Ford Middle East and North Africa introduced the 2026 Ford Everest at the Liwa International Festival, confirming a Middle East-only 2.7L V6 EcoBoost engine and revealing the Everest Tremor for the first time in the region. The launch placed a clear focus on performance designed for local driving conditions. Ravi Ravichandran, President, Ford Middle East and North Africa, said:” The unveiling of the 2026 Ford Everest marks a new chapter for Ford in the region under our Ready.Set.Ford. direction. For more than 40 years, we’ve listened to our customers across the Middle East, and the new Everest reflects what they…
Author: Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock is a seasoned journalist and digital marketing expert known for his insightful reporting across business, real estate, travel and lifestyle sectors. His recent work includes high-profile Dubai coverage, such as record-breaking events by AYS Developers. With a career spanning multiple outlets. Sam delivers sharp, engaging content that bridges UK and UAE markets. His writing reflects a deep understanding of emerging trends, making him a trusted voice in regional and international business journalism. Should you need any edits please contact editor@dubaiweek.ae
Stirling Hospitality Advisors has entered into a partnership with Avenew Development to support the launch of the St. Regis Residences on Dubai Islands. The project is planned as a key luxury development on Dubai’s northern coastline and forms part of the area’s wider positioning as a high-end residential destination. Stirling Hospitality Advisors has been appointed as lead advisor for the project. Its role covers feasibility analysis, operator selection, and pre-development planning for both the hospitality and branded residences elements. This includes a full hotel feasibility study and the management of operator discussions and negotiations. The final operator appointment is expected…
A one-off dinner and show experience brings music, dining and celebration together to welcome 2026. DREAM Dubai, the city’s immersive dinner-and-show venue, will welcome the New Year with a special one-night event created for New Year’s Eve. The programme combines a new production designed for the occasion with selected performances from DREAM’s festive repertoire. Guests will share a 10-course menu that includes freshly shucked oysters, truffle burrata with caviar, Canadian lobster, premium prawns, Angus beef tenderloin, and a selection of desserts. Free-flowing beverages will be served from 9 PM until 1 AM. The evening follows DREAM’s immersive format, inviting guests…
SpeakUp, an AI-based matching app launched in Dubai in April 2025, delivered a standout moment in the final episode of The Final Pitch Dubai on OSN. The episode aired on 15 December and marked the only time this season that a startup received a direct investment offer on screen. An investor on the judging panel presented SpeakUp’s founders with a SAFE agreement live during the broadcast. After the founders exited the stage, several judges commented on SpeakUp’s long-term potential. They pointed to the platform’s ability to scale, its early user growth, and the size of the market it aims to…
Presight has signed a multi-year agreement with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Albania to deliver a nationwide AI-based smart nation programme. The programme will roll out advanced smart city systems across 20 cities and 28 international border points. It supports Albania’s push to modernise public infrastructure and strengthen its position as a digitally advanced country within Europe. Under the agreement, Presight will introduce an integrated AI-driven smart city platform to support core public services. The system will manage real-time operations, improve traffic and mobility systems, support faster emergency coordination, and provide a modern command and control…
HONOR has opened its flagship HONOR Experience Store at Dubai Mall, marking an important step in the company’s retail plans in the UAE. The opening reflects HONOR’s focus on physical retail spaces that allow customers to explore its wider device ecosystem in person. The store sits inside one of the world’s best-known shopping destinations and is designed as an AI Smart Living space. It brings retail, product trials, and hands-on discovery into one location. The opening also aligns with the pre-order collection day for the HONOR Magic8 Pro, linking the launch of a flagship store with a major product release…
Comera Finance, the financial services arm of Comera Financial Holdings, part of Abu Dhabi’s Royal Group, has received final regulatory approval from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). The approval allows the company to operate as a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and deliver both retail and wholesale financing services. The NBFC licence permits Comera Finance to offer regulated lending and financing products across the UAE. The approval supports the group’s long-term plan to build a compliant, technology-led financial platform that serves consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large businesses. The decision follows a detailed regulatory assessment and reflects the…
TK Elevator (TKE), a global provider of vertical transportation and urban mobility solutions, has received several honours at the Dubai Airports Health & Safety Awards 2025. The company secured first place in both the Contractor Safety Excellence Award and the Safe Leader Award, and was also recognised as runner-up in the Safe Supervisor category. The awards place TK Elevator among the leading contractors for safety performance at Dubai International Airport (DXB). Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. In 2024, it handled more than 92.3 million travellers and connected over 279 destinations across six continents. In…
The National Academy for Childhood Development has launched the winter edition of its Generation 71 programme in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Family. The initiative aims to support Emirati children by strengthening national values and developing practical life skills. Following strong participation in the summer edition, which involved more than 322 children from across the UAE, the winter programme will run during the school holiday period. Sessions are taking place in Abu Dhabi until 18 December and in the Al Dhafra Region from 22 to 25 December. Hessa Abdulrahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary for the Development Sector at the Ministry…
The United Arab Emirates has secured the inscription of four new cultural elements on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision reinforces the country’s role in safeguarding living heritage and followed deliberations at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi from 8 to 13 December 2025. This achievement reflects the UAE’s long-term work to protect and promote its cultural practices at an international level. Al-Ahala was added as a national file, recognised as a traditional performing art passed down through generations. Al-Bisht, the bride’s…