WHOOP has launched an Arabic-language version of its app, allowing Arabic-speaking members to access insights on sleep, recovery, physical strain and health in their native language as the wearable technology company expands its presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The launch is accompanied by an outdoor advertising and digital campaign across the GCC. It marks a new step in WHOOP’s regional expansion as demand for its health and performance tracking services grows across the Middle East.

According to the company, WHOOP membership across the GCC has increased by more than 75 per cent year-on-year. The company is expanding its regional operations through investments in infrastructure, retail distribution, research and community partnerships. Its regional presence includes a dedicated UAE office and a growing retail network, a WAM report said.

Research facility planned outside Boston

WHOOP also plans to open its first international performance research and development facility outside Boston through WHOOP Qatar later this year. The facility is expected to support research into health and human performance in the region.

The company has established partnerships with several sports organisations and events. It serves as the official health and performance wearable of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Al Nassr Football Club, and has partnerships with Dubai Fitness Challenge and the Doha Marathon.

These partnerships extend WHOOP’s reach into professional sport and community fitness, as the company seeks to build its regional presence beyond consumer wearable devices.

Arabic-language access becomes part of growth strategy

The new app experience allows members to review personalised health data in Arabic, including information on sleep patterns, exercise, recovery and stress. The company says the service is designed to help users better understand how their daily habits affect their health and performance.

“The response to WHOOP across the Middle East has been incredible,” said Will Ahmed, founder and CEO of WHOOP. “The GCC has become a major market for us, and we’re seeing strong growth across the broader Middle East and North Africa. We’ve made a significant commitment to the region and we’re going to keep investing here. Launching in Arabic is a crucial part of that strategy.”

The Arabic launch also forms part of a strategic initiative under WHOOP’s partnership with Mubadala Investment Company, which invested in the company’s Series G funding round. The partnership focuses on expanding WHOOP’s presence in the UAE and supporting preventative health, research and innovation across the region.

WHOOP’s wearable technology tracks physiological data to establish individual baselines and provide personalised guidance. The company uses these insights to help members assess how lifestyle choices, including sleep, exercise and stress management, may influence their health and performance over time.

The Arabic-language rollout adds another element to WHOOP’s regional expansion, alongside its planned research facility, retail growth and partnerships across sport and fitness.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/17h27g1-whoop-launches-arabic-deepening-commitment-gcc

An Arab expatriate was injured after debris from an intercepted ballistic missile fell on a residential property and vehicle in Riyadh on Wednesday, October 14, Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said.

The authority said the missile, launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia, was intercepted and destroyed by Saudi air defences, but falling fragments struck a house and vehicle, causing limited material damage.

Saudi Civil Defence said emergency teams responded to the incident and that established safety procedures had been implemented.

Images released by the authority showed damage to a vehicle and the interior of a residential property, with emergency responders inspecting the affected areas.

The latest incident comes less than a day after shrapnel from two intercepted cruise missiles fell on 15 residential homes across Riyadh on Tuesday.

Read more: Missile debris falls on 15 Riyadh homes, injuring four people

Four people, including two women, a man and a child, were injured in that incident, according to Saudi authorities.

Riyadh faces renewed missile attacks

Saudi Arabia has faced repeated missile and drone attacks this week amid escalating hostilities with the Houthis.

Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki confirmed that a ballistic missile targeting Riyadh had been intercepted and destroyed.

The latest attacks follow deadly strikes on King Khalid International Airport, where 13 people were killed on Saturday with a further fatality reported following another attack on Sunday.

The escalation has also extended to Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure, with an administrative building at Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran targeted on Tuesday, causing a limited fire.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has launched military operations against fuel infrastructure in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, accusing the group of using the facilities to support missile and drone attacks against the kingdom.

Ambitious, inventive and already making an impact, this year’s 30 Under 30 reflects a generation unwilling to wait its turn. Across business, technology, culture and sport, these rising talents are building companies, challenging conventions and bringing new ideas to the region. Their journeys are only beginning, but their influence is already being felt.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranked among the world’s top 10 locations for attracting and retaining the next generation of wealthy individuals, according to a new index from property consultancy Savills.

The two UAE cities were among only four locations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to feature in the top 10 of the Savills Next Generation Wealth Hubs Index, part of its Spotlight on Wealth Trends report.

The index analysed more than 100 destinations, focusing on high-net-worth individuals under 40 who have recently made or inherited their wealth.

It assessed four broad categories: business, governance and connectivity; wealth clusters and local environment; wealth management and taxation; and lifestyle.

New York topped the rankings, followed by Miami, London, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Singapore ranked sixth, making it the highest-placed Asia Pacific location. London led the EMEA rankings, with the region accounting for 16 of the global top 30.

“An estimated $84tn is expected to transfer between generations over the next two decades,” said Kelcie Sellers, associate director at Savills World Research.

“As this wealth passes to a younger, more globally mobile and digitally connected generation, priorities are evolving, with lifestyle, education, wellness, and personal values increasingly influencing where they choose to live, invest and establish their business.”

Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer favourable tax environments

Savills said Dubai and Abu Dhabi combined favourable tax environments, business-friendly policies and infrastructure investment with luxury offerings.

Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, international connectivity and lifestyle continued to attract talent and capital, while Abu Dhabi’s growing financial centre, rising number of family offices and expanding economic opportunities strengthened its appeal, the report said.

“Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s place in the global top 10 reflects how the UAE’s proposition has evolved to meet the priorities of the next generation of wealth,” said Rachael Kennerley, director of research at Savills Middle East.

Across the GCC, succession planning was becoming more prominent, with families placing greater emphasis on governance, involving the next generation and deploying capital within the region over the long term, she said.

Sporting events also contributed to the cities’ lifestyle appeal. Among the locations analysed, Dubai and London hosted the highest number of prestige sporting events each year, including major golf tournaments and ATP tennis, according to Savills. Abu Dhabi hosted Formula 1 and major golf events.

The report said changing preferences around wellness, privacy, education and global connectivity were supporting demand for branded residences, wellness-led developments and turnkey properties that enable internationally mobile buyers to move between homes and jurisdictions.

Read: Abu Dhabi, Dubai among top emerging data centre markets, reveals report

UAE telecom operator du has launched what it describes as the world’s first commercial end-to-end U6GHz connectivity service, using commercially available customer premises equipment (CPE) on its live 5G+ network.

The deployment uses 350 MHz of contiguous spectrum in the 6775–7125 MHz band, connecting the network to customer equipment such as internet routers used in homes and businesses, a WAM report said.

Read-New boost for entrepreneurs in UAE: du brings digital-first connectivity to ‘SME in a Box’

U6GHz is expected to provide additional capacity for enhanced mobile broadband, next-generation fixed wireless access (FWA), cloud-based artificial intelligence applications and immersive digital services. The technology could also support growing connectivity demands across businesses and industries.

du points to next phase of network development

Saleem Alblooshi, chief technology officer at du, said the commercial service would open up opportunities for consumers, businesses and emerging digital applications.

“Today, we are bringing U6GHz into the hands of customers through a fully integrated commercial service, and unlocking new opportunities for consumers, businesses and emerging digital applications,” Alblooshi said.

He also credited the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) with supporting the rollout through its spectrum strategy and backing for next-generation technologies.

“This achievement reflects our commitment to turning innovation into customer value while reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in advanced connectivity,” he said.

Technology lays groundwork for 6G

The launch moves U6GHz beyond network testing and into a commercial deployment connecting infrastructure with customer equipment. It also provides a potential pathway for operators to expand capacity as demand for data-intensive services increases.

du said the development would support the evolution from 5G-Advanced, also known as 5G+, towards future 6G networks.

The rollout aligns with the UAE’s ambitions to strengthen its position in next-generation connectivity and expand its digital infrastructure to support artificial intelligence and wider digital transformation.

The company did not disclose further details on customer availability, pricing or plans for expanding the service.