Flights in and out of Riyadh were disrupted after a missile was intercepted over the Saudi capital. So should we be nervous about flying while the conflict continues?

We take a closer look at AI - how dangerous is it really, could it help develop better cancer treatments.

Ed Sheeran has spoken out about Gaza, raising the question: should pop stars keep politics off the stage?

Flights in and out of Riyadh were disrupted after a missile was intercepted over the Saudi capital. So should we be nervous about flying while the conflict continues?
We take a closer look at AI - how dangerous is it really, could it help develop better cancer treatments.
Ed Sheeran has spoken out about Gaza, raising the question: should pop stars keep politics off the stage?

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

Should we be nervous about flying amid regional disruption?

A Dubai teenager is turning a conversation with an exhausted delivery rider into a business idea with a social conscience, launching a low-cost rehydration product for outdoor workers.

CBSE Class 12 students in the UAE whose board exams were disrupted earlier this year now have another chance to sit those papers. But after a gap of more than six months, should they take it? We get advice from a headteacher.

We also look ahead to the launch of Etihad Rail’s Dubai passenger station next week, turning the spotlight on Fujairah. Could better rail links bring a new wave of tourists, investment and opportunities for local businesses?

Abu Dhabi is officially the Middle East’s leading city for artificial intelligence - and one of the best places in the world to build an AI industry. A new global index ranks the capital 11th in the world, so what is Abu Dhabi getting right, and what would it take to break into the global top ten?

Meanwhile, when was the last time you picked up a book? A reading caravan will travel across the UAE to encourage both children and adults to get back into literature.

And scarlet macaws are deliberately allowing some of their youngest chicks to starve. Scientists are now stepping in, taking the abandoned babies and placing them with foster parents.

A Dubai teenager is turning a conversation with an exhausted delivery rider into a business idea with a social conscience, launching a low-cost rehydration product for outdoor workers.
CBSE Class 12 students in the UAE whose board exams were disrupted earlier this year now have another chance to sit those papers. But after a gap of more than six months, should they take it? We get advice from a headteacher.
We also look ahead to the launch of Etihad Rail&rsquo;s Dubai passenger station next week, turning the spotlight on Fujairah. Could better rail links bring a new wave of tourists, investment and opportunities for local businesses?
Abu Dhabi is officially the Middle East&rsquo;s leading city for artificial intelligence - and one of the best places in the world to build an AI industry. A new global index ranks the capital 11th in the world, so what is Abu Dhabi getting right, and what would it take to break into the global top ten?
Meanwhile, when was the last time you picked up a book? A reading caravan will travel across the UAE to encourage both children and adults to get back into literature.
And scarlet macaws are deliberately allowing some of their youngest chicks to starve. Scientists are now stepping in, taking the abandoned babies and placing them with foster parents.

Dubai teenager tackles worker dehydration

The passenger train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi starts running next week, and we now know how much a ticket will cost. The Agenda's Katie Chambers has everything you need to know about the UAE's new commuter service.

We're also putting the spotlight on Al Ain, as the city looks to establish itself as a business centre in its own right - attracting major international companies and investing in new industries. But what can Al Ain offer that Abu Dhabi and Dubai don't? What role will its universities play in that growth? And what's it actually like to build a technology company there?

Remember the AI trend a couple of weeks ago, when we all turned ourselves into 1980s versions of ourselves - big hair, shoulder pads and questionable fashion choices included? If you tried it, did you think about the environmental footprint of your request? Should we be considering the climate every time we use ChatGPT?

Meanwhile, forget crisps or a fizzy drink - a new machine popping up around Dubai is dispensing something rather different: your next book. We'll find out how you can get involved.

And could watching the sunset actually be good for you? Research suggests those few minutes of changing light can trigger a powerful sense of awe, with some surprising benefits for our wellbeing.

The passenger train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi starts running next week, and we now know how much a ticket will cost. The Agenda's Katie Chambers has everything you need to know about the UAE's new commuter service.
We're also putting the spotlight on Al Ain, as the city looks to establish itself as a business centre in its own right - attracting major international companies and investing in new industries. But what can Al Ain offer that Abu Dhabi and Dubai don't? What role will its universities play in that growth? And what's it actually like to build a technology company there?
Remember the AI trend a couple of weeks ago, when we all turned ourselves into 1980s versions of ourselves - big hair, shoulder pads and questionable fashion choices included? If you tried it, did you think about the environmental footprint of your request? Should we be considering the climate every time we use ChatGPT?
Meanwhile, forget crisps or a fizzy drink - a new machine popping up around Dubai is dispensing something rather different: your next book. We'll find out how you can get involved.
And could watching the sunset actually be good for you? Research suggests those few minutes of changing light can trigger a powerful sense of awe, with some surprising benefits for our wellbeing.

Etihad Rail: Dubai fares revealed

Mortgage costs are heading higher after the UAE raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years. So how much more could you end up paying?

And when the conflict ends, will Middle East aviation be ready for travellers to come flooding back?

The red carpet is also coming back to Dubai. The Dubai International Film Festival will return in 2027, a decade after it disappeared from the city’s cultural calendar.

Meanwhile, hackers are stealing encrypted data today, hoping quantum computers will help them unlock it in the future. So how do we protect our secrets from technology that hasn’t even arrived yet?

Plus, should pop stars keep their politics off the stage? Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour over comments about Palestine, prompting other artists to pull out in solidarity.

We meet the Dubai couple who have rescued more than 6,000 drivers stranded in the desert - completely free of charge.

And would you take a halal-friendly cruise to Antarctica? The first voyage sold out, and now the company behind it is taking the idea to even more remote destinations.

Mortgage costs are heading higher after the UAE raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years. So how much more could you end up paying?
And when the conflict ends, will Middle East aviation be ready for travellers to come flooding back?
The red carpet is also coming back to Dubai. The Dubai International Film Festival will return in 2027, a decade after it disappeared from the city&rsquo;s cultural calendar.
Meanwhile, hackers are stealing encrypted data today, hoping quantum computers will help them unlock it in the future. So how do we protect our secrets from technology that hasn&rsquo;t even arrived yet?
Plus, should pop stars keep their politics off the stage? Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran&rsquo;s US tour over comments about Palestine, prompting other artists to pull out in solidarity.
We meet the Dubai couple who have rescued more than 6,000 drivers stranded in the desert - completely free of charge.
And would you take a halal-friendly cruise to Antarctica? The first voyage sold out, and now the company behind it is taking the idea to even more remote destinations.

Should we be nervous about flying amid regional disruption?

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