Flight cancellations and delays spike amid Middle East tensions in UAE: Searches related to flight cancellations and delays involving UAE flights have surged by 1000%, driven by US-Iran tensions affecting Middle East airfa
Regional Pulse in United Arab Emirates
Country pulse digest
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Regional Pulse in United Arab Emirates
In the UAE, searches have surged for flight cancellations amid Middle East tensions, weather forecasts predicting hot and rainy conditions, and key sports events including World Cup matches and cricket fixtures. Interest in regional news terms and local safety campaigns also rose significantly.
Active topics
24
Search volume
93.4K
Leading topic
Sports
Attention mix
What the country is searching
24
Sports33% (8)
World21% (5)
Life17% (4)
Weather8% (2)
Money8% (2)
Culture4% (1)
Entertainment4% (1)
Politics4% (1)
Why people are curious
People in the UAE are primarily curious to understand the implications of geopolitical tensions affecting their travel plans, as indicated by explaining intent around flight cancellations. Others are following scheduled weather updates and major international sports events, reflecting a desire to stay informed and connected to key happenings both locally and globally. There is also a worrying intent behind the increased interest in the Dubai traffic safety campaign, showing concern for public safety. Cultural and entertainment interests appear with intents to explain and watch, revealing engagement with regional language topics and popular media.
What to know now
The pulse, explained
Weather forecasts for tomorrow see 100% growth in interest: Interest in upcoming weather forecasts has doubled, with residents following hot conditions and forecasts of incoming rains across various regions.
Dramatic rise in searches for Arabic news term 'الراي' linked to regional issues: The Arabic news term 'الراي' sees a dramatic surge as people follow regional environmental, corruption, and political news stories.
Interest in Malayalam term 'അവധി' increases amid political discourse: The Malayalam word 'അവധി' meaning 'leave' or 'holiday' gains notable attention related to political leaders' comments and public interest.
West Indies vs Ireland Women's T20 World Cup match attracts attention due to upset: The Women's T20 World Cup match where Ireland defeated West Indies unexpectedly has drawn notable attention.
Global interest surges for Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh 1st T20I cricket match: The 2026 Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 1st T20I cricket match is widely followed globally with detailed live coverage and analysis.
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Ranked searches
What people are curious about in United Arab Emirates
The leading searches, their context, and the related questions forming around them.
01
WorldNew
flight cancellation and delay
There has been a significant increase in searches related to flight cancellations and delays, especially involving UAE flights amid Middle East tensions.
5K+ searches · 1,000% growthFirst recent appearance
uae flights cancelled
02
WeatherEmerging
weather tomorrow
Searches for weather forecasts for tomorrow have risen by 100%, with forecasts highlighting hot conditions and incoming rains in various regions.
10K+ searches · 100% growthSearch volume down 50%
03
WorldDeclining
الراي
Search interest in the Arabic news term 'الراي' has grown dramatically, spurred by multiple news stories on regional environmental issues, corruption, and political events.
2K+ searches · 1,000% growthSearch volume down 60%
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04
CultureDeclining
അവധി
The Malayalam term 'അവധി' translates to 'leave' or 'holiday' and is drawing notable interest, especially related to political leaders' responses.
5K+ searches · 1,000% growthSearch volume down 60%
05
SportsNew
west indies vs ireland
The Women's T20 World Cup match between West Indies and Ireland attracted attention due to Ireland's unexpected win.
2K+ searches · 1,000% growthFirst recent appearance
06
SportsNew
zimbabwe vs bangladesh
The Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh 1st T20I cricket match in 2026 is widely followed worldwide with detailed live broadcasts and analysis.
20K+ searches · 1,000% growthFirst recent appearance
yasir alizim vs banbangladesh vs zimbabwe
07
LifeNew
dubai traffic safety awareness campaign
The Dubai traffic safety awareness campaign has recently seen a significant rise in interest within the UAE.
2K+ searches · 600% growthFirst recent appearance
08
SportsEmerging
world cup final
The world cup final has attracted increased attention, especially around standout players like Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.
2K+ searches · 200% growthSearch volume down 90%
yamal
09
EntertainmentSurging
the odyssey
Christopher Nolan’s film 'The Odyssey' is gaining popularity and critical attention in the UAE.
1K+ searches · 100% growthSearch volume up 100%
odysseyodyssey movieepic
10
WorldNew
qatar
Searches about 'Qatar' surged due to recent major news including the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa and geopolitical events involving Iran and Qatar.
200+ searches · 700% growthFirst recent appearance
11
LifeDeclining
പാസ്പോര്ട്ട്
The term 'പാസ്പോര്ട്ട്' saw a sharp increase in search interest, likely related to Anna Ador featured in regional media.
200+ searches · 700% growthSearch volume down 60%
12
LifeNew
uae 2026 public holidays
There is growing interest in the UAE's public holidays for 2026, including information on key astronomical events and Ramadan dates.
100+ searches · 600% growthFirst recent appearance
World / Following | 2 hours ago
middle east
Why it matters
NewThis topic has only just appeared in the recent pulse, backed by 200+ recent searches and 100% growth. People are searching to follow a developing event.
First recent appearance
Reporting and context
Source coverage helping explain why this topic is moving.
US military denies striking civilian wheat storage in Iran after Trump threatens power plants and bridges – Middle East …
US Fifth Fleet targeted in Bahrain, says Iran, in latest exchange of strikes – as it happened - The Guardian
Middle East experts assess latest escalation in U.S.-Iran conflict - PBS
Oil prices sink, shrugging off renewed Middle East fighting - Reuters
Oil prices jump following the latest fighting in the Middle East, while AI stocks sink - AP News
The wider weekly pattern
Curiosity trail
Related searches that led here, appeared alongside it, or followed.