Year: 2026

Dubai , August 18, 2026 : Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the launch
of the second edition of the Road Safety Film Festival, with total prizes
of up to AED 300,000, including cash awards and recognition trophies,
and sponsored by Azizi Developments. The launch follows the success
of the festival’s inaugural edition, launched by RTA in 2025, which
attracted more than 100 creative entries, showcasing a diverse range of
innovative ideas and content in road safety awareness.
The competition aims to promote awareness of safe road behaviours
through the production of short awareness films that cultivate a culture of
compliance with traffic laws and regulations and reduce dangerous road
behaviours. It also provides individuals, university students, government
entities and private-sector companies with an opportunity to present
creative and impactful ideas that spread awareness across broader
community segments.
RTA will begin accepting entries from 24th August to 22nd November
2026 through its website at www.rta.ae/roadsafetyfilmfestival, which
sets out the participation requirements, submission process, evaluation
criteria and competition categories.
Hussain Al Banna, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said the
competition forms part of RTA’s efforts to develop its traffic awareness
tools and broaden their reach across different segments of the
community. He noted that short films are among the most effective
means of delivering awareness messages, particularly amid the growing
reach of digital platforms and social media.
Al Banna added that the success of the festival’s first edition, which
attracted more than 100 entries, highlights the importance of
harnessing creativity and visual content to support traffic awareness
efforts. He noted that the second edition builds on this approach by
providing greater scope for talent and innovative ideas and encouraging
the community to contribute to promoting a culture of road safety.

Al Banna added that entries will be accepted across three main
categories: Individuals and University Students; Government
Entities and Private-Sector Companies; and Community. These
categories include subcategories covering awareness of the leading
causes of traffic accidents, the promotion of safe driving behaviours and
the portrayal of real-life stories from the community.
He explained that the prizes for the top three places in the first and third
categories are AED 30,000 for first place, AED 20,000 for second place
and AED 10,000 for third place, with total cash prizes of AED 240,000.
Winners in the Government Entities and Private-Sector Companies
category will receive recognition trophies.
Al Banna added that RTA has allocated a prize within the Community
category for films featuring real-life stories of traffic accident victims, with
the aim of highlighting the consequences of unsafe behaviours and
failure to comply with traffic regulations, while reinforcing individual and
collective responsibility on the road.
The initiative is aligned with global trends supporting the use of visual
content in road safety awareness. Campaigns supported by visual
materials can communicate messages more effectively, particularly when
human stories are combined with factual information relating to accidents
and injuries, serving to curb dangerous behaviours such as speeding,
using mobile phones while driving and failing to wear seat belts.
The CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency confirmed that RTA will
incorporate the winning films into its ongoing traffic awareness
programmes by featuring them in educational lectures, workshops, road
safety campaigns and across RTA’s digital platforms, thereby extending
the reach of the awareness messages and sustaining their impact.
The second edition of the festival forms part of RTA’s Traffic Safety and
Awareness Strategy, which is underpinned by the “Zero Fatalities” vision
and aims to drive Dubai and the UAE toward achieving some of the
world’s best road safety performance levels. This is supported by
developing an integrated and sustainable awareness framework
targeting different categories of road users and promoting safe and
responsible road behaviours.
RTA’s Traffic Safety and Awareness Strategy focuses on delivering
specialised awareness programmes and initiatives targeting key groups,
including students, truck drivers and delivery riders, in cooperation and
partnership with Dubai Police, government entities and strategic
partners. It further seeks to enhance safety in residential and school areas by developing pedestrian crossings, directional signage,
pedestrian bridges and other solutions that support road safety.
The strategy’s overarching objective is to reduce traffic fatalities and
serious injuries and work towards providing a safe and sustainable traffic
environment for all road users by combining awareness and education
with safe road design and integrated efforts among the relevant entities.
Among RTA’s key awareness programmes for students are the “Golden
Rules for Generational Safety” programme for middle-school students,
the “Hello, My School” programme for kindergarten pupils and the
“Virtual Driving Licence” programme for secondary-school students. RTA
also runs specialised campaigns targeting truck drivers and delivery
riders, including the “Safe and Healthy Summer” campaign for delivery
riders and joint inspection initiatives aimed at reducing violations and
dangerous road behaviours.

Dubai , August 18, 2026 : Emirates Extrusion Factory (EEF), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Dubai Investments and a leading manufacturer of aluminium profiles for
architectural, engineering and industrial applications, delivered its strongest first-half
production performance in a decade during H1 2026, supported by sustained customer
demand, manufacturing efficiency and disciplined operational execution.
The achievement was driven by efficient production planning, effective management of
mixed-order schedules, uninterrupted raw material availability and strong cross-functional
coordination across operations. During the period, EEF achieved a peak monthly production
output of 1,500 metric tonnes, its highest monthly production level in the last decade,
highlighting the strength and consistency of its manufacturing operations.
EEF also recorded its strongest first-half sales performance of the decade. Compared to the
corresponding period in 2025, production and sales volumes increased by 24%, reflecting
the success of the company's process improvements, customer-focused approach and
ongoing investments in operational capabilities. The results further strengthen EEF's position
as a leading aluminium extrusion manufacturer in the region and provide a solid foundation
for continued growth in the second half of the year.
Sreekumar Brahmanandan, General Manager of Emirates Extrusion Factory, said:"Our
H1 2026 performance marks Emirates Extrusion Factory's strongest first-half production
performance in a decade and reflects the strength of customer demand, the commitment of
our team and the effectiveness of our operational strategy. Achieving a peak monthly
production output of 1,500 metric tonnes during the period underscores our ability to
maximise manufacturing efficiency while consistently delivering the quality, reliability and
service standards our customers expect. This achievement reinforces our commitment to
operational excellence and continuous improvement. As we move forward, we remain
focused on enhancing productivity, strengthening customer partnerships and building on this
momentum to support sustainable growth across our key markets."
EEF also strengthened its order pipeline across domestic and export markets, reflecting
sustained customer confidence in the company's manufacturing capabilities, product quality
and delivery reliability. Serving customers across the UAE, the wider GCC, Asia and Africa,
the company remains well positioned to support a broad range of architectural, engineering
and industrial applications.
The strong H1 performance demonstrates EEF's ability to meet growing demand across
construction, infrastructure and industrial sectors while maintaining operational resilience,
production flexibility and manufacturing efficiency.
Established in 1995, Emirates Extrusion Factory is among the UAE's pioneering aluminium
extrusion manufacturers and has contributed to numerous construction, infrastructure and
industrial projects over the past three decades. The company supplies green-certified
aluminium profiles to customers across the UAE, the wider GCC, Asia and Africa, supporting
a broad range of architectural, engineering and industrial applications

Ajman , August 18, 2026 : The Ajman Municipality and Planning Department announced that the total value of rental contracts registered during the first half of 2026 reached approximately AED2.91 billion, across a total of 73,472 contracts.​ The figures reflect the emirate’s sustained activity and underscore its growing appeal as a preferred destination for living, investment and doing business, in line with Ajman Vision 2030, which aims to create a competitive business environment and an investment climate that drives economic growth and enhances investment promotion and attraction programmes.Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director-General of the Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, said the emirate continues to consolidate its position as an integrated and ideal destination, supported by flexible legislation, advanced infrastructure and smart services that facilitate customer journeys and enhance quality of life and community wellbeing​ . He added that Ajman continues to meet the needs of residents and investors, supporting the emirate’s comprehensive and sustainable development​ . Al Nuaimi said the results clearly demonstrate growing confidence in Ajman and reflect the success of integrated efforts to provide a supportive and enabling environment for individuals and business owners, meeting their aspirations and keeping pace with the emirate’s continued growth across sectors that contribute to sustainable economic development​ . Yousef Mohammed Al Sheiba Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of the Rental Regulation Sector at the department, outlined the indicators, saying they confirm continued activity in rental contracts and sustained demand for housing and investment​. He stressed that the department remains committed to developing the rental regulation ecosystem and harnessing the latest smart technologies and advanced systems.

Dubai , August 17 , 2026 : The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has issued its Financial Stability Report 2025, affirming the strength and resilience of the UAE financial and banking system, supported by the robust performance of the banking sector, adequate capitalisation and liquidity, improved asset quality, and continued growth in credit, deposits and profitability, amid the positive performance of the UAE economy.
The report showed that the UAE banking system’s total assets increased by 17.1 percent to AED5.3 trillion at the end of 2025, while the loan portfolio expanded by 17.8 percent, primarily driven by increased domestic lending, particularly across the retail and private corporate segments.
Asset quality indicators continued to improve, with the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio declining to 3.3 percent in 2025, compared to 4.7 percent in 2024 and 8.2 percent in 2020. The UAE banking system also maintained adequate capitalisation, with the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) at 17.0 percent at the end of 2025, remaining well above minimum regulatory requirements.
The banking system maintained strong profitability, with net profits increasing by 11.7 percent to AED90.8 billion in 2025, supported by growth in total operating income. It also maintained strong liquidity, supported by continued deposit growth.
The results of the 2025 supervisory stress tests confirmed the banking sector’s resilience to severe economic and financial shocks. Under the adverse scenario, the average Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio declined from 14.1 percent to 11.1 percent at its lowest point during the stress-test horizon, while remaining above the minimum regulatory requirements.
The report also highlighted the continued resilience of other segments of the financial system, including the insurance sector and Islamic banking, as well as the continued development of the UAE’s financial infrastructure and payment systems under the Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, contributing to the efficiency and resilience of the financial system and supporting digital transformation.
The report highlighted developments in payment systems, including Aani, the Instant Payments Platform, and Jaywan, the UAE’s national card payment scheme, alongside developments in cross-border payments, further enhancing the efficiency and resilience of the UAE’s financial infrastructure.
Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE, said, “The Financial Stability Report 2025 affirms the strength and resilience of the UAE financial system and its ability to continue supporting the national economy efficiently, underpinned by adequate capital and liquidity, improved asset quality, and continued growth in credit, deposits and profitability.
“The CBUAE will continue to strengthen its supervisory and prudential frameworks and enhance the financial system’s preparedness to address future risks and challenges, contributing to safeguarding financial stability and supporting sustainable economic growth.”

Vertix Holdings Chairman joins the global business educational body’s industry council for 2026-27 term

Abu Dhabi, August 17, 2026​:  UAE National business leader Amer Al Ahbabi, Chairman of Vertix Holdings, has been appointed to the Business Influencer Council of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for the 2026–2027 term. His name appears on the Council roster published by AACSB, alongside members representing Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, SHRM, Harvard Business Publishing, Kyndryl, and The Bank of East Asia.

Founded in 1916, AACSB is the accrediting body whose standards are used to assess business schools worldwide. Less than five percent of business programmes globally are accredited by AACSB. It has more than 2,000 member organisations and more than 1,000 accredited business schools spread across 100+ countries and territories where more than five million students have enrolled. AACSB-accredited schools have addressed significant societal challenges, reporting over 700 initiatives between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 aimed at positively impacting the economy, biosphere, society, and more.

According to its published materials, the Business Influencer Council (BIC) brings the business community into that system, contributing industry perspective on emerging skills and competency gaps, on experiential learning and internships, and on partnerships between employers and business schools.

The purpose of the BIC is to serve as a collaborative partnership for an ongoing and sustainable relationship between the business community and business schools at the business education industry level (AACSB).

Professor Mohammed Madi, Dean, College of Business and Economics, UAE University, says,

—This distinguished appointment places Amer Al Ahbabi among business and thought leaders contributing to global conversations on talent, leadership, innovation, and the skills needed for the future workspace.

—Of particular significance, Amer is the only council member representing this organization from the Arab World, bringing a valuable regional perspective to an international forum that helps shape the future of business education.‖

Al Ahbabi joins the Council as Chairman of Vertix Holdings, a diversified investment group with interests across auditing and financial advisory, real estate, education, technology, hospitality, and asset management. He is the first Emirati to serve on the Global Board of Directors of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), an Ambassador of the UAE Internal Auditors Association, a Fellow Member of the UAE Accountants and Auditors Association, and a board member of the GCC Board​ Directors Institute, UAE Chapter. He serves as an Advisory Board Member of the College of Business at Abu Dhabi University and at Amity University.

Amer Al Ahbabi says, —Governance and judgment are treated as specialist subjects when they should be part of every business degree. Good judgment is a skill, and skills can be taught. As technology absorbs more of the routine work, judgment is what a graduate carries that lasts — and that is what business education should be building.‖

The Council’s membership is drawn largely from North America, Europe, and Asia. The questions it addresses — which skills matter, how internships should work, how employers and schools should collaborate — are therefore answered against the labour-market conditions of mature economies. Those conditions do not transfer cleanly. Gulf markets have younger workforces, national employment priorities that shape private-sector hiring directly, and regulatory frameworks being built at speed rather than inherited.

Al Ahbabi said his contribution to the Council would focus on three areas: bringing employer-sideevidence on where graduates arrive under-prepared, particularly in governance, risk, and the fast-expanding compliance requirements of the UAE market; expanding structured internships and live client projects through Vertix Auditing and the group’s operating businesses; and strengthening the link between what regional firms need and what business schools research.

He noted that business schools across the Gulf have held international accreditation for twenty-five years, since United Arab Emirates University became the first in the region to achieve it in 2000.

Our region has spent twenty-five years meeting a global standard in business education. We are ready now to help shape it, and to bring the ambition of a young workforce into that conversation,‖ Al Ahbabi adds.

Amer Al Ahbabi now holds seats in two bodies that shape how business and finance professionals are formed: IMA, which sets standards for the profession, and AACSB, which accredits the schools feeding it. These are opposite ends of the same pipeline.

The GCC and UAE would benefit from Ahbabi’s appointment in a number of ways. One of them is competency gaps. The most useful contribution is evidence on where graduates arrive in the job market under-prepared. In the UAE that gap is dateable: corporate tax, transfer pricing, e-invoicing, family business legislation, and expanded compliance obligations have all landed within a few years. Curricula lag regulatory reality while graduates join firms that need those capabilities immediately.

Experiential learning is another gap that could be addressed. Vertix Auditing is an operating audit and advisory firm, and a natural host for structured internships, live client projects, and placements with regional business schools. The Memorandum of Understanding signed with the European Emirati Business Council in February 2026 already covers joint training in accounting, forensic audit, taxation, compliance, and risk. A pilot with a single college would convert the appointment into an outcome.

Research partnership is another area of possible improvement. Gulf business schools often calibrate research toward international journals rather than regional practice. Someone running operating businesses can state plainly what regional firms would fund and use.

National workforce priorities are a crucial gap that Amer Al Ahbabi would look into. Emiratisation and its Gulf equivalents depend on graduates being genuinely employable in the private sector, not merely credentialed. That is the problem the Council exists to solve, approached from the other end.

Dubai, August 15, 2026: The Child and Women Protection Department of the General Department of Human Rights at Dubai Police has urged parents to monitor their children’s use of electronic games, given the significant rise in gaming activity during the summer break. The department has also warned of certain gaming links that can lead to conversations with strangers. In an awareness message to parents as part of its “Our Children’s Safety this Summer” campaign, the Women and Child Protection Department stated: “Some gaming links may conceal dangers far beyond mere entertainment. Certain links lead to conversations with strangers. Keep track of what your child browses and always stay informed.” The Women and Child Protection Department stressed the vital role of family supervision in protecting children from potential risks or crimes linked to electronic games. They emphasised the importance of continuously monitoring the content children browse and the links they access while gaming to safeguard them from unsafe content or communication. The Department also urged parents to activate appropriate privacy settings and parental controls, become familiar with the games and platforms their children use, monitor friend lists and in-game conversations, and encourage children to immediately report any message, link, or contact that makes them feel uneasy. The Women and Child Protection Department further clarified that reports of any cybercrimes linked to electronic games can be submitted through the “e-Crime” platform, by calling 901, or via the Dubai Police app or website. The Department wished all children a safe and secure summer.

Ajman, ​August 14,2026 : CM Hypermarkets,  has opened its fifth outlet in the UAE at Jurf, Ajman, as part of its strategic expansion into the country’s multicultural retail sector.

The new outlet was inaugurated  by Dr. Birbal Singh, Chairman of Dana Group of Companies, in the presence of CM Group Managing Partners Siraj Chembayil and Shamil Chembayil, along with Majeed Hamad Jaber Hamad Al Suwaidi and other guests.
CM Hypermarkets aims to serve the diverse shopping needs of the UAE’s South Asian and Arab communities, including Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Nepali, Sri Lankan and Arab residents.
The brand builds on CM group more than a decade of experience in Filipino retail. With established infrastructure, manufacturing capabilities and experience serving expatriate communities, the group is positioning CM Hypermarkets as a multicultural retail destination in the UAE.
The CM Group currently operates more than 20 successful outlets and serves over 700,000 customers, according to the company.
To mark the grand opening of its Jurf outlet, CM Hypermarkets has announced a series of special offers and promotional campaigns. Customers making purchases of AED 25 will be eligible to participate in a mega grand prize draw, with a JAC SUV and several other prizes up for grabs.
The group has also launched a special promotion offering school fee support for 10 students. The promotion is being conducted across all CM Hypermarkets outlets, with the draw scheduled for November 29, 2026.
The company said the latest opening is part of its wider expansion strategy in the UAE. CM Hypermarkets plans to open 5 more branches over the next six months, further strengthening its presence in the multicultural retail market.
With its growing network and focus on diverse expatriate communities, CM Group aims to create new opportunities for customers as well as strategic partnerships with global brands.

Dubai, August 14, 2026 : Amanat Holdings recorded a profit of AED153.3 million in the first half of 2026, up 46 percent, and declared an interim cash dividend of AED75 million as it accelerates expansion across its healthcare and education businesses.

The company reported a 24 percent increase in revenue to AED582.5 million, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 30 percent to AED226.4 million.

Amanat plans to deploy approximately AED1.5 billion over the next three years through organic expansion, greenfield developments and selective acquisitions, targeting a return on equity of at least 10 percent. It also aims to distribute a minimum annual cash dividend of 7 fils per share, subject to the necessary approvals.

The group continued its expansion, with licensed beds at Cambridge Health Group increasing 18 percent to 666, alongside progress on new projects in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the number of students and beneficiaries at Almasar Education reached approximately 28,900, up 21 percent.

Dr. Ali bin Harmal Aldhaheri, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said the results reflect the group’s strong financial and operational performance and its ability to continue investing while delivering sustainable growth and returns for shareholders.

Dubai, August 14 , 2026 : Parkin Company PJSC (Parkin) announced its financial and operational results for the second quarter ended 30th June, 2026, reporting a 14 percent increase in total revenue to AED364.1 million compared with the same period in 2025.

Net profit rose 12 percent to AED166.2 million, supported by growth in seasonal cards, developer parking and enforcement. EBITDA increased 15 percent to AED217.2 million from AED189.3 million, with an EBITDA margin of 60 percent.

Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin, said, “Parkin delivered a strong second quarter, with revenues up 14 percent to AED364.1 million, EBITDA up 15 percent to AED217.2 million and net profit up 12 percent to AED166.2 million. Growth was driven by our seasonal cards, developer parking and enforcement segments, offsetting softer public parking demand during the quarter.”

He added that Parkin continued to execute its growth strategy, expanding its total parking portfolio by almost 57,000 spaces over the past 12 months. In cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the company added 9,900 public parking spaces in the first half of 2026, while its developer parking portfolio more than tripled to 61,500 spaces through several strategic partnerships.

The company’s total parking portfolio increased 27 percent to 268,300 spaces from 211,500 in the second quarter of 2025. Public parking spaces increased by 14,500, or 8 percent, to 203,200 from 188,700. Zone C accounted for 9,900 new spaces and Zone D for 4,500. During the second quarter alone, Parkin added 7,900 public parking spaces in cooperation with the RTA, with around 50 percent of these introduced in June.

Following the introduction of the variable parking tariff in April 2025, Parkin’s public parking portfolio was reclassified into Standard and Premium Parking. At the end of the second quarter, Standard Parking comprised 122,700 spaces, or 60 percent of the public parking portfolio, while Premium Parking accounted for 80,300 spaces, or 40 percent.

Developer parking spaces increased to 61,500 from 19,600 a year earlier, mainly as a result of contracts signed and announced in the second half of 2025. Parkin added a further 2,400 developer spaces during the second quarter. Multi-storey car parking spaces increased by around 400 to 3,700.

Total parking transactions reached 34 million, up 2.6 percent year-on-year. Public parking transactions declined to 27.2 million from 29.2 million, while developer parking transactions surged 75 percent to 6.6 million from 3.8 million. Multi-storey car park transactions remained stable at 0.2 million.

The average public parking utilisation rate stood at 20.2 percent, compared with 22.7 percent in the second quarter of 2025 and 21.8 percent in the first quarter of 2026. Seasonal card sales increased 38 percent to 97,500 from 70,900, while the weighted average hourly public parking tariff remained broadly stable at AED3.00, down 1 percent year-on-year.

Parkin’s field enforcement teams scanned 8.3 million vehicle registration plates, up 1 percent, while its smart inspection fleet scanned 20.6 million plates, a 52 percent increase from 13.5 million. The smart inspection fleet expanded to 37 vehicles from 25 a year earlier. Enforcement notices increased 5 percent to around 695,000, of which 496,000, or 71 percent, related to public parking violations.

Public parking revenue declined 8 percent to AED121.9 million from AED132.2 million. Developer parking revenue rose 61 percent to AED35.8 million, while revenue from seasonal cards and permits increased 50 percent to AED78.2 million. Enforcement revenue grew 11 percent to AED107.5 million from AED96.7 million, while the fine collection rate stood at 75 percent compared with 83 percent a year earlier.

The variable concession fee paid to the RTA increased to AED55.2 million from AED49.2 million, while staff costs remained broadly stable at AED34.7 million, with an average headcount of 361 employees.

Free cash flow to equity reached AED341.8 million, with a cash conversion rate of 96 percent. Parkin’s net debt stood at AED710.1 million at the end of the quarter, while available liquidity amounted to AED563.2 million.

Parkin maintained its dividend policy, under which it intends to pay semi-annual dividends in April and October. For the first half of 2026, the company expects to pay a minimum dividend equal to the higher of 100 percent of net profit for the period or free cash flow to equity, subject to distributable reserve requirements.

For 2026, Parkin expects public parking revenue of AED510 million to AED550 million, enforcement revenue of AED420 million to AED460 million, seasonal card revenue of AED280 million to AED300 million and developer parking revenue of AED130 million to AED150 million.

Capital expenditure guidance remains at AED45 million to AED55 million, compared with AED13.9 million in 2025. Following the addition of 9,900 public parking spaces in the first half, Parkin now estimates that a further 3,500 to 5,000 spaces could be added by year-end.