News

Abu Dhabi Airports Exploring Options For Air Taxis

Abu Dhabi Airports has just signed an agreement with French counterpart Groupe ADP in a bid to explore how airport infrastructure could be updated to incorporate air taxis.

Published

4 years ago

November 9, 2022

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi airports exploring options for air taxis

Abu Dhabi Airports has teamed up with France-based Groupe ADP to incorporate air taxis into the airport infrastructure. The two groups have drawn up an advanced air mobility (AAM) plan, focusing on Abu Dhabi’s airspace and the viability of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. If plans are successful, the Emirate could see fleets of highly efficient craft darting around the region, ferrying both people and small cargo loads.

The joint team have agreed to share the responsibilities of planning, development and design and will soon draft a feasibility study after discussions with stakeholders.

abu dhabi airports signs deal wit groupe adp

“The advanced air mobility system integrates flight technologies with transformational aircraft designs which utilize electric power to hover, take off and land vertically, enabling sustainability in air transport for both passengers and cargo,” says Jamal Al Dhaheri, managing director and chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports.

It’s hoped that eventually, the planned infrastructure and technology will not only drive further improvements to the region’s sustainability credentials, but also improve transport convenience and efficiency through the use of low maintenance high speed air taxis.

Also Read: Saudi Arabia To Build 150,000 EVs Annually By 2026

Groupe ADP and Abu Dhabi Airports aren’t alone in their desire to develop air taxi infrastructure. Many companies worldwide have already begun to explore the regulatory implications of this new type of transport, and major airlines are keen to develop viable battery-powered aircraft designs that can take off and land vertically.

In the future, it looks increasingly likely that our cities will resemble something from a sci-fi movie, with taxis taking off and landing from “vertiports” on building rooftops, helping residents beat traffic queues and get to main transportation hubs on time.

News

YouTube Rolls Out Supervised Children’s Accounts Across MENA

An industry-first feed timer lets parents cap Shorts scrolling. Access can also be switched off entirely ahead of exam season.

Published

11 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Dana Saadeh

YouTube

YouTube has launched supervised kid accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, giving parents a way to hand their children the main YouTube app without handing over all of it. Announced in Dubai on July 2, the accounts are built directly into the platform rather than the standalone YouTube Kids app, and are aimed at families who feel a child has outgrown the curated library but isn’t ready for the open feed.

Parents can choose from three content settings, each broadly aligned with international content ratings. Explore covers educational videos, tutorials, arts and crafts, and dance. Explore More adds gaming and live streams. Most of YouTube opens up almost everything except videos rated 18+ or deemed inappropriate for supervised accounts.

The standout tool is an industry-first Shorts feed timer, which lets parents set daily limits on short-form scrolling. Set it to zero and Shorts disappears altogether – a lever YouTube suggests parents might pull ahead of exam season. Other protections are on by default for all users under 18: “Take a Break” and “Bedtime” reminders, no personalized ad targeting, autoplay switched off, and no ability to upload videos or write comments. The accounts are optional, and parents can end supervision at any time.

The kid accounts join supervised teen accounts already available across the region, which notify parents by email when a teenager uploads a video or starts a live stream.

“YouTube has been a huge part of families’ lives across this region for over 20 years,” said Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube Middle East and North Africa, citing Kantar research showing 95% of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree YouTube has top content in education and learning.

Also Read: Tamper With The Recording LED & Meta’s Glasses Kill Camera

“It’s essential that we protect young people in – not from – the digital world,” added Garth Graham, YouTube’s head of health.

The new settings are rolling out gradually across the MENA, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Iraq. The latest features can be set up through Family Center in the YouTube app or via Google Family Link.