Monthly Archives: April 2026

Business & Investments

Geidea Integrates Weixin Pay for Chinese Tourists

Geidea Partners with Weixin Pay to Enable Seamless Payments for Chinese Visitors Across the Region

29 April, Dubai, UAE – Geidea, a leading fintech and payments technology provider in the region, has announced a strategic partnership with Weixin Pay (also known as WeChat Pay), one of China’s most widely used digital payment ecosystems, to enable seamless payment acceptance for Chinese visitors across its merchant network.

Through this partnership, Geidea merchants will be able to accept Weixin Pay at approved locations, empowering businesses across retail, hospitality, and tourism to better serve the rapidly growing influx of Chinese travellers visiting the region for both leisure and business.

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Featured

Global Support for Social Media Ban for Under-16s Revealed

  • Family First unveils preliminary findings from world’s first global intergenerational study of a social media ban for under-16s in 15 countries
  • 63% of UAE parents back a social media ban for under-16s, with support highest in Malaysia (77%) and India (75%), and lowest in Japan (38%) and Nigeria (39%)
  • Data reveals generational divide: 45% of UAE children support a ban – an 18-point gap compared to parents. Worldwide, support for a ban among children is also highest in Malaysia, India (both 62%), and China (50%), and lowest in Japan (20%), Argentina, and Sweden (both 26%)
  • In the UAE, 67% of Gen Z – the first true digital natives – support a social media ban for under-16s – the second highest globally after India (73%). Support for the ban is lowest in Japan (28%), UK and Canada (both 40%)

Following Australia’s first-of-its-kind ban on social media for under-16s, and with more than two dozen countries considering similar measures, new global research from Family First, a Varkey Foundation initiative, shows that 63% of UAE parents support a social media ban for under-16s in their country. However, children are more divided: 45% of 9- to 18-year-olds in the UAE back a ban, while 33% are against it, and 22% are undecided. Strikingly, a large majority of Gen Z respondents in the UAE (67%) support banning social media for under-16s, the second highest after India (73%). This is particularly noteworthy given they are the first generation to have grown up with social media from childhood.

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Technologies

“I Am Sophia”: MOBH Holding Group Introduces the Region’s First Agentic AI

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – April 2026:Expanding its Agentic AI integration strategy across the Group, MOBH Holding Group has announced the launch of Sophia AI, described as the region’s first Agentic AI HR Intelligence Officer.

Expanding AI Integration Across the Group

Commenting on the launch, Deputy Chairman Mr. Rashed Mohammed Omar Bin Haider stated:

Sophia AI

“This is not about replacing people, but about reshaping how work is delivered. We are accelerating AI integration across multiple departments and respective sectors within the Group, with a vision for up to 30% of selected operational processes to be supported by generative AI across key functions such as finance, public relations, security, digital and social media, and customer relations, as well as across sectors including education, hospitality, smart booking platform, marine services, non-profit organizations, entertainment, and engineering.

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Life Style & Leisure

G-SHOCK Expands Fine Metallic Series with Volume 2 Lineup

Dubai, UAE – April 29, 2024: G-SHOCK introduces Fine Metallic Series Volume 2, a new lineup that brings together the brand’s signature metal-bezel design with the newly developed Tough Silicone Band, combining refined metallic style with the toughness and comfort expected from G-SHOCK. The Volume 2 lineup includes the GM-110YRA-8A, GM-5600YRA-8, GM-6900YRA-8, and GM-2100YRA-8A.

A defining feature of the series is the newly developed band construction, which combines silicone and urethane materials to deliver both strength and flexibility. The top surface is protected with a urethane sheet for greater abrasion resistance, while vapor deposition applied to the underside creates a metallic look that harmonizes with the bezel for a seamless, elevated finish.

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Real Estate

DECA’s 2026 Growth: Key Developments in Dubai Real Estate

With construction advancing across multiple projects and a growing portfolio of residential and hospitality assets, DECA continues to progress its 2026 pipeline, with activity across prime Dubai districts and strategic waterfront destinations

                                                                

Dubai, 28 April 2026: As Dubai’s real estate sector continues to demonstrate resilience and long-term growth, 2026 is not simply another year in DECA’s calendar-it marks a defining chapter. As a third-generation developer with over 40 years of experience, DECA is accelerating its transition into a diversified real estate platform-one that operates across owned developments and strategic mandates, guided by long-term vision, design integrity, and disciplined execution.

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