Dubai’s Fairmont The Palm remains fully operational after an incident near the entrance of the hotel during the latest regional escalation.

After Iran began firing missiles toward the UAE on Saturday, February 28, Dubai’s Government Media Office confirmed later on the weekend that an “incident occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area”.

The situation was quickly brought under control and the hotel has continued operating, with management reassuring guests and partners that services remain uninterrupted.

Ugur Talayhan, general manager of Fairmont The Palm, said the property remains open and welcoming guests as normal.

“I would like to personally reassure you that Fairmont The Palm remains open and fully operational following the recent events and that our guests continue to be welcomed with the same warmth, care and exceptional service that define our brand,” Talayhan said in a LinkedIn post.

Talayhan also thanked partners and the wider community for their support.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you who so thoughtfully reached out with your prayers, messages and words of support over the past days,” he said. “Your kindness and consideration have been sincerely appreciated.”

He added that the hotel’s team has focused on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of both guests and employees.

“This has been a focused period for our team as we prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our guests and colleagues,” Talayhan said.

“I am truly grateful for your support and for the strength of the relationships we share.”

Interceptions

The incident that hit the hotel came amid a broader escalation in the region. According to figures released by the UAE Ministry of Defence overnight, more than 1,100 missiles and drones have been launched toward the UAE since February 28.

Read more: UAE successfully intercepts most of 1,100+ missiles, drones since Feb 28

Data published on March 4 shows Iranian forces fired 941 drones, 189 ballistic missiles and eight cruise missiles during the first five days of the escalation.

The UAE’s layered air defence systems intercepted the overwhelming majority of these threats, destroying 876 drones, 175 ballistic missiles and all eight cruise missiles.

A small number reached UAE territory. Authorities said 65 drones and one ballistic missile impacted inside the country, while 13 ballistic missiles fell into the sea.

Despite the scale of the attacks, the high interception rate highlights the effectiveness of the UAE’s multi-layered air defence network designed to detect and neutralise threats at multiple altitudes.

The UAE central bank governor, Khaled Mohammed Balama, said on Thursday, six days into the conflict in the Middle East, that the country’s banking and financial sector is resilient, strong, stable, and well-positioned to navigate regional developments.

He added that capital adequacy ratio currently stands at 17 per cent, while liquidity coverage ratio exceeds 146.6 per cent.

UAE stock markets fell in early trade on Thursday after reopening on Wednesday following a two-day suspension triggered by Iran’s missile and drone attacks on the Gulf state after US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday.

China’s political elite gathered in Beijing on Thursday as President Xi Jinping unveiled a sweeping roadmap for the country’s economic and political future, delivered against a backdrop of sharpening techcompetition with Washington and mounting geopolitical friction.

The National People’s Congress rolled out its ‘Five-Year Plan’ outlining goals for growth, budgets, industrial policy and defence, signalling Xi’s determination to propel the world’s second-biggest economy toward technological dominance.

Here are the main highlights from the NPC:

GDP, budget priorities

China is looking to grow its economy at a 4.5 -5 per cent pace, a touch below the 5 per cent rate achieved last year, opening the door to greater efforts to rebalance the growth drivers.

Beijing’s stimulus will also remain steady to rev up an economy stuck in a lower post-pandemic gear, setting a budget deficit of 4 per cent of GDP, similar to last year.

High-tech focus as US rivalry grows

Aiming for tech supremacy in key fields such as AI and quantum computing amid a fierce rivalry with the US, Beijing is accelerating efforts to “seize the commanding heights of science and technological development.”

As the world’s largest producer of rare earths, China is also moving to secure an edge in these critical minerals, which are used in everything from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and defence technologies.

Defence capacity

China will improve combat readiness and accelerate the development of “advanced combat capabilities”, Premier Li Qiang said, boosting defence spending by 7 per cent in 2026.

Military observers are watching closely as Beijing pushes to modernise its forces by 2035 and project military power amid the backdrop of rising regional tensions, including over Taiwan, and
global geopolitical strains.

Financial system

China will inject around $44bn into state-owned banks this year to guard against systemic risks and boost financing for technology companies.

Population

Promising a “childbirth-friendly society” in the next five years, Beijing aims to address concerns over employment, education and medical care as an ageing and rapidly shrinking
population complicates its larger economic goals.

Food security

Grain production capacity will be raised to around 725 million metric tonnes over 2026-2030 to meet the nation’s long-term food security objectives, highlighting its heavy reliance on imports of key agricultural products such as soybeans, with the US its second-largest supplier.

Emission goals

The government plans to accelerate cuts in carbon intensity over the next five years, marking a shift from targeting the energy intensity of its economy to directly targeting carbon intensity.

UPDATE: The UAE Ministry of Defence announced late on March 5, 2026 that its air defence systems detected seven ballistic missiles, intercepting and destroying six of them, while one ballistic missile fell inside the country. The Ministry added that air defences also detected 131 drones, intercepting 125 of them, while six fell within the UAE territory. The story below was written prior to this update.

More than 1,100 missiles and drones have been launched at the UAE since February 28, with the country’s air defence systems intercepting the overwhelming majority, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Defence.

Data published on March 4 shows that Iranian forces fired 941 drones, 189 ballistic missiles and eight cruise missiles toward the UAE during the first five days of the escalation.

The UAE’s air defence network intercepted most of the incoming threats. A total of 876 drones, 175 ballistic missiles and all eight cruise missiles were destroyed, officials said.

A small number reached UAE territory. Sixty-five drones and one ballistic missile impacted inside the country, while 13 ballistic missiles fell into the sea, according to the ministry.

The figures underline the scale and the role of the UAE’s layered air defence systems, which include THAAD and Patriot missile defence platforms designed to intercept threats at multiple altitudes.

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Interceptions across the Gulf

The missile and drone campaign has not been limited to the UAE, with several Gulf countries reporting interceptions as regional air defence systems respond.

• Kuwait said its air defences have shot down at least 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones since the attacks began.
• Bahrain’s Ministry of Defence said 74 missiles and 117 drones have been destroyed.
• Qatar’s Ministry of Defence reported detecting 3 cruise missiles, 101 ballistic missiles, 39 drones and two SU-24 fighter aircraft since the start of the attacks. Of those, 3 cruise missiles, 98 ballistic missiles, 24 drones and both aircraft were intercepted, according to official figures released up to early March 3.
• Saudi Arabia has also reported interceptions. The Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence said nine drones were destroyed after entering Saudi airspace, while two cruise missiles were intercepted in Al Kharj Governorate, according to a statement by ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al Maliki.

The figures come as the conflict involving Iran enters its sixth day, following attacks launched by US and Israeli forces on February 28.

In a press briefing earlier this week, UAE officials said the country is operating under the highest readiness posture, supported by a multi-layer integrated air defence system covering long-, medium- and short-range threats, alongside strategic ammunition reserves.

The UAE’s Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced that Term 2 grades for students in public schools will be based on continuous assessments, projects and assignments completed throughout the term.

The ministry said the approach aims to ensure fair evaluation of students’ academic progress during the term. “Term 2 grades for students in public schools will be determined based on the continuous assessments, projects, and assignments completed by students during the term,” the ministry said.

Private schools, meanwhile, will follow their own approved academic policies when determining how to complete the term and assess students. Each school will communicate the relevant procedures and requirements directly to parents and students, a WAM report said.

Spring break dates confirmed

In a related announcement, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) confirmed the dates for the upcoming Spring Break across schools and universities in the UAE.

The break will run from Monday, March 9, until Sunday, March 22, 2026, following approval by the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council (EHCD).

Students, as well as academic and administrative staff, will resume classes and official working hours on Monday, March 23, 2026.