Keeta, the on-demand delivery platform backed by global technology company Meituan, has expanded its rider welfare programme in the UAE with the launch of a dedicated summer support network aimed at helping delivery riders manage the challenges of working during the hotter months.

The initiative introduces a series of cooling and rest facilities strategically located across the UAE, alongside dedicated rider support areas within Keeta’s operational facilities. The spaces provide riders with access to air-conditioned environments, complimentary cold drinks, seating areas and other essential amenities designed to support hydration, recovery and wellbeing throughout the day.

The move comes as temperatures across the UAE rise during the summer season, placing increased focus on worker welfare, particularly for employees and contractors operating outdoors.

Colin Xu, head of logistics operations at Keeta UAE, said: “Delivery riders are central to Keeta’s operations and to the service we provide every day across the UAE. During the summer months, our support for riders must be practical, accessible and responsive to their needs on the ground. By expanding access to cooled rest areas, hydration points and dedicated support facilities, we are reinforcing our commitment to rider welfare and creating a safer, more supportive working environment for the people who keep our platform moving.”

Keeta said the programme forms part of its wider strategy to strengthen rider welfare and ensure delivery partners have access to facilities that reflect the realities of working through the UAE summer.

Beyond addressing practical needs such as hydration and rest, the company said the initiative is also designed to create spaces where riders can connect with colleagues, take breaks and build a stronger sense of community while on duty.

The launch follows growing industry attention on rider welfare across the UAE’s rapidly expanding delivery sector, where operators are increasingly investing in wellbeing initiatives, support infrastructure and safety measures for frontline workers.

Keeta said it will continue gathering feedback from riders throughout the summer period to help refine the programme and ensure facilities remain accessible, relevant and aligned with riders’ day-to-day needs.

The company added that the initiative reflects its long-term commitment to supporting delivery partners while maintaining service reliability for customers across the UAE.

Amazon UAE is holding its annual Prime Day shopping event from June 24 to June 30.

The sale, exclusive to Prime members, will feature millions of deals across more than 30 product categories, including groceries, electronics, home appliances, beauty, fashion and Amazon devices, the company said on Tuesday.

Amazon said the event comes as shoppers place increasing emphasis on convenience and value. New research commissioned by the company and conducted by HarrisX found that 94 per cent of UAE shoppers consider free delivery the most valuable membership benefit, while 92 per cent prioritise fast delivery.

The survey also found that 81 per cent said finding a good deal was satisfying, while 74 per cent believed it made them feel like smart shoppers.

“Life in the UAE moves fast, and our customers expect us to match that pace,” Stefano Martinelli, VP of Amazon Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said in a statement.

The company said Prime members will be able to access discounts of up to 70 per cent on selected categories, including Amazon devices, groceries available through Amazon Now, beauty products and household goods. Electronics from brands including Samsung, Sony, Lenovo and LG, along with fashion, home appliances and toys, will also be included in the promotion.

Amazon said customers will also be able to shop international deals through its Global Store from the US, the UK and Germany, alongside discounted products available through Amazon Bazaar.

The company is also expanding incentives around the event. Prime members using the Amazon Credit Card can earn up to 6 per cent back on eligible purchases, while additional discounts will be available through participating banks.

Customers will also be able to use buy-now-pay-later services from Tabby and Tamara or opt for zero per cent bank instalment plans on eligible purchases.

Prime membership in the UAE costs Dhs16 per month or Dhs140 annually and includes benefits such as free delivery, Prime Video, Prime Gaming, Deliveroo Plus Silver membership and other partner offers.

The US waived sanctions on Iran for 60 days from Monday after the first talks under a nascent peace deal, with US President Donald Trump saying he will “do what I have to do” if Iran does not stick to its side of the agreement.

US Vice President JD Vance said talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for a final peace deal, but Iran denied it had begun discussions on its nuclear program or agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back to the country.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Tuesday Iranian officials had not held a meeting with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland and had no plans for the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect Iran’s damaged nuclear facilities.

The two sides, trying to build on the interim deal they signed last week after more than three months of war, agreed a roadmap towards a permanent agreement within 60 days at the talks in the Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said.

Read more-Hormuz strait will be open but with transit fees, Iran envoy to Moscow quoted

They agreed on a mechanism to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and opened a communications line to help ensure safe passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil supplies that Tehran has blockaded during the war.

In the first of several steps envisaged under the agreement to provide economic relief to Iran, the US Treasury announced a waiver until August 21 on sanctions, allowing Tehran to sell oil and related products and receive payment for them.

Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said “good progress” had been made in the talks and that two working groups would be established in coming days to focus on the removal of sanctions and Iran’s nuclear activities.

He told reporters five parts of the initial deal need to be fully implemented before negotiations begin on the nuclear dossier and any role for the IAEA.

The ambassador also said Lebanon was an “unquestionable” part of the interim accord between the US and Iran, and that it includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

Officials reported a sustained lull in fighting in Lebanon under the agreement aimed at ending hostilities across the region, even as Israel said it would maintain a security zone in southern Lebanon and continue to act to “neutralise” threats against Israeli soldiers and citizens.

Israel and Lebanon were due to start a new round of talks in Washington on Tuesday.

Tanker traffic through Hormuz started to pick up on Monday, with the foreign minister of Oman affirming his country’s commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage during negotiations with Iran over administering the strait.

US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed thousands of people and displaced millions. The conflict with Iran has also shaken financial markets around the world and pushed up global oil prices, which have fallen since the interim deal was reached. Crude prices fell further on Tuesday after settling 3 per cent lower on Monday.

Vance delivers upbeat assessment

Vance said on Monday that Iran had agreed to allow in nuclear inspectors and to establish mechanisms to handle its frozen assets and manage ceasefires at the talks, which he said were “a very good foundation for a successful final deal.”

The conflict with Iran has become a political liability at home for Trump and his fellow Republicans in Congress, with public opinion polls showing Americans deeply frustrated by a rise in gas prices since the war began and midterm elections looming in November. Trump also face pressures from Republicans ‌who say ⁠Iran’s nuclear program must be completely shut down.

Trump said on Truth Social on Monday that Iran will agree to have weapons inspections to ensure “nuclear honesty.”

“If Iran doesn’t live up to their agreement, or if they’re not behaving, I will do what I have to do,” Trump later told reporters.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on X on Tuesday that the effectiveness of the talks depended on full commitment to the obligations that have been agreed and their precise implementation.

He cautioned that “statements outside the agreed text do not help advance negotiations.”

Iran has limited inspections by the IAEA since the US and Israel launched a first round of airstrikes last year, and suspended them entirely when war broke out with renewed attacks on Iran in February. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on social media that Tehran had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some of its frozen assets abroad and the launch of a reconstruction and development plan for Iran.

Vance said White House envoy Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, had come up with a process whereby the US and Qatar would have control over Iranian funds when they are unfrozen, and the money could be spent on US corn, soy and wheat.

“So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers,” Trump told reporters.

Iran’s Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said there was no such obligation, and that at least some of the remaining frozen funds could be used to buy other non-sanctioned goods, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

Tourist spending in Saudi Arabia reached SAR82.7bn ($22.1bn) in the first quarter of 2026 as total visitor numbers rose 8 per cent year-on-year to 37.2 million, with strong domestic travel helping offset a decline in overseas arrivals, according to a report by real estate consultancy Cavendish Maxwell.

Domestic tourists increased 16 per cent to nearly 29 million between January and March, accounting for 78 per cent of all visitors, while inbound arrivals fell 13 per cent to 8.3 million, the report said.

Despite representing only around one-fifth of total visitors, international tourists generated almost 60 per cent of tourism spending, contributing SAR48bn compared with SAR34.7bn from domestic travellers.

Although overseas visitor numbers declined, their total spending fell by only 7 per cent, indicating higher average expenditure per visitor.

The report, released during the Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, said nationwide hotel occupancy peaked at nearly 75 per cent in January before easing to 63 per cent year-to-date by May, down 1.3 per ent from the same period a year earlier.

Hotels in the kingdom’s religious tourism hubs continued to outperform the wider market.

Occupancy in Makkah reached nearly 84 per cent in January and stood at just under 73 per cent year-to-date by May, up 12 per cent from a year earlier. Madinah recorded almost 85 per cent occupancy in January, with a cumulative rate of 76 per cent by May, down 3 per cent year-on-year.

Average daily room rates (ADR) across Saudi Arabia stood at SAR662 in January, up nearly 5 per cent from the previous year, rising to SAR825 year-to-date by May, an increase of 12 per cent.

Makkah recorded the highest growth in room rates, with ADR rising 24 per cent to SAR918, while Madinah increased 5.7 per cent to SAR878. Riyadh’s ADR declined around 6 per cent to SAR771, while Jeddah fell 7 per cent to SAR635.

Key drivers for tourism

“Religious tourism is a key demand driver for Saudi Arabia, with Makkah and Madinah continuing to outperform other destinations,” Kevin Duffield, director of Built Asset Consulting at Cavendish Maxwell, said.

Saudi Arabia currently has more than 176,000 hotel rooms and is expected to add 105,500 rooms across 382 hotels by 2030 under its Vision 2030 tourism strategy. Around 18,150 rooms across 82 hotels are scheduled for delivery this year, with Makkah and Madinah accounting for about 40 per cent of the new supply.

The kingdom is targeting 150 million domestic and international visitors annually by 2030. Upcoming events including Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034 are expected to attract more than 42 million visitors combined.

Duffield said geopolitical tensions had weighed on international tourism demand, but rising domestic travel, particularly during Ramadan, Eid and the Hajj season, had helped support the sector.

“While uncertainty and lower international travel demand may continue to influence market performance in the short term, the combination of growing domestic tourism, sustained pilgrimage activity, and continued investment in tourism infrastructure positions the sector well for recovery and longer-term development,” he said.