As the Holy Month of Ramadan approaches, Dubai authorities have unveiled revised school timings to ensure a balanced learning environment that reflects the spirit of the season.

In a statement, Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) extended greetings to students and the wider educational community, wishing them a month filled with “goodness and blessings.”

The authority outlined new attendance guidelines for private schools in Dubai, emphasising that the school day on weekdays must not exceed five hours. Schools are also encouraged to consider parents’ feedback when setting start and end times and to exempt fasting students from participating in physical education classes.

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Additionally, schools are required to conclude classes by 11:30am on Fridays to allow students and staff to attend congregational prayers.

Private sector work hours reduced

Meanwhile, on February 12, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced a two-hour reduction in daily working hours for private sector employees across the UAE during Ramadan.

Private companies may implement flexible or remote working arrangements within the reduced hours, depending on business needs and the nature of their operations, according to a report by Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The decision aligns with the Implementing Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships and its amendments.

An Iraqi-Emirati consortium plans a $700m subsea-and-terrestrial data cable linking the United Arab Emirates to Turkey via Iraq, one of the backers said, just over a week after announcement of a Saudi-backed fibre-optic project in Syria.

Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and the UAE are racing to tap into the demand for connectivity in the region and to attract investment into data centres.

The Iraqi-UAE project, branded WorldLink, would comprise an undersea cable from Fujairah in the UAE to Iraq’s Faw peninsula on the Gulf which will then run overland north to the Turkish border, Ali El Ekabi, head of Iraq’s Tech 964 – one of the three members of the consortium – told Reuters.

El Ekabi said the project would be privately funded, take four to five years to complete and target “hyperscalers, international carriers, and AI applications”. It aims to ease congestion on existing east-west data routes and reduce transit times versus paths that run through the Suez Canal.

The Emirati foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

It is the second such new project planned in the region. Saudi Arabia and Syria announced on February 7 plans to set up a fibre-optic network under a wider investment package. The project was described as a roughly $1 billion push to rehabilitate Syria’s infrastructure and position it as a data route between Asia and Europe.

Besides Tech 964, WorldLink’s sponsors include Iraq-Kurdish DIL Technologies and UAE-based Breeze Investments, according to El Ekabi, who is the son of Iraqi real estate billionaire Namir El Ekabi.

Iraq, which is trying to market itself as a stable transit corridor after decades of conflict, launched a $17bn “Development Road” rail-and-road plan in 2023 to connect Faw to Turkey.

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The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has rolled out the first phase of a facial recognition project for notary transactions, becoming the first judicial authority in the region to adopt the technology as an alternative to digital signatures.

The initiative is designed to strengthen the notarial authentication system and enhance service efficiency, in line with the highest standards of accuracy and reliability.

In its initial phase, the system will apply to powers of attorney for lawyers, allowing documents to be authenticated in record time using smart devices. The technology relies on encrypted biometric data and instant matching with official records to verify identity, eliminating the need for digital signatures.

Counsellor Yousef Saeed Al Abri, ADJD Undersecretary, said the move reflects the vision and directives of Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court and Chairman of ADJD.

He explained that introducing facial recognition for notary transactions represents a strategic step towards future-ready judicial services, focused on simplifying the customer journey and reducing time and effort through proactive and flexible digital solutions that enable faster completion of official procedures.

The department said it plans to expand the use of facial recognition to additional notary and authentication services in the next phase.

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Ramadan has always been a season powered by connection, creativity, and celebration. But today, it is also a season of conversations that begin early, carry emotional weight, and influence decisions in ways traditional advertising never could. Preparation for the key cultural moment often begins months in advance. During this time, people seek interaction, not interruption. Private messaging has become a daily habit for most of the world, with nine in ten customers preferring to contact businesses that way. The lesson for advertisers is clear: the most effective promotions are moving into conversations.

As consumers become increasingly selective with their attention, they gravitate toward experiences that seamlessly integrate into their digital routines. During Ramadan, brands that meet people in their trusted spaces can earn attention through relevance and personalisation, rather than volume or frequency. Conversational advertising transforms the chat thread into the stage for engagement. The message is visual, direct, and easy to act on, but the key difference is control.

The user decides whether to open it, reply, or ignore it, turning every interaction into a choice rather than an interruption. Success is measured by usefulness, not just reach, reinforcing that real impact comes from interaction, not intrusion.

All about being genuine

People are more receptive to brand messages when they feel a sense of belonging to the context and do not interrupt private moments. When it feels more like a message from a brand, not a billboard, this creates space for a genuine value exchange. When advertising provides something useful, entertaining, or timely, it becomes part of the conversation, not an interruption to it.

This utility extends across the funnel. In one placement, a brand can reach broadly in the inbox, spark consideration when someone chooses to view, and enable action with an in-message call-to-action. A product drop, a store locator, a limited offer, a reminder to finish a purchase, or a customer service reply can all live in the same conversational flow. Fewer steps mean less friction and clearer outcomes.

As technology evolves, AI will take this even further. Advances in large language models (LLMs) will automate real-time interactions, turning one-way ads into instant, two-way exchanges. Imagine asking a retailer if an item is available in your size, receiving a live stock update, seeing nearby store options, and completing a purchase, all without leaving the chat.

Brands will be able to adapt messages dynamically based on intent and context, keeping the experience simple and relevant. A streaming service, for example, could have one of its most popular characters start a conversation with audiences to promote a new season, and even reply in character. Technology enables the exchange, but the principle remains the same: respect the person’s control and keep the interaction genuinely helpful.

A cultural fit

Utility depends on cultural fit, and in MENA, that means adapting language, tone, and timing to each community. Conversational formats make this easy, allowing for precise localisation without heavy production. A message can reflect local holidays, dialects, or traditions while using the same simple framework.

When messages feel personal and respectful, they build trust over time, which is the ultimate currency in advertising.

The shift to conversation is not about chasing new buzzwords. It is about recognising that Ramadan is social, visual, and collaborative by nature. When those basics are right, meaningful results follow. The future of advertising is not louder; it is more helpful. Put the message where people already talk. Make it clear, make it optional, and let the conversation do the work.

The writer is the head of Vertical LCS at Snap MENA.

Deloitte has expanded its partnership with ServiceNow into Kuwait, reinforcing both firms’ commitment to accelerating digital transformation and enabling technology-led growth across the Middle East.

The move will see Deloitte bring ServiceNow’s digital workflow and AI-driven platform to clients in Kuwait, delivering integrated transformation programmes tailored to the needs of both public and private sector organisations.

Under the expanded partnership, Deloitte will offer a comprehensive suite of capabilities built on the ServiceNow AI Platform. This includes end-to-end advisory, design, implementation and managed services across IT, employee, customer and industry workflows. The alliance will also support sector-focused modernisation initiatives spanning government, financial services, energy and national infrastructure.

Delivery will be led by Kuwait-based teams, supported by Deloitte’s regional network and ServiceNow’s global expertise. Clients will also gain access to ServiceNow’s latest innovations, including AI-powered workflow automation and industry-specific solutions.

Tamer Charife, Deloitte Middle East technology and transformation growth leader, said: “Kuwait is entering a new phase of digital acceleration, and organizations need partners with proven expertise to deliver impact at scale. Expanding our partnership with ServiceNow strengthens our ability to help clients modernize operations, enhance services, and build institutions that are ready for the future.”

William O’Neil, area vice president, GCC, ServiceNow, said: “We are pleased to extend our partnership with Deloitte into Kuwait and are excited to see how Deloitte helps organizations drive efficiency, unlock productivity, and harness the power of AI-enabled workflows with ServiceNow.”

Rashid Bashir, partner, Technology & Transformation Leader, Deloitte Middle East, added: “This expansion reflects our commitment to supporting Kuwait’s ongoing modernization journey. By combining Deloitte’s advisory strength with the ServiceNow AI Platform, we look forward to helping organizations elevate service delivery, accelerate economic development, and improve citizen and customer experiences.”

The expansion marks a further milestone in the Deloitte–ServiceNow ecosystem across the region. By combining local expertise with global best practices, the alliance aims to help organisations embed new digital operating models, improve service resilience, enhance productivity through workflow automation and build scalable digital foundations for long-term growth.

Deloitte Middle East said it will continue investing in talent development and sector-focused innovation to support Kuwait’s digital transformation agenda.

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