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Dubai Teams Up With Elon Musk’s Boring Company For “Dubai Loop”
The proposed underground transport system will span 17 kilometers and include 11 stations, serving over 20,000 passengers per hour.
Dubai is making a bold move toward futuristic transportation after announcing that its Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will team with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to develop the “Dubai Loop.” The collaboration was revealed during the recent World Governments Summit, an annual event that gathers global leaders to discuss future innovation.
The proposed Dubai Loop will span 17 kilometers underground and include 11 stations, aiming to transport over 20,000 passengers per hour. Operating with driverless electric vehicles, the system promises a rapid, congestion-free travel experience — similar to the Las Vegas Loop.
According to The Boring Company, the Dubai Loop will function as a point-to-point system, allowing passengers to reach their destination directly without intermittent stops. With speeds reaching up to 160 km per hour (100 mph), the system will offer a fast and efficient alternative to traditional public transport.
Elon Musk confirmed the partnership via video link at the World Governments Summit, describing the project as a way for travelers to move through Dubai like passing through a “wormhole” — eliminating long distances and traffic congestion.
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Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, who led the discussion with Musk, highlighted the project’s potential impact. “The Loop project is going to cover Dubai’s most densely populated areas for people to go from point to point in a seamless manner. We hope to change people’s lives”.
During the discussion, Musk, who is also leading the Trump administration’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) emphasized the need for streamlined government processes and technological advancements in governance. He noted that efficient tunnel-based transport offers a safer and more practical alternative to emerging concepts like flying cars and UAVs.
Once operational, the Dubai Loop will connect key areas across the city, significantly cutting travel times and revolutionizing urban mobility.
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Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform
Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.
Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.
The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.
Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.
Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.
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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.
“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.
Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.
Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform
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