The UAE has launched a new national charter for Emirati women under the directives of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, marking Emirati Women’s Day with an initiative aimed at strengthening national identity, leadership and social responsibility.

Launched by the Family Development Foundation, the “Following in the Footsteps of the Mother of the Nation” charter outlines eight national commitments designed to guide Emirati women in supporting family stability, contributing to the country’s development and preserving its achievements for future generations.

The charter draws inspiration from the vision of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak—Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Mother of the Nation—for empowering women and developing human potential.

It seeks to reinforce the role of Emirati women in advancing the UAE’s development journey while promoting leadership, responsibility and national values.

Among the charter’s commitments are preserving national identity and authentic Emirati values, striving for excellence in education, employment and innovation, and contributing to the UAE’s economic and social development while strengthening its global competitiveness.

The document also highlights the importance of strong family foundations, encouraging women to balance professional ambitions with family and community responsibilities as part of the Emirati model of leadership and achievement.

Additional commitments focus on strengthening ties between generations, recognising the contributions of senior citizens and passing on national values to younger generations to ensure the continuity of the country’s development.

The charter also encourages support for national initiatives that enhance quality of life, strengthen social cohesion and contribute to sustainable development, while reaffirming the values of leadership, empowerment and national responsibility championed by the Mother of the Nation.

The launch forms part of this year’s Emirati Women’s Day celebrations, reinforcing the UAE’s continued focus on empowering women as key contributors to the country’s future development and global competitiveness.

A residential complex in Kuwait’s capital was struck by what authorities described as an enemy drone early on Wednesday, triggering a fire that was swiftly brought under control with no reported injuries.

In a statement on X, translated from Arabic, the Kuwait Fire Force said firefighting teams from the Al-Helali and Al-Madeenah fire centres responded to the incident after the residential building was targeted “by an enemy drone as part of the criminal Iranian aggression.”

Official spokesperson Brigadier General Mohammed Badar Ibrahim said crews immediately began firefighting operations upon arrival and successfully extinguished the blaze, limiting the impact to material damage.

He confirmed that no casualties or injuries were recorded.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions after the US military launched strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks targeting US military assets across the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has partnered with car rental company Europcar to offer nol Travel cardholders discounts of up to 40 per cent on car rentals in the UAE and at various international destinations where Europcar operates.

The offer took effect on September 1 and will run for one year, RTA said.

The agreement expands the benefits associated with the nol Travel card beyond public transport, giving cardholders access to discounted car rental services through Europcar’s international network.

RTA said the partnership aims to give customers greater flexibility in their mobility choices while supporting Dubai’s development of an integrated, flexible transport ecosystem.

The nol Travel card can be used to pay fares on Dubai Metro, Dubai Bus and Dubai Tram, as well as public parking fees and taxi fares.

Cardholders also have access to offers and discounts from more than 100 entities and brands, including hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, entertainment destinations, tourist attractions, and adventure experiences.

The card can also be linked to RTA’s nol Plus loyalty programme, allowing users to earn points and access additional benefits.

The Europcar partnership further extends nol Travel into mobility services beyond RTA’s public transport network, with the rental discount available within the UAE and across various international destinations where Europcar operates.

Europcar Dubai is operated by Eurogulf Mobility Group, which was established in 1976 with the acquisition of the Europcar franchise for Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

RTA said Europcar’s global network spans 140 countries.

Read: Dubai’s Al Meydan Street upgrade to cut key journey from 30 minutes to 10

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has prohibited healthcare advertisers from using absolute, exaggerated or potentially misleading expressions in medical advertisements published on social media.

Under the new standards, healthcare advertisements cannot use words and phrases such as “the best,” “the only,” “the safest,” “magic,” “miracle,” “guaranteed success,” “100%,” “no side effects” or “immediate results.”

Medical advertisements are also prohibited from claiming that a doctor or healthcare professional possesses an exclusive skill or provides a unique treatment. They cannot suggest that the outcome of a healthcare service will always be effective, according to media reports.

Read more-UAE’s under-15 social media ban could affect far more businesses than expected

The restrictions form part of the Medical Advertising Content Standards for Social Media, prepared by the DHA’s Health Regulation Sector. The standards set requirements for advertising content published by healthcare facilities and licensed healthcare professionals, with the aim of protecting patients and the wider public from inaccurate, unclear, misleading or deceptive medical claims.

Focus on informed healthcare decisions

The DHA said misleading medical advertising on social media could contribute to physically or psychologically unsafe practices, unnecessary medical procedures and inappropriate treatment.

Health information shared on social media should therefore be reliable, useful and presented in a way that allows patients, caregivers and members of the public to make informed decisions.

The authority described the monitoring and review of medical advertising as a proactive measure intended to protect the public, prevent misleading or unnecessary promotion of healthcare services and ensure patients have access to balanced information.

Under the standards, advertisements must not create unrealistic expectations about the effectiveness or likely results of a treatment or healthcare service. They must also not directly or indirectly encourage inappropriate, random, unnecessary or excessive use of healthcare services.

The rules cite promotional language such as “Don’t delay,” “Get the look you want” and “Look better and feel more confident” as examples of wording that could create an unrealistic impression about expected results.

Fear cannot be used to sell healthcare

The DHA has also drawn a clear line against the use of fear as a marketing tool.

Healthcare advertisers cannot attempt to make patients anxious about their health to increase demand for a product, procedure or service. They are also prohibited from exploiting patients’ vulnerability or limited health knowledge.

Words or messages that generate fear, anxiety, panic or distress are not permitted. Advertisements must not lead people to believe they have a serious, harmful or contagious disease without an appropriate basis for such a claim.

The rules are intended to ensure that medical advertising informs rather than pressures people into seeking treatment.

Strict limits on superiority claims

The standards also place restrictions on claims that a healthcare professional or facility is superior to competitors.

Advertisements cannot state or imply that a particular healthcare professional or facility provides services that are better or safer than those offered by others.

Similarly, advertisers cannot suggest that a treatment is guaranteed, cannot fail, or is “magical” or a “miracle.” Claims that a doctor has an exclusive or unique skill or treatment are also prohibited, as are claims that a product contains a “secret ingredient.”

Any information relating to treatment outcomes must be supported by evidence, whether the claim is made directly or indirectly. Advertisements must also disclose associated risks.

Healthcare professionals are expected to ensure that information they publish is honest, accurate, concise, current and easy for the public to understand.

Rules extend to influencers and doctors

The standards also cover promotional content published by influencers, healthcare professionals and administrative employees.

Any healthcare professional, influencer or administrative employee who promotes a healthcare activity, service or treatment result while naming or identifying a healthcare facility by name or location must obtain approval from the facility’s medical director before publishing the content.

Healthcare facilities are responsible for visual content filmed on their premises, regardless of whether it is professionally produced or recorded using a mobile phone or another personal device.

That responsibility applies whether the material is published through the facility’s official account or through accounts operated by doctors, employees or influencers.

All such content must comply with the ethical and cultural requirements applicable in the UAE.

A healthcare professional promoting only their own services, without naming or identifying a healthcare facility by name or location, remains responsible for content published through their professional account.

Patient privacy remains a key requirement

Patient privacy is another central element of the standards.

Photos, videos or statements involving an individual or patient cannot be used in an advertisement without documented written consent.

That consent must be limited to the specific purpose for which it was provided and to the stated period of use.

The standards prohibit the disclosure of patients’ identities and require healthcare professionals to safeguard patient privacy and confidentiality at all times. They must also take steps to prevent unauthorised access to personal information, photographs and other patient-related material.

Saudi Arabia’s aspiration to be the Middle East’s artificial intelligence hub is no longer a matter of strategy documents and headline investment figures. It is showing up in stadiums, on rigs, in meeting rooms and inside data centres — in the everyday operations of businesses and governments across the kingdom.

With LEAP 2026 now underway under the theme “Into New Worlds,” Gulf Business asked leaders from across the technology ecosystem two questions: what does the AI-hub ambition actually look like with their customers today, and what are they showcasing at the event? Their answers, featured below, point to a common thread: a shift from deploying technology to owning it, and from AI that advises to AI that acts.

Lakshmi Narayanan — general manager, Mannai Information Technology Saudi Arabia
For us, the AI-hub ambition looks like AI moving from pilots into permanent infrastructure. We see this clearly in sport, where venues and cities preparing for global sporting moments are being built on connectivity and data from the outset, not retrofitted later. But the pattern holds well beyond sport, across government, finance and healthcare too.

Customers are less focused on which platform to buy and more focused on what capability they keep. That shift, from deploying technology to owning it, is what a genuine AI hub looks like up close. At LEAP 2026, we’re showcasing how AI, connectivity and infrastructure work as one system across sports, cities and enterprises, rather than as separate technologies bolted together.

Fittingly, we’re in the SportsTech Hall this year, given how much of the kingdom’s momentum — from the Saudi Pro League to future hosting preparations — is now shaping wider digital investment. “Into New Worlds” speaks to that same convergence for us, where a stadium, a city and a business increasingly run on the same intelligent foundation.

Murad Ali — head of Middle East & Central Asia, Logitech for Business
Saudi customers are moving from discussing AI as a future opportunity to applying it across everyday business operations. There is a growing interest in smarter meeting spaces and technology that helps employees work more effectively. For Logitech, this means looking beyond individual devices and instead working on connected workplace ecosystems that are easy for IT teams to deploy and manage. AI-powered collaboration solutions can improve the experience of hybrid meetings, but they also help organisations build flexible workplaces. The opportunity is to make Saudi Arabia’s AI ambitions practical, turning investment in technology into better experiences for employees and customers.

At LEAP 2026, we are showcasing how AI and intelligent collaboration technologies are reshaping the modern workplace. The new Rally AI Camera Pro and Rally AI Camera will be officially launched at the event, designed specifically for meeting rooms, boardrooms and other similar venues. At the same time, our current lineup of Logitech workplace solutions will be presented during the event.

Maher Jadallah — vice president, Middle East and Africa, Tenable
Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an AI leader translates into rapid digital transformation, cloud adoption and massive growth across its attack surface. In practice, local organisations are deploying AI platforms, autonomous agents and cloud infrastructure at scale. However, as AI models accelerate the speed and volume of vulnerability disclosures, human-speed triage is no longer viable. Our customers are shifting from reactive firefighting to proactive risk reduction. They are using AI-driven context to cut through the noise, prioritising the tiny fraction of exposures that present legitimate attack paths to their critical business assets.

At LEAP 2026, we are demonstrating how organisations can securely navigate the new frontier of enterprise technology. In line with this year’s theme, “Into New Worlds,” and to support Vision 2030, we will be showcasing a major expansion to our Exposure Management platform. This includes Tenable Hexa AI, an agentic AI engine that automates complex remediation workflows at machine speed. We will also be introducing our expanded AI Exposure coverage across major large language models, Model Context Protocol deployments and AI-native developer environments, to help security teams govern shadow and authorised AI.

Rabii Al Khonaizi — regional sales director, Saudi Arabia and North MEA, Submer
Honestly, what I’m seeing with customers is that the conversation has moved from “if” to “how fast.” A few years ago, we were explaining what AI infrastructure requires. Today, customers are coming with power secured and clear timelines, asking how quickly they can deploy. The challenge now is not ambition or investment. It’s the practical side: power density, cooling and how quickly capacity can come online. We’re seeing this across operators, enterprises and government-backed projects. The pace of development in Saudi Arabia is impressive, and the kingdom is clearly serious about becoming a major AI and data centre hub. AI workloads are pushing data centres beyond what traditional infrastructure was designed to handle.

At Submer, we look at the whole infrastructure, not just one part of it. We support customers from advisory and design through build, power, thermal management and IT integration, helping them put the right infrastructure in place for high-density AI. The “Into New Worlds” theme fits well because the level of compute the region is looking for requires a different approach to power, cooling and deployment. LEAP brings together the people building this next generation of infrastructure, so it’s a great place to have those conversations.

Suliman Gaouda — regional vice president, AI – APJ MEA, IFS
In practice, it looks far less exciting than the headlines and far more consequential. Seventy per cent of the industrial workforce is not behind a desk. They are on the rig, up the tower, on the site, in the hangar.

Fifty years of enterprise software was built for the thirty per cent who are. So when an operator in the kingdom says they want to be an AI hub, the real test is not the size of the cluster. It is whether the AI reaches the other 70 per cent. Here is what that looks like on a Tuesday morning: a technician photographs a nameplate, and the system returns the asset identity, its maintenance history, the likely root cause ranked by confidence, and whether the part is in his van or the next one over. A turnaround scheduled by an algorithm rather than a spreadsheet and three phone calls. A chiller or a switchgear whose degradation raises a work order by itself, rather than lighting up a dashboard nobody owns. Two Saudi examples make it concrete. STC deployed 5,000 field service engineers on our scheduling and service management platform, one of the largest workforce optimisation programmes in the Middle East. ARO Drilling, the Saudi Aramco and Valaris joint venture, went live in nine months, on time and on budget, across maintenance, supply chain, finance and human capital for 400 full users and 2,000 self-service users. Their IT director put it plainly: from streamlined procurement to more efficient maintenance of critical equipment on the rigs, it changed how they operate.

Four forces are converging on that same seventy per cent. Half the skilled industrial workforce retires within five years. Supply chain disruption has stopped being an event and become a condition. The connected asset population is multiplying faster than anyone’s capacity to maintain it. And carbon has moved from an annual report into an operating constraint. Every one of those lands on the frontline. The kingdom’s real advantage is that it is building the operating layer at the same time as the compute, rather than a decade later. Most economies did it the other way round and are still paying for it.

At LEAP, we’re showcasing industrial AI that performs the work, rather than AI that produces one more recommendation. Three things specifically. IFS Loops digital workers, which carry a decision through to action across systems instead of stopping at an insight. IFS Nexus Black Resolve, which puts a senior engineer in every frontline worker’s pocket: the technician captures a fault by photo, voice or video, and gets back a diagnosis, the right part and a guided repair path before the next shift change. And IFS.ai Operational Intelligence, which reads telemetry off rotating equipment, power and cooling, detects the anomaly, and raises the maintenance work request.

On the theme: “Into New Worlds” is usually read as the frontier, and the frontier everyone is looking at is the model. We would argue the harder new world is the one where an agent is trusted to act inside a live industrial operation, with governance, an audit trail, and someone accountable for the outcome. That is not a model problem. Put it plainly: SAP will record that the money was spent and the person was paid. It will not tell you why the crane is getting slower. That answer lives in the machine — in the vibration, the temperature, the pressure, the operator’s log. Reading that language and turning it into a work order, a schedule, a spare part and a capital decision is the new world we are building for. And the proof is already public.