Etihad Airways Announcing Luxembourg Flights To Ithra Spain Cultural Days In Dhahran; 10 Middle East Updates

With the weekend here, it’s not wrong to say that it’s been quite a difficult week for those who like to keep up with news pieces. After all, the Middle East has been brimming with a lot of new developments, ranging all the way from Saudi Arabia to Oman and the UAE. With the Middle East always brimming with developments, we have made a list of some important updates that you might have missed while keeping up with the news.

Middle East Updates

1. Dubai’s Palm Monorail Temporarily Closed

Palm Monorail in Dubai, as revealed in its Instagram post, has temporarily suspended all services. However, this has been undertaken for ongoing maintenance work, and it would affect travel to and from Palm Jumeirah. And so passengers have been advised to make an alternative travel arrangement during this period of suspended services.

2. Fujairah Sends School Students Home Early

Students in Fujairah have been sent home early on Friday. They were dismissed at 9:30 AM itself, as there was heavy rainfall that continued to affect the area and water levels rose in the surrounding streets. So, school buses began transporting students home for safety concerns and to avoid any potential risk.

3. New Flight Announced From Riyadh To Kozhikode

Saudia, which is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has announced a new flight route between Saudi Arabia and India. Yes, this flight would connect Riyadh to Kozhikode, which is a city in the state of Kerala in India. The flight is going to commence from February 1st, 2026 and will be serviced by eight weekly flights.

4. Dubai RTA Revealed Phase One Of Rollout Of Driverless Taxis

As revealed in a report of Gulf News, it was mentioned that Dubai RTA has announced that 65 locations across two operational zones will be marked for the initial rollout of driverless RoboTaxi services. Phase one of the project would cover 17 locations in zone one and 48 in zone two.

5. Etihad To Launch Luxembourg Direct Flights

Luxembourg is next on our map – get ready for takeoff! ✈️

Starting 29 October 2026, we’re flying to the heart of Europe, connecting Abu Dhabi with Luxembourg and beyond.

Fly direct on board our Etihad A321LR, featuring First Suites, Business and Economy cabins designed for… pic.twitter.com/OgYHlOeHRj

— Etihad Airways (@etihad) January 9, 2026

As announced by Etihad Airways on its official account on X, it will soon launch direct flights to Luxembourg. This is a big step as it marks the first Middle Eastern carrier to offer non-stop service between the two countries. The flights will begin on October 29th, 2026, which would create a direct air bridge between Abu Dhabi and one of Europe’s key financial centres.

Also Read: Emirates Announces Premium Economy Experience For New Destinations!

6. Ithra Spain Cultural Days Begins

Ithra has launched Ethra Spain cultural days, which would feature 130 cultural and performing events. The programme is taking place at Ithra’s headquarters, which is in Dhahran. It would strengthen cultural and civilisation exchange between two nations. Not only this, but it would include a slew of workshops, interactive experiences, theatrical performances, dialogue sessions, and more inspired by the Spanish culture.

7. Aseer Brings Together Climate Diversity And Winter Tourism

Aseer region has a unique climatic and geographical diversity. And so residents and visitors get to move swiftly between the cool atmosphere of the highlands and the warmer ones in the plains. This is made possible through the intricate mountain passes that link the highland to the Red Sea coast.

8. Dusty Winds And Scattered Winds Through The Weekend In Kuwait

According to the meteorological department, as revealed by the Kuwait News Agency, from Friday evening onwards until Saturday morning, it is expected that Kuwait will be affected by dust raising wind. Moreover, a cold air mass may move in, which could causethe Southeast wind to shift to the Northwest. So, it is expected that on the weekend, the weather may be moderate during the day. However, temperatures will drop to very cold levels at night.

9. Temporary Closure Of Road In Qatar

There is a temporary full road closure on the Al Khafji Street and Katara Street. This is on the occasion of the Katara Triathlon Championship, and so it is advised for motorists to follow directional signs and use alternative routes when possible.

10. Oman Desert Marathon To Begin On Saturday

On January 10th, the Oman Desert Marathon will begin in the Wilayat of Bidiyah. It is going to see participation from more than 1,200 elite runners and endurance athletes. These people will be from the Sultanate of Oman and from more than 35 nations from across the globe.

With these updates laid out for you, we hope you’re able to stay ahead of all the news pieces from across the Middle East.

Cover Image Courtesy: Etihad Airways/X