Restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz is essential to stabilising global energy markets.

This was the message that Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE minister of industry and advanced technology and ADNOC managing director and group CEO, gave to US Vice President JD Vance in a meeting between the two men this week.

“It was good to re-connect with Vice President Vance at this critical moment,” Al Jaber said, in a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) overnight.

“We discussed the fact that energy security equals global security, and that restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the only durable solution to stabilising global markets.”

He added that the discussions also highlighted the strength of UAE–US ties across “security, trade, investment, technology, energy, healthcare, and education.”

The meeting comes as the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has impacted shipments of around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas through the strait, a critical artery for global energy flows.

Al Jaber’s latest remarks build on comments made earlier this week at CERAWeek in Houston, where he warned that disruptions to the strait are already driving sharp economic consequences.

“When Hormuz is squeezed, the pressure is immediately felt around the world,” he said. “In just three weeks, the price of oil has risen by 50 per cent.”

Read more: Dr Sultan Al Jaber: No country should hold Hormuz, global economy hostage

He stressed that the situation represents a broader security crisis rather than a conventional supply issue, adding: “We cannot trade our way out of this crisis. Only way to stabilise markets is to open the strait.”

The Strait of Hormuz handles around 20 million barrels of oil per day, nearly a fifth of global supply, alongside significant volumes of gas, fertilisers and industrial commodities.

UAE authorities have explained why some residents receive emergency alerts while others do not, stressing that the system is designed to be precise, not universal.

According to the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), the country’s Early Warning System (EWS) operates using geographic targeting. Alerts are issued only to areas directly affected by a specific incident, based on its location, nature and potential impact.

That means residents in one area may receive a notification, such as a missile alert or severe weather warning, while others nearby may not.

Authorities say this is intentional.

“The Early Warning System is a vital preventive tool designed to promptly alert the public and strengthen national preparedness in times of emergency,” NCEMA said in a statement. “For your safety, always rely on official instructions and adhere to the guidance issued by relevant authorities.”

The system uses real-time data to define risk zones, ensuring alerts reach those most likely to be affected, while avoiding unnecessary disruption elsewhere.

This also explains why two people in the same city, or even close to each other, may have different experiences. Alert delivery can vary depending on a device’s exact location at the time of issuance, as well as individual phone settings.

Authorities added that hearing sounds linked to interception activity does not necessarily mean an alert will be received, as notifications are tied to defined impact zones rather than general proximity.

Not receiving an alert does not indicate a fault in the system. Instead, it reflects how the platform is designed to work: delivering accurate, location-specific warnings to those who need them most.

Gold rose more than 2 per cent on Wednesday, buoyed by a softer dollar, while a drop in oil prices eased concerns about elevated inflation and higher global interest rates, amid reports of a US plan to end the Middle East war.

Spot gold rose 2.5 per cent to $4,587.09 per ounce as of 0218 GMT. US gold futures for April delivery gained 4.2 per cent to $4,586.10.

The dollar eased, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for holders of other currencies.

Read more-Gold dives to 4-month low as inflation pressures lift rate hike bets

With hopes of de-escalation in the Middle East conflict, and “as USD strength eased, safe-haven demand starts to reassert. This reinforces the view that gold didn’t lose its safe-haven appeal. It was briefly crowded out by the USD, and now that pressure is easing,” said Christopher Wong, a strategist at OCBC.

“Near-term, gold is likely to stay sensitive to Federal Reserve policy path expectations, USD and geopolitical developments, but the rebound suggests dips may continue to find support unless real yields move meaningfully higher.”

Oil prices fell below $100 a barrel, easing inflation concerns, on the prospect of a possible ceasefire easing supply disruptions from the key Middle East producing region.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the US was making progress in its efforts to negotiate an end to war with Iran, including winning an important concession from Tehran, while a source confirmed that Washington had sent Iran a 15-point settlement proposal.

Higher crude prices tend to fuel inflation by pushing up transport and manufacturing costs. Although rising inflation typically boosts gold’s appeal as a hedge, high interest rates weigh on demand for the non-yielding asset.

Interest rate futures have erased any prospect for a US Federal Reserve rate cut this year, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

“Despite gold prices trading at 17 per cent below pre-conflict levels amid USD strength and broad-based de-risking, this flush has historically been a tactical dip to buy, and the bullish case strengthens the longer the conflict persists,” JP Morgan said in a note.

The UAE is experiencing unstable weather conditions, with heavy rainfall expected in multiple waves through to March 28, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Rain began early Wednesday, March 25, over western regions and islands before spreading across Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the northern emirates, with convective clouds bringing intense downpours.

Satellite and radar data show cloud systems moving eastward across the country throughout Wednesday morning until midday — as seen in video footage from Rain.ae — covering coastal, inland and eastern areas including Al Ain and Fujairah.

Conditions are expected to ease slightly on Thursday, with light to moderate rainfall at intervals, mainly over islands and northern regions.

A final, more intense wave is forecast from Thursday evening into Friday, bringing heavy rain, lightning, thunder and possible hail in some areas.

By Saturday, conditions will improve, with decreasing cloud cover, cooler temperatures and strong northwesterly winds. Sea conditions are expected to remain rough in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

Oil prices sank about 4 per cent on Wednesday after reports the USA had sent Iran a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East, raising prospects of a ceasefire that could ease supply disruptions in the region.

Brent crude futures fell $4.17, or 4 per cent, to $100.32 a barrel by 0708 GMT, after declining to as low as $97.57. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $3.11, or 3.4 per cent, at $89.24 a barrel, after falling to as low as $86.72.

Both benchmarks rose nearly 5 per cent on Tuesday, before paring gains in volatile post-settlement trading.

“Expectations of a ceasefire have risen slightly and profit-taking is leading the market,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities. “But the outlook remains uncertain as to whether negotiations will succeed, limiting selling.”

Read more-Oil prices retreat as US moves to boost supply amid Iran war

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the US was making progress in negotiating an end to the war with Iran, while a source confirmed that Washington had sent Iran a 15-point settlement proposal.

Israel’s Channel 2 said the US was seeking a month-long ceasefire to discuss the plan, which includes the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, ceasing support for proxy groups, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Some analysts were sceptical on the progress of such talks, expecting markets to remain volatile.

Oil shipments via Hormuz largely halted

Phillip Nova’s senior market analyst Priyanka Sachdeva said Middle East developments would remain the “dominant price driver” keeping oil prices moving in a wide range in the near term.

The war has all but halted shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas through the Strait, which typically carries about one-fifth of the world’s gas and crude supply, causing what the International Energy Agency has called the biggest-ever oil supply disruption.

“The market outlook remains tight notwithstanding the prospects of a war off-ramp,” said Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee.

He said that even if flows through the Strait resume, “it’s not clear all shut-in production will resume until there is more clarity on the durability of a ceasefire.”

Iran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization that “non-hostile vessels” may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, according to a note seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

Still, US, Israeli and Iranian strikes continued and sources said Washington was preparing to send more troops to the region.

To offset the Hormuz disruptions, oil exports from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Yanbu port rose to nearly 4 million barrels per day last week, a sharp increase from before the war broke out, shipping data shows.

In the US, crude, gasoline and distillate stocks rose last week, according to market sources who cited American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday.

Crude stocks rose by 2.35 million barrels in the week ended March 20, gasoline inventories rose by 528,000 barrels and distillate inventories rose by 1.39 million barrels from a week earlier, the sources said.