Meloni to attend GCC summit in Bahrain as Italy deepens Gulf ties The summit is expected to focus on economic integration in the Gulf, but regional issues will likely loom just as large, including post-war Gaza and the conflict in Sudan. Bahrain
US approves $1.4B in military sales to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain: What to know An estimated $1 billion in foreign military sales will go to Saudi Arabia, and $445 million will go to Bahrain. United States
Malaysia's AirAsia bets Bahrain can fuel Mideast growth, challenging Gulf hubs The Malaysian carrier signed a preliminary pact with Bahrain to explore establishing the kingdom as its Middle East hub, with plans for dozens of daily flights by 2030. Bahrain
Analysis UK chases elusive GCC trade deal that could boost exports, economic links A new charm offensive at Saudi Arabia's flagship investment conference has fueled optimism that a UK-GCC trade pact, under negotiation since 2022, could soon be completed. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis As Carrefour retreats in Mideast, can new Gulf superstore brand advance? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Is Bahrain's Fate Tied to Syrian War? Bahrain's opposing forces are jostling for power ahead of a possible US strike on Syria, with the government hopeful that a weakened Syrian regime will work in their favor. Bahrain
Bahrain Salafists Increase Involvement in Syria War Bahraini Salafists are playing a role in the fight against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Bahrain
Bahraini Salafists in Spotlight The recent deaths of Bahraini jihadists in Syria point to the rise of radical Salafism in Bahrain. Bahrain
Saudi Arabia Clamps Down On Dissent Haytham Mouzahem asks whether recent Saudi actions are tied to efforts to quell sectarian dissent and contain any spillover from either the Shiite-based uprising in Bahrain or the Syrian crisis. Saudi Arabia
Bahraini Opposition Competes For Western Support Bahrain’s opposition is working overtime to woo the West to its cause, but it would be better served forging local and regional links, Omar al-Shehabi writes. Bahrain
Bahrain Marks Second Anniversary Of Uprising With Dialogue, Deadlock On the second anniversary of the Bahraini uprising, a new dialogue between the government and opposition has opened and the streets of Manama are mostly calm, but political tensions continue to roil, writes Lena Odgaard from Manama. Bahrain
US Budget Woes Compound Differences with GCC Despite security and commercial ties with the United States, there is a growing trust deficit between Washington and Arab states on the Persian Gulf that fear the spread of Arab democratic movements and worry that the U.S. will sacrifice their interests for a deal with Iran. Saudi Arabia
The Bahrain Blackout in Arab Media The state-sponsored Arab news networks in the Gulf have given scant coverage to the reform and protest movements in Bahrain, writes Ali Hashem. Bahrain
