Inside Gulf News: Rain disruption across UAE, Dubai's peak travel season and a warm welcome in Ras Al Khaimah

Dear readers. I hope this letter finds you safe and well at the end of a turbulent week in the UAE. I write this after a frantic 24 hours that has seen rain disrupting roads, flights and businesses, so I do hope that the rain is passing you by without too much trouble. We’ve also reported on the tragic death of a young man in Ras Al Khaimah and our thoughts are with Salman's family and friends.

It is times like these that the newsroom really springs to life, with our reporters and photographers across the UAE making sure that you are getting the latest reports and information as quickly as possible through gulfnews.com. While we move quickly, it’s vital that we are verifying our stories before they go live - especially in a world of AI video and photos. We've seen a lot of videos from previous rain events circulating on social media and fake videos of canoes and jet skis on our roads. A lot of nonsense that we won't be fooled by. Gulf News is built on trust and it’s a value we hold above everything else.

I’ve worked in many newsrooms and I’m always impressed by how journalists jump into these stories and push hard to keep the updates coming, even when it means very long days. Being an editor is a joy when you see the determination of every single person to get the news out, including those who print the newspaper and deliver it to doorsteps across the country. The delivery boys are our unsung heroes.

It’s not just our teams who step up a gear at times like these. We are reminded how we rely on so many people for our lives to run smoothly. From the delivery riders and taxi drivers to emergency services and airport crew, the UAE runs like clockwork… until the clouds burst. So many people will have been working through the adverse conditions to make sure food still arrives, aeroplanes take off, roads are cleared and medical care is on hand. Let’s take a moment to thank them while they begin to dry off.

Being from England, it’s fair to say I am used to rain in all of its forms. Talking about the weather is a national past-time. The last couple of days are what my grandparents (who were farmers in the UK) would call ‘good weather for ducks’. I'm guessing it's because ducks don't really care when they're already wet... I really should have asked. However, I’ve quickly learned that precipitation here in the Arabian Gulf is very different. While the UAE doesn’t see a lot of rainfall, when it comes it can be extremely disruptive and destructive. Seeing people in the office in big jumpers and coats does make me chuckle, however.  It seems that things will be getting back to normal soon as the tourist season really takes off.

Elsewhere, it has all been about travel, Christmas and New Year planning. While some businesses wind down over this holiday period, things get busier for the newsroom with so many events and celebrations. I’m particularly looking forward to the World Sports Summit that is taking place at the very end of the month in Dubai. What a guest list!

Finally, I must give a warm Gulf News welcome to Phillipa Harrison, the new CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, who I had the pleasure to meet last weekend. She was heading up tourism for the whole of Australia before moving from Sydney a few months ago, which really shows the ambitions RAK has to become a global travel destination. After a good off-the-record chat, all I can say is that the future is very exciting for our most northern emirate.

It was also nice to meet someone who has been in the UAE for less time than myself and is experiencing all the great things the country has to offer for the first time. I’m about to enjoy my first Yuletide here and I can not wait. Hopefully Santa realises that I’ve moved house.

Warm regards

Mark