13 October 2026
The UAE Cabinet has approved a federal budget of Dh292.5 billion for 2027-2029, announced by Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on 12 October.
The 2027 annual budget is set at Dh90.1 billion.
Social development and social benefits take the largest share of the 2027 budget: Dh34.6 billion, or 38.4 per cent.
Government affairs receive Dh29.1 billion (32.3 per cent) and federal expenses Dh17.8 billion (19.7 per cent).
Sheikh Mohammed said the government's priorities remain education, health, housing, social services, quality of life and stability of the citizen.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre said the economy grew 0.4 per cent to Dh961.9 billion in the first half of 2026.
Federal budget 2027-2029:
Dh292.5 billion
2027 annual budget:
Dh90.1 billion
Largest head (2027):
Social development: Dh34.6 billion (38.4 per cent)
Why it matters for exams: Federal budget size, its largest heads and who announced it are standard Gulf-economy questions, and the budget affects the Gulf jobs and remittances Kerala depends on.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
Federal budget UAE federal government budget — It funds federal ministries and services, while each emirate keeps its own local budget.
FCSC Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre — The federal body that publishes UAE economic and statistical data.
13 October 2026
The IMF's latest World Economic Outlook projects the UAE economy to contract by 3.9 per cent in 2026 and rebound at 7.7 per cent in 2027.
The rebound is conditional on shipping routes normalising and the Strait of Hormuz reopening.
The Middle East and North Africa region is the only region expected to contract in 2026, by an estimated 2 per cent.
Oman is the only GCC member forecast to grow in 2026, at 4.1 per cent.
The IMF projects global growth of 3.1 per cent in 2026 and 3.4 per cent in 2027.
IMF chief economist Silvana Tenreyro said the global economy has been resilient but that resilience is reaching its limits.
UAE growth 2026 (IMF):
-3.9 per cent
UAE growth 2027 (IMF):
7.7 per cent
MENA region 2026:
-2 per cent
Why it matters for exams: IMF forecasts, the Strait of Hormuz and GCC growth figures are frequent in economy and international-affairs papers, and a Gulf slowdown bears on Kerala's expatriate income.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
IMF International Monetary Fund — The global lender whose World Economic Outlook gives twice-yearly growth forecasts.
Strait of Hormuz Waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — A key route for Gulf oil exports.
13 October 2026
The UAE is waiving intellectual property registration fees for student inventors and People of Determination under Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism began implementing it on 14 September, with full exemptions across 29 industrial property services.
The services cover patents, industrial designs, utility certificates and integrated circuit layouts.
Both groups share 11 exempt services, including patent and industrial design applications and annual protection fees for years two to five; these fees ran from Dh100 to Dh1,000.
People of Determination get nine more exempt services (fees of up to Dh9,000) and student inventors nine others (fees of up to Dh4,500).
Patent applications rose 9 per cent in the first half of 2026, the ministry said.
Instrument:
Cabinet Resolution No. 136 of 2026
Services exempted:
29
In force from:
14 September
Why it matters for exams: Cabinet resolutions, intellectual property and inclusion measures in a Gulf economy are typical current-affairs questions with a clear ministry and a clear number.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
People of Determination The UAE's official term for persons with disabilities — The UAE uses this term in its laws and services for persons with disabilities.
Utility certificate A form of industrial property protection — A lighter patent-like right for inventions, among the services now exempted.
13 October 2026
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered Al Ain International Airport renamed Tahnoun International Airport, effective immediately on 11 October.
The name honours the late Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative of Abu Dhabi's Eastern Region from the country's founding until his death in 2024.
It is the second international airport of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, about 18 km from Al Ain, and serves more than 100,000 passengers a year, according to Abu Dhabi Airports.
Two airlines fly scheduled services from it: Pakistan International Airlines from Islamabad and Air India Express from Kozhikode.
The change follows the renaming of Abu Dhabi's main airport as Zayed International Airport, after the UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
New name:
Tahnoun International Airport
Distance from Al Ain:
about 18 km
Passengers a year:
more than 100,000
Why it matters for exams: Renamings of airports and honours to founding-generation leaders are common in current-affairs papers, and the Kozhikode flight gives it a direct Kerala link.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Ruler's Representative Abu Dhabi Ruler's Representative in a region — An office through which the Ruler of Abu Dhabi is represented in a region such as Al Ain.
13 October 2026
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a four-week trial of the Glydways automated transit system at Bluewaters.
Each AI-powered electric pod carries four to six passengers, travels at up to 50 km/h and has a range of up to 250 km on one charge.
Every pod has 20 high-resolution LiDAR sensors, radar and high-definition cameras, and runs on dedicated routes that can be built at ground level or elevated.
The system is designed to carry more than 20,000 passengers per hour in both directions.
The developers say capital costs are up to 90 per cent lower and operating costs up to 70 per cent lower than comparable transport systems.
RTA director general Mattar Al Tayer took the first ride on the designated route.
Trial length:
four weeks
Capacity:
more than 20,000 passengers per hour
Range per charge:
up to 250 km
Why it matters for exams: Autonomous transport trials and the authority behind them are standard science-and-technology current-affairs material for a Gulf country.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RTA Roads and Transport Authority — Dubai's government body for roads and public transport.
LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging — A laser sensor that maps the surroundings of a self-driving vehicle.
13 October 2026
At the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum 2026 in Dubai, RTA director general Mattar Al Tayer said the authority is studying an integrated underground system to move people, goods and services.
He described a Dubai that moves in three dimensions: the sky, the land and underground.
Dubai records more than 11 million journeys a day, over 7,000 every minute, and its daytime population is expected to double by 2040.
The RTA aims for one in every four journeys in Dubai to be autonomous by 2030.
The first air taxi station is expected in 2026, and plans include the Dh34-billion Metro Gold Line.
The forum also heard that Al Maktoum International Airport is designed to handle up to 260 million passengers a year.
Daily journeys in Dubai:
more than 11 million
Autonomous share target:
one in four journeys by 2030
Metro Gold Line:
Dh34 billion
Why it matters for exams: Dubai's transport targets and the leaders who set them are useful for questions on Gulf infrastructure and the emirates' local governments.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MBRLF Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum — A Dubai forum where government and private-sector leaders discuss the emirate's future plans.
12 October 2026
The UAE Cabinet approved the Federal General Budget Plan for 2027 to 2029 at AED 292.5 billion. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the approval on Monday. The plan is 28.3 per cent larger than the previous three-year cycle. The federal budget for the fiscal year 2027 is AED 90.1 billion. Of that, social development and pensions take AED 34.6 billion, or 38.4 per cent, the largest single share. Government affairs take AED 29.1 billion (32.3 per cent), federal expenses AED 17.8 billion (19.7 per cent), financial assets and investments AED 5.6 billion (6.2 per cent) and infrastructure and economic resources AED 3 billion (3.4 per cent).
Budget plan for 2027 to 2029:
AED 292.5 billion
Increase over the previous cycle:
28.3 per cent
Federal budget for 2027:
AED 90.1 billion
Social development and pensions:
AED 34.6 billion (38.4 per cent)
Why it matters for exams: Gulf budget figures and the UAE's leadership titles are regular questions in Kerala PSC and bank exams.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
AED Arab Emirati Dirham — The official currency of the United Arab Emirates, divided into 100 fils.
Federal General Budget — The spending plan of the UAE federation, separate from the budgets of each emirate.
Fiscal year — In the UAE the financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
13 October 2026
The International Monetary Fund projects that the UAE economy will contract by 3.9 per cent in 2026 and rebound by 7.7 per cent in 2027. The projection is in the Fund's October 2026 World Economic Outlook, titled Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices, presented at the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok. Gulf News reports that the rebound is conditional on shipping routes normalising and the Strait of Hormuz reopening. The UAE grew 6.2 per cent in 2025, the fastest pace among the six Gulf Cooperation Council economies. The Fund expects Saudi Arabia to contract 3.3 per cent in 2026 and grow 7.9 per cent in 2027. For the wider Middle East and Central Asia region it forecasts a contraction of 0.3 per cent in 2026 followed by growth of 6.3 per cent in 2027. Global growth is put at 3.1 per cent in 2026 and 3.4 per cent in 2027.
UAE growth projected for 2026:
-3.9 per cent
UAE growth projected for 2027:
7.7 per cent
UAE growth in 2025:
6.2 per cent
Middle East and Central Asia in 2027:
6.3 per cent
Why it matters for exams: IMF growth projections for Gulf economies are standard material for economy and current affairs sections.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
IMF International Monetary Fund — A United Nations family institution of 191 member countries that lends to members in balance of payments difficulty.
World Economic Outlook — The IMF's twice-yearly report of growth and inflation forecasts for the world and for individual countries.
GCC Gulf Cooperation Council — The six-member grouping of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
Strait of Hormuz — The narrow sea passage between Oman and Iran through which much of the Gulf's oil is shipped.
13 October 2026
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the total value of active projects in Dubai has reached Dh2.1 trillion. He spoke after meeting 1,000 government and private sector leaders at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday. Real estate projects through 2030 account for Dh1.1 trillion. Dh128 billion goes to Al Maktoum International Airport, which is being built to handle up to 260 million passengers a year, and Dh328 billion to expanding the Emirates and flydubai fleets. More than Dh100 billion is planned for the Dubai International Financial Centre and Dh100 billion for Roads and Transport Authority projects, with Dh151 billion for new electricity and water grid networks. Mattar Al Tayer told the forum that Dubai records more than 11 million journeys a day, or over 7,000 a minute, and that the RTA is targeting one in four journeys to be autonomous by 2030, with a Dh34 billion Metro Gold Line among its plans.
Active projects in Dubai:
Dh2.1 trillion
Real estate projects through 2030:
Dh1.1 trillion
Al Maktoum International Airport:
Dh128 billion, up to 260 million passengers a year
Metro Gold Line:
Dh34 billion
Daily journeys in Dubai:
more than 11 million
Why it matters for exams: Dubai's airport, metro and financial centre figures are frequently asked in Gulf-focused current affairs sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RTA Roads and Transport Authority — The Dubai government body that runs the emirate's roads, metro, buses and taxis.
DIFC Dubai International Financial Centre — A financial free zone in Dubai with its own civil and commercial courts.
Dh Dirham — The UAE currency; one trillion dirhams is a hundred thousand crore dirhams.
13 October 2026
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, held a telephone call with Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. During the call he condemned the Houthi group's attacks on civilians and on civilian and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. He affirmed the UAE's full solidarity with the Kingdom and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding its security and stability. The two ministers also discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to maintain the security and stability of the region. The call followed a statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 12 October that called the continued attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.
UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Saudi counterpart:
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Airport named in the UAE statement:
King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh
Why it matters for exams: The names and titles of the UAE and Saudi foreign ministers, and the airport at the centre of the attacks, are easy factual questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MoFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs — The UAE ministry that issues the federation's official statements on events abroad.
Sovereignty — A state's exclusive right to control its own territory, which an attack from outside is said to violate.
12 October 2026
Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said attacks on Saudi Arabia undermine the security of the UAE and of every other Gulf state. In a post on X he wrote that since the aggression against the Arab Gulf states began it has become clear that they are all targets and that their security is indivisible. He called for reviving joint Gulf action, particularly in its security and defence dimensions, and for strengthening the collective security system. He said there had been serious shortcomings in this area, which had encouraged others to overstep. Gulf security, he said, is a shared responsibility that allows no room for complacency or delay. Khaleej Times reports that an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 October left 13 people dead, including four Saudis, and injured over 300.
Who spoke:
Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President
Platform used:
A post on X
Riyadh airport attack of 10 October:
13 killed, over 300 injured
Why it matters for exams: Gargash is the UAE's best known foreign policy voice and the phrase collective Gulf security recurs in international relations questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President — A senior adviser who explains and defends the UAE's foreign policy positions in public.
Collective security — An arrangement in which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.
12 October 2026
Mohamed Abdulla Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Republic of Colombia, met Mauricio Gomez Amin, Colombia's Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. Representatives of Dubai Chambers and DP World took part in the meeting. The two sides discussed ways to facilitate bilateral trade and to identify investment and business development opportunities. The meeting addressed the role of Dubai Chambers in facilitating business connections between companies in the two countries, including opportunities for Colombian businesses interested in accessing markets through the UAE. It also covered DP World's activities and expertise in ports, logistics and supply chain services, with particular attention to trade facilitation. Al Shamsi highlighted the importance of continued dialogue and coordination in identifying areas of mutual economic interest.
UAE Ambassador to Colombia:
Mohamed Abdulla Al Shamsi
Colombian minister:
Mauricio Gomez Amin, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
UAE bodies represented:
Dubai Chambers and DP World
Why it matters for exams: DP World and Dubai Chambers are the two UAE bodies most often named in trade and logistics questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DP World Dubai Ports World — A Dubai state-owned ports and logistics operator that runs terminals on several continents.
Dubai Chambers — The Dubai body that represents businesses and promotes the emirate's commerce abroad.
Trade facilitation — Making customs, paperwork and transport simpler so that goods cross borders faster.