By Desmond Nleya
A Bold City, Big Honours, Strange Crimes, Shifting Power, and the Race for Glory
Dubai is on the move, and not just figuratively. The emirate’s skyline of ambition has found a new companion beneath the streets: the Dubai Metro Blue Line, now rising as one of the most transformative projects in the city’s modern history. With 14 stations, two intersecting routes stretching 30 kilometres, and a promise to move nearly one million passengers a day, the Blue Line is more than a metro, it’s Dubai’s next leap into the future.
Already 10% complete since its June groundbreaking, the project aims for 30% completion by the end of 2025. When it opens in 2029, the same year the Dubai Metro turns 20, the Blue Line will offer a direct lifeline to Dubai International Airport and help slash road congestion by an ambitious 20%. For a city built on speed, scale, and vision, this is a milestone well on track.
A Nation that Celebrates Kindness
While Dubai builds for tomorrow, Abu Dhabi is honouring the hearts that make the UAE shine today. At the historic Qasr Al Hosn, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded ten exceptional individuals in the 12th Abu Dhabi Awards, celebrating their remarkable acts of generosity and service.
For two decades, the awards have stood as a national tribute to selflessness — a legacy inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. From healthcare pioneers to education advocates, environmental defenders to volunteers championing people of determination, 110 heroes from 18 nationalities have been honoured since the award’s inception. Every story serves as a reminder: unity grows stronger with every act of compassion.
A Twisted Tale of Love, Lies, and the Law
In a story stranger than fiction, a young man has been sentenced to three months in jail for illicit online communication with a married woman — while the woman herself walked free.
According to Emarat Al Youm, the saga began when her husband stumbled upon romantic exchanges on Instagram and Snapchat. The accused admitted sending the messages, claiming he genuinely believed she was divorced and intended to marry her. The woman, however, denied involvement, and investigators found no evidence linking her to the accounts used — leaving the man to shoulder the consequences alone.
Love in the digital age, it seems, still comes with traps no filter can hide.
Markets on the Move: New Frontiers in Finance
A major shift in global payments is unfolding as EXIM Credit Bank (ECB) secures registration as an official Payment Service Provider (PSP) under Canada’s Retail Payment Activities Act. Through its entity Exim Cred Pay Inc., the bank can now expand services across borders — from international remittances to FX trading, and from money transfer services to issuing Visa and MasterCard products.
Their mission? To connect people through reliable financial solutions and advance cross-border financial inclusion.
But the UAE isn’t sitting still either.
In a historic first, the Ministry of Finance and Dubai Department of Finance completed the country’s first-ever government transaction using the Digital Dirham. Backed by the UAE Central Bank and championed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Digital Dirham marks a monumental step towards a fully integrated digital economy.
The future isn’t just cashless — it’s becoming borderless, seamless, and instant.
Global Spotlight: Music, Power, and Political Shockwaves
International headlines took a surprising turn as Akon, the globally known hitmaker, found himself behind bars — briefly. Arrested in Chamblee, Georgia, for failing to appear in court over a suspended license, he was released the same day on bail. The incident traces back to an earlier traffic stop where his Tesla Cybertruck stalled and officers discovered expired paperwork and no valid insurance. Even celebrities, it seems, can’t lip-sync their way past the DMV.
Meanwhile in Senegal, political turbulence is rattling the nation. A fierce clash between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko erupted after the President replaced a key coalition figure — Aïssatou Mbodj — against Sonko’s explicit objections. The move revealed a widening rift at the heart of Senegal’s ruling coalition, with questions now swirling over who truly holds the reins of power.
Sports: A Call for Justice and a Fight for World Cup Glory
More than 70 athletes and rights groups are calling on UEFA to suspend Israel from international football, citing rights abuses against Palestinians. In a letter to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, the group stated that no sporting arena should “welcome a regime that commits genocide, apartheid, and other crimes against humanity.”
On the pitch, the UAE is chasing a dream decades in the making.
At Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, the UAE earned a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Iraq in the first leg of the AFC World Cup playoff. A quick strike by Iraq silenced the home crowd, but Brazil-born midfielder Luanzinho restored hope with an 18th-minute equaliser.
The second leg, set for November 18 in Basra, will determine who advances to the intercontinental qualifiers in Mexico next March — and who edges closer to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
For a nation still chasing its first appearance since Italia 1990, the dream is alive. The road is long. But belief? Stronger than ever.
And as always — Daily Times Weekend brings you the stories shaping tomorrow, today.
