Alpha Dhabi Holding said its Q1 2026 net profit rose 81 per cent year-on-year, driven by growth across its diversified investment portfolio.

The Abu Dhabi-listed investment company reported net profit of Dhs3.8bn in the quarter, compared with Dhs2.1bn a year earlier. Revenue rose 8 per cent to Dhs18.8bn.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 2 per cent to Dhs4.3bn. Total assets stood at Dhs225.8bn, with total equity at Dhs104.9bn.

Revenue included Dhs7.4bn from real estate, Dhs6.6bn from industrial operations, Dhs2.7bn from construction, and Dhs2.1bn from services and other businesses.

Alpha Dhabi entered 2026 on a strong footing

Chairman Mohamed Thani Murshed Ghannam Al Rumaithi said the company entered 2026 with continued strength.

“Alpha Dhabi has entered 2026 with continued strength and resilience, building on our proven strategy and disciplined execution. Our performance is a direct reflection of the UAE’s thriving and stable market, showcasing the robustness of our diversified portfolio and our ability to capture value across high-growth sectors and geographies,” he said.

Managing director and group CEO Hamad Al Ameri said the results reflected the group’s investment strategy.

“Our Q1 2026 results reinforce the strength of Alpha Dhabi’s investment strategy. The solid economic fundamentals on which the UAE is built upon serves us with a confident environment in which we can execute our vision. Through continued diversification, strategic partnerships, and a focus on future-facing industries, Alpha Dhabi has sustained strong performance and created long-term value for our stakeholders,” he said.

The company said its performance was supported by continued momentum across its businesses in real estate, construction, industrials and services.

Alpha Dhabi said it remains focused on diversification, expansion into growth markets and disciplined capital allocation.

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The UAE marks the 50th anniversary of the unification of its armed forces on Wednesday, highlighting five decades of military development and its role in defending national sovereignty.

The anniversary comes as the UAE said its armed forces had demonstrated operational readiness in responding to what it described as recent Iranian strikes, including the interception of ballistic missiles and drones targeting the country.

The UAE’s military strategy has increasingly focused on integrating land, air, naval and cyber capabilities under a unified defence framework.

UAE armed forces remain a key force in ensuring the country’s security

Land forces remain central to the country’s defence structure, supported by armoured systems, artillery platforms and reconnaissance capabilities linked through digital command-and-control networks that allow real-time data sharing, state news agency WAM reported.

The air force continues to play a central role in the country’s defence strategy through multi-role aircraft capable of conducting long-range missions, while integrated early warning systems, air defence networks and command centres support broader air security operations.

The UAE, which sits along one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, said its naval forces have expanded their capabilities through multi-role vessels, coastal surveillance systems and unmanned platforms aimed at protecting shipping lanes and energy routes.

The country has also expanded domestic defence manufacturing, shifting from relying primarily on foreign procurement to developing and producing advanced military systems locally.

The UAE has continued to invest in military and academic training through national military colleges and joint programmes with international armed forces.

The WAM report also highlighted the role of national service in strengthening ties between the military and wider society.

Women have increasingly taken part in the armed forces, with the Khawla bint Al Azwar Military School playing a central role in training female personnel. Female participation in national service has exceeded 11 per cent in some cohorts.

The armed forces also continue to support humanitarian missions, relief efforts and emergency response operations in different parts of the world.

The UAE’s air defence systems have been actively intercepting a missile and drone threat on Tuesday evening.

The Ministry of Defence said the sounds heard across various parts of the UAE were the result of its air defence systems engaging and intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

The latest developments come less than 24 hours after a series of alerts were issued on Monday — the first since the US-Iran ceasefire that began on April 8.

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Four alerts in one day

On Monday afternoon, multiple missile alerts were triggered across the UAE, beginning amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route.

Earlier in the day, the UAE condemned a drone attack on an ADNOC-affiliated oil tanker transiting the waterway, accusing Iran of targeting a national asset.

The Ministry of Defence later confirmed it had intercepted three missiles during the initial wave, with one projectile falling into the sea.

However, the situation escalated further as additional alerts were issued later in the day. The Fujairah Media Office reported that the emirate’s oil industry zone (FOIZ) was struck by drones launched from Iran, resulting in a fire at the facility.

Ongoing monitoring

Authorities have stressed that response systems remain active, with real-time monitoring in place to ensure public safety.

Residents have been advised to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow instructions issued by official government channels.

The situation remains fluid, with further updates expected as authorities continue to assess developments.

Microsoft, Alphabet-owned Google and Elon Musk’s xAI will give the US government early access to new artificial intelligence models before their public release to allow checks for national security risks under a new deal.

The Center for AI Standards and Innovation at the Department of Commerce said on Tuesday that the agreement would allow it to evaluate the models before deployment and conduct research to assess their capabilities and security risks.

The development of advanced AI systems including Anthropic’s Mythos has in recent weeks created a stir globally, including among US officials and corporate America, over their ability to supercharge hackers.

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“Independent, rigorous measurement science is essential to understanding frontier AI and its national security implications,” CAISI Director Chris Fall said in a statement.

The move builds on agreements with OpenAI and Anthropic, established in 2024 under the Biden administration when CAISI was known as the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute.

CAISI, which serves as the government’s main hub for AI model testing, said it had already completed more than 40 evaluations, including on cutting-edge models not yet available to the public.

Developers frequently hand over versions of their models with safety guardrails stripped back so the center can probe for national security risks, the agency said.

Microsoft and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Google declined to comment.

Last week, the Pentagon said it had reached agreements with seven AI companies to deploy their advanced ‌capabilities on the Defense Department’s classified networks as it seeks to broaden the range of AI providers working across the military.

The Pentagon announcement did not include Anthropic, which has been embroiled in a dispute with the Pentagon over guardrails on the military’s use of its AI tools.

Inception, a G42 company, has launched InceptionClaw, a sovereign, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence (AI) super assistant designed to move beyond passive responses and actively manage workflows for enterprise leaders and government officials.

Built on Inception’s Catalyst platform and powered by Compass GPT-5.x models, the solution is positioned as a UAE-native, agentic AI assistant developed with sovereignty and data control at its core. The platform operates under UAE-level guardrails, ensuring that all data remains within national jurisdiction through Greenshield sovereign controls.

Unlike conventional AI assistants that rely on user prompts, InceptionClaw is designed to operate proactively. It continuously monitors enterprise tools including email, calendars, and project management systems to surface priorities, generate structured briefs, and deliver alerts or summaries across platforms such as Microsoft Teams and email.

The assistant enables executives to automate routine intelligence gathering, from generating weekly briefings to preparing competitor analysis ahead of meetings. It also supports recurring workflows, allowing users to schedule automated insights without repeated input.

A key differentiator is its sovereign architecture, which addresses growing concerns around data residency, compliance, and security in AI deployment. The platform includes isolated user credentials, tamper-proof audit trails, and cryptographically signed actions, alongside safeguards such as spending limits and human approval layers for high-risk decisions.

The system integrates with widely used enterprise tools, including Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Monday.com, enabling users to draft communications, generate reports, and create deliverables directly within existing workflows. It also includes audio functionality, converting written briefings into multi-speaker podcast-style summaries for on-the-go consumption.

Ashish Koshy, CEO of Inception, said: “Enterprises and governments require AI agents that are powerful and accountable. Every day that organizations deploy AI tools without sovereign controls, they are accumulating risk they may not see until it is too late. InceptionClaw changes what an AI assistant can do, and where it can be trusted to do it. It gives every organization the ability to deploy AI agents at scale, without trading away security or sovereignty to do it.”

The launch comes as organisations globally reassess AI adoption strategies, particularly in regulated sectors where data governance and compliance are critical.

InceptionClaw is currently available to Inception’s executive leadership, with a phased rollout across the G42 ecosystem underway. Enterprise and government clients can apply for early access, while the company is also offering sovereign readiness assessments to evaluate data residency and compliance gaps in existing AI deployments.