The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has issued a clarification addressing public concern over unusual sounds reported across parts of the UAE, confirming that they are linked to current weather conditions and not a security threat.

In a post on X, NCEMA stated that the sounds, including those resembling thunder, are “normal and expected under such weather conditions,” as the country experiences a period of unsettled weather.

The authority’s statement comes amid forecasts from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which has warned of cloudy skies, a drop in temperatures and the possibility of rainfall across several areas. According to the NCM, convective cloud formation is expected to bring scattered rain, contributing to atmospheric activity that can generate audible thunder-like sounds.

NCEMA emphasised that there is no cause for concern, adding that in the event of any genuine threat, warnings and instructions would be issued immediately through the National Early Warning System to ensure public safety.

“We urge everyone to obtain information only from official sources and to refrain from spreading rumours,” the authority said in its statement.

Separately, the UAE Ministry of Interior reiterated the message in its own post on X, reinforcing that the sounds are weather-related and urging the public not to be alarmed.

The clarification aims to reassure residents and businesses as the UAE navigates changing weather conditions, while reinforcing the importance of relying on verified government communication channels during periods of heightened public attention.

Across the Middle East, a quiet but profound shift is reshaping the way cities are designed. Where once skyline-defining landmarks dominated the narrative, a new model of civic architecture is emerging—one that prioritises integration, adaptability, and long-term cultural value.

For Ashley Munday, head of design at Hassell, this transition reflects a deeper maturity in how the region approaches urban development. He explains that public architecture is no longer about standing out, but about fitting in—serving as an enabler of city life rather than a symbol of ambition.

“There now seems more of an emphasis on ‘city making’ projects – defined by humility and a deep sensitivity to the surrounding urban fabric,” he says. “Rather than striving to be iconic, buildings are increasingly conceived as civic enablers: thoughtful, context-led interventions that strengthen and serve the life of the city.”

From iconic landmarks to integrated civic ecosystems

This evolution is particularly visible as cities like Doha and Abu Dhabi invest heavily in cultural infrastructure, from the recent debut of Art Basel Qatar to the highly anticipated Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. But for Munday, architecture’s role in this ecosystem goes beyond housing culture—it must actively enable it.

“In many ways creating the ‘backdrop’ which gives potential for cultural events to inhabit cities or neighbourhoods is a better way to become a ‘cultural catalyst’ than just creating many new singular cultural buildings,” he says.

He argues that informal, grassroots cultural infrastructure—from public spaces to educational institutions—plays an equally critical role in building sustainable creative economies. “Spaces and urban fabric that support the ‘grass roots’ and informal cultural economy are almost more important as it creates a sound economic and societal base for more formal cultural institutions to establish themselves.”

Designing for adaptability, not permanence

This thinking is embodied in one of Hassell’s most prominent regional projects: the Grand Cruise Terminal in Doha. Originally aligned with the FIFA World Cup, the project was deliberately designed with a dual identity—functioning as both infrastructure and civic space.

“The building was conceived as cultural and civic space first, cruise terminal second,” Munday explains. “The grand terminal function is sporadic and even temporary, but the hard infrastructure of the building has a more permanent and enduring public purpose.”

Rather than a conventional transport facility, the terminal is structured as a series of exhibition halls and terraces that can be adapted throughout the year. Its defining architectural feature—the arched cloister—serves as a long-term civic framework that can outlast the building’s original use.

“This means the ‘civic cloister’ could remain as memory or structure to mark a place or landscape and the independent building on the inside could completely change in function or character,” he says. “It may not even need to be a building and could contain a public marketplace or a cloistered garden in the future.”

This emphasis on adaptability reflects a broader shift in how designers are approaching long-term urban resilience. In fast-growing cities, where economic and social conditions evolve rapidly, buildings must be designed to change—not just endure.

“Sometimes looking forward is also about looking back into tradition and history and being intensely pragmatic at first,” Munday says. He points to the use of traditional Arabic courtyard typologies as a foundation for flexible, culturally rooted design. “The adaptability is founded in the simplicity of the local vernacular… to define both a culturally as well as functionally enduring building.”

Beyond individual buildings, this philosophy is extending to entire urban systems. In Oman, Hassell’s Sohar New City masterplan demonstrates how environmental regeneration and civic planning can be integrated from the outset.

Rather than imposing a rigid grid, the masterplan responds to the site’s natural hydrology, using a network of wadi corridors to manage flood risk while creating green public spaces.

“We have taken this pattern to create a network of ‘wet and dry’ wadi parks and corridors that disrupt the city grid to not only provide public space and greenery but also to manage the risk of flood waters,” Munday explains. “We conserve and re-use what already exists to become integral to the new.”

This approach signals a departure from the “tabula rasa” model that has defined parts of the region’s development over the past two decades. Instead, the focus is shifting toward conservation, integration, and long-term ecological performance.

A new model of Middle East urbanism rooted in culture and context

At the same time, the region’s architectural identity is undergoing its own transformation. Munday believes the Gulf is moving away from imported design models toward a more authentic, locally driven modernism.

“It is no longer western import with an ‘Arabic veil’ as an approach,” he says. “There is an inside-out Middle Eastern modernism emerging that feels more authentic and substantial.”

This newfound confidence is also reshaping how cities balance ambition with human experience. Monumentality is no longer measured by scale alone, but by cultural relevance and usability.

“The monumental ambition is no longer about inappropriately monumental or iconic architecture… but about cultural relevance and climatic appropriateness,” he says. “This naturally breeds a more relatable, inclusive and accessible human scale in cities.”

However, Munday cautions that the region’s rapid pace of development presents its own risks. Designing entire cities upfront, without allowing for evolution, can limit adaptability over time.

“There seems to be a ‘breathless’ speed and need to design everything for a 1000-hectare new city on day one even if the build out will take the next 20–30 years,” he says.

Instead, he advocates for a more flexible, phased approach—treating masterplans as living frameworks rather than fixed blueprints.

“We are trying to promote a more curatorial approach where the masterplan is treated as a long-range conceptual framework… and then curated in the moment to be responsive and adaptive to change.”

This perspective extends to the concept of “smart cities,” which he believes are often misunderstood. “A true smart city isn’t about the incorporation of technology but more about the capacity of a city to evolve and adapt to yet unknown change.”

Looking ahead, Munday sees the next phase of urban development in the Middle East defined less by new cities and more by the transformation of existing ones—through densification, connectivity, and cultural layering.

“I would hope that the next generation of cities in the Middle East involve the construction of less completely new and separate cities but in the transformation and compacting of the existing,” he says.

Ultimately, the role of designers in this evolving landscape is not just to create buildings, but to connect past, present, and future.

“As designers our job is to help the people we work with in the region to connect their history and traditions to a future trajectory,” Munday says. “In this way we see a future that authentically reflects the people of the region, not a western transplant wearing a faux Arabic skin.”

Read: Why Saudi’s giga projects are changing how cities are built

Share markets slid in Asia on Monday while US bond yields hit eight-month peaks as the US and Iran traded escalating threats and Israel planned for “weeks” more fighting, sending oil prices on another roller-coaster ride.

Iran said on Sunday it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbours if US President Donald Trump followed through with a threat to hit Iran’s electricity grid in 48 hours, extinguishing any hope of an early end to the war, now in its fourth week.

Trump warned Iran had two days to fully open the vital Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed for most vessels with little prospect of naval protection for shipping.

Japan’s Nikkei fell 3.8 per cent, bringing losses for March so far to over 13 per cent. South Korea’s market .KS11 shed 5.2 per cent, making a 12 per cent drop for the month.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 2.5 per cent, while Chinese blue chips dropped 1.9 per cent.

Oil prices were again choppy with Brent last up 0.4 per cent at $112.62 a barrel, and 55 per cent higher on the month so far. U.S. crude CLc1 gained 0.8 per cent to $98.98.

Near-term supplies have been aided by the US allowing Iranian and Russian oil to be sold from tankers, but the growing risk of longer-term shortages was lifting futures down the curve. September Brent, for instance, was up $1 at $92.90 suggesting high prices were here to stay.

“The war could still go on for many weeks yet and see oil prices rise say to $150 a barrel,” said Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy at fund manager AMP. “And the steady destruction of energy infrastructure means it will take longer to get supply back to normal.”

“It’s also worth noting that past oil shocks unfolded over many months in terms of the rise in oil prices as the full impact became clearer – it was over about 4 months in 1973 and a year in 1979.”

Analysts at HSBC noted Singapore jet fuel was up 175 per cent this year to a multi-decade high, while Asian liquefied natural gas had climbed 130 per cent. Bunker fuel used in shipping had blown out, raising the cost of transporting goods, while surging fertiliser prices will make food more expensive.

International Energy Agency boss Fatih Birol warned the crisis was “very severe” and worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s put together.

Walking through Dubai’s historic Al Ras district soon could be a very different experience. Shaded paths, murals by local artists, and easy access to metro, bus, and even water transport are all part of a new plan to make the city easier to navigate on foot.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for Phase I of the Dubai Walk Master Plan in Al Ras.

The phase covers the development of the historic Al Ras Walkway, featuring 12 km of walkways and 5 km of cycling tracks, alongside the rehabilitation of 10 artistic spaces in coordination with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, with the participation of Emirati and local artists.

Key highlights of the ‘walkway’ plan

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the project supports Dubai’s wider goal of creating a “20-minute city” under the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, where more than 80 per cent of essential services are accessible within a 20-minute journey.

“The plan enhances pedestrian safety, strengthens connections between districts, and integrates cultural and creative elements into walkways,” Al Tayer said. “It also gives young people a chance to contribute ideas to the design of these public spaces.”
Connecting heritage sites and transport

The walkway will link key landmarks, including Al Ahmadiya School, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, Al Fahidi Fort, and the Al Shindagha Historic District.

It will connect to 11 metro, bus, and marine stations, making it easier for residents and visitors to use public transport.

The design preserves the area’s historic character while improving the pedestrian experience.

Pavements will be widened, shading and seating added, green spaces expanded, and wayfinding systems installed.

Advanced lighting will highlight the district’s heritage, while interactive installations and artwork will make the walk more engaging.

Part of wider master plan to support pedestrian movement

Phase I is part of a wider Dubai Walk Pedestrian Master Plan that aims to create more than 6,000km of walkways across 160 areas by 2040, supported by 110 pedestrian bridges and underpasses.

The goal is to increase walking and soft mobility trips from 16 per cent in 2025 to 25 per cent by 2040.

Planned bridges on Al Ittihad Street, Tripoli Street, Al Khawaneej Street, and Dubai–Al Ain Road will improve connections between key districts.

The walkways will include landscaping, misting systems, digital wayfinding, recreational and fitness equipment, rest areas, and commercial spaces, while maintaining barrier-free access.

The UAE is set to experience unsettled weather conditions starting Sunday, with cloudy skies, a drop in temperatures and chances of rainfall across several areas, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

In its latest forecast, the NCM said March 23 will be partly cloudy to cloudy, with the formation of convective clouds that may bring rainfall over scattered parts of the country. The change in weather is also expected to lead to a noticeable decrease in temperatures, a WAM report said.

Read more-UAE weather forecast: Rain, thunderstorms and a chance of hail

Winds will be southeasterly to northeasterly, light to moderate in speed, but are expected to become active to strong at times, especially with cloud activity. Wind speeds will range between 10 and 25 km/hr, reaching up to 45 km/hr in stronger gusts. These conditions may cause blowing dust and sand, leading to reduced horizontal visibility in some areas.

Sea conditions are also expected to fluctuate. The Arabian Gulf will see slight to moderate waves, becoming rough at times with cloud activity. Similarly, the Oman Sea will experience slight to moderate waves, with rough conditions developing intermittently.

Intermittent rainfall forecast across the week

The NCM has also indicated that the UAE will be affected by a broader weather system beginning Sunday and continuing through March 27, bringing rainfall of varying intensity at intermittent intervals.

“Rainfall of varying intensity will occur at intermittent intervals, affecting several areas across the country,” the NCM said in a statement.

According to the forecast, rain is expected Sunday afternoon over northeastern areas, Al Ain and southern regions. By nighttime, rainfall may extend to western and southern areas and further into inland regions.

On Monday, scattered rainfall is likely across the country during the daytime, followed by precipitation over northern and eastern regions, including Al Ain, at night. Tuesday’s forecast points to rainfall over northern, eastern and southern areas during the day, with conditions extending at night to western, coastal and island areas.

Midweek changes before gradual easing

Rainfall is expected to continue into Wednesday, occurring at intervals across the UAE during the day. Eastern regions and Al Ain may experience additional rainfall at night, although the chances are expected to gradually decrease later in the night.

On Thursday, the morning is likely to see a lower probability of rainfall. However, conditions may intensify again by the afternoon, particularly over northern and eastern regions and Al Ain, before extending to coastal areas, islands and western regions overnight.

By Friday, rainfall is forecast across scattered areas of the country during the daytime. Showers are expected to begin over islands and coastal regions before moving inland, covering most parts of the UAE.