditching seat recline on new planes - are budget airlines cutting too many corners?

And, eight priceless royal jewels have been stolen in a lightning-fast heist at the Louvre,  we unpack how it happened, and why investigators now have just days to crack the case.

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Flu season is here, but if the jab puts you off, there's now a version that’s needle-free available in the UAE. Anas Al Jammal, Director of Pharmacy for NMC Healthcare gives us the details.

Staying with vaccination, according to the latest WHO data, global coverage of routine childhood vaccines has stalled. We get the take of Dr Margaret Harris, an epidemiologist who formerly worked with the World Health Organisation and has spent decades working on infectious disease prevention and response.

Starting January 2026, a nationwide ban in the UAE will come into force covering a wide range of disposable plastic products — including cutlery, stirrers, and even paper cups with hidden plastic linings. But instead of moving straight to fines, the government is taking a phased approach: inspections will begin first to raise awareness, with enforcement expected later in the year. Palmade's Lamis Alhashimy tells us what this ban means for businesses, consumers, and the future of sustainable alternatives

It's now been more than two years since the ill-fated Titan submersible imploded on an expedition to the famed Titanic wreck site. We discuss the preliminary findings into the disaster.

Now, plug-in hybrids — often sold as the greener alternative to petrol cars, may not be quite as clean as we’ve been led to believe.

And find out why flight paths of millions of birds are changing.

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Dubai Police unveil an AI-powered biometric tunnel that identifies people by the way they walk, signalling a new era of contactless security.

Chris Seymour from Mace breaks down the progress and potential of Elon Musk’s high-speed underground Dubai Loop transport system.

Kaspersky’s Emad Haffar explains The Dark Web and how criminals interact on it. 

Paralympian and accessibility advocate Jessica Smith shares how her feedback helped make ChatGPT more inclusive for people with disabilities.

Space42’s Ali Al Hashemi discusses how satellite internet could protect the UAE’s connectivity after recent Red Sea cable cuts.

And, student engineers tell us if they have been shortlisted for the James Dyson Award with their AI-driven “airbag” system for aircraft crashes,

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