Dubai’s Global Village has announced a limited-time Ramadan family promotion, introducing discounted entry bundles and extended evening operating hours as part of its seasonal programming strategy.

The multicultural destination is offering four entry tickets for Dhs30, with additional tickets priced at Dhs7.5 each. The promotion will be available exclusively at ticket counters from the first day of Ramadan and is subject to terms and conditions. The pricing initiative is positioned to drive higher family footfall during the Holy Month, traditionally a peak period for evening leisure activity across the UAE.

Operating hours during Ramadan will run from 5:00pm to 1:00am from Sunday to Wednesday, and until 2:00am from Thursday to Saturday.

Ramadan-themed gathering space

In addition to ticket discounts, Global Village has introduced Multaqa Global Village, a Ramadan-themed gathering space with free entry, designed as a communal area for families and groups. The space will host games and offer access to food and beverage options across the destination.

The Ramadan programming lineup includes live entertainment and cultural performances, including the Al Mandoos show on Fridays and Saturdays at 9:30pm between February 20 and March 7. A 25-piece Arabian Orchestra will perform daily on the Main Stage for 60-minute sets, alongside traditional musical acts and Ramadan-themed performances.

The destination will also host a special Ramadan drone show on February 20 at 9:30pm, as well as its regular Friday and Saturday fireworks displays at 10:30pm. A daily iftar cannon ceremony will mark sunset during the Holy Month.

Read: Ramadan in Dubai 2026: Fireworks, festivals and 30 nights of celebrations

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance accusing the Chinese company of using Disney characters to train and power its Seedance 2.0 AI video generator without permission, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Disney said ByteDance had pre‑packaged Seedance with a pirated library of copyrighted characters from franchises including Star Wars and Marvel, portraying them as if they were public-domain clip art, the person said.

The letter alleges Seedance is reproducing, distributing and creating derivative works featuring Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and other characters, the person added.

ByteDance will strengthen safeguards on its Seedance 2.0 AI video tool to prevent the unauthorised use of copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses, the Chinese firm told the BBC on Sunday.

ByteDance did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

Online news outlet Axios was the first to report on Disney’s move. Paramount Skydance has also sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, accusing the Chinese firm of engaging in “blatant infringement” of its intellectual property, Variety reported at the weekend.

Videos generated by Seedance 2.0, which was released last week, have gone viral in China including one of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in a fight. The AI model has been compared to DeepSeek and has been praised for its ability to produce cinematic storylines with just a few prompts.

Disney has taken similar actions against Character.AI, demanding that the startup immediately stop the unauthorised use of its copyrighted characters.

In December, Disney signed a licensing deal with OpenAI, letting the startup use characters from Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises in its Sora video generator.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has issued a weather alert warning of active to occasionally strong northwesterly winds across parts of the UAE, raising dust and sand and reducing horizontal visibility to below 3,000 metres in some coastal and inland areas.

In a statement issued today, the Centre said the conditions began at 10:30am and are expected to continue until 6:00pm.

The strong winds may lead to blowing dust and sand, particularly in open areas.

Wio Bank has announced a strategic partnership with Kibsons, the UAE’s homegrown fresh-food and e-commerce grocery retailer, aimed at strengthening supply chain operations while delivering added value for customers across the region.

The collaboration leverages Wio’s comprehensive business and personal banking solutions to support Kibsons’ fast-moving supply chain, ensuring smoother operations across import, distribution, retail, and e-commerce channels.

Read more- Middle East gets a bank account for content creators

The partnership highlights the growing role of integrated financial services in enabling local businesses to scale efficiently while maintaining operational excellence.

Financing solutions to streamline supply chain

Under the partnership, Wio Bank is providing Kibsons with tailored supply chain finance solutions designed to enhance liquidity and improve cash-flow visibility across its extensive supplier network. Kibsons, with its large and diversified supplier base, plays a critical role in keeping fresh food moving efficiently across the UAE.

“By supporting their supply chain and vendor ecosystem with flexible financing, we’re helping strengthen a real-economy network that millions rely on every day,” said Prateek Vahie, chief commercial officer at Wio Bank. “Kibsons is a trusted, homegrown brand that sits at the heart of how households across the UAE access fresh food. At the same time, our cashback offer gives customers a simple, meaningful way to save on essential spending, reinforcing our mission to embed financial value into the moments that matter in people’s daily lives.”

Halima Jumani, CEO at Kibsons, highlighted the operational benefits: “Fresh food is part of daily life for our customers, and we’re focused on embedding innovation and value into that everyday experience. Wio’s supply chain finance strengthens our operations and vendor ecosystem, enabling us to scale efficiently while maintaining the quality households expect.”

Exclusive customer benefits

The partnership also introduces exclusive perks for Wio Personal account holders. Until April 30, 2026, customers using their Wio card at Kibsons will receive 10 per cent cashback on purchases, up to Dhs2,500 per customer. The incentive is designed to reward everyday grocery spending while encouraging greater engagement with both brands’ services.

“This 10 per cent cashback offers a meaningful perk on weekly grocery spend,” Jumani said. “It’s a partnership that enhances how we operate behind the scenes while delivering tangible value to customers in their day-to-day lives.”

Expanding banking relationships

In addition to supply chain finance, Kibsons has opened wider group accounts with Wio Business, reflecting a broader banking relationship that extends beyond a single financial solution. This arrangement not only supports the current supply chain but also sets the stage for longer-term collaboration between the two organizations.

The partnership aligns with Wio Bank’s broader strategy to embed financial services into ecosystems where people and businesses already operate, supporting the UAE’s economic vision while simplifying access to modern, digital-first financial tools. By combining operational support with customer-focused rewards, Wio and Kibsons are creating an integrated approach to strengthen business efficiency while adding tangible value to everyday shopping experiences.