The Agenda

Four years after Katie relocated with her family to Dubai, we look at why people are still choosing to make the move despite months of regional uncertainty. 

We hear from relocation and shipping experts, the short-term rental market, and a family preparing to start their new life in Dubai next week.

Plus, Wynn delays the opening of its landmark Ras Al Khaimah resort, raising questions about whether other UAE mega-projects could be affected by disruption from the Iran conflict.

We also explore why readers may prefer AI-written stories, and, on Book Lovers’ Day, what picking up a book instead of a screen could do for your brain.

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The UAE is cracking down on cold callers, with more than 3,300 people penalised already this year.

But if telemarketing is so unpopular, why do companies still rely on it?

Meanwhile, finding a gardener in Dubai is about to become much easier. But why are the Government and Careem getting involved?

And Abu Dhabi is to use drones to disperse 10 million native seeds in major desert restoration project

Plus, MI6 is officially Europe's top intelligence agency. But what actually makes a spy service the best?

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A deadly gas explosion in Dubai has put home fire safety back in the spotlight. We ask whether residents really know if their fire alarms are working, whether they're connected to emergency services, and what you should be checking in your own home.

We also look at the changing diamond industry, as falling prices for mined stones and growing demand for cheaper lab-grown gems force some of the world's biggest producers to rethink the threat. 

Women's cricket is taking centre stage, with the UAE preparing to host one of the sport's biggest tournaments as the UAE establishes itself as one of the world's biggest destinations for international sport. But what does hosting major tournaments actually deliver for tourism, hotels and the wider economy?

And what should Dubai's Museum of the Future look like in the years ahead? The museum is asking the public to help shape its next generation of experiences.

Finally, we head to the farm of the future, where humanoid robots are being developed to plant, prune and harvest crops. Could robots eventually become a normal part of the agricultural workforce?

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Abu Dhabi is ordering supermarkets - both online and in-store - to stop putting junk food in the spotlight. We ask whether it will make healthier choices easier and hear from Kibsons and Choithrams.

Plus, cyberespionage is on the rise across the Middle East, putting businesses, governments and smartphones at risk.

As UAE temperatures push towards 50°C and a “heat dome” sends temperatures soaring elsewhere, we ask the World Meteorological Organisation what’s behind the extremes.

We also hear how the Al Freej Fridge campaign is helping outdoor workers cope with the summer heat, and ask whether lab-grown palm oil could offer a more sustainable alternative.

As temperatures soar, men in Japan are being encouraged to wear shorts to work. So could this this be the future of male fashion?

Scientists have discovered a sugar found in raspberries floating through deep space - so could it help explain how life on Earth began?

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We start with an urgent warning about the latest scam targeting Amazon customers. 

We explain how it works, the red flags to watch for and what you can do to protect yourself, with a cyber security expert answering your questions.

Plus, Google has pulled a new AI image-editing tool from Google Earth just days after launch. We find out what happened and why it was removed.

And are job interviews becoming too remote? 

With more recruitment taking place online, the UK's new Prime Minister says employers are missing out on seeing candidates' personalities. 

We hear from two recruitment experts on whether the first interview should always be face to face, or whether virtual hiring is here to stay.

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The UAE is introducing a new law to ban teens from using social media. The resolution was issued in June and communicated more widely this month. 

Dubai Municipality has opened a new integrated pet shelter in Warsan alongside a digital platform where residents can view rescued cats and dogs, learn about their health and behaviour, and begin the adoption process before visiting in person. 

European ministers are now describing climate change as a security threat, after another summer of devastating wildfires across the continent. France is battling its largest fires on record, while blazes in Spain, Greece and elsewhere have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Greek fishermen are struggling against an invasion of silver-cheeked fish with razor sharp teeth.

And there's an ice cream that Georgia thinks could be the next "Dubai chocolate".

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It’s now been one month since Etihad Rail's official launch on 30th June. The first passenger service runs between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, and it's the first route on a long-awaited national rail network designed to transform travel between the emirates. More stations are due to open this year and in 2027. 

Uganda has officially declared itself free of Ebola after going 42 days without a new case. But just across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the picture couldn't be more different. 

After years of delays, Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower is passing milestone after milestone and is once again on course to become the world's tallest building. Once completed it’s set to rise more than a kilometre into the sky overtaking Dubai's Burj Khalifa. But how do you design a record-breaking building that needs to withstand extreme winds and immense weight? 

As most prepare for summer holiday break, have you ever considered that you might not be wanted at your holiday destination? Around the world there is a growing wave of protests against over-tourism. We cross live from Mallorca, Spain. 

A pretty scary video circulating right now on social media shows flames and smoke coming from an open overhead luggage compartment on a China Eastern Airlines plane. 

And Wadi Wurayah National Park in Fujairah has officially become the country's first UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. 

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The Odyssey has been leaked online. More than two million people have apparently watched a high quality version via social media. The incident has once again raised important questions about digital piracy and how creators can protect their work in an age where content can be shared globally in seconds. It's an issue the UAE takes seriously and we are joined today by two of the key people spearheading the fight against piracy in this country.  

Forty-two domestic worker recruitment offices have come under fire, as the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation reports on the number of fines its issued in the first half of this year. What are the rules when hiring a domestic worker in the UAE? 

The UAE is taking another major step in its AI ambitions, announcing what it says is the world's first fully integrated AI-powered judicial platform. What does it look like in practice?

And for Filipinos abroad, home can be just one song away.  

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The UAE has expressed its solidarity with France as emergency crews continue to tackle the blazes. A fire outside Madrid is Spain's biggest on record - and flames are edging closer to Bordeaux in France, a city of nearly one million people. 

OpenAI has revealed that one of its experimental AI systems escaped a controlled testing environment and hacked into the systems of AI platform Hugging Face while trying to complete a cybersecurity test. How worried should we really be about the future? 

If you've ever thought about adopting a pet, Dubai is hoping to make that process a little easier.

And are you a lily-padder?

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Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have once again put one of the world's busiest shipping lanes firmly in the spotlight. We get the latest from the International Maritime Organization.

How many hours of sleep do you get in a  night? Japan's Prime Minister says she's lucky if she gets three hours. What actually happens to the brain when we are chronically sleep deprived?

More than 10,000 UAE residents have already signed up to Dubai's new Dubai Invite scheme, which rewards people for persuading friends and family to visit the emirate. Big marketing effort to bring more people into the country. Is it likely to work? 

India's education minister resigned on Saturday after students protested over leaked exam papers, with many celebrating his departure as a victory. 

And do you know all bird songs are made from just eight basic types of sounds?

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