Dubai Municipality has completed integrated community market projects for workers in Muhaisnah 2, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3 and Al Quoz 4, with a fourth market in Jebel Ali Industrial Area 1 scheduled to open in the coming period.

Together, the projects cover more than 69,000 square metres and are part of Dubai Municipality’s efforts to create safe, organised and accessible environments where workers can meet their daily needs and access essential services, recreational amenities and sports facilities close to their accommodation, a WAM report said.

Markets bring essential services together

The markets combine affordable essential goods with everyday services and supporting facilities. Each market features eight service categories, including food kiosks, fruit and vegetable outlets, meat and fish shops, consumer goods, barber shops, tailoring services and sports facilities. Dedicated spaces are also available for health awareness and community activities.

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The three operational markets feature a combined 866 kiosks and stalls, bringing shopping, essential services, awareness initiatives, sports and recreational activities together in one location.

Dr Naseem Mohammed Rafie, acting CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, said, “The development of integrated community markets for workers reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to providing safe, healthy and accessible environments that enhance quality of life and wellbeing.”

She added that locating the facilities close to workers’ accommodation supports public health, food safety and community engagement while giving workers convenient access to essential services.

More than 640,000 workers benefit

The initiative has benefited more than 640,000 workers and recorded a 99 percent satisfaction rate.

The markets have also supported more than 69 community events, attracting over 800,000 attendances. In addition, 16 awareness workshops have covered topics including health and safety, food safety, first aid, public health and emergency preparedness, benefiting more than 16,500 workers.

The project has received external recognition, including the British Safety Council Award in Category A, and provides a scalable model for similar community facilities in Dubai and across the UAE.

Municipality works with private sector

Dubai Municipality continues to work with the private sector to operate and manage the community markets within approved regulatory frameworks. The collaboration supports compliance with health, safety, food safety and sustainability requirements.

Dr Naseem said, “These projects reflect Dubai’s approach to developing community infrastructure through effective planning, institutional integration and private-sector collaboration. They demonstrate how integrated services and well-organised facilities can improve workers’ daily lives, strengthen community protection and support Dubai’s position as the world’s leading city for quality of life.”

The initiative supports Dubai Municipality’s strategic objectives in sustainable urban planning, proactive public health, occupational safety, food safety and community infrastructure development.

Uber has added Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go robotaxis to its ride-hailing platform in Dubai, marking the first deployment under a partnership aimed at introducing thousands of the Chinese technology company’s autonomous vehicles across Uber’s international network.

Passengers requesting UberX or Uber Comfort in selected parts of Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim may now be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle, Uber said on Thursday.

Users can also select an “Autonomous” option in the app to increase their chances of securing a robotaxi.

Uber did not disclose the number of vehicles available at launch or a timetable for expanding the service.

New Horizon Luxury Transport will manage the fleet, while Baidu will provide the vehicles and autonomous-driving technology.

The launch uses Baidu’s sixth-generation RT6, a purpose-built electric robotaxi capable of carrying up to three passengers. Each vehicle has more than 30 sensors and processes driving data on board in real time, according to the companies.

Uber-Baidu partnership to help expand autonomous mobility

“Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous.

He said Dubai marked the first time Uber’s strategy of operating vehicles from multiple autonomous-driving partners had been deployed on public roads.

Dubai is also the first international market where Apollo Go offers autonomous rides through both its own application and a third-party platform, Baidu vice-president Nan Yang said.

Apollo Go began offering fully driverless commercial journeys through its own app in Dubai in March. The service followed operational trials on designated roads and the receipt of a permit to test fully autonomous vehicles without a safety driver.

The addition of Apollo Go to Uber expands Dubai’s developing robotaxi network, which already includes autonomous vehicles supplied by China’s WeRide.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority previously said the first commercial phase would involve 100 autonomous taxis operating in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim through Uber and Apollo Go applications.

Baidu said Apollo Go had operated across 28 cities and accumulated more than 350 million autonomous kilometres, including over 240 million kilometres without a human driver. The figures are based on the company’s internal operating data.

Uber said all autonomous vehicles must comply with its safety guidelines before joining the platform. The company has more than 30 autonomous-vehicle partners as it develops a network combining robotaxis with conventionally driven vehicles.

Dubai aims to make 25 per cent of all transport journeys autonomous by 2030 as it expands driverless taxis and other smart-mobility services.

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Residential property sales in Abu Dhabi surged to Dhs70.4bn in the first half of 2026 from Dhs25.3bn a year earlier, driven by strong demand for off-plan developments, the emirate’s real estate regulator said.

Off-plan transactions accounted for 89 per cent of residential sales value and 82 per cent of deals during the six months, according to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre’s (ADREC) first-half market report.

Repeat-sales prices rose 20 per cent year on year for apartments and 12 per cent for villas, ADREC, an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said. The report is based on registered sales, lease and mortgage transactions.

“The largest share of residential sales value went to homes not yet built, which places the weight of our regulatory work before completion. ADREC remains focused on ensuring clarity, confidence, and fairness for all market participants, supported by reliable information, protected buyer funds, and rules that apply across market cycles,” ADREC director general Rashed Al Omaira said.

10 developers accounted for 90 per cent of primary off-plan sales

The 10 leading developers accounted for 90 per cent of primary off-plan sales, worth Dhs51bn, while 10 projects generated 43 per cent of total residential sales, or Dhs30bn.

Emirati buyers committed Dhs21bn during the period, up from Dhs8.9bn a year earlier. Resident expatriates and non-resident foreign buyers together accounted for 70 per cent of residential sales value.

Hudayriyat Island led the market with Dhs19bn in residential sales, representing 27 per cent of the total. Saadiyat Island recorded Dhs13.3bn, while Al Reem and Al Maryah islands together generated Dhs10.5bn and Yas Island recorded Dhs7.3bn.

In the completed-property market, 61 per cent of purchases were made in cash.

Abu Dhabi recorded 233,000 active residential lease contracts in the first half. Their combined value rose 8 per cent year on year to Dhs9.3bn, while contract volumes increased 2 per cent.

The emirate’s residential supply stood at about 409,000 units, representing average annual growth of 2.9 per cent since 2022. Abu Dhabi Region accounted for 79 per cent of the housing stock after recording average annual growth of 3.3 per cent.

ADREC expects about 71,000 additional homes to be delivered across the emirate by 2030, with completions forecast to peak at approximately 21,800 units in 2028.

Key areas in Abu Dhabi

Six districts, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, Yas Island, Zayed City, Khalifa City and Hudayriyat Island, are expected to account for 77 per cent of the projected increase in supply through 2030.

Investment zones contained about 72,000 homes in the first half. Al Reem Island led with 27,500 units, followed by Al Raha, Yas Island and Saadiyat Island.

Abu Dhabi’s retail property supply reached 3.85 million square metres of gross leasable area, up 5 per cent on an annualised basis. Occupancy was in the mid-90 per cent range, and prices for new leases rose 9 per cent.

Office supply edged up 0.3 per cent from the end of 2025 to 3.4 million square metres.

Occupancy stood at 95 per cent across the overall market and the prime and Grade A segments, while prices for new leases increased 13 per cent.

Countries and companies maintaining economic links with Iran could face sweeping US penalties after President Donald Trump threatened what he called an “Economic D-Day” aimed at further isolating Tehran.

Trump said the United States would launch an unprecedented economic campaign against Iran, warning that countries allowing their financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to support Tehran would themselves face “tremendous economic consequences”.

The US president did not specify what new measures Washington would introduce or name individual countries that could be targeted, leaving uncertainty over the scope and enforcement of the threatened action.

Trump described the campaign as the “most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country”, with Washington expected to step up pressure on areas including Iranian oil exports, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and companies accused of helping Tehran circumvent existing restrictions.

The move could significantly raise the stakes for Iran’s remaining trading partners. China represents the biggest potential test for Washington: it purchased more than 80 per cent of Iran’s shipped oil based on 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler, according to Reuters.

Iran hits back at Trump

Tehran rejected Trump’s announcement on Thursday morning.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the US “Economic D-Day” campaign was a diversion from America’s own economic problems and warned that further pressure on Iran would fail, Reuters reported.

The response came as the nearly six-month conflict continues to disrupt regional trade and energy markets, with no clear breakthrough towards restoring normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Before the war began in February, shipments equivalent to about a fifth of global oil consumption moved through the waterway. Current flows remain far below pre-war levels.

UAE halts transactions with Iran

Trump’s announcement also follows the UAE’s decision this week to halt all trade activities, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move came amid regional escalation, while stressing the country’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the international financial system and adhering to international law and global standards. This came after the UAE issue missile alerts from the first time in weeks on Tuesday this week amid the country detecting two ballistic missile threats.

Meanwhile, oil markets remained on edge on Thursday as investors assessed the prospect of a prolonged conflict and further disruption to regional supplies.

Brent crude futures for October rose 0.28 per cent to $91.87 a barrel, while September US West Texas Intermediate futures gained to $86 a barrel. Both benchmarks were heading for a fifth consecutive session of gains.

Emirates Delivers, the e-commerce delivery solution powered by Emirates SkyCargo, has partnered with Bicester Village, the flagship destination of The Bicester Collection, to give UAE customers a seamless way to shop for luxury goods in the UK and have their purchases delivered directly to their doorstep.

The new service is designed for international luxury travellers, combining Bicester Village’s shopping and hospitality experience with the convenience of Emirates Delivers. UAE customers can shop at the Village during a UK trip or remotely through its Personal Shopping team, without having to worry about luggage space or arranging international shipping themselves, an Emirates media report said.

From Bicester Village to the UAE

Bicester Village is part of The Bicester Collection, a family of 12 luxury shopping destinations across Europe, China and the US. The destination features more than 150 boutiques from some of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands, alongside dining, personalised services and hospitality.

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The Village has long been popular with visitors from the GCC and is a key stop for many UAE travellers visiting the UK. Its appeal includes luxury brands, exclusive savings and a high-end shopping experience.

Under the new partnership, customers can use their dedicated Emirates Delivers UK suite address when purchasing items at Bicester Village. The Village’s Personal Shopping team prepares each order before handing it over to Emirates Delivers for the journey from the UK to the UAE.

Emirates Delivers manages the process from shipment consolidation and customs clearance through to final doorstep delivery, offering customers a fully managed service.

Tracking, storage and flexible delivery

Through the My Suite platform, customers can track their shipments at every stage. The service also includes up to 30 days of complimentary storage, package consolidation and the flexibility to decide when purchases should be shipped.

Customers using the service can also:

• Shop without worrying about luggage limitations or excess baggage.
• Benefit from door-to-door delivery from the UK to the UAE through Emirates Delivers.
• Access Bicester Village’s Personal Shopping service for virtual shopping.
• Take advantage of competitive shipping rates and package consolidation.
• Receive transparent handling of customs, duties and delivery requirements.
• Track shipments end to end through the Emirates Delivers platform.

How UAE customers can get started

Customers can register for a complimentary Emirates Delivers account and receive a dedicated UK delivery address. The address can then be used when shopping at Bicester Village, whether customers are visiting in person or using the destination’s Personal Shopping service.

Launched in the UAE in 2019, Emirates Delivers uses Emirates’ global network, flight frequency and cargo expertise to connect customers with premium shopping destinations in major international markets, including the UK and US.

The partnership brings together Emirates Delivers’ global logistics network and Bicester Village’s established luxury shopping and hospitality offering, creating a more convenient way for UAE customers to discover and purchase products in the UK and have them delivered directly to their homes.