DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 6, 2026--
Al Barari, Dubai’s pioneering nature-led community, has officially marked the groundbreaking of The Cape, its final signature residential development, celebrating two decades of visionary craftsmanship and a continued commitment to creating harmonious living environments rooted in nature.
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The milestone ceremony signals the beginning of a landmark chapter for Al Barari, as The Cape represents the culmination of a 20-year legacy defined by intentional design, wellbeing-focused living, and immersive natural landscapes.
Located within Dubai’s green heart, The Cape introduces an enriched lifestyle experience surrounded by lush botanical settings, gentle water features, and curated wellness spaces. Residents will enjoy resort-style amenities including a swimming pool, wellness suites, rooftop lounges, co-working areas, fitness facilities, and dedicated family zones – all designed to foster balance, connection, and everyday wellbeing.
The groundbreaking ceremony celebrated Al Barari’s evolution from untouched desert to one of the region’s most admired communities. Through immersive storytelling and sensory experiences, the event honoured the journey of the brand and its enduring mission to redefine luxury through nature.
Reflecting on the occasion, Hazza Zaal, CEO of Al Barari, shared:
“The Cape is rooted in Al Barari’s identity as a nature-led development. For us, nature is not an add-on, it is the foundation of everything we create. The Cape reflects this approach – a place where thoughtful design and natural beauty come together to create a truly meaningful way of living.”
As Al Barari continues its story of thoughtful growth and innovation, The Cape stands as a defining expression of the brand’s values and legacy. More than a residential development, it is a place shaped by vision and grounded in nature, offering a rare opportunity to live in a community where harmony, elegance, and authenticity remain at the core.
About Al Barari
Al Barari is Dubai’s most established luxury nature-inspired community, renowned for its botanical landscapes, low-density planning, and commitment to sustainable living. Founded over two decades ago, Al Barari has pioneered a new approach to residential development, placing wellbeing, craftsmanship, and environmental harmony at the centre of every project. Home to award-winning residences, lifestyle destinations, and immersive green spaces, Al Barari continues to redefine modern living by creating communities that nurture connection, balance, and a deeper relationship with nature.
*Source: AETOSWire
Hazza Zaal, CEO of Al Barari Real Estate Group, alongside the Sales and Construction teams at The Cape Groundbreaking Ceremony, marking a milestone in Al Barari’s final signature development. (Photo: AETOSWire)
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Norway’s crown princess apologized on Friday for the situation she has put the royal family in as she faces scrutiny over her contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, part of a broader apology for all those that has “disappointed.”
Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s communications and contacts with Epstein have put her in the spotlight over the past week, adding to the embarrassment to the royals just as her son went on trial in Oslo for multiple offences including charges of rape.
The Epstein files contained several hundred mentions of the crown princess, who said in 2019 that she regretted having had contact with Epstein, Norwegian media reported.
The documents, which include email exchanges, showed that Mette-Marit borrowed an Epstein-owned property in Palm Beach, Florida, for several days in 2013. Broadcaster NRK reported that the stay was arranged through a mutual friend, which was later confirmed by the royal household.
The royal palace said Friday that Mette-Marit wants to talk about what happened and explain herself in more detail, but is unable to at present. It added that she is in a very difficult situation and “hopes for understanding that she needs time to gather her thoughts.”
It also issued a statement from the crown princess — her second in a week — in which she reiterated her deep regret for her past friendship with Epstein.
“It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed,” she said. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen.”
King Harald, 88, and the royals are generally popular in Norway, but the case against Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, has been a problem for the family’s image since 2024 and the latest Epstein files have compounded that. Mette-Marit is married to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne.
The release of documents included an email from Mette-Marit to Epstein in November 2012 asking: “Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women carrying a surfboard for my I5-year-old son's wallpaper?”
He replied, “Let them decide,” and advised that the mother should, “Stay out of it.”
Mette-Marit, 52, said in a statement issued shortly after the files were released that she “must take responsibility for not having investigated Epstein’s background more thoroughly, and for not realizing sooner what kind of person he was.” She added: “I showed poor judgment and regret having had any contact with Epstein at all. It is simply embarrassing.”
The crown princess isn't the only high-profile Norwegian who faces unflattering attention stemming from the documents on millionaire financier and sex offender Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Norwegian Economic Crime Investigation Service, a mixed unit of police and prosecutors, said Thursday that it would look into whether gifts, travel or loans were received by former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland in connection with his positions.
Jagland was Norway’s prime minister between 1996 and 1997. He also has chaired the Norwegian Nobel Committee and was secretary general of the Council of Europey.
The files revealed years of contact between the politician and Epstein. Emails indicate that he made plans to visit Epstein’s island with his family in 2014, when he was chairman of the Nobel committee, with an Epstein assistant organizing the flights.
Norwegian authorities are also looking to lift Jagland’s immunity, which he enjoys because of his past as a diplomat. His legal representative told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that Jagland is cooperating with the investigation.
The World Economic Forum also announced on Thursday that it was opening an internal review into its CEO Børge Brende to determine his relationship with Epstein, after the files indicated the two had dined together several times and exchanged messages. Brende was Norway’s foreign minister from 2013-2017.
He told NRK that he is cooperating with the investigation, that he only met Epstein in business settings and he had been unaware of Epstein’s criminal background.
Epstein killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges that he sexually abused underage girls at his homes in the U.S.
FILE - From left, Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra, left, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit on their way to a gala dinner at the Palace in Oslo, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Fredrik Varfjell/NTB via AP, File)
FILE -Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland speaks at the Russian International Affairs Council in Moscow on March 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)
