REAL ESTATE-

Saudi Arabia’s SEDCO Capitalsigned an MoU to purchase an educational complex property in Dubai, according to a company disclosure to Tadawul. The purchase, worth AED 160.5 mn, will be financed through the corporation’s REIT fund, which invests in income-generating real estate, principally in Saudi Arabia.

Looking outside the kingdom: The Dubai complex has a land area of 36,690 sqm and a built-up area of 18,250 sqm. The foreign acquisition is part of the fund’s strategy to diversify its real estate portfolio, the disclosure said.

ENERGY-

Emirates becomes first airline to operate an A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), according to a press release. The flight took off from Dubai International Airport with one of four engines entirely powered by SAF, helping showcase SAF's viability as a sustainable alternative that meets the technical and chemical requirements of jet fuel. This marks the first time that drop-in SAF has been used on an A380 aircraft.

The event coincided with the Third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels in Dubai, with collaboration from industry partners such as Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Neste, Virent, and ENOC.

ENVIRONMENT-

Abu Dhabi to take on pollution with a new air quality system: The Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) rolled out a new air quality modeling system to reduce air pollution in the emirate, WAM reported. The new model will include detailed maps monitoring air pollution levels emirate-wide and will introduce regulations aimed at cutting air pollution by assessing the projected environmental impact of Abu Dhabi urban projects.

What’s an air quality modeling system? Put simply, it is a computer tool that simulates the dispersion of pollutants into the atmosphere.

TRANSPORT-

Dubai’s metro to get 30km extension as Blue Line gets green light: Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the all clear to an AED 18 bn (USD 4.9 bn) investment in Dubai Metro’s new Blue Line, according to Dubai’s Media Office. The new line will stretch over 30km and will feature 14 stations, five of them underground. The Blue Line is set to begin operating in 2029 and is expected to transport some 320k passengers per day.

Singapore-based Hafnia, one of the world’s leading tanker companies, has partnered with Dubai’s AI start-up SteelCorr DMCC to oversee ship paint maintenance on 57 ships, according to an announcement by the company. The maintenance will be run through SteelCorr’s Digital Paint Report (DPR) app, which is designed for data collection and analysis on paint maintenance, such as through monitoring corrosion levels.

HEALTHCARE-

Abu Dhabi gets a new surgery center: Private healthcare service provider Bureej Holding has opened an advanced day surgery center in Al Shahama, Abu Dhabi, according to a company press release. The new facility specializes in same-day surgical care with a view to limiting the average length of hospital stays.

What they said: “At the Department of Health—Abu Dhabi, we continue to work with partners in the healthcare sector to further enhance the quality and availability of health services in the emirate, thus consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for healthcare globally,” Department of Health chief Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori said during the opening.

CULTURE-

Sheikh Hamdan led the Dubai Run, joined by 226k runners, Gulf News reported yesterday. Runners opted either for a 5km route that started on Sheikh Zayed Road and ended near Dubai Mall, or a 10km route that started near the Museum of the Future and ended at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Gate.

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