Sharjah has launched its annual summer retail campaign, offering discounts of up to 75 per cent, tourism packages and more than 700 prizes as the emirate seeks to boost consumer spending and attract visitors during the traditionally quieter summer months.

The Sharjah Summer Promotions 2026 campaign, organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), runs from July 1 to September 15 and brings together more than 55 public and private sector partners.

The initiative spans shopping malls, retail centres, hotels and tourist attractions across the emirate, with organisers positioning it as part of Sharjah’s broader strategy to strengthen its appeal as a family-friendly shopping and tourism destination.

Participating retailers are offering discounts of up to 75 per cent on products including fashion, electronics, home furnishings, fragrances and accessories, alongside promotional rates at hotels, restaurants and leisure destinations.

The campaign will also feature more than 60 tourism packages and experiences designed to encourage domestic and regional travel.

In partnership with the Sharjah Economic Development Department, shoppers will be eligible to win more than 700 prizes through purchases at participating retailers or by registering via a dedicated mobile application.

Prizes to be won at Sharjah Summer Promotions 2026

The prize pool includes 30 gold bars, shopping vouchers worth Dhs100,000, retail gifts and a luxury vehicle sponsored by Kandi Cars, which will be awarded in the campaign’s final draw on September 15.

Five digital raffle draws will be held throughout the campaign at shopping centres across the emirate, beginning on July 18.

As part of this year’s programme, organisers have also launched “Shamsa Entertainment City”, a family-focused attraction in central Sharjah featuring children’s activities, interactive workshops and appearances by the campaign’s official mascot, Shamsa.

More than 7,000 branded gifts will be distributed to children during the campaign.

The initiative also promotes Sharjah’s tourism assets, including Al Noor Island, Mleiha National Park, Pearls Kingdom Waterpark and the eastern coastal destinations of Khorfakkan, Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn.

Organisers have introduced a dedicated mobile application and digital platform allowing shoppers to browse offers, book participating hotels and tourism experiences, and enter prize draws electronically.

The UAE is no longer buying space-based Earth observation capabilities, it is building and operating them. Space42‘s announcement that Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5 are now live, following their completion of advanced integration and testing in Abu Dhabi, marks a critical shift in how the country participates in the global space economy.

During the 2024 UAE floods, these systems delivered near-real-time visibility despite weather that rendered optical satellites useless, enabling authorities to assess conditions faster and allocate resources more efficiently.

As the geospatial intelligence market in the Gulf reaches $2bn annually and the global sector races toward $10bn by 2030, Khalid Al Awadhi, senior vice president of Earth Observation Systems at Space42, explains why sovereign capability in advanced satellite systems is the foundation of competitive advantage.

Space42 is emerging as a global leader in Earth observation. What gives the company an edge in this fast-developing domain?

Space42’s leadership in Earth observation comes from decades of experience in deploying national space infrastructure and capabilities forming UAE’s EO backbone and its modernised integrated architecture that combines sovereign manufacturing, advanced SAR sensing, and AI-powered analytics. While many organisations either produce data or analyse it, Space42 does both through assets it owns and operates in the UAE. In fact, we are delighted to have just announced that Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5 are now live, expanding our Foresight Earth Observation (EO) constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites.

The UAE is one of the few countries in the world that owns and operates its own SAR constellation. This capability is underpinned by the latest generation SAR technology onboard our satellites and strengthens national sovereignty in Earth observation,delivering all-weather, day-and-night imaging that continues producing data when optical systems cannot.

At Space42, we then process this data through GIQ, our AI-powered geospatial intelligence platform, which converts our premium-qualitysatellite imagery into decision-grade outputs for governments and enterprises. The result is a system that delivers data and follows through to the insight that drives rapid action.

Space42 completed AIT for Foresight-3, -4, and -5 at the Space Systems facility in Abu Dhabi. What does this represent for the UAE’s position in the global space value chain?

Completing the critical integration, and testing of three advanced SAR satellites in Abu Dhabi for the first time last year, marks a significant advancement in the UAE’s position in the global space value chain. With the satellites now live, we are advancing the country’s evolution from a purchaser of space-based capabilities to a nation developing and operating advanced Earth observation systems with growing technical expertise.

Through our partnership with ICEYE, Space42’s engineers worked directly alongside specialists to understand and continually upgrade the technical standards and qualification processes required to prepare advanced SAR satellites for flight. This direct exposure expands what teams deliver. Engineers with AIT experience identify where designs can be refined and where mission requirements can be extended.

Beyond the satellites themselves, this milestone demonstrates the UAE’s ability to participate more fully in high-value segments of the space economy, combining advanced manufacturing, mission operations, and geospatial intelligence within a national capability base.

How does SAR-based Earth observation fit into Space42’s broader intelligence architecture, and how does it complement other assets such as HAPS and AI-powered analytics?

SAR-based Earth observation serves as the persistent sensing layer within Space42’s broader intelligence architecture. Our Foresight constellation delivers persistent wide-area monitoring, providing a continuous stream of geospatial data that the broader Space42 ecosystem depends on.

That capability is complemented by high-altitude platform systems (HAPS) developed by Mira Aerospace, which provide more localised and responsive data collection over specific areas. GIQ then integrates inputs from SAR, HAPS, and third-party sources into a unified AI-powered geospatial intelligence platform. By correlating multiple data streams, the system can identify patterns, monitor change, and generate operational insight for government and enterprise users.

Combined, space-based SAR imagery and near-space platforms create a layered intelligence architecture that combines scale, persistence, and agility.

What are the strongest near-term use cases for SAR Earth observation, and how are they being validated in real-world conditions?

Global infrastructure and national security spending now tops $12tn a year, creating assets whose performance and protection depend on geospatial visibility. In the Gulf, the SAR intelligence market is worth up to $2bn annually, part of a global sector expected to reach nearly $10bn by 2030. This growth shows that continuous, weather-independent monitoring has become essential.

SAR’s near-term value is clearest in environments where uninterrupted situational awareness directly affects operational response. During the 2024 UAE floods, Space42’s Earth observation and AI analytics delivered near-real-time visibility into affected areas despite challenging weather conditions. That enabled authorities to assess conditions more quickly, allocate resources efficiently, and improve coordination across response teams.

SAR capabilities have proven and continue to be an essential complement to electro-optical systems that are bound by solar illumination and clear-sky conditions, particularly in monitoring and surveillance where operational continuity and national security relevance are critical.

Beyond emergency applications, SAR is becoming increasingly important across national security, maritime domain awareness, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure assessment.

In these operational environments, integrated geospatial intelligence systems are already demonstrating measurable impact: improving emergency response times by up to 90 per cent, reducing operational inefficiencies by up to 25 per cent, and lowering predictive maintenance costs by up to 30 per cent through persistent monitoring and AI-driven analysis.

Space42 has invested in building sovereign AIT capability inside the UAE. Why is the localisation of advanced satellite manufacturing and testing critical for long-term competitiveness?

Sovereign AIT (assembly, integration, and testing) capability is the difference between participating in the space economy and shaping it. Developing in-country assembly, integration, and testing capabilities establishes technical authority within the UAE while strengthening long-term control over mission development, operational readiness, and technology roadmaps.For Space42, building this capability in Abu Dhabi has created a talent base that develops with each mission. The cumulative effect is a team whose judgment is grounded in real programme execution. Over time, that creates accelerated development cycles, a stronger national supply chain, and the specialised expertise that draws further program responsibility to the UAE.

With EO insights projected to generate more than $700bn in economic value by 2030, Space42 is building toward a position as the preferred partner for premium geospatial data, and trusted global leader in geospatial intelligence, AI platform and services, from a foundation established in the UAE.

What are the key milestones ahead for the Foresight constellation, and how is Space42 planning to expand its Earth Observation capabilities over the next phase?

With Foresight-3, Foresight-4, and Foresight-5 now operational, following their November 2025 launch, Space42 has entered the next phase of scaling its Earth observation capabilities.

The expansion of the constellation strengthens our ability to deliver persistent monitoring across strategically important regions while increasing the volume and continuity of data available to customers.

Looking ahead, our focus is on expanding sovereign geospatial intelligence capabilities that support decision-making. The next milestone is accelerating the collection and transformation of that data into operational intelligence, shortening the time between identifying the need for observation, acquiring the data and decision-making.

Emirates will invest more than Dhs50m ($13.6m) in each of its next-generation airport lounges as the Dubai-based carrier rolls out a redesigned premium lounge concept across key international markets this year, the airline said on Wednesday.

The new lounge design has debuted in Munich and Frankfurt, with additional openings planned in Manchester in July, Mauritius in August and Istanbul in October, forming the blueprint for future Emirates lounges across its global network.

The investment is part of the airline’s broader strategy to strengthen its premium offering as international travel demand continues to recover and airlines compete for high-value passengers beyond the onboard experience.

“Our investment in our next-generation signature lounge concept reflects Emirates’ continued commitment to delivering a seamless, premium experience at every stage of the journey,” Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ deputy president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Highlights of the new premium lounges

The redesigned lounges draw on the aesthetic of Emirates’ latest aircraft cabin interiors and feature dedicated spaces for work, dining, relaxation and socialising.

The airline said the lounges incorporate more than 50 design enhancements, including technology-enabled workstations, wellness facilities, locally inspired dining concepts and upgraded shower suites.

Dining areas will include live cooking stations alongside regional and international cuisine, while a new bar concept will offer speciality coffees, cocktails and mocktails prepared by dedicated baristas and mixologists.

The lounges will also feature quieter spaces for passengers on longer layovers, private meeting rooms, breastfeeding facilities and separate prayer rooms with ablution facilities.

Emirates said the redesigned concept reflects growing demand among premium travellers for airport facilities that support both productivity and wellbeing.

Emirates’ lounges worldwide

The carrier operates 42 dedicated airport lounges worldwide, including eight at its hub in Dubai International Airport and 34 across major international airports in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America.

Complimentary lounge access is available to Emirates First Class and Business Class passengers as well as eligible Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members, while paid access is also offered for eligible travellers.

Smartphone cameras have become more powerful than ever. But genuinely new camera experiences? Those are far rarer.

That is exactly why Samsung is taking home Gulf Business Editor’s Choice for Best Camera Smartphone with the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. Because this is not simply about adding more megapixels or slightly improving zoom.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra reflects something much bigger happening across the smartphone industry, which is the shift from smartphone cameras as hardware features to smartphones as intelligent creative tools.

Samsung is clearly betting heavily on that future.

The strategy appears to be paying off. Earlier this year, the Galaxy S26 Ultra secured the top position in Consumer Reports’ smartphone rankings, earning an industry-leading score of 88 points and receiving top marks across key categories including camera quality, battery performance, display and durability. The recognition reinforces Samsung’s ability to combine cutting-edge innovation with the quality, reliability and user experience consumers increasingly expect from premium devices.

The next era of smartphone creativity

The Gulf Business Editor’s Choice Awards spotlight products shaping the future of technology, innovation and consumer experience across the region.

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung is being recognised for building a device that demonstrates where the premium smartphone market is heading next, combining AI, advanced imaging and powerful on-device performance into a seamless user experience.

Social-first storytelling, mobile filmmaking, AI-assisted editing, creator workflows and instant sharing have fundamentally changed what consumers expect from premium smartphones. Today, cameras are judged for more than just image quality. They are judged by how quickly, intelligently and seamlessly they help users create.

That is where the S26 Ultra stands out.

A camera system designed to think smarter

At the centre of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s most advanced mobile imaging setup yet – a 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultra-wide camera, dual telephoto lenses and upgraded image processing.

But the real story is not the hardware itself. It is how intelligently the device uses it.

Samsung has heavily expanded its computational photography capabilities, allowing the camera to optimise lighting, detail, colour, and sharpness dynamically in real time. Low-light city shots, concerts, fast movement and night video all feel noticeably more refined and adaptive.

Rather than forcing users to manually tweak settings, the phone increasingly handles the complexity in the background, making the experience feel faster, smoother and far more intuitive.

AI becomes the creative assistant

One of the most impressive parts of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is how naturally AI has been integrated into the editing experience.

Samsung’s upgraded Photo Assist tools now allow users to make sophisticated edits using conversational prompts powered by Galaxy AI. Removing objects, restoring details, adjusting scenes and refining images feels dramatically simpler than traditional mobile editing workflows.

Importantly, the AI here does not feel gimmicky or overly intrusive.

Instead, it functions more like a quiet creative assistant working behind the scenes to speed up workflows and reduce friction.

That subtlety matters because consumers increasingly want AI that feels useful, invisible and intuitive rather than overwhelming.

And that balance is something Samsung has executed particularly well here.

Setting a new benchmark for premium smartphones

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also leans heavily into the growing creator economy and the rise of mobile-first content production.

Samsung has introduced APV, a professional-grade video codec designed to preserve higher image quality throughout editing workflows, alongside upgraded Nitography Video and enhanced Super Steady stabilisation.

The message is clear – Samsung is positioning the Galaxy S26 Ultra as much more than a smartphone. It is a showcase of how AI, imaging and performance are converging to define the next generation of premium mobile devices.

It is being positioned as a legitimate creative production tool for creators, filmmakers, influencers and social-first storytellers.

And increasingly, that is where flagship smartphones are competing.

Today’s premium devices are no longer just phones. They are cameras, editing suites, AI assistants and content studios all in one.

Powering the AI experience behind the scenes

Of course, intelligent features require serious performance underneath the surface.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra runs on Samsung’s customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, delivering major gains across CPU, GPU and AI processing performance. Samsung says the device offers up to 39 per cent faster NPU performance for AI workloads, helping power many of the real-time experiences happening across photography, editing and multitasking.

What matters most, however, is that the device rarely feels like it is working hard.

AI enhancements, image processing and editing tools operate fluidly in the background without slowing the overall experience down, which is exactly how this kind of technology should feel.

More than a camera upgrade

What ultimately makes the Galaxy S26 Ultra award-worthy is that Samsung understands where the smartphone industry is heading next.

This is no longer a market driven purely by specs. It is increasingly driven by experience.

The S26 Ultra reflects a future where smartphones become increasingly predictive, personalized and creatively intelligent, helping users create better content with less effort and fewer technical barriers.

And in a premium category filled with increasingly similar devices, that is exactly the kind of innovation that stands out.

Beneath the world’s oceans lie one of the most significant technological achievements of our time, one whose scale and impact on daily life is rarely fully appreciated: subsea cables.

This vast network, stretching across ocean floors for hundreds of thousands of kilometers, forms the backbone of global communications. It is the primary channel for data flow, the enabler of high-speed internet services, and a driving force in connecting digital economies around the world.

Together with data centers, subsea cables are becoming increasingly essential to accelerating digital transformation and supporting the infrastructure modern economies depend on. As demand for data and digital services grows rapidly, these two pillars work in tandem. Subsea cables connect data centers across vast distances with high efficiency and low latency, ensuring instant and reliable data transfer, while enhancing operational efficiency and the quality of services delivered to users and businesses.

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Against this backdrop, stc group has made strategic investments in building an integrated digital ecosystem across the region, expanding its data center footprint and strengthening international connectivity through subsea cables, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global digital hub.

As the region’s leading digital enabler, stc group is executing a focused growth strategy across both sectors, cementing its role as a key connectivity node between three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Through its subsidiary center3, the group holds a stake in the 2Africa cable, one of the longest submarine cables in the world at 45,000 kilometers, and a strategic infrastructure asset designed to enhance international connectivity and accelerate data flows.

The group’s broader portfolio spans 25 data centers and investments in 16 subsea cables across three continents. Among the most notable significant is the Saudi Vision Cable, fully owned by the group through center3 and supported by four landing stations, forming a long-term strategic pillar for service continuity and data transfer reliability.

The 2Africa Pearls cable, the Gulf extension of the 2Africa system, marks another milestone in stc group’s global connectivity journey. Connecting more than 33 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, it supports the group’s international expansion ambitions, strengthens cross-border data flows, and reinforces stc’s role as a key driver of digital transformation worldwide.