An organisation formed in Dubai is calling out to Keralans who may own an unoccupied home to offer it up as a temporary shelter for landslide victims who have lost everything. We speak to the founder of Support Wayanad, Muneer Alwafaa.

An organisation formed in Dubai is calling out to Keralans who may own an unoccupied home to offer it up as a temporary shelter for landslide victims who have lost everything. We speak to the founder of Support Wayanad, Muneer Alwafaa.

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

Homes for Kerala landslide victims

If you’re a regular traveler through Dubai International Airport, you may have noticed 
something new at the gates: discreet biometric cameras quietly tracking passenger 
movement through immigration and boarding. So how exactly does this technology 
work? Where is it being used? And what does it mean for the future of air travel?
We speak with the company behind the tech, Chris Rous, VP of Middle East and Africa 
for EMEA Airports & Borders at Amadeus.


We also ask: where is our data going? Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence and 
Data Science Dr. Ikram Rehman has the answers.


Abu Dhabi is set to get an emirate-wide vertiport system, laying the groundwork for 
air taxis to become part of everyday life. We get details from the Abu Dhabi 
Investment Office, the body leading this futuristic rollout through its SAVI cluster.


What happened to all the water on Mars? It’s one of the biggest mysteries in planetary 
science and now, new research from NYU Abu Dhabi is offering some fresh insight.

And we analyse how the ancient city of Venice has stood for centuries on marshy, 
unstable ground.

If you&rsquo;re a regular traveler through Dubai International Airport, you may have noticed&nbsp; something new at the gates: discreet biometric cameras quietly tracking passenger&nbsp; movement through immigration and boarding. So how exactly does this technology&nbsp; work? Where is it being used? And what does it mean for the future of air travel? We speak with the company behind the tech, Chris Rous, VP of Middle East and Africa&nbsp; for EMEA Airports &amp; Borders at Amadeus.
 We also ask: where is our data going? Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence and&nbsp; Data Science Dr. Ikram Rehman has the answers.
 Abu Dhabi is set to get an emirate-wide vertiport system, laying the groundwork for&nbsp; air taxis to become part of everyday life. We get details from the Abu Dhabi&nbsp; Investment Office, the body leading this futuristic rollout through its SAVI cluster.
 What happened to all the water on Mars? It&rsquo;s one of the biggest mysteries in planetary&nbsp; science and now, new research from NYU Abu Dhabi is offering some fresh insight.
And we analyse how the ancient city of Venice has stood for centuries on marshy,&nbsp; unstable ground.

The Rise of Facial Recognition in Aviation

If you're part of the UAE’s cycling community, chances are you’ve stopped by Wolfi’s Bike Shop at some point. It’s been a fixture on Sheikh Zayed Road for more than two decades, known not just for bikes, but for building a real cycling community here in the city. But last week, the store was forced to temporarily close its doors after a fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday. Katie speaks with Wolfgang Hohmann, founder of Wolfi’s. 

Now, we are just 7 weeks and 1 day away from New Year’s Eve, and in Dubai, that means millions of people pouring into the city’s most iconic spots, from Downtown and Burj Khalifa to The Palm and Dubai Festival City. And while most of us are busy deciding which fireworks spot has the best view, there’s a whole city-wide machine gearing up behind the scenes to make sure we all get there… and back… smoothly.

In the first half of this year alone, Ajman recorded AED 12.4 billion in property transactions, that’s a 37% increase compared to the same period last year. And in just one month, in May 2025, more than 1,800 deals were recorded, worth around AED 2.3 billion. So what’s driving this surge? Are you considering shifting to Ajman?

And why do we yawn? Apparently it's really good for our brain.

If you're part of the UAE&rsquo;s cycling community, chances are you&rsquo;ve stopped by Wolfi&rsquo;s Bike Shop at some point. It&rsquo;s been a fixture on Sheikh Zayed Road for more than two decades, known not just for bikes, but for building a real cycling community here in the city. But last week, the store was forced to temporarily close its doors after a fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday. Katie speaks with Wolfgang Hohmann, founder of Wolfi&rsquo;s.&nbsp;
Now, we are just 7 weeks and 1 day away from New Year&rsquo;s Eve, and in Dubai, that means millions of people pouring into the city&rsquo;s most iconic spots, from Downtown and Burj Khalifa to The Palm and Dubai Festival City. And while most of us are busy deciding which fireworks spot has the best view, there&rsquo;s a whole city-wide machine gearing up behind the scenes to make sure we all get there&hellip; and back&hellip; smoothly.
In the first half of this year alone, Ajman recorded AED 12.4 billion in property transactions, that&rsquo;s a 37% increase compared to the same period last year. And in just one month, in May 2025, more than 1,800 deals were recorded, worth around AED 2.3 billion. So what&rsquo;s driving this surge? Are you considering shifting to Ajman?
And why do we yawn? Apparently it's really good for our brain.

How's Wolfi's now?

With road and metro traffic feeling the pressure from our ever-growing population in the emirates, we've been hearing about plans to transform the country's infrastructure. Residents have been reacting to last week's announcement of a massive AED 170 billion national infrastructure plan that is looking to alleviate the pressure on the country's transportation system by 2030. We speak to infrastructure expert Chris Seymour. 

As the international museum community descends in Dubai this week to attend the ‘ICOM Dubai 2025’ event, we look at what it means for the UAE's cultural and heritage sector.

Do you prefer herbal "medications" - well a batch of a popular Thai inhaler has been recalled in the UAE; we catch up with a medical expert on the risks of contaminated products. 

And do you love the idea of a snowy Christmas? Winter markets in Austria, Germany, Switzerland. Cozied up in a sweater drinking hot chocolate. It's a dream for many... but the clock is ticking if you're still trying to winter in Europe and you need a visa. 

 

With road and metro traffic feeling the pressure from our ever-growing population in the emirates, we've been hearing about plans to transform the country's infrastructure. Residents have been reacting to last week's announcement of a massive AED 170 billion national infrastructure plan that is looking to alleviate the pressure on the country's transportation system by 2030. We speak to infrastructure expert Chris Seymour.&nbsp;
As the international museum community descends in Dubai this week to attend the &lsquo;ICOM Dubai 2025&rsquo; event, we look at what it means for the UAE's cultural and heritage sector.
Do you prefer herbal "medications" - well a batch of a popular Thai inhaler has been recalled in the UAE; we catch up with a medical expert on the risks of contaminated products.&nbsp;
And do you love the idea of a snowy Christmas? Winter markets in Austria, Germany, Switzerland. Cozied up in a sweater drinking hot chocolate. It's a dream for many... but the clock is ticking if you're still trying to winter in Europe and you need a visa.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Homes for Kerala landslide victims

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