A 19-year-old law student raised in the UAE has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026, securing the opportunity to represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico later this year.

According to media reports, Kaziah Liz Mejo, who was born in the UAE to parents from Kerala, won the national title at the Miss Universe India 2026 finale held in Jaipur on August 23. She succeeded outgoing titleholder Manika Vishwakarma after emerging as the winner from a field of more than 50 contestants from across India. The judging panel included former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen alongside other former beauty queens and industry figures.

Raised in Abu Dhabi, Mejo is pursuing a law degree while building a career in modelling. Her victory marks another milestone in a pageant journey that has gathered momentum over the past two years. She previously won Miss Teen Diva 2024 and finished as the first runner-up at Miss Teen International 2025 before claiming the Miss Universe Kerala title earlier this year.

Beyond pageantry, Mejo is trained in classical dance and has participated in music and acting, reflecting the increasingly multidisciplinary profile of contestants competing on international beauty platforms.

Mejo will now begin preparations to represent India at the 75th Miss Universe competition in Puerto Rico, where she will compete against contestants from around the world for the international crown. India has won the Miss Universe title three times previously, through Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021.

Gulf Business has officially unveiled its shortlist for its 2026 Awards, recognising the region’s most influential companies, business leaders and innovators.

The awards, held as Gulf Business celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, will take place on September 23 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, JBR, with proceedings beginning at 6pm.

The annual awards celebrate excellence across the region’s business landscape, shining a spotlight on organisations and individuals that continue to drive innovation, leadership and sustainable growth across the Gulf economy.

This year’s finalists span almost 30 award categories, covering sectors including banking, artificial intelligence (AI), tourism, hospitality, retail, transport, healthcare, energy, technology, investment, logistics, resilience and sustainability.

The shortlisted companies and executives were selected following a rigorous evaluation process and will now proceed to the final stage of judging, where an independent panel of respected business leaders, entrepreneurs and industry experts will determine this year’s winners.

The winners will be announced during the Gulf Business Awards 2026 gala on September 23, when senior executives, entrepreneurs and decision-makers from across the GCC gather in Dubai to celebrate excellence in business.

New for 2026, the Gulf Business Awards will also introduce “Highly Commended” recognitions across all Business Leader categories, acknowledging exceptional finalists who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and industry impact.

The full shortlist is now available on the official Gulf Business Awards website. To view all shortlisted companies and leaders, visit: https://bit.ly/4wGXm5H

A limited number of tables are also available for organisations wishing to attend the awards ceremony. For table bookings and enquiries, visit: https://bit.ly/3TQTRLm

Full list below:

Company Awards

AI Company of the Year

• Space42
• Inception42
• SpeakUp
• Globant
• AIQ

Banking Company of the Year

• Emirates NBD
• ADCB
• ADIB
• Wio Bank
• Habib Bank AG Zurich

Tourism Company of the Year

• Miral
• Dubai Holding Entertainment
• Hayya
• Marjan
• Almosafer

Hospitality Company of the Year

• Accor
• Marriott International
• Palazzo Hospitality
• Radisson Hotel Group
• Kerten Hospitality
• DWTC Hospitality

Retail Company of the Year

• Alshaya Group
• Dubai Duty Free
• ADNOC Distribution
• Spinneys
• Jashanmal Group

Transport Company of the Year

• GE Aerospace
• LunaJets
• Arenco Automotive (Thrifty and Dollar Car Rental)
• Car Fare Rent A Car (Car Fare Group)
• Eunoia Mobility

Healthcare Company of the Year

• The Brain & Performance Centre
• Mediclinic Middle East
• Reem Hospital
• Philips
• Aster DM Healthcare

Energy Company of the Year

• GE Vernova
• Masdar
• Global South Utilities
• IPT Energy
• GoSolr

Technology Company of the Year

• stc Bahrain
• Western Digital
• JetBrains
• Crowe MAK Technology
• BE Club

Investment Company of the Year

• EFG Holding
• L’IMAD
• CFI Financial Group
• Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)
• Finvasia Group

Logistics Company of the Year

• Arenco Automotive (Thrifty and Dollar Car Rental)
• AD Ports Group
• Agility Global
• Tristar
• Transcorp

Resilient Company of the Year

• ADNOC Distribution
• TalentOne
• ISD Dubai Sports City
• FIVE Holdings
• Sterling Group
• Capstone Real Estate

Sustainability Company of the Year

• Agthia Group
• ADNH Catering
• VinFast Middle East
• BEEAH Group
• GoSolr

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Leader Awards

AI Leader of the Year

• Saeed Nasser Al Ahbabi — Chief Shared Services & Technical Officer, ADNOC Distribution
• Hasan Al Hosani — CEO, Smart Solutions, Space42
• Nick Zhuchkov CTO & Co-founder – SpeakUp
• Ashish Koshy – CEO, Inception42
• Dennis Jol — CEO, AIQ

Banking Leader of the Year

• Shayne Nelson — Group CEO, Emirates NBD
• Raheel Ahmed — Group CEO, RAKBANK
• Ala’a Eraiqat — Group CEO, ADCB
• Mohamed Abdelbary — Group CEO, ADIB
• Jayesh Patel — CEO, Wio Bank

Tourism Leader of the Year

• Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi — Group CEO, Miral
• Issam Kazim — CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM)
• Phillipa Harrison — CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA)
• Haitham Mattar — Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Saeed Al Kuwari — Director, Hayya

Hospitality Leader of the Year

• Marloes Knippenberg — CEO, Kerten Hospitality
• Joe Nassoura — General Manager, Fairmont Dubai
• Bani Haddad — Founder & Co-CEO, Aleph Hospitality
• Kabir Mulchandani — Chairman & Chief Executive, FIVE Holdings
• Monther Darwish — Chairman & Founder, Palazzo Hospitality

Retail Leader of the Year

• John Hadden — CEO, Alshaya Group
• Yusuff Ali M.A. — Chairman, Lulu Group
• Sima Ganwani Ved — Founder & Chairwoman, Apparel Group
• Michael Chalhoub — CEO, Chalhoub Group
• Sunil Kumar — CEO, Spinneys

Transport Leader of the Year

• Shadi Malak — CEO, Etihad Rail
• Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali — CEO, Parkin
• Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi — Group CEO, Dubai Taxi Company
• Rahul Singh — Managing Director, Thrifty & Dollar Car Rental
• Mudassir Sheikha — CEO & Co-Founder, Careem

Healthcare Leader of the Year

• Dr Craig R. Cook — CEO, The Brain & Performance Centre
• Hein van Eck — CEO, Mediclinic Middle East
• Marc Zora — CEO, Philips Middle East, Türkiye & Africa (META)
• Shaista Asif — Group CEO, PureHealth
• Dr Shamsheer Vayalil — Chairman & CEO, Burjeel Holdings

Energy Leader of the Year

• Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi — CEO, Masdar
• Jasim Husain Thabet — Group CEO & Managing Director, TAQA
• Dr Yasser Zaghloul — Group CEO, NMDC Group
• H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi — Managing Director & Group CEO, Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC)
• Ali Alshimmari — Managing Director & CEO, Global South Utilities (GSU)

Technology Leader of the Year

• Owais Mohammed — Regional Lead & Sales Director, Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Indian Subcontinent, Western Digital
• Nadia Rinsky — Head of GTM, MENA, JetBrains
• H.E. Dr Tariq Bin Hendi — CEO, Botim, CEO & Board Member, Astra Tech
• Federico Pienovi — CEO, MENA & APAC, Globant
• Sérgio Monteiro — Chief Technology Officer, CARMA
• Dawn Thomas — Founder, Cygnus GRC & Senior Partner, Crowe MAK Technology

Investment Leader of the Year

• Khalil Fadel Al Mansoori — Executive Director, Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX)
• H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak — Managing Director & Group CEO, Mubadala Investment Company
• Prateek Suri — Founder & CEO, MDR Investments
• H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi — CEO, ADGM Registration Authority
• H.E. Arif Amiri — CEO, DIFC Authority

Logistics Leader of the Year

• Ronaldo Mouchawar — Vice President, Amazon Middle East, Africa & Turkey
• Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi — Managing Director & Group CEO, AD Ports Group
• Amadou Diallo — Group CEO, Aramex
• Kami Viswanathan — President, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent & Africa, FedEx
• Tarek Sultan — Chairman, Agility

Resilient Business Leader of the Year

• Tareq Al Jabbarin — CEO, TalentOne
• Dev Maitra — Founder & Managing Director, Savington International Insurance Brokers
• Jasbir Bassi — Owner & Chairperson, Car Fare Group
• Mazen Nahawi — Founder & CEO, CARMA and RAIYN
• Rahul Singh — Managing Director, Car Rental Division, A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises (Thrifty & Dollar)

Sustainability Leader of the Year

• Salmeen Alameri — Managing Director & CEO, Agthia Group
• Athmane Benzerroug — Chief Strategy, Transformation & Sustainability Officer, ADNOC Distribution
• Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi — CEO, Masdar
• Khaled Al Huraimel — Group CEO & Vice-Chairman, BEEAH Group
• H.E. Majid Al Suwaidi — CEO, ALTÉRRA

Conglomerate Leader of the Year

• Capt. Pradeep Singh — Owner & Chairman, Karma Group
• Dr Navin Valrani — Vice Chairman & Group Managing Director, Al Shirawi Group
• Salmeen Alameri — Managing Director & CEO, Agthia Group
• Kabir Mulchandani — Chairman & Chief Executive, FIVE Holdings
• Vidya Manohar Chhabria — Chairperson, Jumbo Group

The recent Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that experienced a sudden altitude loss, leaving passengers and crew injured, has once again thrust turbulence into the spotlight. While investigators continue examining the precise cause of the incident, aviation experts say the event highlights a much broader challenge confronting airlines worldwide: predicting clear-air turbulence before aircraft encounter it.

Unlike thunderstorms, clear-air turbulence cannot be seen by pilots or detected by conventional weather radar, making it one of the industry’s most persistent operational challenges.

“Clear-air turbulence is hard to predict because, unlike a thunderstorm, it doesn’t appear in standard meteorological models and, in real time, doesn’t show up on radar,” says Maya Shpak, CEO of SkyPath, whose turbulence intelligence platform is used on more than 40,000 flights daily by airlines including Emirates, American Airlines, United Airlines and Japan Airlines.

“These legacy models are excellent at detecting convective activity, the visible, moisture-driven weather that shows up on a screen, but clear-air turbulence leaves no visible signature and gives no visual warning. It’s invisible until you’re already in it, which is why the industry has struggled with it for more than 30 years.”

She says even accurate weather forecasts often lack the precision pilots need.

“A regional forecast can be completely accurate and still tell a crew almost nothing they can act on. It might say rough air exists somewhere along a 300-mile corridor, but not whether it’s at 35,000 feet or 37,000, or whether it starts in 20 minutes or two hours.”

“The decisions that actually prevent injuries — which altitude, which heading, when to secure the cabin — happen in feet and minutes, not across a stretch of sky that size.”

Aircraft become the sensors

Instead of relying solely on weather models, airlines are increasingly using aircraft already in the sky as real-time turbulence sensors.

SkyPath’s platform uses a patented algorithm running on pilots’ existing cockpit iPads, combining onboard motion data with ADS-B information, Eddy Dissipation Rate measurements, pilot reports and machine-learning forecasts to create a live turbulence map.

“SkyPath turns every aircraft already in the air into a turbulence sensor,” says Shpak.

“Weather radar detects convective activity, thunderstorms and storm cells, not clear-air turbulence, which produces no radar return at all. SkyPath fills that gap, using the aircraft itself, and thousands of others flying the same skies, as the sensor network.”

The technology reflects a broader shift across aviation.

“A few years ago, turbulence management was mostly reactive… That’s changed. Safety officers and flight operations leaders aren’t asking whether they should do something about turbulence anymore. They’re asking where to find the best, most current data so that they can be proactive in planning and preparing.”

Climate change and El Niño add new complexity

The challenge is becoming more pressing as scientific evidence points to increasing turbulence in many parts of the world.

Professor Paul Williams, head of the Department of Meteorology and professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading, says recent research has identified a connection between El Niño and stronger clear-air turbulence.

“When we analysed 40 years of atmospheric data recently, we found strong evidence to support this idea.”

“During a typical swing from strong La Niña to strong El Niño conditions, we found that the wind shear at flight cruising altitudes over the North Atlantic increases by around 35%, and the amount of clear-turbulence increases by around 30%.”

“These impacts on turbulence are not confined to the North Atlantic, but extend all around the world, including Asia.”

Williams says climate change is reinforcing that trend.

“I have been studying the link between climate change and turbulence for 15 years.”

“We see it in observational data since satellites began observing the atmosphere in 1979, we see it in supercomputer simulations of the future climate, and we understand the basic physical mechanisms involved.”

“For flight routes in the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Middle East, Asia, the North Pacific, North America, the North Atlantic, and Europe, the projections are for hundreds of per cent more turbulence by the 2060s.”

Beyond safety, a business issue

While passenger safety remains paramount, airlines also face significant operational and financial implications.

Shpak says a five-year study by one airline found a 40-50 per cent reduction in turbulence-related injuries after integrating real-time turbulence intelligence into daily operations.

“Cabin crew accounts for 80% of turbulence-related injuries industry-wide, so that’s a direct safety and liability line item.”

She adds that turbulence-related rerouting, altitude changes and additional fuel burn account for roughly 1-2 per cent of fleet fuel costs, with airlines using the technology recovering an estimated 0.5 to 1 per cent of fleet fuel costs per aircraft each year. Fewer severe encounters also reduce the need for post-flight aircraft inspections.

AI becomes the next safety layer

Both experts believe the next major advance will come from combining atmospheric science with AI and live aircraft observations.

“The biggest breakthrough would be to move from forecasting turbulence indirectly — from large-scale atmospheric conditions — to predicting the turbulence itself,” says Williams.

“Ultimately, I expect the biggest gains to come from combining physics-based forecasting, machine learning, and real-time aircraft observations into a single system that continuously updates the predicted turbulence along each flight route, which is exactly the approach that SkyPath are taking.”

Shpak agrees that turbulence intelligence is becoming as fundamental to aviation as traditional weather forecasting.

“Absolutely. It took decades to develop tools for wind shear and icing, which are now mandatory, and no aircraft flies without them.”

“Turbulence has historically been treated as background risk, but that is no longer the case.”

For airlines operating through the Gulf, where long-haul networks connect Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, she argues that real-time turbulence intelligence is rapidly becoming core operational infrastructure rather than an optional safety enhancement.

While the investigation into the Air India incident continues, the episode has reinforced a wider industry message: turbulence may never be eliminated, but the ability to anticipate and avoid it is becoming one of aviation’s fastest-moving areas of innovation.

Rakbank announced on August 24, that Rakbank Islamic customers can buy, sell and hold Bitcoin through Bitpanda’s regulated virtual asset trading platform directly from the Rakbank mobile app.

The new service combines everyday banking with access to virtual assets, allowing customers to access Bitcoin through Rakbank Islamic while transacting directly from their current or savings accounts in UAE dirhams.

Read more: Dubai Duty Free launches Crypto.com Pay across airport stores

As interest in virtual assets continues to grow, customers are increasingly looking for ways to participate through trusted and transparent channels that align with their personal values. Rakbank’s new offering provides customers with a convenient way to access Bitcoin through a banking experience designed around their financial preferences and values.

By removing the need to transfer funds to and from external exchanges, customers can fund transactions directly from their Rakbank Islamic accounts, creating a more seamless experience while avoiding foreign exchange conversion costs.

Through the Rakbank app, customers can access Bitcoin through the Islamic Banking platform, supported by secure infrastructure and the confidence of banking with Rakbank.

Regulated infrastructure

The service is delivered through Bitpanda Broker MENA DMCC, Bitpanda’s Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)-regulated entity, while Rakbank facilitates access through its mobile banking app in accordance with Shari’ah principles.

Vikas Suri, MD, Wholesale Banking Group – Products at Rakbank, said: “At Rakbank, our focus is on making innovation accessible in a way that reflects our customers’ needs, values and aspirations.

“With this launch, Rakbank Islamic banking customers can access Bitcoin directly through the Rakbank mobile app, funded in UAE dirhams and supported by trusted, regulated infrastructure, while maintaining the Islamic values and principles that guide their financial decisions.

“By combining the convenience of everyday banking with responsible access to virtual assets, we are giving customers greater confidence, clarity and control as they explore this emerging asset class.”

Expanding access to virtual assets

The launch reflects growing customer interest in virtual assets and Rakbank’s commitment to delivering innovative financial solutions while maintaining standards of customer protection, transparency and regulatory alignment.

The milestone also positions Rakbank as the first conventional bank with an Islamic banking window to enable access to virtual asset trading through a regulated partner platform, further expanding access to virtual assets through a secure banking experience.

Bitpanda is one of the world’s leading digital asset infrastructure providers and is regulated by multiple European financial authorities. Its institutional technology business, Bitpanda Enterprise, is trusted by leading global financial institutions.

The launch builds on Rakbank’s strategic partnership with Bitpanda and reinforces the bank’s commitment to responsible innovation through trusted, regulated partnerships. By combining virtual asset innovation with the values and principles that underpin Rakbank Islamic, Rakbank continues to expand customer access to emerging financial technologies through a secure, transparent and customer-centric experience.

Al Ansari Exchange, the UAE’s leading remittance and foreign exchange company and a subsidiary of Al Ansari Financial Services, has partnered with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in association with MDX Technology Solutions ME, to make nol Travel Cards available at selected branches across Dubai.

The collaboration expands Al Ansari Exchange’s portfolio of third-party products while giving residents and visitors greater access to Dubai’s integrated mobility payment system through its extensive branch network.

Expanding access across Dubai

Residents and visitors can now purchase nol Travel Cards from selected Al Ansari Exchange branches, distributed through MDX Technology Solutions ME, the RTA-authorised distributor of nol Travel Cards. The move provides an additional point of access to one of Dubai’s most widely used mobility payment solutions.

Read more: RTA reveals major nol system upgrade with new digital payment features

The partnership also supports Al Ansari Exchange’s strategy of developing a connected physical and digital ecosystem, giving customers convenient access to a broader range of everyday financial and lifestyle services.

One card for transport and more

The nol Travel Card enables cashless payments across Dubai’s public transport network, including the Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, public buses, marine transport and public parking. It is also accepted at more than 14,000 retail outlets across the UAE.

Through the nol Pay App, cardholders can additionally access more than 200 lifestyle offers and discounts.

Commenting on the collaboration, Musad Ibrahim Alhammadi, director of Automated Collection Systems at Corporate Technology Support Services Sector, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: “Expanding the availability of nol Travel Cards through strategic collaborations supports RTA’s efforts to make mobility services more accessible across Dubai. Providing additional distribution channels contributes to wider adoption of digital payment solutions and enhances the travel experience for residents and visitors.”

Ali Al Najjar, CEO of Al Ansari Exchange, added: “As customer expectations continue to evolve, we are expanding the role of Al Ansari Exchange beyond traditional financial transactions by bringing together financial, payment and everyday lifestyle services through both our branch network and digital platforms. Making nol Travel Cards available through our branches complements our broader strategy of creating a seamless customer experience while supporting Dubai’s vision for a smart, digitally connected city.”