More than 94,000 individuals worked within the Hajj organisation this year, supporting pilgrims across various sectors and operational locations.

Read-Hajj 2025: Here’s how many pilgrims visited Saudi Arabia

According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the figures reflect a unified institutional effort that brings together government and service agencies. This integration of human resources with modern technology aims to ensure a safe and seamless Hajj experience for all pilgrims.

The initiative is part of the ministry’s broader strategy to enhance service quality and improve the pilgrim experience, under a comprehensive operational system managed by multiple specialised centers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Inspections conducted across key facilities

The ministry’s Compliance Center carried out more than 70,000 field inspections during the Hajj season. These inspections covered accommodations, camps, central kitchens, and various operational facilities to ensure standards were maintained.

Nusuk Care initiative

The ‘Nusuk Care’ initiative delivered over 845,000 direct services, including healthcare, psychological and language support, and humanitarian aid, provided by field teams operating around the clock.

Thousands of volunteers contribute to a seamless pilgrimage

More than 3,000 volunteers were mobilised across six service tracks, working at over 107 contact points. Their efforts supported government services and contributed to creating a smooth and meaningful experience for pilgrims.

These efforts underscore the level of planning, precision, and investment in both human and technological resources. They also align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, reinforcing the country’s leading role in serving Islam and facilitating the Hajj pilgrimage with the highest standards of safety and organisation.

Deyaar Development PJSC has unveiled Downtown Residences, a landmark twin-tower development set to redefine luxury vertical living in the heart of Dubai. Positioned within the city’s prestigious golden triangle—Sheikh Zayed Road, Downtown Dubai, and Business Bay—the project is poised to become one of the UAE’s tallest and most iconic residential communities.

Read-South Square: Dubai’s newest luxury residential hub launched

With 522 meticulously designed residences, Downtown Residences offers a diverse mix of one- to three-bedroom apartments, duplexes, penthouses, and an exclusive Royal Palace crowning the tower. The development integrates luxury, innovation, and connectivity, with panoramic views of the Burj Khalifa, the Arabian Gulf, and Sheikh Zayed Road. It is strategically located adjacent to the Business Bay metro station, combining prime location with seamless urban mobility.

“We are proud to announce Downtown Residences, Deyaar’s most ambitious project to date,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Qatami, CEO of Deyaar Development. “This high-rise is designed to transform urban living, offering residents an elevated experience that blends comfort, style, and cutting-edge amenities.”

He added, “Our vision goes beyond construction; it’s a pledge to excellence and innovation. This landmark project is not just about luxury—it’s about creating value for investors and enhancing Dubai’s evolving skyline.”

Inspired by ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’

Downtown Residences draws conceptual inspiration from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, reimagining residential living as a layered journey of luxury, wellbeing, and self-actualization. “This project redefines what it means to live vertically,” said Patrick Bernard Rouse, Chief Development Officer at Deyaar. “Each segment of the tower is a curated lifestyle experience, designed to address not just functional needs, but emotional and aspirational ones.”

The development is divided into five vertical zones, each offering tailored experiences:

• Dynamic avenue: Lower levels with family-focused amenities including kids’ creative havens, playrooms, lounges, and social spaces.
• Sensory oasis: A mid-level sanctuary featuring floating gardens, AI-powered meditation pods, air yoga zones, and an ‘invisible’ luxury spa.
• Summit society: Located approximately 100 floors above ground, this zone includes private dining venues, exclusive lounges, a grand screening room, and the Legacy Lounge.
• Residents’ club: Business-centric amenities including AI-powered workspaces, private executive pods, and networking hubs.
• Sky pinnacle 360: The crown jewel of the tower, representing the apex of self-actualized living.

Vertical haven

The towers are united by a dramatic central slit and a holistic vertical design that integrates nature and architecture. From podium-level Urban Oasis gardens to the opulent Sky Mansion at the top, the towers blend tranquility with city energy. Outdoor terraces, vertical gardens, and communal spaces such as The Collective and Serenity Haven are designed to foster a balanced lifestyle of wellness, work, and play.

Deyaar’s 23-year legacy in the UAE real estate market lends further weight to this high-profile project. Known for delivering value-driven developments across Dubai, the company positions Downtown Residences as a bold statement of intent in the global luxury real estate arena.

“With Downtown Residences, we are not just building homes—we are shaping the future of urban living,” Al Qatami said. “This development is a rare opportunity for both residents and investors to be part of Dubai’s next chapter in architectural excellence.”

Downtown Residences continues Deyaar’s track record of contributing to the UAE’s fast-evolving property landscape, offering a new benchmark for high-rise luxury living in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT tool and related services started experiencing worldwide disruptions on Tuesday, with reports of performance issues.

Reports of outages started circulating on platforms such as X and Reddit, with users indicating they are facing issues.

Meanwhile, the popular Downdetector.com tool shows that issues started earlier on Tuesday, with multiple regions affected.

OpenAI’s own status page acknowledges that some users are experiencing “elevated error rates and latency” affecting ChatGPT, its Sora text-to-video AI tool, and OpenAI APIs. Later on Tuesday, OpenAI updated the ChatGPT status to “partial outage” and noted “elevated error rates on Sora.”

While some users report sluggish responses and slow loading times, others are experiencing no issues, suggesting the outages may not be impacting everyone. OpenAI states they are “continuing to investigate this issue” but the cause of the outages and the restoration timeline remain unclear.

Reports indicate that ChatGPT prompts sent through a paid account are also returning “Error in message stream” responses both in the browser and mobile app.

ChatGPT has faced outages in the past, including one last year after expanding GPT-4o access to free users and another after ChatGPT was integrated into Apple Intelligence in December.

OpenAI’s status page shows that ChatGPT service was initially marked as “degraded” starting on Monday but was resolved within an hour.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, marked a significant milestone in Dubai’s public transportation development by attending the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Dubai Metro Blue Line.

Read-Dubai Metro Blue Line: Inside the world’s tallest metro station

Spanning 30 kilometres with 14 new stations, the Blue Line will transform mobility across nine key districts projected to accommodate over one million residents by 2040, in line with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

Growth of Dubai Metro ridership and infrastructure

Since its launch on September 9, 2009, the Dubai Metro has transported over 2.527 billion passengers. Ridership has steadily increased from 38.9 million in 2010 to 275.4 million in 2024, averaging around 900,000 daily passengers last year. Projections indicate that passenger numbers will surpass 300 million by 2026 and reach 320 million by 2031.

Metro infrastructure has also expanded dramatically. The system began with 10 stations in 2009, increasing to 46 by 2011. The introduction of the Dubai Tram in 2014 boosted the combined number of stations to 56. The launch of Metro Route 2020 added seven stations in 2021, bringing the total to 64. With the Blue Line’s 14 stations, the network will reach 78 stations in total.

The number of trains in service also reflects this growth: from 16 at launch to 140 by 2021, the fleet will expand to 168 trains, including 157 Metro trains and 11 Tram trains with the new line.

Elevated stations feature exteriors inspired by seashell shapes, complemented by iconic architecture at Expo and Emaar Properties stations. Inside, stations display thematic designs based on elements like Heritage, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, with special motifs for Expo and Emaar Properties.

Connecting communities and economic hubs

The Dubai Metro Blue Line will connect the Green Line at Creek Station and the Red Line at Centrepoint Station, linking residential, academic, and economic zones including Dubai Silicon Oasis—a key innovation hub outlined in the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

The Blue Line comprises two main routes. The first route stretches 21 kilometers from Creek Interchange Station through Dubai Festival City, Dubai Creek Harbour, Ras Al Khor, and International City, ending at Academic City with 10 stations, including an underground interchange station. The second route covers 9 kilometres from Centrepoint Interchange Station in Al Rashidiya to International City 1, passing through Mirdif and Al Warqa with four stations. A new metro depot will be constructed at Al Ruwayah 3.

A promotional film showcased the line’s role in linking the Red and Green lines, providing direct 20-minute journeys to Dubai International Airport, and supporting the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan’s goal of creating a “20-minute city” where essential services are accessible within 20 minutes of residents.

Sustainability and strategic impact

The Blue Line includes three interchange stations and an iconic station in Dubai Creek Harbour. It will be the first line to cross Dubai Creek via a 1,300-meter viaduct. Expected daily ridership by 2040 is projected at 320,000 passengers.

The project supports Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33 and aligns with sustainability initiatives by being the first transport project in Dubai to achieve Platinum green building certification.

With integrated transport features such as bus bays, taxi stands, bike and scooter racks, and accessible parking for People of Determination, the Blue Line aims to reduce traffic congestion on served routes by 20 per cent, enhance land value near stations by up to 25 per cent, and contribute to a cleaner environment by lowering carbon emissions.