VISIT ABU DHABI

FDA advisers voted 7-2 that the benefits of Grail’s Galleri blood test outweigh its risks for adults aged 50 and older. A final decision on nationwide sales is expected in coming months.

Ember Infrastructure proposed buying Ashtead Technology for 615 pence a share, valuing it at about $660m. The non-binding bid is its fourth approach and carries a 12.8% premium.

Microsoft plans to invest more than $10bn across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait by 2030. Spending will cover cloud and AI infrastructure, operations and digital resilience.

Abu Dhabi extended the occupancy-certificate deadline to 30 November, with fines of up to Dh1m for non-compliance. Buildings without a valid certificate cannot register new Tawtheeq leases.

EQT opened its first Middle East office at ADGM, making Abu Dhabi the base for its new regional platform. The private-markets firm manages $389bn and plans to pursue Gulf investments.

The EU renewed sanctions on roughly 3,000 Russia-linked targets for three years after removing Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. Latvia abstained, allowing the unanimous rollover to pass.

Amgen’s dazodalibep reduced disease activity in a late-stage Sjögren’s trial, lifting its shares 4%. The condition affects about 1% of people globally and has no approved US treatments.

Snorkel AI raised $350m at a $3.5bn valuation as demand for specialist AI training data accelerates. Its annualised revenue run rate climbed to $350m from about $20m a year earlier.

Aramco plans a standalone gas division and is considering a minority listing to raise capital, Reuters sources said. The unit would develop domestic gas and expand its international LNG portfolio.

Net loans at the UAE’s 10 largest listed banks grew 4.2% in Q2, versus 2.3% deposit growth. Net income rose 2.7% as impairments fell 35.3%, while return on equity reached 18.9%.

A BlackRock report ranks the UAE as the region’s leading private-capital market, with family offices nearly half of active investors. Middle East LP interest in private equity rose to 83% from 70% in 2019.

G7 foreign ministers urged Iran to end support for Yemen’s Houthis after strikes in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. They also called for attacks on civilian shipping to stop and a return to political talks.

Novo’s CagriSema delivered 12.4% average weight loss in a late-stage diabetes trial versus 9.1% for low-dose tirzepatide. The weekly injection is targeted for launch early next year.

Mitsubishi will invest $709.5m to lift its Ayala stake from 4.7% to 15% at a 22% premium. The companies plan deeper cooperation in consumer businesses, real estate and energy.

Alibaba plans a 5tn-to-10tn-parameter model, two to four times larger than Qwen 3.8 Max. It also unveiled a chip with triple its predecessor’s performance and targets 20GW of data-centre capacity by 2032.

Emaar’s Dubai hotels recovered to 60% occupancy from 20–25%, while its revenue backlog exceeds $50bn. The developer plans a $55bn urban district once US-Iran tensions ease.

Taiwan began building an 88.7-hectare advanced-packaging park in Kaohsiung anchored by TSMC. A validation lab and training centre due in 2029 will support AI-chip equipment and materials suppliers.

QIA launched Doha Investment to manage a domestic portfolio of more than 40 companies across 80 markets. The platform will expand private-sector participation and build national champions beyond hydrocarbons.

The Emirates Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology is developing the UAE’s first national pregnancy vaccination guide. It aims to protect premature babies and newborns while strengthening maternal and child health.

Dubai completed the Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street upgrade, cutting journeys from 20 to five minutes. Capacity rises 50% to 15,600 vehicles an hour, supporting areas set to house 420,000 people by 2030.

An 88-entity Abu Dhabi delegation signed three ADIO agreements in South Korea covering investment, digital finance and gaming. More than 400 officials, investors and business leaders joined the programme.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in New York to discuss AI security, trade and economic issues. The talks precede Xi Jinping’s White House visit.

NASA awarded SpaceX $946m for three more crewed missions to the International Space Station through 2030. The expansion raises its contract to 17 flights worth a total $5.92bn.

An IMF paper says AI could lift European productivity by about 1% over five years, with 60% of workers highly exposed. Uneven adoption could widen inequality and strain power networks.

Ajman Chamber showcased products from seven emirate-based food businesses at WorldFood Moscow. Meetings with international delegations explored new markets and commercial partnerships.

The UAE Cyber Security Council and higher education ministry launched CYBRANI for practical university training. Its first phase covers six disciplines and seven academic institutions.

An EU panel backed Zealand Pharma’s Zeydovio for short bowel syndrome, the first major European advance in over a decade. In trials, 65.7% cut parenteral support by at least 20%.

Anthropic and Accenture will each commit at least $1bn over five years to independent AI model evaluation. Faculty will red-team models and assess alignment and safeguards.

The FedEx and Advent-led consortium secured tenders for 89.81% of InPost, clearing the 80% threshold. Its €7.8bn cash takeover will delist the parcel-locker operator from Euronext Amsterdam.

PureHealth’s AI solution will process more than 60 million Daman documents a year for over three million UAE members. It is expected to cut processing from days to minutes and reduce manual rework by over 50%.

Cosmo Developments launched the Dh6bn Al Wadi mixed-use project on a 140,700-square-metre Yas Island site. It will include 3,950 homes, a hotel and commercial and leisure facilities.

Novo Nordisk and Orbis agreed a deal worth up to $1.4bn to develop oral cardiometabolic drugs. The programme uses Orbis’s AI platform to find molecules that can replace injections.

The World Bank drew $112bn in private capital for projects in fiscal 2026, up from $69bn. It aims to exceed $200bn within three years by packaging loans for institutional investors.

Lucid and Bolt will deploy 25,000 autonomous vehicles in major European cities. The fleet will use Lucid’s Midsize platform and Nvidia technology, with Bolt owning and operating it.

The FCC waived a 25% cap to allow foreign capital in Paramount Skydance’s $110bn Warner deal. Investors cannot hold voting stock, influence content or access private US data.

UAE nationals and residents can access the government-backed Shariah-compliant issue from Dh1,000. The first retail T-Sukuk drew Dh445m in orders, nearly nine times its initial target.

An agentic AI platform supported analysis and real-time fact checks at the council meeting. Officials also approved major expansions in liveability, nurseries and reproductive health.

Russia will hold a three-day election for its 450-seat State Duma from 18 September. Putin framed turnout as support for the Ukraine war, while most anti-war candidates were excluded.

Fiji declared HIV a national crisis after new diagnoses rose 27% to 2,016 in 2025. Only 39% of an estimated 9,100 people with HIV knew their status and 22% received treatment.

Amazon agreed to buy about $2.4bn of Generac backup generators for data centres in 2027 and 2028. The deal includes warrants tied to purchases that could reach $8bn.

Cohere and Aleph Alpha signed a merger agreement valuing the combined enterprise AI group at about $20bn. Schwarz Group will invest €500m, while the deal remains subject to regulatory approval.

Shareholders representing 23.08% of AD Ports accepted L'IMAD's Dh6.25-a-share offer. Settlement will lift its ADQ unit's ownership above 98.5%, enabling full control and long-term investment.

GSK agreed to pay up to $750m for global rights to Chimagen's cancer-targeting trispecific T-cell engager. Phase 1 trials in multiple myeloma are expected to begin in 2027.

China raised its authorised outbound investment quota by $6.8bn to a record $183bn. Heavy demand for US-focused funds quickly forced managers to reinstate subscription limits.

Anthropic signed a lease for a planned 2.16GW data centre campus near Brisbane, sources said. The renewable-powered facility could begin operating in 2027, subject to regulatory approval.

Brookfield will acquire Australian plumbing supplier Reliance Worldwide for about $2.9bn. The board backed the cash offer as tariffs and higher costs weakened its North American business.

L'IMAD and Azerbaijan Investment Holding will pursue joint investments across Azerbaijan and Central Asia. Priority sectors include critical minerals, infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity.

ADNOC agreed to buy 32m Iraqi barrels in August and 40m in September, according to an Iraqi source. The purchases expand its trading role as wartime disruption constrains Iraqi exports.

A UAE-led index will measure how artificial intelligence changes thinking, learning, identity and decision-making. Data collection is planned for 2027, with first results due in 2028.

BioNTech says gotistobart delivered a meaningful survival benefit in a Phase 3 lung cancer study. The candidate nearly doubled survival versus standard chemotherapy.

DFO Management and Sequence will acquire insurance broker Baldwin for $7.7bn in cash. The buyers say private ownership will support longer-term investment in AI and growth.

Etihad says passenger capacity is running 15% to 17% above last year after recovering from regional disruption. August load factor reached 92%, with strong winter demand expected.

A national platform unifies assessments, financing and technical support for manufacturers adopting advanced technology. More than 700 factories have already received support.

Donald Trump said the US will remove its 10% tariff on Irish whiskey after talks with Ireland's prime minister. The industry welcomed the pledge but said implementation details remain outstanding.

Saudi Arabia could lose up to 4% of global oil supply if its east-west pipeline does not restart within days. Export stocks at Yanbu can sustain shipments for only five to seven days.

Z.AI raised $5bn through a Hong Kong share placement and convertible bond sale. The company plans to direct 60% of net proceeds towards next-generation models and self-training systems.

Asian AI shares fell after Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI leaders backed slowing advanced model development. SoftBank dropped as much as 13.2%, while major chipmakers also declined.

Dubai welcomed 869,000 international visitors in August, its strongest month since the Iran war began. Hotel occupancy reached 66%, up from 36% in March, signalling a steady tourism recovery.

Abu Dhabi buyers who have paid 50% of an off-plan home can now secure financing during construction. The framework aims to lift transactions and improve certainty for buyers, lenders and developers.

Canadian grocers are sourcing more local and overseas produce as shoppers avoid US goods during a trade dispute. The US share of vegetable imports fell to 62.6% in July from 69% in July 2023.

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo reached 7,022, government data showed. The outbreak has spread to South Ubangi in the northwest, becoming the seventh affected province.

South Korea expanded espionage offences beyond acts involving North Korea to cover all foreign countries. The law aims to deter leaks of strategic technologies including chips, batteries and AI.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed met Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit to discuss UAE-Russia relations. They also backed continued coordination to turn summit outcomes into practical initiatives.

ADIO and Bayer signed an agreement to explore cooperation in health, life sciences and food security. The work could include desert crop trials, advanced therapies and innovation programmes.

Roblox will let creators release games as standalone mobile, PC and console apps. It is also expanding AI creation tools after users published about 9,000 prompt-built games.

The FDA approved Scholar Rock’s Isembyld for spinal muscular atrophy, the company’s first regulatory approval. Shares rose over 23% after-hours as the drug prepares for launch.

Anthropic is seeking up to $100bn in an IPO that could value it near $2tn, Reuters reported. Nvidia is considering an anchor investment of up to $10bn, with talks still subject to change.

Francisco Partners and KKR agreed terms to acquire minority stakes in TeamSystem at a valuation between €8bn and €10bn. ADIA retains a 9.8% holding in the Italian software group.

The UAE is reviewing plans to replace a single 5GW Abu Dhabi AI campus with facilities across the country. Underground construction and air defences are among measures under consideration.

India’s BRICS summit must bridge a widening divide between Iran and the UAE over the Middle East conflict. Failure to agree language could prevent the bloc from issuing a joint declaration.

Bending Spoons has agreed to buy digital collaboration platform Miro in a $1.36bn all-cash deal. Miro generates about $600mn in annual recurring revenue, largely from business customers.

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Financial Services with built-in market data and tools for bankers and equity researchers. Morgan Stanley and Evercore helped design the regulated-industry product.

Dubai Airports is considering underground fuel storage and reinforced infrastructure for its new airport. The 250-million-passenger expansion will proceed despite regional security risks.

Mubadala has joined Centurium Capital in a $1bn investment in China’s Luckin Coffee, taking an undisclosed minority stake. The deal expands Abu Dhabi’s exposure to China’s fast-growing consumer market.

Xi Jinping is expected in New Delhi for the BRICS summit, his first India visit in seven years. Investment scrutiny, visa delays and equipment restrictions continue to constrain business ties.

Apple unveiled the $1,999 iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, with a 7.6-inch display and A20 chip. The launch opens a premium category as the iPhone supplies over half of Apple’s revenue.

Amazon raised £4.25bn in its first sterling bond sale after receiving orders above £10.65bn. Hyperscalers have issued over $200bn of debt this year as they finance AI investment.

Silver Lake-backed Cegid and Silae plan to merge into a European software group valued above €10bn. Silver Lake will retain control, with completion expected in the first half of 2027.

DP World and GulfCap Africa agreed to develop a 222-hectare special economic zone in Mombasa, starting with 40 hectares. More than 60 companies have shown interest, with over 20,000 jobs expected.

DIFC’s inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week will run on 2–6 November with more than 850 speakers and 85 events. It spans fintech, private capital, family wealth and tokenisation.

Dubai Holding awarded its largest construction contract, worth Dh5bn, to CSCEC Middle East. It covers a new headquarters due in 2029 and 754 branded residences due in 2030.

Google will invest at least €13bn in Finnish AI infrastructure over two years and buy up to 50% of one nuclear plant’s output for 22 years. It is Google’s largest AI investment in Europe.

Assets under management at ADGM rose 54% year on year in H1 2026, while its workforce reached 49,027. The growth underscores Abu Dhabi’s expanding role as a base for global asset managers.

IHC is acquiring 80% of Marlan Holding through International Tech Group, subject to approvals. The deal adds Abu Dhabi satellite maker Orbitworks and AI-enabled Earth-observation assets to its portfolio.

The UAE and Germany will sign investment, AI and energy deals worth several billion dollars on Thursday. The package opens a new phase in ties, building on $15.5bn in annual non-oil trade.