Dubai has announced the activation of a “Green Corridor” between ports in the Sultanate of Oman and the emirate to facilitate the movement of sea and air cargo shipments.

In a post on X, Dubai Customs said the initiative has been launched in cooperation with the General Directorate of Customs and is aimed at enhancing trade flows and supporting supply chains between the two countries.

According to the authority, the corridor enables the transfer of shipments that are routed through Omani ports to Dubai via a streamlined and approved route, simplifying the overall movement process.

In the first stage, transit declarations are submitted in Oman under fast-track customs procedures before shipments are routed through the designated corridor.

During transit, containers are sealed by the shipping agent, with shipment integrity maintained and verified across ports until arrival in Dubai.

Upon reaching the Hatta border crossing, cargo documentation—including the manifest and bill of lading—is submitted, after which shipments proceed to customs clearance at relevant centres in Dubai.

Dubai Customs said the initiative is part of efforts to enhance the efficiency of cross-border logistics and facilitate smoother cargo movement between Oman and Dubai.

The UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Tourism has rejected rumours circulating on social media claiming that the country is imposing restrictions on the movement of capital or preventing foreign investors from transferring or managing their funds.

In a statement, the ministry said the information being shared online was inaccurate and reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to economic openness and the free movement of capital.

“The Ministry of Economy and Tourism denies the accuracy of information circulating on some social platforms claiming that the United Arab Emirates is imposing restrictions on the movement of capital or preventing foreign investors from transferring or managing their funds in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations,” the statement said.

The ministry said the UAE remains firmly committed to policies of economic openness and the free movement of capital, in line with international best practices and in a way that reinforces a stable and attractive investment environment.

The statement appeared aimed at reassuring investors and the wider market at a time of heightened regional uncertainty and fast-moving online speculation.

The ministry also urged the public and media to rely on official sources for accurate information.

The UAE has strongly condemned Iran’s attacks targeting the Habshan gas facility and the Bab field in Abu Dhabi, after the country’s air defences intercepted the strike with no injuries reported, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry said the attack represented a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law.

“The UAE reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and national security, and to safeguard its national interests,” it said in a statement.

The ministry went on to say that “this terrorist attack targeting critical infrastructure and oil facilities represents a direct threat to regional security and stability, as well as to global energy security”.

Broader retaliatory strikes

The attack comes amid a broader escalation across Gulf energy infrastructure. Reuters earlier reported that Iran had warned of retaliatory strikes on energy sites in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar after Iranian gas facilities were hit on Wednesday.

Read more: Iran gas field hit as energy security risks rise

In Qatar, missile attacks caused extensive damage at Ras Laffan Industrial City, the centre of the country’s LNG operations, although no casualties were reported according to Reuters.

Oil markets have reacted sharply to the latest attacks. Brent crude rose by as much as 3 per cent on Thursday as investors assessed the growing risk to energy infrastructure and supply routes.

Brent futures were up $3.69, or 3.44 per cent, earlier in the day, reaching $111. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.29, or 2.38 per cent, to $98.61.

A powerful software exploit capable of penetrating and stealing information from potentially hundreds of millions of Apple iPhones was planted on dozens of websites in Ukraine in recent weeks, researchers said on Wednesday.

The discovery marks the second time this month that researchers have found spyware targeting iPhones and other Apple devices. Together, the two hacking tools show that the market for sophisticated malware capable of stealing data and cryptocurrency wallet information is flourishing, researchers said.

Read more-iPhone 18 design, camera and prices: Details, other Apple launches revealed

Researchers with cyber firm Lookout, mobile security firm iVerify and Alphabet’s Google published coordinated analyses of the malware they dubbed “Darksword.” On March 3, Google and iVerify revealed a separate powerful iPhone spyware called “Coruna.” Researchers found Darksword hosted on the same servers.

“There’s now a verified pipeline of recent exploits … that have ended up in the hands of potentially criminal entities with a financial focus,” said Justin Albrecht, principal researcher with Lookout.

Google flags wide-ranging hacking campaigns

Google said its researchers observed multiple commercial vendors and suspected state-linked hackers using Darksword in distinct campaigns against targets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia and Ukraine.

The campaigns in Malaysia and Turkey were associated with Turkish commercial surveillance vendor PARS Defense, Google said. PARS Defense did not respond to a request for comment.

According to iVerify and Lookout, researchers discovered the malware being delivered to iPhone users running iOS versions 18.4 to 18.6.2 who visited one of dozens of Ukrainian websites. Apple released those versions between March and August 2025.

It’s not clear how many iPhones are vulnerable to Darksword attacks, the researchers said. Apple has released multiple fixes for the underlying bugs attackers used to make Darksword. Nevertheless, many people don’t install iPhone updates, and an estimated 220 million to 270 million iPhones still run exposed iOS versions, according to iVerify and Lookout, which based the figures on public estimates. Google did not share its findings ahead of Wednesday’s report.

An Apple spokesperson said the exploits targeted “out-of-date software,” and that the underlying vulnerabilities have been addressed across multiple updates over the last several years for users running the latest versions of their devices’ operating systems.

“Keeping software up to date remains the single most important thing users can do to maintain the high security of their Apple devices,” the spokesperson said.

Additionally, all malicious domains identified by Google are blocked by Apple Safe Browsing in the Safari web browser to prevent further exploitation, the spokesperson said.

The discovery of two distinct powerful iOS exploits this month suggests a robust ecosystem for tools that were previously limited primarily to state-level intelligence operations, said Rocky Cole, co-founder and COO of iVerify.

Researchers said they discovered the vulnerabilities because of sloppy security mistakes not common in state-linked iPhone hacking.

“The fact that they don’t care if it gets burned, and that they’re using them in mass attacks with poor (operational security), that says a lot about how much they value these tools,” Cole said. “They’re not overly precious about them being exposed.”

Darksword was found on the internet servers that suspected Russian operators of Coruna used, researchers with iVerify and Lookout said in findings and interviews ahead of Wednesday’s release.

Eid Al Fitr will begin in the UAE on Friday after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted on Wednesday evening, authorities confirmed.

The country’s Moon-sighting committee, made up of senior religious scholars, officials and astronomers, gathered to observe the new crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan and the start of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

As the moon was not visible, Thursday, March 19, will be the 30th and final day of Ramadan this year, meaning Eid Al Fitr will begin on Friday.

The UAE Council for Fatwa had earlier called on the public to look to the skies to help sight the moon.

Eid Al Fitr is one of the two major feasts celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It is traditionally marked by morning prayers, family gatherings, charitable giving and the exchange of gifts.

This year’s festival comes against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions, with the UAE and other Gulf countries continuing to face attacks from Iran.

Authorities have also confirmed that Eid Al Fitr prayers will be held indoors in the UAE, rather than at prayer grounds or in open areas, as a safety measure.

The decision was taken by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai in co-ordination with the Department of Islamic Affairs in Sharjah.

“The Authority calls on worshippers to adhere to the guidelines and arrive early to perform the Eid prayer in mosques to ensure their safety,” the government media office said on social media.

Extended break for workers

Public and private sector workers in the UAE are also set for a long weekend for Eid Al Fitr.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation had earlier announced that the holiday for workers would begin on Thursday, March 19.

Work is scheduled to resume on Monday, March 23, giving employees across both sectors a four-day break for the holiday.