Qatar PM in Beirut as Lebanon seeks economic relief: What to know Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani’s visit to Beirut coincides with the Lebanese authorities’ ongoing efforts to curb Hezbollah’s influence in the country. Lebanon
Iraq’s Zaidi, Saudi crown prince discuss security as Houthi attacks escalate Iraq has moved to improve ties with Saudi Arabia after Iran-backed militias struck the kingdom and amid the conflict with the Houthis in Yemen. Iraq
Who is Abdulrahman Alfozan, Saudi national charged in bugging OpenAI meetings? The Saudi national who was arrested for allegedly planting a covert listening device at OpenAI’s offices has extensive experience working at leading technology companies in the US and serves as a venture partner at a Saudi venture capital firm. Saudi Arabia
Iran offers Saudi-Yemen dialogue as fighting, Houthi attacks escalate The Saudi-backed government in Yemen passed a draft law designating the Iran-backed Houthis as a terror group, as the US considers further action against the group over its attacks against Saudi Arabia. Yemen
Analysis Who are Yemen's Southern Giants Brigades leading the fight against the Houthis? By Giorgio Cafiero
Dubai crowned wealthiest city in Middle East, home to 72,500 millionaires The number of individuals in Dubai with liquid investment wealth — assets that can be readily converted to cash — of $1 million or more increased by 78% between 2013 and 2023 to 72,500, according to a report. United Arab Emirates
Turkey and Kuwait sign six deals as Erdogan hosts country's Emir The Kuwaiti emir traveled to Turkey for his first foreign visit to a non-Arab country since he took the oath of office in December. Turkey
Chinese investors skeptical as Gulf pushes for deeper economic ties with Beijing Gulf states are building economic ties with Beijing in non-energy fields, but Chinese investors remain skeptical of ambitious economic diversification plans in the Gulf. By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
UAE-backed RedBird IMI pulls out of Telegraph deal, will sell UK newspaper RedBird IMI effectively took control of Telegraph Media Group in December, when it repaid the owner family’s debts, including a $753 million loan against the media outlets. United Arab Emirates
UAE company agreed to loan $13B to South Sudan in exchange for oil A $13 billion loan to South Sudan, funded by Hamad Bin Khalifa Department of Projects, marks the largest-ever cash deal for the country. United Arab Emirates
Interview Saudi Arabia's giga-projects to offer 'testing ground' for British technology Saudi startups and fintech firms are looking to tap into the United Kingdom's $1 trillion tech market. Matt Jones Saudi British Joint Business Council Project Officer
What does EU visa relaxation for Saudi, Bahraini, Omani citizens mean? Under the new rules, Bahraini, Omani and Saudi Arabian nationals will be eligible for multiple-entry visas, allowing them to visit the Schengen area (the EU’s 27 member states as well as Bulgaria and Romania) and move freely between them. Saudi Arabia
Soaring regional tensions boost Gulf budgets, threaten long-term goals Most of the Gulf’s economic diversification plans still rely heavily on oil and gas revenues, especially in Saudi Arabia, where the most speculative parts of Vision 2030 face a lack of interest by foreign investors. By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
Will China-Arab States Cooperation Forum summit help boost Beijing’s ties with Mideast? The 10th session of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum is due to be held on May 30 in Beijing — will it result in even stronger China-Arab relations? By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
UK-Saudi deal allows kingdom to tap into Britain’s $1T tech market The kingdom spent $5.1 billion on research and development in 2022, a 32.7% from the previous year’s $3.9 billion. Saudi Arabia
Beyond Ethiopia & Somaliland, Turkey-Somalia defense deal fuels UAE rivalry The latest deal between Ankara and Mogadishu emerges as a potential friction point for Turkey and the UAE as they vie for influence in Somalia. Turkey
Qatar to pump nearly $11B into French start-ups, funds until 2030 The new investments will target key areas, including the aerospace, energy, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, digital, health, hospitality and cultural sectors. Qatar
