Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Memories of home by Salah Elmur Also this week: Dubai Design Week, Christie’s auction highlights and Levantine dining. By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Costa Rica's Grynspan extends lead in UNSG poll as Nusseibeh places fourth The Costa Rican candidate received 12 encourage votes in Thursday's UN Security Council straw poll. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: Business & Tech Democrats’ win: What’s at stake for Gulf business The immediate concern for the region is whether Washington and Israel will resume strikes on Iran, potentially triggering further Iranian attacks on Gulf states. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse US elections spotlight Gulf tech risks A sweeping victory by Democrats could put the White House’s recent Gulf dealings under greater scrutiny. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
How far will the Saudis go against Hezbollah? With Saudi Arabia labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization, a decision that was endorsed by the GCC, the kingdom hopes to legally pursue the Lebanese movement in international forums. Legacy: Gulf
Hezbollah responds to GCC decision In a speech following the GCC’s decision to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization, the movement’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, intensified his criticism of Saudi Arabia, indicating a readiness to go all the way in the confrontation. Saudi Arabia
Who's behind vote to label Muslim Brotherhood a terror group? After the House Judiciary panel voted along party lines to force a State Department ruling, opinions remain split over the true motivation behind the step. Saudi Arabia
What fading oil fortunes means for Turkey's businesses Turkish businesspeople are losing sleep over oil-producing states' deferrals of payments to international contractors and the possible loss of mega projects. Legacy: Gulf
Death, starvation haunt southern Yemen The catastrophic humanitarian situation in Yemen’s besieged Taiz calls for immediate action to lift the siege that has strangled the city for almost a year. Saudi Arabia
Will Saudi Arabia pressure Jordan to join ground offensive in Syria? There is increasing talk about a land war in Syria to combat the Islamic State, but the Jordanians thus far appear reluctant to get involved. Legacy: Gulf
Qatar's precarious position between Saudi Arabia, Iran The recent decline in Saudi-Iranian relations has put GCC members in a bind, in particular Qatar, which for years has tried to maintain diplomatic and economic ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia
How Turkey is losing a top trade partner Turkey is experiencing a serious but underreported crisis with its biggest export market in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia
Iran's military bulks up with new Russian tanks Tehran plans to purchase T-90 tanks from Russia, but is it enough to strengthen the Iranian military? Saudi Arabia
Are Turkey, Saudi Arabia pressuring Jordan on terror blacklist? Jordan has been tasked with overseeing which groups fighting in Syria are designated as terrorist organizations, but its mission is complicated by alliances in the region. Saudi Arabia
Is Qatar Iran's door to the Gulf? The recent Iranian-Qatari rapprochement has created further controversy in the Middle East but some countries see it as a positive step in alleviating the ongoing conflict. Saudi Arabia
How to end the war in Yemen All involved in the war in Yemen, which has created a horrific humanitarian disaster, have paid a high price. A political solution is needed immediately. Saudi Arabia