ROX delivers first 100 cars produced in the UAE, boosting advanced manufacturing in the country
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Khaleej Times
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ROX delivers first 100 cars produced in the UAE, boosting advanced manufacturing in the country

ROX has announced the handover of the first batch of one hundred vehicles manufactured in the UAE and marked with the 'Made in the Emirates' label, as part of its UAE Signature Edition series. This achievement supports the UAE's efforts to diversify its national industrial base and develop advanced manufacturing capabilities in high value-added sectors.

These one hundred units are the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), and ROX itself. Production took place at the company's industrial production center in the Khalifa Abu Dhabi Economic Zones (KEZAD), which is part of ROX's efforts to localize production processes and expand its presence in Abu Dhabi while promoting the UAE's automotive manufacturing capabilities.

This project demonstrates the potential of the UAE's industrial and investment ecosystem in attracting international companies and supporting local production through advanced infrastructure, logistics services, technology, and institutional partnership.

The cooperation between ADIO and ROX has helped the company in its establishment and expansion in the emirate, aligning with the broader strategy for developing the automotive industry in line with the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy. This strategy includes creating an integrated ecosystem covering production, design, advanced technology, and research and development.

The industrial project is supported by MoIAT under the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative and aligns with the goals of the National Industrial and Advanced Technology Strategy (Operation 300 Billion). The goal of this strategy is to strengthen national industrial capacity, resilience, and competitiveness, accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, and increase the industrial sector's contribution to the national economy.

Hassan Jassim Al Nawais, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, stated that the UAE continues to develop an integrated industrial and investment ecosystem that attracts investment. He emphasized the focus on expanding the country's advanced manufacturing base and accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, which strengthens the industry's contribution to economic diversification and competitiveness within the National Industrial and Advanced Technology Strategy and the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative.

He added that ROX's operations in Abu Dhabi combine state support tools, investment, advanced manufacturing, technology, and industrial infrastructure. The handover of one hundred vehicles marked 'Made in the Emirates' holds strategic value as it creates an opportunity to attract further high-quality investments, develop national capabilities, localize knowledge, and build partnerships that stimulate growth, competitiveness, and industrial resilience in the UAE, especially against the backdrop of global supply chain challenges.

Al Nawais stressed that together with partners, they continue to strengthen industrial resilience, develop local supply chains, and attract high-quality industrial investments. Their goal is to create a more diversified and sustainable industrial base that utilizes modern technologies and competes in local, regional, and international markets. The 'Made in the Emirates' label, based on best manufacturing standards, has gained trust in global markets.

Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, Director of Trade and Industry at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), noted that ROX's journey into Abu Dhabi demonstrates how investments can transform into tangible industrial opportunities and chances for global growth. The launch of the first batch of one hundred vehicles reflects the company's commitment to strengthening its manufacturing operations and associated value chains in the emirate, contributing to the development of an automotive ecosystem that supports the localization of industrial activities and strengthens supply chains.

He also added that as ROX moves to the next stage of growth, Abu Dhabi continues to offer manufacturers competitive advantages through advanced infrastructure, connectivity, and partnerships that enable companies to create and expand their operations, as well as enhance their ability to compete globally from a single base.

Harris, founder and CEO of ROX, stated that the delivery of the first cars produced in the UAE is an important milestone in ROX's long-term commitment to Abu Dhabi and the UAE. In a short period, the company has managed to create opportunities in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and design, enabling it to produce vehicles locally and serve customers across the region.

He expressed his intention to continue collaborating with partners to expand manufacturing operations, develop local capabilities, and strengthen supporting supply chains. ROX expects the UAE to become a hub for vehicle production and to contribute to the further development of the advanced automotive industry ecosystem.

The ROX facility in Abu Dhabi was established in six months, integrating capabilities in manufacturing, design, and AI. The delivery of the first one hundred 'Made in the Emirates' vehicles marks another step toward strengthening the presence of locally produced goods in the market.

The facility includes a Manufacturing Center, an AI Laboratory, and a Design Studio, supporting ROX's plans to expand manufacturing operations in the UAE and meet the needs of regional markets. The start of vehicle deliveries reflects efforts to develop local manufacturing capabilities and demonstrates the UAE's ability to transform investments into domestic production of value-added products. It also opens up opportunities for developing industrial expertise and strengthening integration between manufacturing, design, and advanced technologies, aligning with the national aspiration to increase the industrial sector's added value.

The integration of AI, manufacturing, and design capabilities in one complex supports the UAE's industrial ambitions and reinforces efforts to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies across the industrial sector. The first one hundred vehicles feature the 'Made in the Emirates' marking on the body, reflecting the connection of the UAE Signature Edition series to its place of manufacture. Each vehicle in this series is a luxury SUV produced through a precise and numbered process designed to meet the needs of the regional market.

The handover of the first batch of one hundred vehicles lays the foundation for the next phase of ROX's manufacturing operations in Abu Dhabi. Further production at ICAD/KEZAD is expected to support the company's plans to enter regional markets while contributing to the growth of the UAE's advanced manufacturing base. The project's progress also reflects ADIO's and MoIAT's current efforts to support industrial investments, develop local manufacturing capabilities, and create a favorable environment for companies wishing to expand from Abu Dhabi into regional and international markets.

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Iranian team created trailer for the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) 2026
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www.tehrantimes.com

Iranian team created trailer for the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) 2026

An Iranian team has prepared an official promotional trailer for the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) 2026. This project became possible after the creators of the film 'Fox Under the Pink Moon,' co-directed by Mehrdad Oskouei and Soraya Ahlaqi, received an invitation from the festival following the success of their work at IDFA 2025, according to ISNA.

The trailer's creation involved editor Mohammad Babaei and composer Afshin Azizi. Azizi shared on social media that their vision was to create something more than just a festival trailer—a work reflecting the pressing issues of modernity: the world, women, children, and hope for a better future.

He added that amid ongoing war and violence around the world, they aimed to create something that spoke of humanity, compassion, and hope through imagery, animation, music, and sound. The collaboration with IDFA, which they have always considered home for global documentarians, was a special experience for them.

Since 2022, IDFA has invited artists from its community to develop the festival's visual campaign, allowing them to interpret IDFA and explore the connection between art, documentary, and the world.

Continuing the Artistic Dialogue

For the 2026 edition, this creative dialogue is continued by director Mehrdad Oskouei and co-director Soraya Ahlaqi, the authors of the film 'Fox Under the Pink Moon,' which won the IDFA award for Best Film in the International Competition in 2025. Their joint work develops the theme initiated by the film, where Soraya's drawings served as a way to contemplate memory, displacement, and conflict.

This 76-minute documentary is a co-production of Iran, France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the USA. It premiered globally at the festival and received its first international award. The film features 16-year-old Soraya, who creates stunning drawings and sculptures that combine beauty and darkness. This determined sculptor and illustrator from Afghanistan has been trying to leave Iran and join her mother in Austria for five years.

The central idea of this year's festival campaign is visual transformation. The trailer combines fragments from previously shown documentaries at IDFA: footage testifying to destruction, migration, and the long-term consequences of conflicts. However, these images are not static; Soraya draws directly on them, transforming scenes of violence and devastation through her own visual language. Her illustrations do not attempt to hide or erase reality but react to it, opening space for another perspective.

The image of destruction can give rise to an unexpected gesture of beauty. Through drawing and animation, documentary footage becomes a canvas for imagination, connecting memory and the present, destruction and hope. This approach echoes the main idea of 'Fox Under the Pink Moon': art can change our perception of the world without denying its realities. Soraya's work acknowledges violence and suffering while insisting that beauty, tenderness, and hope can exist alongside them.

The creation of the campaign reflects the realities upon which it is based. It has become a mosaic of international collaborations forged across borders, time zones, and vastly different circumstances. Soraya worked on the campaign from a refugee shelter, where she currently lives in Berlin, while Mehrdad coordinated the project from France. Composer Afshin Azizi created the soundtrack from the Netherlands, and editor Mohammad Babaei assembled the trailer from Iran. Soraya's drawings were animated by Ukrainian animator Alina Milkina, working from Kyiv while the city continued to be subjected to Russian bombings.

Thus, the campaign is not just a piece about war, displacement, and resilience; it is also shaped by these realities. Its creators bring their experiences of migration, conflict, and distance into the process. Together, they demonstrate the connections that art can forge even when physical boundaries impede communication.

Emotionally, the trailer moves through four interconnected states: war, destruction, migration, and hope. Instead of presenting them as a linear journey, the campaign allows these experiences to intersect and coexist, reflecting the complexity of modern life. Documentary footage serves as a starting point for imagination. Drawings interrupt and transform it. Animation gives it movement and new meaning. The result is not an attempt to make complex realities more palatable, but an invitation to view them differently.

According to the IDFA website, this largely aligns with what IDFA itself strives for. Documentary cinema confronts us with reality while simultaneously creating a space where images can be questioned, shared, and transformed through dialogue. This year's campaign embodies that belief. Art cannot negate violence, but it can change our view of it. And by changing our view, it can help us envision what might come next.

IDFA is a leading international institution for documentary film, providing a platform for exchange, collaboration, and inspiration, bringing together filmmakers, artists, audiences, and professionals from around the world. Its broad activities include a public film and new media festival, funding initiatives, markets, talent development, and educational programs, as well as a year-round documentary center in the Amsterdam Fundelpark.

ADM Jizzakh invests $100 million in hybrid and electric vehicle production
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uzdaily.uz

ADM Jizzakh invests $100 million in hybrid and electric vehicle production

ADM Jizzakh and South Korean engineering company DK&G Co have signed an agreement for the supply and installation of industrial equipment for a new enterprise that will produce hybrid and electric vehicles. This project involves investments of approximately 100 million US dollars.

According to a statement from ADM Global, the new plant will manufacture cars under the brands Chery, Haval, and Changan. Currently, the new production complex is being built on the territory of ADM Jizzakh.

Production will be carried out using Completely Knocked Down (CKD) technology, covering the entire production cycle: from body welding and painting to final assembly and quality control. A key feature of this facility will be the ability to produce vehicles of different brands on a single production line.

Engineers from ADM Jizzakh and DK&G Co will jointly develop the system. The universal assembly line will allow production to be adapted to various models of hybrid and electric cars. Previously, DK&G Co participated in equipping ADM Jizzakh's existing CKD production, where internal combustion engine Kia cars are currently assembled.

The South Korean firm has significant experience in designing and creating industrial equipment tailored to the specific needs of clients. Developing vehicles based on New Energy Vehicle (NEV) technologies is one of the strategic goals of ADM Global. The company plans to introduce a range of new hybrid and electric car models to the Uzbek market, gradually increasing the share of locally produced components.

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