The UAE’s Fuel Price Committee has approved new retail fuel rates for the month of September, reducing diesel prices as global oil prices fall with expected low demand and upcoming supply boost, according to state news agency, WAM.

– Diesel: Dhs2.66 per litre reduced from Dhs2.78 per litre in August

– Super “98”: Dhs2.70 per litre increased from Dhs2.69 per litre last month

– Special “95”: Dhs2.58 per litre remaining almost the same as Dhs2.57 per litre in the previous month

– E-Plus “91”: Dhs2.5 per litre remaning the same as in August

Oil prices fall with expected low demand, upcoming supply boost

Oil prices fell on Friday, August 29, as traders looked toward weaker demand in the US, the world’s largest oil market, and a boost in supply this autumn from OPEC and its allies.

Read more-Filling up this August? Here’s what fuel will cost you in UAE

Brent crude futures for October delivery, which expired on Friday, settled at $68.12 a barrel, down 50 cents, or 0.73 per cent. The more active contract for November finished down 53 cents, or 0.78 per cent, at $67.45.

West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at$64.01, down 59 cents, or 0.91 per cent.

The market was in part shifting its focus toward next week’s OPEC+ meeting, said Tamas Varga, analyst at PVM Oil Associates.

Crude output has increased from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, as the group has accelerated output hikes to regain market share, raising the supply outlook and weighing on global oil prices.

“Overall, the bottom line is we’re going to see a jump in supply feeding into a lackluster demand market,” said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.

The US summer driving season ends on Monday’s Labor Day holiday, signalling the end of the highest demand period in the United States, which is the largest fuel market.

“The market is beginning to wonder what effect the tariffs might have on the economic outlook next year,” Lipow said, referring to tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump on US imports from many trading partners.

Crude supply increases have not made their way into the US market yet, raising the possibility supply and demand will be in a tighter balance, said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with Price Futures Group.

“The pessimism about demand, I’m just not seeing it,” Flynn said. “Supply from OPEC is supposed to increase, but we’re not seeing it in the US I think things are going to stay tight.”

Prices rose earlier in the week due to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil export terminals, but reports of talks between Ukraine’s European allies about a possible ceasefire helped tamp down prices, Flynn said.

US crude inventories for the week ending August 22 showed higher-than-expected draws, implying late-summer demand was still firm, particularly in industrial and freight-related sectors, analyst Ole Hvalbye at SEB bank said in a note.

Investors are also watching for India’s response to pressure from the United States to stop buying Russian oil, after Trump doubled tariffs on imports from India to as much as 50 per cent on Wednesday.

So far, India has defied the US and Russian oil exports to India are set to rise in September, traders said.

“The prevalent view is that Russian sanctions are not forthcoming, and India will ignore US sanction threats and continue buying Russian crude oil at heavily discounted prices,” PVM’s Varga said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Al Ghurair Mobility has signed an agreement with Dongfeng Motor Corporation to introduce the premium automotive brands MHero and Voyah to the Saudi market.

The move marks a major step in Al Ghurair Mobility’s regional expansion, bringing advanced new energy and hybrid vehicles that blend performance, innovation, and luxury. The launch supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of sustainable development and economic diversification, while delivering premium electrified mobility solutions backed by Al Ghurair’s regional expertise and service network.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both companies, including John Iossifidis, group CEO of Al Ghurair, Oscar Rivoli, CEO of Motors, Al Ghurair Mobility, and Qiu Xiaojun, CEO of China Dongfeng Import and Export Co. (DFMIEC), Overseas Marketing Division of Passenger Vehicles at Dongfeng Motor.

Read: Chinese car brands gain ground in UAE’s growing used vehicle market

“This partnership is an important step forward in expanding our presence in the Saudi market,” said John Iossifidis, group CEO of Al Ghurair. “MHero and Voyah represent Dongfeng’s innovation, blending advanced technology, new energy, and luxury. Together, we are introducing world-class brands that align with the Kingdom’s vision for sustainable mobility.”

Qiu Xiaojun, CEO of China DONGFENG Import and Export Co., added: “We are proud to collaborate with Al Ghurair Mobility to bring MHero and Voyah to Saudi Arabia. This partnership reflects our commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction, ensuring Saudi consumers have access to premium products and a superior ownership experience.”

MHero, introduced in 2022, is Dongfeng’s ultra-premium off-road brand inspired by the company’s military heritage. Its models, including the MHero 1 and MHero 2, feature advanced electrified powertrains and bold design, positioning the marque among the world’s luxury off-road SUVs.

Voyah, launched in 2021, represents Dongfeng’s push into high-end electric mobility. With models such as the Voyah FREE SUV and Voyah DREAM MPV, the brand combines refined design, long-range performance, and advanced driver-assist features, providing Saudi consumers with a premium alternative in the luxury EV segment.

Cities are more than concrete and steel — they are the environments where people live, work, and connect. The way we design shared spaces profoundly impacts social interaction, economic resilience, and long-term sustainability.

In the UAE, where rapid urbanization intersects with cultural diversity, designing community spaces is not just an aesthetic exercise but a strategic necessity.

Over the past several decades, the UAE has experienced significant urbanisation, with Abu Dhabi’s built-up area expanding from 0.5 square kilometres in 1955 to 758 square kilometres in 2018, and Dubai’s built-up area growing from 54 square kilometres in 1975 to 977 square kilometres in 2015. As of 2020, nearly 64 million square metres of built-up area in the UAE adhered to local green building regulations.

The UAE’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Community’ under the theme ‘Hand in Hand’ signals a national commitment to strengthening social bonds and inclusive growth. This is a pivotal moment for developers, and urban planners to move beyond conventional urban development and create spaces that actively contribute to economic vibrancy, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability.

Key considerations in designing ideal community spaces

Honor cultural heritage while embracing the future: A well-designed community space should reflect and celebrate its cultural roots while remaining adaptable to contemporary needs.

Heritage elements — such as traditional architecture, courtyards, and shaded pathways — can be integrated into modern designs to maintain authenticity while ensuring long-term functionality. Developers should prioritise designs that feel culturally familiar yet offer modern conveniences, fostering a sense of place and continuity.

Embed sustainability at every level: Future-ready community spaces must be climate-conscious, incorporating passive design strategies, renewable energy solutions, and resource-efficient materials. This means designing spaces that mitigate urban heat islands, optimise natural ventilation, and reduce energy consumption. Features like shaded pedestrian corridors, solar-powered amenities, and water-sensitive landscaping should be embedded into urban design from the outset — not as afterthoughts.

Prioritise inclusivity and universal accessibility: An effective community space is one where every resident — regardless of age, ability, or background—feels welcome and engaged. Ensuring accessibility goes beyond meeting regulatory requirements; it requires proactive planning.

Developers should integrate wheelchair-friendly pathways, multilingual signage, sensory-friendly zones, and culturally inclusive programming to make public spaces truly welcoming for all. A great example of this in the UAE is the AccessAbilities Expo, held annually in Dubai, which brings together solution providers, equipment manufacturers, and education entities to enhance accessibility and inclusion.

Leverage technology for smarter, more responsive spaces: In an era of smart cities, community spaces should incorporate technology that enhances usability, engagement, and sustainability. Interactive wayfinding, responsive lighting, and digital feedback kiosks can make spaces more user-friendly.

Meanwhile, solar-powered public infrastructure and AI-driven resource management systems can optimise energy use while keeping operational costs low. Urban planners should view technology not as a luxury, but as an essential tool for efficiency and engagement.

Integrate art and cultural programming for vibrancy: Community spaces flourish when they become platforms for artistic expression, cultural exchange, and public engagement. Art installations, performance spaces, and rotating cultural programs turn static spaces into dynamic environments that evolve with the community.

Planners should ensure that public spaces are designed with the flexibility to host events, exhibitions, and pop-up activations that keep them lively and relevant.

Align development with long-term urban strategy: Community spaces should not be designed in isolation—they must be woven into a city’s broader urban framework. Strategic land-use planning should ensure that parks, plazas, and public gathering spaces complement surrounding residential, commercial, and institutional developments.

Cities that plan holistically ensure that these spaces remain adaptable, well-maintained, and financially viable over time.

Position educational institutions as community anchors: Educational institutions — schools, universities, and research centres — can serve as pillars of community engagement, talent attraction, and knowledge exchange.

Cities should integrate educational hubs with coworking spaces, libraries, and mentorship initiatives to create ecosystems that foster continuous learning and collaboration.

Designing for the future: Redefining the blueprint for inclusive, sustainable, and technologically advanced community spaces requires intentionality. Urban planners and developers must work together to create spaces that do more than exist — they must serve as active, evolving centers of human interaction.

Industry stakeholders should take concrete steps, such as reaching out to local authorities for policy integration, participating in industry forums and summits, and partnering with advocacy groups to ensure that community design is inclusive, future-proof, and responsive to societal needs.

Amir H. Greiss is the founder and CEO of SharpMinds Consulting Engineers.

Building a transformative startup takes more than a breakthrough idea or a compelling pitch. It demands the right conditions, a space where ambition can breathe, connections ignite and momentum takes root.

Increasingly, it’s the surrounding environment – the networks, the narratives, and support systems, that defines the scale and speed of a founder’s journey.

Entrepreneurial success rarely stems from talent alone. Behind every bold idea lies a web of invisible forces – cultural cues, access to capital, proximity to mentors and openness to risk – all of which shape the founder’s path. Yet these forces are often overshadowed by tales of individual brilliance.

In reality, innovation is not just born; it is cultivated – influenced by the setting in which it is imagined, validated and brought to life.

How entrepreneurial hubs are evolving

Gradually, a quiet shift is underway. New entreneurial hubs are no longer defined solely by location, but by their ability to merge purpose, policy, and possibility.

From repurposed industrial zones to remagined urban centres, cities now compete not just to host startups – but to earn their belief.

Cities like Singapore and Berlin exemplify this shift, blending infrastructure with intent and community with capital.

The UAE is part of this global momentum. With national strategies focused on innovation, economic diversification and ease of doing business, the country has become a magnet for both founders and investors.

Dubai, for instance was recently ranked among the world’s top 10 emerging ecosystems by Startup Genome – a sign of how policy, ambition and entrepreneurial energy are converging to create fertile ground for innovation.

This momentum is underpinned by tangible enablers – with 100 per cent foreign ownershop options, simplified company setup processes and a regulatory environment designed to attract high-growth ventures, Dubai continues to lower barriers for founders to launch and scale.

What founders of startups are looking for today

Founders today want ecosystems that move with them – that recognise the urgency of their ideas, the fragility of early-stage ventures and the value of visibility. The most effective startup environments act as amplifiers: connecting ambition to opportunity, and vision to the systems that can sustain it.

At a micro level, places like Station F in Paris – one of the world’s largest startup campuses – provide curated access to mentorship, corporate partnerships and community support that accelerate early growth. Zooming out, at the macro level, the broader ecosystem effect is undeniable: according to Startup Genome, Silicon Valley alone contributes 59 per centof the total ecosystem value among the top five global hubs – a clear sign of how world-leading environments concentrate capital, credibility and catalytic networks. These places have evolved beyond locations – they are launchpads for entirely new economies.

Nowhere is this evolution more visible than in places rethinking their role in the founder journey. Expo City Dubai, once the site of a global exposition, is one such case. As the production site for the Dubai edition of The Final Pitch, it offers a timely lens into how physical spaces can transform into platforms for entrepreneurship.

Filming in Expo City has underscored the value of environments where sustainability, mobility and innovation aren’t just themes – but embedded systems that enable founders to build with pace and purpose. It’s a reminder that the infrastructure of entrepreneurship extends beyond accelerators and capital. It’s about the full context that surrounds and supports the journey.

A similar example is London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, originally built for the 2012 Games, now home to innovation clusters and creative industries.

Spending time with founders on the ground has made one thing clear: today’s entrepreneurs aren’t just building companies – they’re navigating systems. Many of the founders featured on The Final Pitch are immigrants and expats. For them, the challenge wasn’t just capital or product-market fit, but finding a community they could belong to.

It’s much about narrative as it is about numbers

In many ways, the startup journey is as much about narrative as it is about numbers. A founder’s ability to communicate vision – not just to investors, but to entire ecosystems – can dictate the pace of progress. This is where the ‘stage’ becomes more than metaphor. Whether it’s a pitch floor, a public forum, or a screen, the environment in which ideas are revealed plays a powerful role in how they’re received.

As the global map of entrepreneurship continues to redraw itself, one thing is clear: the next wave of founders won’t be searching for capital, they’ll be seeking context. The ecosystems that rise to meet them will be those that go beyond co-working spaces and funding rounds, and start designing for belief, momentum and meaning. The future of entrepreneurship will belong not only to those who build – but to those who build in the right place, at the right time, with the right story behind them.

The writer is the creator and host of The Final Pitch.

The UAE has declared a public holiday for both the private and public sector on Friday, September 5, to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources announced the holiday for ministries and federal entities in a circular shared on social media.

Read: UAE announces public holiday for govt employees on Prophet’s birthday

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation later confirmed that the same holiday would apply to the private sector.

أصدرت الهيئة تعميماً إلى كافة الوزارات والجهات الاتحادية بشأن عطلة المولد النبوي الشريف في الحكومة الاتحادية، للعام 1447هــ. وبناء على التوجهات الصادرة في هذا

الشأن، فقد تقرر أن تكون عطلة المولد النبوي الشريف يوم الجمعة الموافق 5 سبتمبر 2025 . pic.twitter.com/CvlMRfVppf

— FAHR (@FAHR_UAE) August 26, 2025

Holiday on Prophet’s birthday can mean 3-day weekend for some

Private and public sector employees who generally have the weekends off will enjoy a three-day break.

The UAE is set to enjoy the next public holiday on Eid Al Etihad (previously National Day), on December 2 and December 3.

Read: Planning your next break? Here’s the list of UAE public holidays in 2025