UAE’s cash request tests US ties as Iran war strains Gulf financial muscle Amid growing economic fallout from the regional war, Abu Dhabi’s bombshell request for a war-time financial lifeline from the United States is less about cash and more about clout — for now. United Arab Emirates
IEA delivers grim gas supply forecast as oil notches 15% weekly rise A wave of new LNG supplies will be delayed for at least two years due to war-related damage to Qatari energy infrastructure, according the International Energy Agency's latest market update. Qatar
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Which airlines are cutting flights amid Hormuz fuel disruption? European and Asian airlines have been most impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is throttling jet fuel supplies. Iran
Analysis Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
South Korea, UAE ink trade deal lifting tariffs on over 90% of imports The agreement was signed by ministers at a summit in the capital Seoul during the UAE president's first state visit. United Arab Emirates
Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal invests in Elon Musk’s $24B AI startup Kingdom Holding Company also holds a stake in Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Saudi Arabia
UAE president arrives in South Korea to talk defense, energy, business ties The visit, the first by the Emirati president, aims to enhance the already strong ties between the two countries. United Arab Emirates
Interview Saudi Expo 2030 to offer major opportunities for French businesses, says official In November, the Saudi capital won the right to host the Expo 2030 world trade fair that is expected to attract around 40 million visitors and billions of dollars of inward investment. Axel Baroux French Trade and Invest Commissioner for the UAE and Middle East
Malaysia courts Gulf investment and economic ties, but Saudi relations remain question mark Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Gaza war complicates IMEC plans even as Gulf-India ties warm The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor's progress is facing some difficulties related to geopolitical complexities, funding and conflicts in the Red Sea and Gaza. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Poverty in Lebanon tripled to 44%, as high as 62% in rural areas: World Bank In a recent report, the World Bank revealed a three-fold increase in poverty rates in Lebanon, which is hard hit by an economic crisis and financial meltdown, with nine out of every 10 Syrians displaced in the country living under the poverty line. Lebanon
Goldman Sachs first Wall Street bank to get green light for Saudi Arabia HQ The US-headquartered investment bank received a license from the Saudi Ministry of Investment to set up its regional headquarters in the capital, Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Algeria signs with ExxonMobil, Baker Hughes as Europe's gas demand soars Europe is increasingly looking to Algeria for natural gas amid the Ukraine war, and the North African country’s exports are on the rise. Algeria
Yellen warns Israel against blocking Palestinian banks, battering West Bank Israel has been threatening to cancel a vital waiver that expires July 1 between Israeli and Palestinian banks that allows Israeli banks to process shekel payments for vital services and PA salaries. Israel
UAE's ADNOC invests in Mozambique's natural gas in first African foray The deal will give ADNOC a share of the liquified natural gas output from the concession, which has a combined capacity of over 25 million metric tons per pear, the company said in a statement. United Arab Emirates
Huawei launches Egypt public cloud service as China ties grow Last September, Huawei announced that it would pump $430 million into North Africa to build the firm's first cloud center there as well as train thousands of developers and tech specialists. Egypt