UAE banks start phasing out OTPs - what’s replacing them, and is it safer?

Meanwhile, insurance claims jump 20% after December rains - are companies paying out?

How to get more from your health insurance in 2026

Plus a Q&A on your consumer rights with Ahmad Ahli from Dubai Consumer Protection

You travel rights explained - refunds, delays, and cancellations made clear

UAE banks start phasing out OTPs - what&rsquo;s replacing them, and is it safer?
Meanwhile, insurance claims jump 20% after December rains - are companies paying out?
How to get more from your health insurance in 2026
Plus a Q&amp;A on your consumer rights with Ahmad Ahli from Dubai Consumer Protection
You travel rights explained - refunds, delays, and cancellations made clear

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

RIP of the OTP

Despite months of disruption, the Gulf is still forecast to be one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world.

A new report suggests visitor numbers could rise by around 10% a year over the next five years. We speak to the author of the study about what is driving that growth and whether the momentum can continue.

Meanwhile, Ras Al Khaimah is turning its attention from staycationers back to international tourists. The CEO of RAK Tourism joins us to discuss the billions of dirhams being invested in new hotels, attractions and tourism projects across the emirate.

And the UAE’s highest mountain is getting a major adventure upgrade. Jebel Jais is set to add an 80-kilometre hiking loop, with a route that could take around five days to complete.

Plus, the UAE is expanding its annual flu vaccination campaign. We ask who should be getting the jab and when.

And finally, a remarkable piece of travel history has gone under the hammer in Abu Dhabi, with a 700-year-old manuscript documenting the journeys of Ibn Battuta selling for nearly AED 1 million.

Despite months of disruption, the Gulf is still forecast to be one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world.
A new report suggests visitor numbers could rise by around 10% a year over the next five years. We speak to the author of the study about what is driving that growth and whether the momentum can continue.
Meanwhile, Ras Al Khaimah is turning its attention from staycationers back to international tourists. The CEO of RAK Tourism joins us to discuss the billions of dirhams being invested in new hotels, attractions and tourism projects across the emirate.
And the UAE&rsquo;s highest mountain is getting a major adventure upgrade. Jebel Jais is set to add an 80-kilometre hiking loop, with a route that could take around five days to complete.
Plus, the UAE is expanding its annual flu vaccination campaign. We ask who should be getting the jab and when.
And finally, a remarkable piece of travel history has gone under the hammer in Abu Dhabi, with a 700-year-old manuscript documenting the journeys of Ibn Battuta selling for nearly AED 1 million.

Gulf tourism set for 10% annual growth

Residents from Dubai Marina and JLT to The Springs, Al Barsha, Al Furjan and Discovery Gardens are reporting a persistent unpleasant smell. The Agenda team has reached out to Dubai Municipality for an interview/ statement and we're awaiting response. Meanwhile, the Municipality’s Call Centre confirmed to Gulf News it has received complaints and is aware of the problem. But when a smell is being reported across such a wide area, how do you actually work out what it is and where it’s coming from?

We also ask: Can a bad smell itself be harmful, and what symptoms should we be looking out for? 

Lots of focus on tourism as the Arabian Travel Market continues. We start with the smallest emirate of the UAE - Ajman. What does it have to offer people who perhaps haven’t explored it before?

We also discuss how artificial intelligence change how we book and plan our holidays

Plus, are we getting real Christmas trees this year?

Residents from Dubai Marina and JLT to The Springs, Al Barsha, Al Furjan and Discovery Gardens are reporting a persistent unpleasant smell. The Agenda team has reached out to Dubai Municipality for an interview/ statement and we're awaiting response. Meanwhile, the Municipality&rsquo;s Call Centre confirmed to Gulf News it has received complaints and is aware of the problem. But when a smell is being reported across such a wide area, how do you actually work out what it is and where it&rsquo;s coming from?
We also ask: Can a bad smell itself be harmful, and what symptoms should we be looking out for?&nbsp;
Lots of focus on tourism as the Arabian Travel Market continues. We start with the smallest emirate of the UAE - Ajman. What does it have to offer people who perhaps haven&rsquo;t explored it before?
We also discuss how artificial intelligence change how we book and plan our holidays
Plus, are we getting real Christmas trees this year?

How does an unpleasant smell affect you?

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, which is the company behind Claude, says AI capabilities are advancing dramatically, and argues that slowing development could buy researchers crucial time to make the technology safer. So how worried should we be about the speed at which AI is developing? 

The Boring Company is set to build more than 150 kilometres of tunnels across the UAE, as part of a new agreement with several investment companies based in the Emirates. The idea is to move passengers underground in electric vehicles, bypassing the traffic above. But does putting cars underground actually solve congestion?

Dubai welcomed around nearly 900,000 international visitors in August, its highest monthly figure since February, while hotel occupancy climbed from just 36% in March to 66% in August. So how long will it take Dubai tourism to fully recover, and what will drive the next stage of that recovery? 

The tourism industry is gathering in Dubai for Arabian Travel Market, at the start of what would traditionally be one of the UAE's busiest tourism seasons. But beyond getting visitors back, there's a longer-term challenge: finding and training the people needed to support the UAE's growing hospitality, tourism, sports and events industries. We speak to one academy that is on a mission to meet that demand.

Sisters Arva and Farida of Frying Pan Adventures join The Agenda to talk about their 13 years of showing Dubai to tourists,

And if you’re planning to buy the new iPhone 18, or even one of the foldables, watch where you click.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, which is the company behind Claude, says AI capabilities are advancing dramatically, and argues that slowing development could buy researchers crucial time to make the technology safer. So how worried should we be about the speed at which AI is developing?&nbsp;
The Boring Company is set to build more than 150 kilometres of tunnels across the UAE, as part of a new agreement with several investment companies based in the Emirates. The idea is to move passengers underground in electric vehicles, bypassing the traffic above. But does putting cars underground actually solve congestion?
Dubai welcomed around nearly 900,000 international visitors in August, its highest monthly figure since February, while hotel occupancy climbed from just 36% in March to 66% in August. So how long will it take Dubai tourism to fully recover, and what will drive the next stage of that recovery?&nbsp;
The tourism industry is gathering in Dubai for Arabian Travel Market, at the start of what would traditionally be one of the UAE's busiest tourism seasons. But beyond getting visitors back, there's a longer-term challenge: finding and training the people needed to support the UAE's growing hospitality, tourism, sports and events industries. We speak to one academy that is on a mission to meet that demand.
Sisters Arva and Farida of Frying Pan Adventures join The Agenda to talk about their 13 years of showing Dubai to tourists,
And if you&rsquo;re planning to buy the new iPhone 18, or even one of the foldables, watch where you click.

RIP of the OTP

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