Syria launches gas project with Saudi firm in latest Gulf energy partnership The project is the latest in a series of Gulf-backed investments aimed at rebuilding Syria's energy sector after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syria
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Abu Dhabi breaks ground on Dar Al Funoon performing arts venue Also this week: Lebanese seafood, Palestinian portraiture and cross-disciplinary art By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress." Iran
Newsletter: Gulf Oman's Hormuz moment As US and Iranian negotiators continue technical discussions in Doha on implementing last month’s memorandum of understanding, Oman is emerging as Tehran’s principal Gulf counterpart on the future governance of the Strait of Hormuz By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Newsletter: FutureVerse No ceasefire in cyberspace By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Iran, US to meet in Doha Tuesday By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Why the UAE wants Indian missiles and a deeper strategic partnership By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Middle East fintech funding sees 650% spike in 2020-2023 Fintech is one of the most funded and transacted industries across the MENA region, according to a MAGNiTT report, accounting for 24% of all venture investment in the region in the first half of 2024. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu priority may be Sinwar, not Gaza cease-fire A recap of Al-Monitor reporting from Israel, Iran, the UAE and Turkey. Palestine
Saudi Arabia, UAE speak out against Israeli far right's moves on Al-Aqsa Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have called for an end to provocations at one of Islam's holiest sites amid comments by Israel's national security minister about building a synagogue on the site. Israel
Pakistan to raise $4B from Middle East banks amid economic turbulence For many years, Pakistan has relied on China and Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to roll over some of its debt to avoid having to repay it sooner. Saudi Arabia
UAE asks France for 'urgent' consular services to arrested citizen Telegram’s Durov Russian-born Pavel Durov has been a resident of the UAE since 2017 and a citizen of the Gulf state since 2021. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Qatar rivalry, security concerns drive UAE thaw with Afghanistan’s Taliban The UAE has formally acknowledged a Taliban-appointed representative, making it only the second country, after China, to do so. By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
Who is Taliban’s first UAE envoy since its return to power? The United Arab Emirates is only the second country to accept an ambassador from the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, after China. United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala invests in UK cloud data center developer Yondr It marks Mubadala’s third major investment in cloud data centers in three years, as the wealth fund looks to cash in on the ballooning demand for data center infrastructure. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Global brands still can’t shake Israel boycotts hitting Starbucks, McDonald’s Consumer backlash continues hitting the bottom line of multinationals as the Gaza war nears the one-year mark. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
UAE port operator DP World's profits fall 60% amid Yemen's Houthi Red Sea attacks The Dubai-based logistics firm reported $265 million in profit for the first half of 2024 ending June 30, down from $651 million the same time last year. United Arab Emirates
Netflix in crosshairs as Middle East streaming competition mounts Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech