From a visa rule that has finally eased to a museum that finally has a date, here is what moved across the Gulf this week.
5 GCC Updates
1. UAE Lifts Visa Suspension For Ugandans
The UAE has lifted its suspension on new visas for Ugandan nationals, it announced on Wednesday. Passport holders can enter if at least 21 days have passed since they left Uganda. The pause began on 6 June over Ebola concerns. New visas for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan stay suspended. Ugandan students enrolled in the UAE before June 2026 and their families are allowed in, and medical cases are assessed individually. Embassy administrative staff with ordinary passports can also enter, and authorities say they will keep monitoring the health situation.
2. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Opens On 11 December
The Frank Gehry-designed museum opens on Saadiyat Island on Friday 11 December, and it is the largest in the Guggenheim network. General admission is Dh70, while visitors under 18, students and those aged 60 and above get in free. Tickets are sold on guggenheimabudhabi.ae. The building has 28 galleries around a central atrium, topped by ten sculptural cones.
3. Qatar Airways Expands Pre-Order Dining
First and Business Class passengers on medium-haul flights of two hours or more can now pre-order their main course, up to 24 hours before departure. Selected dishes from the airline’s Flavours to Fly For collection will be available on eligible routes, so you can lock in your meal before you reach the airport.
4. F45 Dubai Marina Is Back In JBR
After leaving Trident Grand Mall in April, F45 Dubai Marina reopened on 7 November in Murjan, JBR. You will find it behind Murjan 6 on the Plaza level of JBR The Walk. The new studio is bigger and comes with upgraded strength equipment, and classes start between 6am and 6.45pm.
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5. Lufthansa Takes Its 700th Airbus
Lufthansa received its first A350-1000, and the aircraft is the 700th Airbus delivered to the Lufthansa Group. The jet wears a special livery for the airline’s 100th anniversary, and the delivery comes 50 years after the first Airbus joined its fleet. The group calls itself the world’s largest Airbus customer, and it has 15 A350-1000s on order, with deliveries running to 2030.
Cover Image Courtesy: Qatar Airways/Website
FAQs
Where is the new F45 Dubai Marina studio?
It is in Murjan, JBR, behind Murjan 6 on the Plaza level of JBR The Walk. It reopened on 7 November after the Trident Grand Mall studio closed in April, and class start times run from 6am to 6.45pm.
Can Ugandans get UAE visas again?
Yes. The UAE has lifted its suspension on new visas for Ugandan nationals. Passport holders can enter if at least 21 days have passed since they left Uganda. The suspension still applies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
