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Original reporting filed by the Hada News desk.
- NextAud.io named exclusive AdsWizz sales rep for podcast and streaming ads in Gulf markets and Egypt
Dubai’s NextAud.io will exclusively sell AdsWizz streaming and podcast advertising inventory in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, and act as preferred reseller in further Asian markets plus Morocco.
- Gushcloud takes majority stake in TalentPlus Dubai for MENA creator monetisation
Gushcloud International has completed a majority acquisition of UAE talent firm TalentPlus Dubai, rebranding the unit to manage MENA creators globally and monetise global creator IP in the region.
- Culture Resource Production Awards open to 19 October, with cinema grants up to €13,000
Mawred’s 2027 Production Awards round accepts applications until 19 October 2026 at 16:00 Beirut time, with grants in literature, visual arts, music and sound art, performing arts and cinema for Arab artists under 35.
- Zagora's Trans-Saharan film festival launches a first programme for documentaries in advanced development, applications to 15 October
The Trans-Saharan International Film Festival of Zagora has launched a first-time programme for documentary projects at an advanced stage of development, with applications open from 15 September to 15 October 2026 ahead of the festival’s 20th edition on 6–11 December.
- Sharjah Theatre Days opens Emirati troupe submissions through 30 November for March 2027 edition
Sharjah’s Theatre Department has opened participation files for registered Emirati theatre troupes through 30 November 2026, with the 36th Sharjah Theatre Days set for 17–24 March 2027 alongside intellectual and training programmes.
- Disney+ MENA redesigned app and Saudi-dialect Toy Story 5 go live 6 October
Disney+ will roll out a redesigned app experience across the Middle East and North Africa on 6 October 2026 and, on the same day, release the first Walt Disney Company film dubbed in the Saudi dialect—Toy Story 5—with a cast of Saudi actors, comedians and content creators, Arab News and Asharq Al-Awsat report from a Riyadh launch event on 30 September.
- Oman offers free 14-day tourist visa (in force since 3 August 2026)
Travellers planning short trips to Oman can use a free 14-day tourist visa that has been part of the country’s entry rules since 3 August 2026, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An MFA English note dated that day describes amendments that came into force then: the Royal Oman Police decision appeared in Official Gazette No. 1659 on 2 August 2026 and takes effect the day after publication. The MFA English text is labelled an unofficial version of an Arabic report; the Arabic MFA page c
- Etihad starts Abu Dhabi–Red Sea International flights on 4 October
Etihad Airways will begin year-round service from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Airport (RSI) on 4 October 2026, with one weekly A320 flight at launch rising to twice weekly from 25 October, the airline said in an 8 September press release confirmed on etihad.com and carried by Zawya and WAM/Gulf News.
- Red Sea Film Festival postpones sixth edition from December 2026 to Q4 2027
The Red Sea Film Foundation said on 21 September 2026 that the sixth Red Sea International Film Festival—previously slated for early December in Historic Jeddah—has been postponed to the fourth quarter of 2027 after a review of timing and logistics, while year-round Fund, Labs and Culture Square programming from November 2026 will continue, according to the Foundation’s own press page.
- El Gouna 9th edition (15–23 Oct) sets $310k CineGouna slate and new Series lab
Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival will run its ninth edition from 15 to 23 October 2026 with CineGouna Funding selecting 13 development and six post-production projects to compete for awards totalling $310,000 after more than 310 submissions, plus a new CineGouna Series lab presenting six of 125+ Arabic TV projects on 19 October, Ahram Online reported from the Cairo programme unveiling.
- UAE and Egypt renew AED 5bn five-year currency swap for local-currency trade
The Central Bank of the UAE and the Central Bank of Egypt renewed a UAE dirham–Egyptian pound currency swap with a nominal value of AED 5 billion (EGP 69 billion / about $1.36 billion) for five years at a signing at CBUAE headquarters on 29 September 2026, both banks said, aiming to support bilateral trade and deeper use of local currencies in settlements.
- Fintech Galaxy claims first multi-bank Open Finance connectivity in Jordan
Fintech Galaxy said on 24 September 2026 it became the first company in Jordan to achieve multi-bank Open Banking integration and account aggregation on its FINX Connect platform while participating in the Central Bank of Jordan’s JoRegBox sandbox, according to a company release carried by Open Banking Expo.
- MNT-Halan readies October EGX float as CIB commits up to EGP 2bn as cornerstone
The Egyptian arm of fintech lender MNT-Halan plans to sell 20% of its shares on the Egyptian Exchange this month, and Commercial International Bank said on 5 October it has agreed to buy up to EGP 2 billion of the offering as a cornerstone investor. An offer price for the offering has been set.
- Doha Film Institute’s online Short Script Lab takes applications until 24 October
Emerging screenwriters and writer-directors have until 24 October 2026 to apply for the Doha Film Institute’s online Short Script Lab. The lab runs from 30 November to 12 December with three named mentors and a QAR 1,000 fee, according to DFI’s programme page.
- Riyadh Air opens sales for Riyadh–Jakarta flights from 16 November
Riyadh Air will fly three times a week between Riyadh and Jakarta from 16 November 2026 on Boeing 787-9s, making the Indonesian capital its 16th destination on sale, the airline said on 5 October.
- Golf Saudi ends PIF Global Series, shifts women’s golf money to a $4m UK Championship from 2027
Golf Saudi will close the PIF Global Series after the 2026 season. From 2027 it will focus its tournament money on The Championship in the UK, co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour with a $4 million purse, and on a multi-year LET Order of Merit deal, it said on 28 September.
- MBC Studios sets 19 November Saudi release for Hana Alomair’s ‘Traveller’s Hell’
MBC Studios will open the psychological thriller Traveller’s Hell, adapted from Osamah Almuslim’s best-selling novel, in Saudi cinemas on 19 November 2026, with other Arab cities to follow, the studio said on 5 October.
- UAE starts phased salt, sugar and fat caps on bread, dairy drinks and snacks, with final limits due by end-2030
The Ministry of Health and Prevention said on 6 October it has begun implementing a resolution that caps sodium, sugar and fat in selected packaged foods. Bread, sweetened dairy drinks and salty snacks must meet first-phase limits within nine months, and firms that would need cuts of more than 20% have 30 days to ask for an exception.
- Saudi data regulator SDAIA opens a two-month window for companies to test personal-data products in its sandbox
SDAIA said on 6 October that licensed private companies can now apply to a Personal Data Protection Track in its Data Regulatory Sandbox and test products that process personal data under its supervision. Registration is open for two months through the National Data Governance Platform.
- JioHotstar enters MENA as a hub inside Starzplay, bundled from AED 34.99 a month
India's JioHotstar launched in the Middle East and North Africa on 6 October through Abu Dhabi-based Starzplay. It sits as a dedicated hub in Starzplay's app and website and comes with the AED 34.99 Plus plan; the AED 49.99 Max plan adds Starzplay's sport, cricket included.
- Abu Dhabi's TII launches Falcon-Emirati dialect model alongside Arabic speech-to-text and OCR models
The Technology Innovation Institute on 6 October launched Falcon-Emirati, a 7-billion-parameter model built for Emirati Arabic, together with Falcon-ASR, which transcribes speech in six languages with word-level timing, and Falcon-OCR-Arabic for pulling text from images and documents.
- Egypt opens its 2027 State Prizes to 31 December, with about EGP 6.3m in awards and a Nile Prize for an Arab creator
Egypt's Supreme Council of Culture is taking applications and nominations for the 2027 State Prizes in the arts, literature and social sciences from 1 October to 31 December 2026. Awards total about EGP 6.3 million, and one Nile Prize is reserved for a creator from another Arab country.
- Saudi Arabia lets highly skilled expats bring spouses, sons under 25 and unmarried daughters as their own work visa is completed
The Ministry of Interior said on 6 October that family entry visas for highly skilled foreign workers can now be issued at the same time as the worker's employment visa, so households no longer have to wait for the earner to arrive and settle first. Residence permits for the family are finished after arrival.
- Saudi Media Innovation Bootcamp extends sign-ups to 15 October, with tracks on AI-assisted journalism, smart content and AI virtual presenters
The third edition of the Saudi Media Forum's bootcamp has pushed its registration deadline to 15 October, citing growing interest. Its three tracks are aimed at newsrooms and creators building AI tools, and the programme is part of preparations for the 2027 Saudi Media Forum.
- Cairo to host the FIDE World Under-7 to Under-17 Rapid and Blitz chess championships in December; federations must register by 1 November
Egypt will stage the world youth rapid and blitz championships from 8 to 15 December, with Open and Girls sections in six age groups. FIDE says national federations can enter any number of players, but registration and a 50% accommodation deposit are due by 1 November, and late entries, if accepted, pay double.
- UAE firms with AED 50m or more in revenue must appoint an e-invoicing ASP by 30 October; mandatory go-live stays 1 January 2027
The Ministry of Finance moved the Accredited Service Provider appointment deadline for large taxpayers from 31 July to 30 October 2026, but left the start of mandatory e-invoicing unchanged. Finance and ops teams have about three weeks left to pick a provider from the published ASP list.
- UAE FTA Decision 15 sets 31 October deadline for some government-owned companies seeking retrospective Corporate Tax exemption
Federal Tax Authority Decision No. 15 of 2026, effective 15 September, replaces the 2023 exemption procedure. Wholly owned Article 4(1)(h) entities controlled by government or government-controlled persons can still claim exemption for Tax Periods that ended before 1 January 2026 — but only if they apply by 31 October.
- SDAIA puts draft PDPL Implementing Regulations amendments on Istitlaa until 5 November
Saudi Arabia's data authority has opened a public consultation on revisions to the Personal Data Protection Law's Implementing Regulations. Comments go through the Istitlaa platform; SPA and Sabq say the window closes on 5 November 2026. This is separate from the personal-data sandbox story already covered this week.
- Egypt bars independent social media accounts for under-13s; platforms face a 30-day plan deadline and three months to comply
A joint resolution from Egypt's media and telecoms regulators, announced on 17 September, also requires a locked-on Safe Mode for users aged 13 and 14. A regulatory tracker puts the platforms' plan deadline at 20 October, though the regulators have published no calendar dates; two rights groups said on 29 September that the full text had not been published.
- Saudi CMA wants every Main Market company to hold earnings calls twice a year; comments close 29 October
The Capital Market Authority's draft would require a call within five business days of results, after the market closes, with the slides and recording posted straight away. The authority wants it to apply from the announcement of FY2026 annual results.
- Moroccan applicants to French universities must submit and pay on Études en France by 15 November
Campus France Maroc's application window opened on 1 October and closes at 23:59 Moroccan time on 15 November. A file counts only if it is both submitted and paid: the fee is 1,900 dirhams and is not refundable.
- Qatar opens free walk-in flu jabs at its health centres until end-March; Saudi and UAE flu campaigns have been under way since September
Qatar's national campaign runs to the end of March with no appointment needed at PHCC centres; Saudi Arabia is booking jabs through the Sehhaty app; the UAE's campaign also runs to March 2027. Qatar's health ministry advises vaccination before winter, especially in October or November.
- Saudi telecoms and space regulator wants comments by 18 October on rules for satellite filings made in the Kingdom's name
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission is consulting on draft Regulations for Satellite Filings alongside draft rules on spectrum use by earth stations. CST's own notice sets 18 October; the official gazette lists the filing rules on Istitlaa until 21 October.
- Makkah's Royal Commission wants comments by 20 October on permit rules for passenger buses entering the city and holy sites
The draft, listed on the Istitlaa consultation platform since 20 September by a regulatory tracker's count, would tie the entry of passenger buses to a permit issued to vehicles that meet approved requirements. A week of the comment window is left.
- Saudi draft rules would let homes and businesses generate up to 50 MW of renewable power on site; comments close 3 November
The Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority has put a draft Renewable Energy for Self-Consumption Regulation out for comment on Istitlaa. According to Al Yaum's account of the draft, power sent back to the grid would earn bill credits of 5 to 7 halalas per kWh that lapse after 12 months.
- Iraq opens free places at private medical, dentistry and pharmacy colleges; this year's science graduates must apply on Qadam by 24 October
Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education says students who finished the scientific stream of preparatory school in 2025/2026 can apply through the Qadam app for a fee-free seat at a private university or college. Places go by a competitive average, with minimum scores of 96% for general medicine and 93% for dentistry and pharmacy.
- Morocco's Cleantech call offers green start-ups prizes of MAD 100,000 to 150,000; applications close 9 November
The 2026 round of Cleantech Maroc, run by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development with UNIDO and the Global Environment Facility, is open to sole traders, start-ups and very small firms working on waste, water, energy efficiency or renewables.
- Saudi media regulator lets private and non-profit outlets apply to pay its fines in instalments until 30 December
The General Authority for Media Regulation is taking applications by email, backed by a year of bank statements and a case for why instalments are needed. An agreement follows only after the creditor signs off on a complete file.
- Madinah opens Ramadan iftar catering applications at three sites; companies must apply electronically by 18 October
The Madinah Region Development Authority is inviting catering firms to bid to supply iftar meals for fasting individuals at Al-Miqat Mosque, Al-Qiblatain Mosque and the cultural centre in Ramadan 1448 AH. Applications close on 7 Jumada al-Awwal 1448 AH, which matches 18 October 2026 on the Gregorian calendar used in the same SPA dateline.
- UAE Ministry of Culture opens Modern Heritage Grant cycle two; WAM gives 31 October as the deadline, but two ministry pages say 15 October
The Ministry of Culture, with Zayed University and MAJRA, has opened the second cycle of the Modern Heritage Grant Programme for 2026–2027. WAM and the cycle page's Key Dates give 31 October 2026 as the last day to apply, but the ministry's programme page and a timetable on the cycle page give 15 October. There are four grant types, two of them new.
- Saudi Board of Grievances takes comments until 5 November on draft procedure rules for minor administrative cases
The Board of Grievances has put a draft change to the implementing regulations of its Law of Procedure on the Istitlaa consultation platform. The draft deals with what happens after administrative courts rule in minor cases, including appeals, corrections, interpretation and reconsideration of those rulings.
- Qatar's Hajj 1448 registration closes on Tuesday 20 October, with 4,400 places on offer
Qatar's Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs closes online Hajj registration for the 1448 AH season on 20 October. Officials expect more than 12,000 applicants for a quota of 4,400, and residents face tighter age and residence rules than citizens.
- Syria opens a two-week sign-up for free cataract surgery at Golan National Hospital in Quneitra
Syria's Ministry of Health and the Al-Basar International Foundation have launched a free cataract surgery campaign in Quneitra. Patients are asked to attend the hospital's eye clinic for tests and registration for two weeks from Thursday 15 October.