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SHARJAH, 15th October, 2026 (WAM) — Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Holding, said artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions, with AI agents now playing a role in around 9 percent of the group’s customer transactions by recommending products, influencing choices or directing purchases, up from virtually zero a few months ago. The shift underscores technology’s growing role in shaping the future of commerce and retail. Speaking during “The Consumer of 2035” session at the ninth Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF) 2026, Ismail highlighted key changes in consumer behaviour. Organised by the Sharjah FDI…
JIUQUAN, 15th October, 2026 (WAM) — China successfully launched a Zhuque-2E Y4 carrier rocket on Wednesday, placing 10 satellites into their planned orbits. The rocket lifted off at 7:40 pm Beijing time from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwestern China, according to Xinhua. The mission was declared a success. Source: Emirates News Agency
DUBAI, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — The UAE men’s and women’s national rugby teams will compete in the second leg of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The UAE Rugby Federation announced in a statement that the delegation will depart for Colombo tomorrow, led by Secretary-General Mohamed Sultan Al Zaabi, ahead of the competition. The men’s team finished sixth and the women’s team seventh in the opening leg, held in Suzhou, China, last August. The men’s team will compete in Pool A alongside Sri Lanka, India and Hong Kong. They…
DUBAI, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) and the Emirates Group to establish a long-term framework for cooperation in developing future leaders in the aviation sector. The signing took place during the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, the premier annual gathering dedicated to management and leadership. Organised by MBRCLD, the Forum brought together 1,000 senior figures from Dubai’s government and private sectors to discuss the future transformation…
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he wants to see Pope Leo XIV “get well” after the pontiff underwent surgery in Rome this week to remove a cancerous tumor. “I want to see Pope Leo get well,” Trump told reporters after addressing a campaign rally in Arizona. “It’s big stuff. Anytime you have cancer, but the prognosis seems to be good.” “I just want to wish him well. Get better fast,” the president added. Pope Leo’s doctors said Wednesday that he was out of bed, walking and eating after the removal of a cancerous tumor from his lung. Now the…
SHARJAH, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to test investment proposals at an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, providing alternative arguments for investment committees while human reviewers check its analysis, delegates at Sharjah Investment Forum 2026 (SIF 2026) heard on Wednesday. Maria Sanchez, Senior Vice President of AI Product Delivery at Inception (G42), outlined the deployment at the fund – which she did not name – during the “Powering Adaptive Economies with Agentic AI” panel discussion. The panel also featured Rima Semaan, Chief Solutions Officer at Microsoft UAE, and was moderated by Kunal Devani, Partner,…
SHARJAH, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) –The Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA), organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), announced the nominees for the Partner Awards at its 13th edition, presented in collaboration with local and international organisations. Nominations include projects and initiatives from government entities, private companies, academic institutions and international organisations, addressing major social and developmental challenges. The Partner Awards cover six categories, with entries ranging from environmental awareness campaigns and digital public services to climate adaptation, financial education and artificial intelligence. Three initiatives from Thailand, the Philippines and India are competing in the “Best Communication Practices Dealing…
SHARJAH, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — The ninth Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2026) hosted a series of workshops on Wednesday examining how artificial intelligence, resilient supply chains and commercial arbitration can help businesses meet regulatory requirements, manage risks and support investment. As UAE tax regulations continue to evolve, specialised AI systems are helping businesses access legislation, identify applicable rules and manage compliance obligations. These applications were examined during ‘Investing in the UAE: How AI Simplifies Tax and Compliance’. Omar Odeh, CEO and Founder of MIO & Partners and Asly AI, said: “The UAE’s tax landscape has changed considerably since 2018,…
SHARJAH, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — Leading government officials, business leaders and investors at the Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF 2026) highlighted the need to move beyond facilitating business establishment towards creating the conditions for companies to expand, reinvest and sustain long-term growth. The insights and opinions were shared during a discussion, held on the opening day’s panel ‘Beyond Ease of Doing Business: Building Economies Where Businesses Grow,’ led by Hussein Al Mahmoudi, CEO of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK); Abdelaziz Alshamsi, Assistant Director General for Communication and Business Sector at Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI); Mariam…
ABU DHABI, 14th October, 2026 (WAM) — H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Economic Partnership between the two countries. During a meeting in Abu Dhabi, the two top diplomats reviewed the continued progress in bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including the economy, trade and investment, as well as other areas supporting the development priorities of both countries. H.H. Sheikh Abdullah welcomed Dr. Jaishankar, reaffirming the deep-rooted, long-standing ties between…