Dubai's flying taxis are taking off. Georgia Tolley was there for the test flights.

But down on the ground? The traffic is worse than ever. A new survey shows 9 in 10 drivers face daily congestion.

Plus, Abu Dhabi’s population has doubled in a decade. We ask the experts what’s being done to cope.
Meanwhile, a new online scam is hitting sellers in the UAE involving fake Careem links and stolen card details.

And finally—would you holiday in North Korea?

Dubai's flying taxis are taking off. Georgia Tolley was there for the test flights.
But down on the ground? The traffic is worse than ever. A new survey shows 9 in 10 drivers face daily congestion.
Plus, Abu Dhabi&rsquo;s population has doubled in a decade. We ask the experts what&rsquo;s being done to cope. Meanwhile, a new online scam is hitting sellers in the UAE involving fake Careem links and stolen card details.
And finally&mdash;would you holiday in North Korea?

The Agenda is your go-to programme for news, analysis and comment - a daily digest of local and international stories that matter to you. Broadcasting every weekday, Georgia Tolley goes beyond the headlines to speak to government ministers, decision makers, analysts and local experts to find out how the news will impact those of us living in the UAE.
From Covid-19, to climate change and community issues, The Agenda covers stories from every walk of life, so get in touch with us and tell us your news.

The Agenda is your go-to programme for news, analysis and comment - a daily digest of local and international stories that matter to you. Broadcasting every weekday, Georgia Tolley goes beyond the headlines to speak to government ministers, decision makers, analysts and local experts to find out how the news will impact those of us living in the UAE. From Covid-19, to climate change and community issues, The Agenda covers stories from every walk of life, so get in touch with us and tell us your news.

The Agenda

Flying taxis and traffic jams

The Roads and Transport Authority is beginning a school bus pooling pilot programme next week and they’re doing it in partnership with a private transport company and a bus provider. We get the details from Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development at RTA's Public Transport Agency, Yango and Urban Express.

If you’re thinking of buying property in Dubai or even just keeping an eye on where the city is expanding next, there's a growing number of tools now available to help buyers make smarter, more strategic decisions. We found one through property consultant Divya Wadhwa.

But who decides what gets built and where? What makes a plot of land become a residential community, a park, a business hub, or even a cultural district? We get the take of 

Fatma Al Khayat from Arkat Urban Planning + Design

Tech journalist Kevin Sebastian updates us with all the changes Google is doing to Gmail.

A group of chemists and environmental scientists say many of the most alarming microplastics studies may be based on flawed detection methods. Some particles believed to be plastic could actually be natural fat, and key safety claims may not stand up to scrutiny. 

And is ube the new matcha?

 

The Roads and Transport Authority is beginning a school bus pooling pilot programme next week and they&rsquo;re doing it in partnership with a private transport company and a bus provider. We get the details from Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development at RTA's Public Transport Agency, Yango and Urban Express.
If you&rsquo;re thinking of buying property in Dubai or even just keeping an eye on where the city is expanding next, there's a growing number of tools now available to help buyers make smarter, more strategic decisions. We found one through property consultant Divya Wadhwa.
But who decides what gets built and where? What makes a plot of land become a residential community, a park, a business hub, or even a cultural district? We get the take of&nbsp;
Fatma Al Khayat from Arkat Urban Planning + Design
Tech journalist Kevin Sebastian updates us with all the changes Google is doing to Gmail.
A group of chemists and environmental scientists say many of the most alarming microplastics studies may be based on flawed detection methods. Some particles believed to be plastic could actually be natural fat, and key safety claims may not stand up to scrutiny.&nbsp;
And is ube the new matcha?
&nbsp;

Bus pooling for students

Just today, a major new report was released by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts  and the headline is hard to ignore: 2025 was officially the third warmest year on record. So what does this mean for governments, for businesses, and for all of us as individuals?

A powerful new documentary, titled simply Ocean, and presented by Sir David Attenborough, is being screened right here at WFES, and it’s designed to hit home with the people who have the power to act: climate policymakers and global investors.

Coral reefs are dying but one company is working to reverse that trend.
We also look at how AI is making a difference on the global energy system not just to decarbonise, but to become smarter, faster, and more resilient.

We speak to a company unveiling the world’s highest-capacity hard drive.
As the UAE continues to push its sustainability agenda forward, new partnerships are forming right here at WFES to tackle waste management and circular economy goals. BEEAH has signed a new joint venture with KEZAD Group, aimed at boosting waste management and circular economy services across Abu Dhabi’s industrial zones.

And we meet the man behind Jade, that uses AI-powered educational games to detect and support children with autism and other neurodiverse conditions.

Just today, a major new report was released by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts &nbsp;and the headline is hard to ignore: 2025 was officially the third warmest year on record. So what does this mean for governments, for businesses, and for all of us as individuals?
A powerful new documentary, titled simply Ocean, and presented by Sir David Attenborough, is being screened right here at WFES, and it&rsquo;s designed to hit home with the people who have the power to act: climate policymakers and global investors.
Coral reefs are dying but one company is working to reverse that trend. We also look at how AI is making a difference on the global energy system not just to decarbonise, but to become smarter, faster, and more resilient.
We speak to a company unveiling the world&rsquo;s highest-capacity hard drive. As the UAE continues to push its sustainability agenda forward, new partnerships are forming right here at WFES to tackle waste management and circular economy goals. BEEAH has signed a new joint venture with KEZAD Group, aimed at boosting waste management and circular economy services across Abu Dhabi&rsquo;s industrial zones.
And we meet the man behind Jade, that uses AI-powered educational games to detect and support children with autism and other neurodiverse conditions.

Environmental focus on The Agenda at the World Future Energy Summit

Etihad Airways has been named the world’s safest airline for 2026, and we ask AirlineRatings what set it apart.

As the UK moves to clamp down on AI deepfakes, British TV personality Narinder Kaur speaks out after being targeted using Elon Musk’s AI tool Grok.

OpenAI is rolling out AI-powered health advice, but critics warn handing chatbots your medical data could be a privacy minefield.

With 96% of UAE residents eating too much salt, the Ministry of Health and Prevention explains what new regulations could mean for your food.

Etihad Airways has been named the world&rsquo;s safest airline for 2026, and we ask AirlineRatings what set it apart.
As the UK moves to clamp down on AI deepfakes, British TV personality Narinder Kaur speaks out after being targeted using Elon Musk&rsquo;s AI tool Grok.
OpenAI is rolling out AI-powered health advice, but critics warn handing chatbots your medical data could be a privacy minefield.
With 96% of UAE residents eating too much salt, the Ministry of Health and Prevention explains what new regulations could mean for your food.

Flying taxis and traffic jams

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