Jeff Fowler has signalled a major step forward for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, confirming that filming has wrapped and offering fans an early glimpse of Metal Sonic, the robotic rival whose arrival is expected to reshape the next chapter of Paramount’s fast-growing video game film franchise. The director, who has steered all three previous Sonic the Hedgehog films, marked the end of principal photography with a production […]
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Modi on arrival, underscoring the personal diplomacy that has become a defining feature of ties between the two leaders. The visit opened the first leg of Modi’s five-nation tour, which is scheduled to include the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy between May 15 and 20.
The Abu Dhabi stop carries immediate strategic weight for New Delhi as energy markets remain exposed to geopolitical pressure and supply uncertainty. Discussions between the two sides were centred on long-term energy arrangements, petroleum reserves, liquefied petroleum gas supply and a wider defence framework, reflecting the broadening scope of a relationship once driven largely by trade, remittances and crude oil.
Agreements signed during the visit covered defence cooperation, petroleum reserve collaboration and LPG supply. The defence pact points to a gradual shift in the partnership towards security coordination, technology exchange and maritime stability, particularly as both countries seek to protect trade routes and energy flows across the Arabian Sea, the Gulf and the wider West Asia region.
Energy remains the strongest pillar of the relationship. The UAE is among India’s key suppliers of crude oil and gas, while Abu Dhabi’s state-linked energy companies have already taken part in India’s strategic petroleum reserve programme. New Delhi has been seeking to expand reserve capacity as part of a long-term effort to cushion the economy from global supply shocks, currency pressure and price spikes.
For Abu Dhabi, the visit fits a broader strategy of deepening ties with major Asian economies while positioning the UAE as an energy, finance, logistics and technology hub. The UAE’s investment push into ports, renewable energy, infrastructure, food corridors and financial services has increasingly aligned with India’s priorities in manufacturing, digital infrastructure and supply-chain diversification.
Bilateral trade has grown strongly since the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into force in 2022. The pact reduced tariffs on a wide range of goods and helped accelerate commerce in gems and jewellery, petroleum products, food, metals, machinery and services. Both sides have set ambitious targets to lift non-oil trade, while businesses have expanded their use of rupee-dirham settlement mechanisms and cross-border payment links.
The partnership has also moved deeper into technology. Artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, data centres, financial technology and advanced computing have emerged as major areas of cooperation, especially after high-level exchanges earlier this year involving Sheikh Mohamed and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The proposed deployment of advanced computing infrastructure in India, with UAE-linked institutions and companies involved, has reinforced the technology dimension of the relationship.
People-to-people ties remain central to the diplomatic equation. The UAE hosts one of the largest overseas communities from India, with millions working across construction, services, health care, finance, aviation, education and technology. Their remittances and social links have long shaped the political warmth between the two countries, while improved consular services, labour welfare frameworks and easier travel arrangements remain important issues in bilateral engagement.
Modi’s Abu Dhabi visit also follows a sequence of symbolic gestures that have strengthened the public profile of the relationship. Sheikh Mohamed visited India in January this year, while senior members of Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s ruling families have taken part in major diplomatic and technology engagements. Modi’s 2024 visit to the UAE included the inauguration of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, a project presented by both sides as a marker of tolerance and cultural connection.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi has moved from a largely behind-the-scenes fiscal role into the centre of global dealmaking, taking charge of L’IMAD Holding as the emirate reshapes its sovereign investment network and pushes deeper into infrastructure, technology, finance and strategic industries. Al Zaabi, long associated with the emirate’s Department of Finance and its investment oversight bodies, was named managing […]
Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California, has pleaded not guilty in a Washington federal court to charges arising from what prosecutors describe as an armed attempt to kill President Donald Trump and senior administration figures at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Allen appeared on Monday before U. S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, wearing an orange jail uniform and restrained at the waist. He […]
Washington’s push to regulate digital assets has entered a sharper phase after Senator Bernie Moreno accused major banks of trying to block stablecoin competition as Congress prepares for a decisive test of the CLARITY Act this week. Moreno, a Republican from Ohio and one of the Senate’s most vocal crypto advocates, said the “banking cartel” was “in full panic mode” over legislation that could reshape the relationship […]
Saudi Arabia’s biodiversity record has expanded with Taibah University documenting a previously undescribed burrowing scorpion species from Harrat Uwayrid in AlUla Governorate, marking a notable addition to the Kingdom’s growing catalogue of desert wildlife. The species, formally named Scorpio furvus, was identified through a research effort led by Dr Abdulhadi Aloufi, Associate Professor of Ecology and Taxonomy at Taibah University, with collaborators from Jordan. The findings were […]
UAE defence companies used SAHA 2026 in Istanbul to turn a national showcase into a platform for export promotion, technology partnerships and global industry engagement as the five-day exhibition closed on 9 May at the Istanbul Expo Centre. The UAE National Pavilion drew about 5,000 visitors during the event, including senior military officials, defence technology specialists, government representatives and international delegations from the security, aerospace and aviation […]
Ourlex has launched a digital-led skincare campaign with French brand One Paris, placing Sharjah at the centre of a wider push to connect premium beauty labels with consumers across the UAE and GCC. The UAE-based platform for premium skincare distribution said the campaign would run across Instagram and TikTok, combining influencer engagement, educational content and digital storytelling. The initiative is designed to introduce One Paris products to […]
Dubai’s next private-island address is moving from concept to market signal, with Naïa Island emerging as a new test of how far demand for ultra-luxury coastal living can stretch in a city already defined by record-setting property deals. The project, developed by Shamal Holding off the Jumeirah coastline between Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah 3, is designed as a low-rise, low-density enclave with private beaches, estate plots, branded […]
Cloud security teams are facing a new credential-theft campaign after researchers identified PCPJack, a worm-like malware framework built to compromise exposed container, database and cloud-native systems while stripping away traces of rival TeamPCP tooling. The framework targets internet-facing Docker APIs, Kubernetes environments, Redis and MongoDB instances, Ray dashboards and vulnerable web applications. Its operators appear less interested in cryptomining, a familiar revenue stream in cloud intrusions, and […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s automotive data market is moving deeper into predictive intelligence after Seez entered a strategic collaboration with AutoData Middle East to strengthen vehicle valuation and market analytics across the region. The agreement brings Seez’s artificial intelligence models into AutoData Analytics, with an immediate focus on the platform’s Future Residual Value module. The integration is intended to improve projections of how vehicles retain value […]
Cybercriminals are turning Vercel’s AI-assisted web development tools into a faster route for building convincing phishing pages, raising fresh concerns over how legitimate cloud platforms are being exploited to steal credentials and evade traditional email defences. Security analysts tracking the activity have identified a sharp rise in campaigns using Vercel-hosted pages to imitate widely recognised brands, including Microsoft, Spotify, Adidas, Ferrari, Louis Vuitton and Nike. The lures […]
OpenAI is reportedly accelerating work on a ChatGPT-centred smartphone, raising the prospect that the artificial intelligence company could move from software into mass-market consumer hardware as early as 2027. Supply-chain checks point to a device designed around AI agents rather than the familiar app-led smartphone model. The project is being described as OpenAI’s first AI agent phone, with mass production targeted for the first half of 2027 […]
Economists led by Chetan Ahya have drawn a parallel with electric vehicles, where early policy support, component localisation and aggressive production expansion turned China from a fast follower into the world’s dominant exporter. Their research projects China’s share of global manufacturing could rise to 16.5 per cent by 2030, from about 15 per cent now, as advanced automation and embodied artificial intelligence move from demonstration projects into factory and logistics use.
The bullish case rests on China’s widening lead in humanoid robot production. Industry estimates show the country produced about 12,800 humanoid robots in 2025, close to 90 per cent of global output, though the market remains tiny compared with conventional industrial robotics. China also remains the world’s largest industrial robot market, accounting for more than half of global factory robot installations in 2024, with an operational stock above 2 million units.
That foundation matters because humanoid robots require the same manufacturing strengths that supported China’s rise in solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles: precision motors, sensors, actuators, batteries, control systems, machine vision and low-cost assembly. Local companies are building ecosystems around these components, while provincial governments are offering subsidies, industrial parks and procurement support to accelerate commercial deployment.
Beijing has identified humanoid robots as a strategic industry, setting targets for mass production and global leadership while integrating robotics into wider plans for artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. The 15th Five-Year Plan framework is expected to place AI-powered robots near the centre of industrial upgrading, although large-scale commercialisation is more likely toward the later part of the plan period than immediately.
The sector’s momentum has drawn major private capital. Start-ups such as Unitree, UBTech, AgiBot and Fourier Intelligence have moved quickly from stage demonstrations to pilot factory and warehouse deployments. Linkerbot, a fast-growing maker of dexterous robotic hands, is seeking a valuation of about $6 billion after building a strong position in high-degree-of-freedom robotic hands used in humanoids and industrial systems. Its modular products point to an important feature of the market: some of the earliest profits may come from components rather than complete humanoid machines.
Automakers and electronics groups are also moving into the field. Xpeng has said humanoid robotics could become a long-term investment area alongside electric vehicles, while other manufacturers are testing robots for inspection, sorting, materials handling and repetitive shop-floor tasks. The logic is clear. China faces an ageing workforce, rising labour costs in coastal manufacturing hubs and growing pressure from tariff barriers. A successful humanoid robotics industry could help preserve competitiveness even as low-cost labour advantages fade.
The export implications are broader than robot sales. If humanoids improve productivity in Chinese factories, they could lower production costs across electronics, machinery, appliances and consumer goods. That would reinforce the country’s position in global supply chains at a time when the United States, Europe and several Asian economies are trying to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturing. It could also create a new export category in robots, components, software and maintenance services.
Yet the constraints remain substantial. Humanoid robots are still expensive, often have limited battery life and struggle with unstructured environments. Many can perform scripted tasks in controlled settings but fall short when asked to handle the speed, judgement and dexterity of human workers. Even executives in China’s robotics industry acknowledge that factory humanoids remain less efficient than people in many jobs. Safety certification, liability rules, data protection and workplace integration will also affect adoption.
Dependence on high-end chips and advanced software ecosystems is another weakness. US restrictions on AI semiconductors have pushed Chinese firms to localise more hardware, but training and deploying capable embodied AI systems remains compute-intensive. Without steady access to cutting-edge chips, progress may be uneven, particularly in models that require real-time perception, movement planning and continuous learning.
Google Home is being reshaped into a more conversational smart home platform as Google rolls out Gemini 3.1 for its connected-home assistant, alongside camera, automation and notification upgrades aimed at making household devices faster and easier to manage. The update marks another step in Google’s attempt to replace the older Google Assistant experience on compatible speakers and displays with Gemini for Home, an AI-driven system designed to […]
TON has moved to the front of the Layer-1 speed debate after a fresh comparison of blockchain finalisation times placed The Open Network ahead of major rivals on the time required for transactions to become irreversible. The assessment, conducted in April 2026, compared leading Layer-1 networks by finalisation time and put TON’s block finalisation at about 0.6 seconds, with total transaction finality under one second when […]
Cybersecurity teams are tracking a more capable strain of Salat Stealer, a Windows-focused malware family that has moved beyond routine credential theft into full remote access, surveillance and stealthy command-and-control activity. The Go-based tool, also tracked as WEB_RAT, combines the functions of an infostealer and a Remote Access Trojan. Its operators can harvest browser passwords, cookies, Telegram sessions, cryptocurrency wallet data and system details, while also opening […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ADNOC Drilling is targeting an equal revenue split between its core drilling business and manufacturing-linked oilfield services within five years, signalling a deeper push into local industrial capacity as Abu Dhabi’s energy sector widens its role beyond upstream operations. Youssef Salem, Chief Financial Officer of ADNOC Drilling, said the company aims to generate about 50 per cent of revenue from drilling and 50 […]
Cybersecurity vendor Trellix has confirmed unauthorised access to part of its source-code repository, raising fresh questions over the protection of development environments inside companies trusted to defend enterprises and public-sector networks. The privately held company said it had brought in external forensic specialists after identifying the intrusion and had notified law enforcement. Trellix said its investigation had so far found no evidence that its source-code release […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi National Oil Company will award Dh200 billion worth of project contracts between 2026 and 2028, marking one of the largest new execution phases in the Gulf energy sector as Abu Dhabi moves to expand capacity, secure supply chains and deepen local manufacturing. The planned awards, equivalent to about $55 billion, form the first major tranche of ADNOC’s $150 billion capital expenditure […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Ras Al Khaimah’s economic regulator has stepped up public and business awareness over counterfeit goods, warning that fake products threaten consumer safety, undermine legitimate traders and expose offenders to serious legal action. The Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development, through its Commercial Control and Protection Department, carried out an awareness campaign titled “Protect Your Products from Counterfeiting” as part of wider efforts […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s aviation regulator has launched a passenger-rights framework that gives travellers a clearer route to raise complaints, track cases online and seek resolution when disputes arise with airlines or licensed travel agents. The Aviation Consumer Welfare Directive, introduced by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, establishes a formal regulatory reference for the relationship between passengers, carriers and travel agents operating in the emirate. It […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s Emirati Human Resources Development Council and Dubai International Financial Centre have launched a specialist programme to prepare UAE nationals for roles in wealth management, private banking and financial technology, strengthening the emirate’s push to deepen local participation in high-value financial services. The Wealth Strategist Programme is designed to equip Emirati talent with practical skills required by private banks, asset managers, family offices, […]
Emirates has completed the first installation of Starlink Wi-Fi on an Airbus A380, marking a major step in its plan to turn onboard internet from a limited add-on into a core part of the long-haul travel experience. The upgraded superjumbo returned to Dubai after installation and certification work in Newquay, United Kingdom. The aircraft is the first A380 in the world to be fitted with the next-generation […]
