In London, Wolfgang began searching for his father with growing urgency after losing contact with him in the United Arab Emirates. Unable to reach Albert directly, he contacted associates in the country and began tracing possible leads.

Initial concerns centred on reports of violence along border regions, where Wolfgang believed smugglers might have been involved. He organised searches along known transit routes and contacted hospitals and police authorities, but no information emerged during the first week.

Roughly ten days later, Wolfgang received a call from an unfamiliar UAE number. Albert, speaking amid audible background noise, confirmed he was alive but in distress. By that point, he had already spent days in solitary confinement, according to his account.The episode unfolded against a backdrop of heightened regional instability that has begun to affect perceptions of the UAE as a secure destination for foreign residents.

In recent weeks, missile strikes linked to the conflict involving Iran have disrupted daily life in parts of the country, prompting some expatriates and visitors to leave. The developments have challenged the long-standing narrative of the UAE as a stable regional hub.Authorities have also tightened information controls during the crisis.

Influencers, who have required government licensing since 2025, along with members of the public, have been warned against sharing unverified footage of attacks. Violations carry the risk of fines or imprisonment. Reports indicate that more than 20 individuals, including a British tourist, have faced charges related to the dissemination of such material.

Before the escalation in regional tensions, the UAE hosted an estimated 250,000 British expatriates, many concentrated in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The country has attracted foreign professionals and entrepreneurs with low taxation, modern infrastructure and business opportunities.

At the same time, its legal and political framework differs significantly from Western systems, with restrictions on political activity, strict social regulations and extensive surveillance infrastructure.Wolfgang and Albert were among earlier waves of expatriates who built businesses during periods of rapid development. Wolfgang described a social environment in which expatriates were integrated into high-profile networks, often participating in events that showcased Dubai’s global image.

He said expatriates like himself were used to project success, describing the experience as “the proof in the pudding” of opportunity in the city.Albert, however, characterised his time in the UAE differently, focusing primarily on work and family life. He said he avoided risky or informal business practices, believing that legal processes in the country operated fairly.

That assumption changed after his detention.According to Albert, his legal situation deteriorated rapidly. He described escalating legal costs, asset seizures and pressure from creditors as his case moved through the courts. Legal advice he received suggested that his chances of success were limited.

He said he had not previously encountered the concept of financial entrapment, but claimed that many inmates he later met had faced similar circumstances.As legal avenues narrowed, Wolfgang explored options to extract his father from the country.

He said he arranged contact with a people-smuggling network in London and agreed to pay £20,000 for an operation that would move Albert across borders through a multi-stage route involving land and sea transit. The plan involved crossing into Iran and eventually reaching Pakistan before returning to the United Kingdom using emergency documentation.

Albert’s detention continued during this period. He was eventually transferred in June 2021 to Al Awir prison in Dubai, a large facility on the outskirts of the city. There, he shared a cell with multiple inmates, including individuals from various national backgrounds. He described conditions as overcrowded, with up to 15 prisoners sharing limited sleeping arrangements and basic amenities.

Foreign nationals make up a significant proportion of the UAE’s prison population, reflecting the country’s broader demographic composition. Many detainees come from South Asia, often linked to labour migration under the kafala system, which ties workers’ legal status to their employers.

Albert said that living conditions depended in part on access to financial support from outside the prison. He reported paying for basic items, including a chair to accommodate a pre-existing back condition. Access to facilities such as gyms and libraries was limited, with long waiting periods.

Daily life inside the prison was marked by inactivity and restricted communication. Albert said visits from family and legal representatives were blocked, and he developed coping mechanisms to manage extended periods of confinement. He described irregular sleep patterns and persistent noise within the facility.He also said he was pressured to sign legal documents written in Arabic, a language he did not understand.

He maintained that his case involved coercion and lacked transparency, though no official response to these claims was provided in the material.The experience has highlighted broader tensions within the UAE’s model of economic openness combined with strict legal enforcement.

While the country continues to attract foreign investment and talent, cases involving expatriates have drawn attention to the risks associated with its legal system, particularly for individuals unfamiliar with local regulations.

Wolfgang’s account underscores the challenges faced by families attempting to navigate cross-border legal disputes in jurisdictions with differing legal frameworks.

His efforts to locate and assist his father unfolded alongside a shifting geopolitical environment that has begun to affect both the perception and lived reality of expatriate life in the Gulf.

The airline’s notice did not specify the duration of the restriction or provide detailed justification, but the move comes against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical frictions in the region.

Separately, the website of budget carrier Flydubai indicated that Iranian nationals holding a valid UAE “Golden Visa” are exempt from the restriction and remain eligible to enter and transit the country.

The exemption suggests that long-term residency status continues to be recognized despite broader entry limitations.Neither Emirates nor Flydubai immediately issued additional statements clarifying operational details, including whether the restrictions apply uniformly across all routes or are subject to further regulatory guidance.

The UAE authorities have not publicly outlined a comprehensive policy announcement accompanying the airline updates. However, aviation advisories and carrier-level restrictions are often aligned with government directives during periods of regional instability.

The measures coincide with rising tensions involving Iran and neighboring states, which have increasingly affected aviation routes, airspace usage, and cross-border mobility. Airlines operating in the Gulf have in recent years adjusted policies in response to security concerns, diplomatic developments, and regulatory changes.

It remains unclear how many passengers may be affected by the restriction or whether additional carriers operating to the UAE will adopt similar measures.

The UAE’s Interior Ministry identified the convicted individuals as Olimpi Toirovich, 28, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, 28, and Azizbek Kamlovich, 33. Authorities arrested the three men shortly after the crime, launching a swift investigation and legal proceedings.

Rabbi Kogan, 28, a young emissary dedicated to fostering Jewish life in the region, was reported missing on November 21, 2024. Three days later, his body was discovered in Al Ain, near the Omani border, sending shockwaves through the Jewish community and beyond.

The tragic loss of the young rabbi, who managed a kosher supermarket in Dubai and played a key role in Jewish outreach, has raised concerns about the safety of Jewish residents and visitors in the Gulf region.

According to reports, the suspects acted under orders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and had been tracking Rabbi Kogan’s movements before abducting and killing him. This revelation has heightened tensions in an already sensitive geopolitical landscape.

The UAE’s swift legal response reflects its commitment to justice and the safety of its diverse communities. Emirati authorities have been praised for their decisive action, reinforcing the nation’s stance on security and coexistence.

Rabbi Kogan’s tragic death serves as a solemn reminder of the threats faced by religious minorities and the importance of vigilance in protecting all communities.

However, there is no official confirmation from Emirati authorities.

The joyous news was announced on Saturday, marking a celebratory occasion for the Al Maktoum family and the people of the UAE. Sheikh Hamdan, widely known as “Fazza,” shared the happiness with his followers and well-wishers as messages of congratulations poured in from across the region and beyond.

In Arabic, the name “Hind” (هند) holds deep cultural significance. It traditionally refers to the Indian subcontinent, but it also carries the meaning of “doe” or “female deer,” symbolizing grace and beauty. The name has been historically significant in the Arab world, often associated with nobility and strength.

Sheikh Hamdan, known for his deep connection with the people of Dubai and his passion for adventure, poetry, and philanthropy, continues to be one of the most admired leaders of the younger generation in the Middle East. The birth of his daughter adds another moment of pride and joy for the royal family.

The people of the UAE have taken to social media to express their heartfelt congratulations, with many praising the choice of the name and celebrating the expansion of the royal lineage.

This marks another milestone in Sheikh Hamdan’s life, as he and his family embrace the blessings of parenthood. The UAE leadership and citizens are joining in the celebration, wishing good health and happiness to the newborn and her parents.

The crash occurred off the coast of Dubai after the helicopter had taken off from Al Maktoum International Airport. One of the pilots of the Bell 212 helicopter is Egyptian and the other is South African, the aviation regulator said.

“The search and rescue teams have recovered the wreckage, and the search is still underway for the plane’s crew, and the air accident investigation team has moved to the site,” the authority said.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s oil-rich capital, eventually stepped in with a $20 billion lifeline, widely expected to be rolled over for a third time.

Buoyed by a swift economic rebound post-COVID, Dubai is racing to attract people and capital to drive long-term growth, betting it can avoid past debt crises that dented its global ambitions.

The approach pursued by the glitzy Gulf city-state is a reboot of a flamboyant economic model that for decades focused on property investment, tourism and inflows of foreign capital.

Property is booming once more — helped by Russian demand amid war in Ukraine and laxer residency rules — and analysts this time see more guardrails in place against any repeat of the problems that subdued Dubai after the 2008 global credit crunch.

Home to the world’s tallest tower and man-made islands, Dubai is chasing lofty new goals: A 10-year economic plan known as D33 aims to double the economy’s size and make Dubai one of the top four global financial centres in a decade.

It also wants to increase the length of its public beaches to 105 km from 21 km by 2040 and revive the dusty Palm Jebel Ali island abandoned in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

Tourist numbers in 2023 are almost back to levels of 2019, and last year Dubai was the world’s fourth busiest ultra-prime property market, with 219 home sales over $10 million, according to Knight Frank research.

At the same time, the property price surge and demand for the ultra-high-end segment is stirring memories of old excesses.

In 2008, the global financial crisis hit Dubai hard, leading to a flight of capital and people, a crash in property prices and highly leveraged flagship companies known as government-related entities (GREs) struggling to repay debts.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s oil-rich capital, eventually stepped in with a $20 billion lifeline, widely expected to be rolled over for a third time.

Nasser Al Shaikh, head of Dubai’s finance department until 2009, told Reuters there is a risk Dubai will become too expensive to live in, and new developments need to ensure ample supply to meet demand for mid-income property as the population grows.

“If private developers cannot provide that, then the government and GREs could play a bigger role to do that and keep prices reasonable,” Shaikh said, referring to the leading companies that have spearheaded Dubai’s breakneck growth.

Dubai’s population grew to over 3.55 million in 2022, official statistics show, up 2.1% from 2021, and 4% since 2020; S&P estimates it to surpass 4 million by 2026.

Lessons Learned

“There is always the risk of a major new round of borrowing (by GRE developers) on unrealistic expectations for real estate sales; however, I am hopeful that learning from previous cycles will mitigate this risk,” said Justin Alexander, director at Khalij Economics and Gulf analyst at GlobalSource Partners.

The Dubai Media Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how its strategy is working towards ensuring growth is sustainable and not speculative.

Dubai set up a Debt Management Office in 2022, has repaid or restructured some outstanding debt, and announced plans to list government stakes in 10 companies to raise capital and deepen financial markets. It listed four of those last year.

Shaikh said current finance officials have learned from the experiences of the last 15 years.

“Dubai has a strategy today, and development of capital markets is an important component of Dubai’s overall financial proposition, not only to generate liquidity and to pay off debt but also to deepen capital markets within the financial sector.”

‘Global Safe Haven,

The United Arab Emirates’ commercial centre, Dubai has shovelled resources into social and business reforms and sectors like digital technology. Oil revenue accounts for less than 2% of GDP, unlike the deep-pocketed capital Abu Dhabi.

Average property prices rose 12.8% in Q1, with villa prices up almost 15%, according to property research firm CBRE. Villa sales have surpassed 2014 highs. Russian buyers were third in Betterhomes’ May top 10 buyers, behind India and the UK.

“Dubai has really set itself as a global safe haven,” said Richard Waind, group managing director at Betterhomes in Dubai, adding it was safe for families and stable politically and financially.

“It’s no longer a speculative market. It’s a market built on genuine investment. I think that’s a very big difference to what we saw in 2008-2009 and perhaps the last peak around 2014.”Reuters Graphics

The rebound has also bolstered balance sheets of top Dubai Inc companies, including GREs such as Emirates airline, and majority government-owned but listed Emirates NBD (ENBD.DU) and Emaar Properties.

S&P has estimated Dubai’s gross general government debt will fall to 51% of GDP, or about $66 billion by the end of 2023, from 78% of GDP in 2020, although broader public sector debt will stay elevated at about 100% of GDP due to high non-financial GRE liabilities.

Dubai’s five-year credit default swaps, the cost of insuring against a default, reached a historic low of 66 basis points on March 8 this year, well below 316, the highest level it reached during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.Reuters Graphics

Transparency

Last year, Dubai attracted an estimated $12.8 billion in foreign direct investment capital according to the 2022 Financial Times ‘fDi Markets’ report published last month; FDI into Saudi Arabia was about 30 billion riyals ($8 billion).

Despite growing competition, Dubai’s infrastructure, schools and hospitals remain in high demand.

“Dubai has been one of the most resilient destinations,” said Philippe Zuber, CEO of Kerzner International which operates the luxury Atlantis and One&Only resorts, adding Dubai had kept borders open and businesses strong during COVID.

Kerzner, part-owned by Dubai’s sovereign wealth fund, opened the “ultra luxury” Atlantis the Royal in 2023, its second Atlantis resort on Palm Jumeirah island. The Royal Mansion Penthouse, where Beyonce once stayed, costs $100,000 a night.

The emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) plans to invite investment banks to pitch for advisory work which may include a possible assessment for Dubai Taxi Corporation, said the sources, who sought anonymity as the matter is not public.

However, no final decisions have been made in the deliberations, still at very early stages, with any transaction subject to market conditions, one of the sources said.

The RTA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Wednesday.

Last year, the RTA raised $1 billion and drew orders of $50 billion from selling a 24.9% stake in the public-share sale of its toll-road business Salik (SALIK.DU).

Dubai Taxi Corp began operations in 1995 with a fleet of 81 cabs that has grown to exceed 5,000 vehicles, its website shows, and also provides services such as commercial buses, school buses, limousine rentals and airport taxis.

In February, the RTA said it aimed to make its taxis 100% environmentally friendly by 2027, through use of hybrid, electric and hydrogen power.

Dubai, the region’s financial hub, saw five IPOs rake in nearly $8.5 billion in proceeds last year, fuelled by a government privatisation plan to list 10 state-linked firms to boost stock market activity.

Market watchers feel such future IPO candidates could be energy company ENOC and airport services provider dnata, though the firms and the government have made no public comment.

The Middle East has seen flotations this year by Oman oil driller Abraj Energy (ABRJ.OM) and Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Gas (ADNOCGAS.AD).

Regional companies raised $21.9 billion through IPOs last year, more than half the total for the wider Europe, Middle East and Africa region, Dealogic data shows.

Dubai (AP) — Who says you cannot reach for the moon? A proposed $5 billion real estate project wants to take skyscraper-studded Dubai to new heights — by bringing a symbol of the heavens down to Earth.

Canadian entrepreneur Michael Henderson envisions building a 274-meter (900-foot) replica of the moon atop a 30-meter (100-foot) building in Dubai, already home to the world’s tallest building and other architectural wonders.

Henderson’s project, dubbed MOON, may sound out of this world, but it could easily fit in this futuristic city-state. Dubai already has a red-hot real estate market, fueled by the wealthy who fled restrictions imposed in their home countries during the coronavirus pandemic and Russians seeking refuge amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

And even though a previous booms-and-bust cycle saw many grand projects collapse, Henderson and others suggest his vision, funded by Moon World Resorts Inc., where he is the co-founder, might not be that far-fetched.

“We have the biggest ‘brand’ in the world,” Henderson told The Associated Press, alluding that the moon itself — the heavenly body — was his brand. “Eight billion people know our brand, and we haven’t even started yet.”

The project Henderson proposes includes a destination resort inside the spherical structure, complete with a 4,000-room hotel, an arena capable of hosting 10,000 people and a “lunar colony” that would give guests the sensation of actually walking on the moon.

The MOON would sit on a pedestal-like circular building beneath it and would glow at night. Henderson discussed the project at the Arabian Travel Market earlier in May in Dubai.

Already, artist renderings commissioned by Moon World Resorts have played with the location for his MOON — including at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at a height of 828 meters (2,710 feet). Others have placed it at the Dubai Pearl, a long-dormant project now being destroyed near the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago, and on its unfinished sister, the Palm Jebel Ali.

The Pearl and the Palm Jebel Ali represent two “white elephant” projects left over from the 2009 financial crisis that rocked the sheikhdom and forced Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to provide Dubai with a $20 billion bailout.

Now nearly 15 years later, Dubai largely has turned around. Rents on average across Dubai are up 26.9% year-on-year, even with anti-price-gouging protections. Dubai saw 86,849 residential sales last year, beating a previous record of 80,831 from 2009.

“Dubai is in a completely different world compared to” 2009, said Lewis Allsopp, the CEO of the prominent Dubai real estate agency Allsopp & Allsopp. Launched products are “selling out on the spot.”

Inflation and interest rate hikes around the world have led to fears of a global recession. The UAE’s currency, the dirham, is pegged to the dollar, meaning it has followed lock-step the hikes imposed by the Federal Reserve.

But cash still remains king for Dubai buyers, with fourth-fifths of transactions paid in currency without financing in 2022, said Faisal Durrani, the head of Middle East research at real estate agency Knight Frank.

“You could argue that the interest rate hikes that are taking place, to an extent the market is a little bit shielded from that given the fact that so much of the transactional activity has been driven by cash,” Durrani said.

Other major projects are moving ahead.

Nakheel, the state-owned developer behind the Palm Jebel Ali, has relaunched development plans for it. The developer also unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan to build 80 resorts and hotels on the man-made Dubai Islands, though it remains largely empty and under the flight path of the nearby Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel.

The MOON project also includes space for a possible casino as well. Gambling remains illegal in the UAE, a federation of seven hereditarily ruled sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. However, major brands like Caesar’s Palace already exist or hope to build in Dubai. Wynn Resorts plans to build a $3.9 resort in Ras al-Khaimah north of Dubai with gambling to open in 2027 — meaning a change to the law is likely to come.

Like other high-profile, eye-catching marvels, the MOON could fit well into “the legitimacy formula of Dubai’s ruling elite,” said Christopher Davidson, a Middle East expert who wrote the recent book “From Sheikhs to Sultanism.” Dubai also hosts the UAE’s space center, which has sent a probe to Mars and unsuccessfully tried to put a rover on the moon.

“They can be seen as a non-democratic elite but nonetheless believe strongly in science and progress — and that’s ultimately very legitimizing and a megaproject like this would seem to tick all of those boxes,” Davidson said.

Henderson’s plan would go a step further than other globe-shaped projects, such as the MSG Sphere, a $2.3 billion dome blanketed by LED screens, that is set to open in Las Vegas later this year.

His structure would be fully spherical, and could be illuminated alternatively as a full, half or crescent moon.

The brightness may not go down well with potential neighbors — plans to build another MSG Sphere in London were halted after residents protested the significant light pollution and disruption the structure would cause.

“It’s hard to please everybody,” Henderson acknowledged. “You might need dark curtains.”

Dubai Chambers, which represents the emirate’s business community interests, has set up the Dubai Centre for Family Businesses to educate firms on leadership transition, planning and growth, it said.

Dubai, a regional trade and tourism hub, also plans to start a family business dispute centre to resolve conflicts outside of the courts, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, chairman of Dubai Chambers, told Reuters.

Family-owned businesses contribute 60% of the United Arab Emirates Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 80% of its workforce, consultancy KPMG said in a report last year.

“The size of the family business in the last 50 years has changed from smaller business to become multi-billion dollar businesses … it is becoming more critical to ensure that the transition from the founder to the next generation becomes very smooth, trouble free,” said Ghurair.

When Majid Al Futtaim, Forbes Magazine’s third-richest Arab businessman in 2021, died in December 2021, a special judicial committee was formed to weigh in on potential legal disputes with heirs. His conglomerate, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), has roughly $16 billion in assets including an indoor ski resort in Dubai.

Involving and educating the next generation within family businesses before the death of the founder is important, Ghurair said.

“Sisters and mothers need also to be educated because someday they will be owners of this business, someday they will be asked to vote,” he said.

A new UAE Family Companies Law, which came into effect in January, aimed to improve how companies transition to successive generations.

“For the next two, three years, we have enough legislation to help us,” Ghurair said, adding that new legislation might be needed after that.

The blaze Saturday in the Al Murar area of Dubai’s historic Deira neighborhood struck an apartment believed to have been shared by multiple individuals, a common practice for laborers who power the economy in this city-state known more for its towering skyscrapers. But the tight quarters, often subdivided by makeshift barriers of plywood, drywall or shower curtains, can become a major risk in fires.

A statement from Dubai Civil Defense issued by the city-state’s Dubai Media Office gave the death toll. Authorities did not answer questions from The Associated Press.

On Sunday, char marks could be seen on the five-story apartment building, home also to a grocery store, a smoke shop and other businesses on its ground floor. Yellow police crime scene tape cordoned off the building, which also still had a heavy police presence. Massive Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s owned by the long-haul carrier Emirates roared overhead as the neighborhood sits only 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Dubai International Airport along its flight path.

On several neighboring balconies, a wardrobe’s worth of clothes could be seen hanging — a common practice when closets are converted into living space for laborers sharing an apartment that was initially designed for a single family. That’s seen throughout Deira, which is located alongside the Dubai Creek and is also home to its gold and spice markets, a major tourist attraction in the city.

A man working nearby at the time of the blaze put the start of the fire at just after noon Saturday. He told the AP that there had been an explosion, like from a gas cylinder catching fire, followed by thick black smoke. He said neighbors believed people were asleep inside at the time, something typical for the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan when the faithful abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset.

A Dubai police officer stopped the AP journalist from talking to the man before he gave his name and told the reporter to leave the area.

The Dubai Civil Defense statement described the fire as starting on the fourth floor. The char marks could be seen on the fifth floor, where glass appeared to have been blown out by the blaze.

“Preliminary investigations showed that lack of compliance with building security and safety requirements caused the fire,” the statement said. “Relevant authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation to provide a detailed report on the causes of the” fire.

The statement did not elaborate. The building’s management declined to answer any questions when reached by the AP, citing the ongoing police investigation. It wasn’t immediately clear who owned the building.

Dubai in recent years has faced a spate of high-rise fires, fueled by flammable siding material. However, other fires at warehouses and smaller structures can strike, particularly in the summer when temperatures top 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). On Saturday, Dubai saw a high of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) with strong winds.

Illegal apartment partitioning has been a problem in Dubai for decades, worsened when the city-state sees real estate booms and economic growth like it now is experiencing. Authorities have launched crackdowns in the past, but landlords persist in offering partitioned apartments as workers from Africa and Asia try to save every penny to send back home.