Sony Middle East and Africa (MEA) said it has commissioned a 391.2 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar power project at its regional headquarters in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), Dubai, as part of efforts to cut emissions and advance its sustainability strategy.

The Japanese electronics group’s regional arm said the installation is expected to offset around 40 per cent of the facility’s electricity consumption and reduce carbon emissions by about 235 metric tons annually.

The project will operate over an estimated 25-year lifecycle and forms part of Sony’s global environmental roadmap, “Road to Zero,” which targets a zero environmental footprint by 2050, alongside its intermediate Green Management 2030 goals.

The company said the initiative also aligns with the UAE’s broader clean energy and sustainability objectives, including the national energy transition strategy.

Sony MEA, which has been based in Jafza for more than three decades, said the project reinforces its long-term commitment to the UAE as a regional hub for operations across the Middle East and Africa.

“As Sony MEA continues to build on its long-standing presence in the UAE, this project represents a meaningful milestone in advancing our sustainability agenda,” MD Jobin Joejoe said.

“By integrating renewable energy into our operations, we are reducing our environmental impact while reinforcing our commitment to the region’s long-term growth and development.”

DP World GCC Parks & Zones COO Abdulla Al Hashmi said the project reflected the role of Jafza in enabling long-term sustainable investment.

“Sony has been with Jafza for more than three decades, and we are proud to see such a long-standing partner continue to invest in sustainable, long-term growth,” he said.

Sony MEA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and serves more than 40 countries across the region, covering consumer electronics, professional products and PlayStation business lines.

Air Arabia reported a 22 per cent decline in first-quarter net profit on Wednesday, as regional airspace restrictions linked to ongoing conflict disrupted operations and reduced capacity, partially offsetting steady passenger demand.

The Sharjah-based low-cost carrier said net profit fell to Dhs278m ($75.7m) in the three months to March 31, 2026, compared with Dhs355m a year earlier.

Revenue for the period rose 1 per cent year-on-year to Dhs1.8bn, supported by sustained demand across its network despite operational constraints in parts of the quarter.

Passenger traffic declined 5 per cent to 4.7 million travellers across Air Arabia’s operating hubs in the UAE, Morocco, Egypt and Pakistan, reflecting reduced capacity following airspace closures and temporary operational restrictions.

However, the airline’s seat load factor improved to 86 per cent, up from 84 per cent a year earlier, indicating stronger aircraft utilisation and resilient demand where services were maintained.

“Despite a challenging first quarter of the year, marked by airspace restrictions and operational disruptions as a result of the conflict in the region, Air Arabia demonstrated strong resilience and agility,” chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Thani said in a statement.

He said the carrier had managed to optimise capacity and maintain operational continuity, adding that demand remained strong across its network.

Air Arabia operates a fleet of 90 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, both owned and leased, with additional deliveries expected under its existing order book.

Air Arabia to pursue fleet expansion during the year

The airline said it continued to pursue fleet expansion during the year, while maintaining a focus on cost discipline and operational efficiency.

In February, Air Arabia was included in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Most Valuable Companies list, underscoring its financial strength in the regional aviation sector.

The company also said it had obtained a limited assurance statement on its 2025 ESG report under the ISAE 3000 international standard, reinforcing its focus on governance and sustainability reporting.

Looking ahead, the airline warned that ongoing geopolitical uncertainty continues to affect the wider aviation industry through fuel price volatility, inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints.

“Despite these challenges, we remain confident in the strength of the local and regional economies we serve,” Sheikh Abdullah said, adding that the carrier would continue to navigate market volatility with “discipline and agility.”

Read: Air Arabia CEO Adel Al Ali on the strategy behind the airline’s rise

Smoke seen in Fujairah’s petroleum industrial zone was caused by a routine maintenance-related fire on pipelines, according to an official statement issued by the Fujairah Media Office.

In a post shared on X, the media office said civil defense teams responded swiftly to the incident and successfully contained the fire, with no casualties reported. Authorities also urged the public to rely only on official sources for information and refrain from spreading rumours following speculation triggered by visible smoke in the area.

The clarification comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and follows earlier incidents reported involving fires and alleged drone strikes near Fujairah port, prompting some social media users to question whether the latest incident was accidental.

Fujairah remains one of the UAE’s key energy and bunkering hubs, strategically located outside the Strait of Hormuz and home to major oil storage and export infrastructure. Any incident linked to the emirate’s petroleum facilities tends to draw close attention from regional energy markets and shipping stakeholders.

Authorities did not provide further details on the scale of the maintenance activity or operational impact on the petroleum industrial zone.

Iran has begun allowing some Chinese vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz following an understanding over Iranian management protocols for the waterway, the semi-official Fars news agency said on Thursday, citing an informed source.

The Fars report came as US President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China, agreed with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the Strait of Hormuz must be open for the free flow of energy.

The source told Fars news the move followed requests by China’s foreign minister and ambassador to Iran, with Tehran agreeing to facilitate the passage of a number of Chinese ships in line with the two countries’ strategic partnership.

Read more-Iran warns US Navy to stay clear of Hormuz as Trump seeks to help stranded ships

Following the start of US and Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran severely restricted transit in the Strait of Hormuz.

A US blockade on Iranian ports which started a few days after a ceasefire agreed upon in early April has prolonged the crisis in the waterway, through which one-fifth of global oil and natural gas transit.

It was not immediately clear how far the move altered the situation on the ground, given Iran had already indicated during the war that neutral vessels, notably those linked to China, could transit the Strait as long as they coordinated with Iranian armed forces.

A Chinese supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, ship tracking data showed, after being stranded in the Gulf for more than two months due to the US-Iran conflict.

The Federal Tax Authority has announced that more than 68,600 Taxable Persons benefited from the UAE’s Corporate Tax Late Registration Penalty Waiver initiative during 2025 and the elapsed period of 2026.

The authority said the number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 91,000 as more businesses take advantage of the Cabinet-approved initiative, which came into effect in April 2025.

The waiver applies to administrative penalties imposed on Corporate Taxable Persons and certain categories of Exempt Persons required to register with the FTA, due to delays in submitting Corporate Tax registration applications within the legally specified deadlines.

According to the FTA, the initiative covers penalties applicable from 1 June 2023, subject to meeting specific conditions.

To qualify for the waiver, Taxable Persons or eligible Exempt Persons must submit their Tax Return or annual declaration within seven months from the end of their first Tax Period or Financial Year, instead of the standard nine-month period.

The FTA clarified that the initiative applies only to the first Tax Period of the Taxable Person or eligible Exempt Person.

Abdulaziz Al Mulla urged unregistered Corporate Taxable Persons to benefit from the initiative, highlighting the UAE’s focus on maintaining a flexible and business-friendly tax environment.

He said: “The FTA is intensifying its efforts to support and assist Taxable Persons, providing continuous facilitations that enable them to fulfil their tax obligations, thereby enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness in the field of doing business.”

“The Authority is also committed to enhancing proactive and continuous awareness of all applicable and newly introduced tax legislation, decisions, and procedures, as well as procedural facilitations to ensure smooth and seamless tax compliance,” he added.

Al Mulla noted that FTA data indicates more than 22,000 additional Taxable Persons could still benefit from the initiative in the coming period.

The FTA said businesses meeting the conditions will have their penalties waived automatically without the need to submit reconsideration or waiver requests.

Where penalties have already been paid, the corresponding amount will automatically be credited to the taxpayer’s account on the EmaraTax platform and can either be used to settle future tax liabilities or refunded through a refund application.

The authority added that the waiver applies to several categories, including businesses that have already registered and incurred penalties, whether paid or unpaid, as well as entities that have not yet registered or submitted Tax Returns.

The FTA urged all concerned parties to review the detailed public clarification available on its website regarding eligibility requirements, refund procedures and examples illustrating how the initiative applies across different scenarios.