Getting around this part of Dubai could soon become a little smoother.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed a series of traffic improvements on Latifa bint Hamdan Street, adding a new lane and introducing new U-turns to help ease congestion and improve traffic flow.

The project includes a new lane along the service road across two sections covering a total of 1,000 metres. One section stretches from the Al Asayel Street intersection to Street 44, while the other runs from the National Cement Factory area to the First Al Khail Street exit.

The RTA has also built two new U-turns beneath the Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Al Asayel Street intersection, giving motorists more route options and improving traffic circulation in the area.

The latest upgrades are part of the authority’s ongoing programme to expand road capacity, improve mobility and make daily journeys quicker and more efficient for residents and visitors across Dubai.

Dubai Duty Free has become the first airport retailer in the Middle East to introduce Crypto.com Pay, allowing eligible UAE residents to pay for purchases using their Crypto.com accounts.

The new payment option is now available at Dubai International Airport (DXB), Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC/AMIA) and online at Dubai Duty Free’s website.

The rollout follows a strategic partnership signed between Dubai Duty Free and Crypto.com in July 2025 and supports Dubai’s wider push towards a cashless economy under the D33 Economic Agenda.

How it works

For in-store purchases, shoppers simply select Crypto.com Pay at checkout, scan the QR code displayed at the counter using the Crypto.com app and approve the payment. The transaction is processed instantly, with Dubai Duty Free receiving settlement in UAE dirhams.

Online shoppers can also choose Crypto.com Pay during checkout, scan the QR code generated on the payment page and confirm the transaction through the Crypto.com app. Mobile users are redirected directly to the app before returning to complete their purchase.

Available for eligible UAE residents

The service is currently available to eligible UAE residents with a Crypto.com account. Payments are processed through Crypto.com’s regulated payment platform, with transactions settled in dirhams.

Dubai Duty Free said the launch expands its range of digital payment options, which already includes Apple Pay, Alipay and TerraPay, while offering customers another convenient way to pay.

The move also strengthens Dubai’s ambition to become a global leader in digital commerce, with the emirate targeting 90 per cent of financial transactions to be cashless by the end of 2026.

Parking at Wafi Mall has gone fully digital.

Parkonic has introduced its ticketless parking system at the popular Dubai mall, allowing motorists to pay parking fees automatically through their Salik accounts or by scanning a QR code before leaving.

When drivers enter the car park, their vehicle’s number plate is automatically scanned, creating a digital parking ticket without the need for paper tickets or parking machines.

Parking charges

• First 3 hours: Free
• 3–4 hours: Dh15
• Each additional hour (or part): Dh10

Parking charges apply Monday to Friday, while parking remains free on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Drivers who leave and return after using their three free hours will be treated as a new entry. However, to receive another three hours of free parking on the same day, there must be a two-hour gap between visits.

There are no cash payment options or parking machines at the site. Visitors without a Salik account, or those with insufficient balance, must pay using an alternative payment method before exiting.

Loading bay vehicles are eligible for one extra hour of free parking once validated.

Parkonic warned that motorists who fail to pay the required parking fees could face fines, blacklisting or legal action.

The operator has been expanding its ticketless parking network across the UAE, with recent rollouts at West Yas Plaza, Yas Bay, Yas Marina, selected Choithrams stores, Discovery Gardens and Palm Jumeirah Crescent.