It’s been a busy, busy week in Dubai. With so much going on in the city, and no doubt in your personal life, it can be difficult to keep up with the week’s big stories.

But fear not, we’ve got all the big Dubai news that you need to know about in a handy, bite-sized format right here.

Huge plans for the Dubai Metro have been announced, changes have been introduced to Dubai Mall and the RTA has revealed more work is being carried out on the city’s roads.

We also have two new direct flights out of the city and a whole host of updates from Emirates.

So, in case you missed it, let’s open up this multi-pack and chomp on what’s all happened this week in Dubai.

Dubai news: Dubai Metro to double number of stations

The week started off with a huge announcement from the Government of Dubai, pledging to more than double the number of stations in the city by 2040.

We currently have 64 stations but by 2030 we can expect 96 stations and by 2040 we can expect 140 stations. Transport links are being developed throughout Dubai as the city continues to expand and grow.

Dubai news: It’s finally happened – Dubai Mall introduces paid parking

Well, it had to happen eventually. Dubai Mall has introduced paid parking.

First announced in December of last year, one of the world’s biggest malls brought in a paid parking system on Monday July 1.

First announced in December of 2023, Dubai Mall partnered with toll gate provider Salik to put charges in place for spaces. Find out here how to keep costs down if you’re visiting.

Dubai news: Indians can now pay with UPI across the UAE

One of the most popular payment methods in India has now been introduced for Indian tourists and workers with Indian bank accounts.

More than 350 million people regularly use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and now it’s possible to use in more than 60,000 outlets across the UAE.

It’s a safe, secure method of payment which eliminates the need to carry cash or credit cards.

Dubai news: We’re getting a new Dhs210 million luxury mall

Global luxury real estate developer Sobha Realty has revealed that construction has begun on a 339,000-square-foot mall based in the Sobha Hartland community.

We can expect 35 new retail shops and food and beverage outlets in addition to over 10 new dining options.

The project is scheduled for completion by late 2026 so watch this space.

Dubai news: We won’t get an extra day off for Islamic New Year

This week it was confirmed that the private sector holiday date for the Islamic New Year will be Sunday July 7.

And this means that, for the majority of us, we will not have an extra day off work on Sunday since the day is a weekend in Dubai.

If you’re curious about when the next public holiday in the UAE after Islamic New Year is then we have the answer.

Dubai news: Free water and ice cream for workers as temperatures soar

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To tackle the extreme heat taking over Dubai currently, free water, juices, and ice creams are being handed out to workers in the emirate.

Called the ‘Freej Fridge’ campaign, over one million workers in Dubai will benefit, including delivery drivers, construction labourers and road maintenance workers.

Lovely stuff.

Dubai news: Emirates reveals family travel tips, how much chocolate they serve and a new safety video

We talked a lot about how busy everyone has been this week and few have been busier than the team at Emirates.

It feels like every day we hear something new from the city’s biggest airline ahead of the summer travel period.

As schools are out for the summer, families are now preparing for a little summer holiday in their droves. Emirates has given the low-down on some freebies and tips for all families travelling this season.

The airline has also revealed a new no-thrills in-flight safety video which you’ll see next time you’re on board.

And, on the theme for our bite-sized news chunks, the airline has revealed just how much luxury chocolate they served on board last year ahead of World Chocolate Day. Yum!

Dubai news: Two new direct flights with flydubai

Speaking of airlines, flydubai has revealed two new direct destinations taking off later this year.

The city’s favourite budget airline will jet off to the historical city of Kerman and the visa-free Kish Island, both in Iran.

Dubai news: You can now name a Dubai road

The Dubai Road Naming Committee (yes, that’s a real committee) want to hear from you on what the city’s future streets should be called.

Launching the Street Designation Proposal platform this week, you can get your say and make any suggestion you like, and one day it might become a reality.

Best of luck if you’ve got a name up your sleeve.

Dubai news: A Dhs241 million road project set to cut travel time

On Sunday June 30, the Roads and Transport Authority announced a Dhs431 million project for Dubai Harbour which will see direct exit and entry points introduced to the area.

Once completed, the flow of traffic and travel times will reduce from 12 minutes down to just three minutes around Dubai Harbour.

Plans for the project itself were first announced earlier this year but this is the first time a figure has been mentioned for the major construction plans following the awarding of a contract for the construction phase.

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