At least seven ships, mainly dry bulk vessels, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, in line with muted activity in recent days, shipping data showed on Monday, while talks between Iran and the US have stalled.
The vessels included ships leaving from Iraqi ports and one dry bulk vessel from an Iranian port, according to ship tracking data from Kpler and separate satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax.
Shipping traffic passing through the crucial waterway at the entrance to the Gulf during an uneasy ceasefire between Washington and Tehran represents a fraction of the average 140 daily passages before the Iran war began on February 28.
The US Central Command has redirected 37 vessels since a blockade was imposed on Iran on April 13, the military said on April 25.
Six Iranian tankers returned to Iranian ports and sailed back through Hormuz in recent days with some 10.5 million barrels of oil, according to satellite analysis from TankerTrackers.com.
Around four million barrels of Iranian oil onboard tankers sailed through the U.S. blockade on April 24, according to separate satellite analysis from TankerTrackers.com.
Abu Dhabi revises fishing regulations with temporary exemption
The decisions are part of broader national efforts to balance marine sustainability with food security, supported by improved fish stock indicators based on scientific data and field studies
Longtail Silver Biddy fish known locally as Badah/Image: Supplied
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The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has implemented two new ministerial decisions for 2026, introducing changes to fishing regulations in the emirate, including a temporary exemption for a key fish species.
Issued by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in coordination with EAD, Ministerial Decision No. (74) replaces a previous ruling governing the fishing and sale of select fish species during breeding seasons, paving the way for an updated regulatory framework.
In parallel, Ministerial Decision No. (75) introduces a time-limited exemption, allowing the fishing and sale of the Longtail Silver Biddy fish, locally known as Badah, in Abu Dhabi waters for the remainder of 2026.
The decisions are part of broader national efforts to balance marine sustainability with food security, supported by improved fish stock indicators based on scientific data and field studies. The measures are also aimed at supporting fishermen and improving the availability of fish in the local market.
EAD clarified that the exemption under Decision No. (75) is temporary and applies only to the 2026 season. The policy will remain subject to continuous scientific monitoring and review to ensure long-term sustainability of fish stocks.
As the emirate’s regulatory authority, EAD will continue to oversee compliance with fishing and trading regulations to safeguard marine resources. The agency has also called on fishermen and stakeholders to adhere to the updated rules and work with authorities to protect Abu Dhabi’s fisheries ecosystem.
Abu Dhabi Police and Customs have issued a warning regarding a surge in fraudulent social media activity. Scammers are using fake accounts to promote bogus services, including concert tickets and visa assistance, alongside investment and property scams. Residents are urged to verify advertisements and avoid sharing personal data. Suspicious activity can be reported via the Aman service.
Abu Dhabi Police and Abu Dhabi Customs have warned of a rise in fake social media accounts, fraudulent digital activity and deceptive text messages aimed at tricking the public and stealing personal data.
The warning falls under the emirate’s broader focus on proactive security and efforts to strengthen readiness against cybercrime, authorities said.
Officials said the fake accounts are being used to promote a range of scams, including bogus seasonal concert tickets, fake residency visa services, misleading domestic worker recruitment offers and unauthorised insurance products.
They also include listings for vehicles allegedly seized by Abu Dhabi Customs and offered at unusually low prices, requests for personal and banking information under the guise of parcel tracking or delivery, fraudulent investment schemes and fake real estate listings designed to extract funds from victims.
Authorities said scammers are increasingly using sophisticated tactics, including manipulated images, misleading information and attractive pricing, to appear legitimate and gain trust.
Residents have been urged to verify all advertisements and deal only with official and trusted entities and platforms.
Abu Dhabi Police stressed that individuals should not transfer money or share personal or financial information without confirming the identity of the advertiser, adding that prevention begins with awareness.
How to report these scams to Abu Dhabi Police
The public can report suspicious accounts or advertisements through the Aman service on 8002626, via SMS to 2828, by email: [email protected] or through the “Police Station in Your Phone” service.
Authorities said they are continuing to monitor and track fraudulent activity and will take legal action against offenders, noting that protecting society from cybercrime requires shared responsibility and public vigilance.
They also called for stronger digital literacy and encouraged residents to verify the credibility of online offers before engaging with them.
Autonomous driving company WeRide and technology group Lenovo have expanded their collaboration to jointly deploy 200,000 autonomous vehicles globally over the next five years, in one of the industry’s most ambitious commercial scaling plans, the companies said on Sunday.
Announced at Auto China 2026, the agreement will focus on accelerating the rollout of Level 4 autonomous driving systems, including Robotaxis, beginning in 2026.
The companies said the collaboration is aimed at building an end-to-end autonomous driving ecosystem spanning computing infrastructure, vehicle systems and supply chains, as the sector moves from pilot projects to large-scale commercial deployment.
“Autonomous driving is entering a critical phase of commercial deployment, with industry competition shifting from pure technological capability to cost efficiency and scalable deployment,” said Dr Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide.
The companies said they plan to integrate capabilities from cloud to vehicle systems to support what they describe as “Physical AI” applications in real-world mobility.
WeRide operates or tests autonomous vehicles in 12 countries
WeRide said it currently operates or tests autonomous vehicles across more than 40 cities in 12 countries, giving it one of the widest geographic footprints in the sector. Lenovo contributes computing infrastructure, automotive-grade systems and global manufacturing capabilities.
A key component of the partnership is the HPC 3.0 high-performance computing platform, jointly launched in 2025 and already deployed in WeRide’s Robotaxi GXR fleet.
The platform is based on Lenovo’s L4 autonomous driving domain controller AD1 and powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Thor system-on-chip, delivering more than 2,000 TOPS of AI computing power, the companies said.
They added that the system is designed to meet global safety and regulatory requirements and significantly reduces costs, cutting autonomous driving suite costs by 50 per cent and total cost of ownership by 84 per cent compared with the previous generation.
“Scalability is the defining challenge for autonomous driving, and computing is the foundation,” said Peter Xu, vice president and general manager of vehicle computing at Lenovo.
Robotaxis are seen by the companies as the most commercially advanced use case for autonomous driving, with potential to improve road safety, reduce operational costs and increase transport efficiency through 24-hour operation.
However, they acknowledged that global deployment remains complex due to differing regulatory frameworks, urban environments and traffic conditions.
Looking ahead, the companies said they will expand cooperation into additional autonomous vehicle applications, including minibuses and sanitation vehicles, as they seek to broaden the commercial use of autonomous systems in urban mobility and public services.
Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management’s CEO on turning malls into growth engines for SMEs
Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management’s Khalifa Bin Braik explains how Ma’an fits into the UAE’s broader SME push and why malls are being repositioned as platforms for entrepreneurs
As the UAE sharpens its focus on SMEs, backed by a recent Dhs1bn support package, Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, is looking to close one of the sector’s biggest gaps: access.
Through Ma’an, Majid Al Futtaim is opening its retail and entertainment ecosystem to homegrown businesses, offering them a fast-track into high-footfall destinations and established consumer channels. The response has been immediate, with around 7,800 registrations already received for the initiative.
In this interview with Gulf Business, Bin Braik explains how Ma’an fits into the UAE’s broader SME push, why malls are being repositioned as platforms for entrepreneurs.
Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management/ Image: Supplied
Ma’an launches at a time when the UAE is expanding national support for SMEs, including the recent Dhs1bn package. How does this initiative fit into that wider ecosystem, and what specific gaps is it designed to address for homegrown businesses?
Ma’an is closely aligned with the direction set by the UAE leadership, particularly the recently announced Dhs1bn economic support package, which reinforces that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a national priority.
What Ma’an does is translate that ambition into a practical opportunity. While policy frameworks and financial incentives are critical, one of the biggest barriers SMEs face is access to high-footfall locations, established consumer audiences, and credible platforms that can accelerate their growth.
Through Ma’an, we are addressing this directly by opening Majid Al Futtaim’s full ecosystem to homegrown businesses. From Mall of the Emirates and THAT Concept Store to VOX Cinemas and Carrefour, our destinations collectively attract millions of customers each year. This gives SMEs the ability to showcase, test, and scale their brands in environments that would otherwise take years to access independently.
Ultimately, Ma’an complements the broader ecosystem by turning opportunity into tangible action.
Shopping malls have evolved far beyond traditional retail spaces. From your position overseeing Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, how will Ma’an reshape the role of malls as platforms for entrepreneurship and community-driven business growth?
Shopping malls have always been more than transactional places; they are community hubs at their core. With Ma’an, we are taking that step further by positioning our destinations as platforms for entrepreneurship. Rather than being spaces exclusively for established brands, our malls become launchpads for emerging businesses.
What sets this apart is the scale and integration of our ecosystem. We are not simply offering retail space; we are connecting SMEs to a full commercial infrastructure spanning retail, entertainment, loyalty, and media.
This fundamentally shifts the dynamic, enabling smaller businesses to move faster, reach wider audiences, and build meaningful brand presence within a trusted environment.
Public-private partnership is central to Ma’an’s design. How does working with Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) enable in terms of scale, access or impact that wouldn’t have been possible alone?
The partnership with Dubai Economy and Tourism and Dubai SME is fundamental to the success of Ma’an.
Majid Al Futtaim and DET share a longstanding relationship built on a common commitment to Dubai’s economic growth and the strength of its business community. DET and Dubai SME bring the policy framework and deep connections to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, something we cannot replicate independently.
In parallel, we bring a powerful consumer infrastructure across retail, entertainment, dining, loyalty programmes and digital platforms.
It is the combination of these capabilities that creates real scale and impact. Neither could achieve this alone.
More broadly, Ma’an reflects the UAE’s model of close public-private collaboration to drive economic growth.
Given the current regional geopolitical pressures, how are you seeing consumer behaviour and retailer sentiment shift across Majid Al Futtaim malls, and what does this mean for SMEs entering the market?
In periods of uncertainty, consumers tend to become more intentional in their spending, with a stronger focus on value, trust, and relevance.
At the same time, we are seeing a growing preference for supporting homegrown and locally rooted brands, a reflection of stronger community alignment and shared progress
From a retail perspective, there is an increased focus on optimising cost structures and strengthening demand visibility. This is where platforms like Ma’an play an important role.
By providing access to high-footfall destinations and integrated marketing channels, we help reduce uncertainty and create a more stable environment for SMEs to operate and grow.
SMEs tend to feel the pinch first during uncertain periods. What practical support, whether operational, financial or footfall-related, will Ma’an provide to help small businesses stay resilient?
The support we provide through Ma’an is both operational and commercial.
On the operational side, we are lowering barriers to entry by giving SMEs access to premium retail environments across our ecosystem, from pop-up spaces at Mall of the Emirates to product placements within THAT Concept Store, VOX Cinemas and Carrefour.
On the commercial side, we amplify visibility through our marketing and communications platforms, including the SHARE loyalty programme, social channels, digital screens, media and influencer partnerships.
This combination is critical. Building this level of visibility independently can take years, but Ma’an significantly accelerates that journey, enabling businesses to go from awareness to recognition and loyalty in a much shorter timeframe.
Ultimately, the goal is to enable growth while strengthening resilience.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for SME-led growth in the UAE’s retail landscape, and how will the insights gained from Ma’an shape your long-term strategy for mall development and tenant mix?
Across the UAE, a new generation of founders is building brands that are not only locally relevant but have the potential to scale regionally and globally.
We see strong opportunities in categories where authenticity and experience are key, particularly across lifestyle, food, fashion, and emerging retail concepts.
Ma’an provides us with direct insight into how these businesses perform within our ecosystem, helping us better understand evolving customer preferences and demand patterns.
These learnings will play an important role in shaping our future tenant mix and how we continue to evolve our destinations.
More broadly, this ensures our malls remain dynamic, relevant, and reflective of the communities they serve, with SMEs playing an increasingly important role.
For now, our focus is on successfully launching Ma’an in the UAE and supporting the first cohort of businesses as they grow within our ecosystem.
Dubai’s business community is mourning the death of veteran entrepreneur Vasu Shroff, widely known as the emirate’s “Textile King”, who passed away on April 26 at the age of 85.
Shroff died at his residence in Satwa on Sunday morning, according to local media reports, marking the end of a decades-long career that helped shape Dubai’s retail and textile landscape.
He was the founder of Regal Traders (later Regal Group), one of the UAE’s earliest textile businesses, established in 1952. Over the years, the company grew into a diversified retail and distribution group, contributing significantly to the development of Dubai’s garment trade sector.
A pioneer of the UAE’s early business ecosystem, Shroff belonged to the generation of entrepreneurs who arrived in Dubai during its pre-oil and early development years and played a role in transforming it into a global commercial hub.
Beyond business, he was widely recognised for his philanthropic contributions, particularly within the Indian expatriate community. His initiatives included support for schools, temples, and community institutions, alongside broader charitable efforts across the UAE.
In a statement cited by media reports, the Regal Group described him as a “guiding force” whose legacy would continue through the organisation’s values and foundations.
