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Kuwait

July 27, 2024

Kuwait City 4:22 am

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The Royal Courts of Justice in London, England.

Regional View

Why are victims of 1990 Kuwait hostage crisis suing British Airways?

On Aug. 2, 1990, upon landing for a planned refueling in Kuwait, the crew and passengers of BA149 were taken hostage by Iraqi forces to be used as human shields against the Western military response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 11, 2024. (Source: KSAmofaEN/Twitter/X)

Kuwait doubles down on Saudi ties driven by economics, counter-Islamism

Kuwait's newly appointed crown prince, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah, is expected to advance the already good ties between his country and Saudi Arabia, as the two seek to further their economic prosperity.

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

By Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

In Exmouth, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics

YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

Fire in overcrowded Kuwait building kills at least 41

A fire at an overcrowded building in Kuwait has killed at least 41 people and injured dozens more, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens of others are treated in hospitals.

Beatrice Farhat

By Beatrice Farhat

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Female security guards stand by as Kuwaiti lawmakers attend a parliament session at the National Assembly, Kuwait City, Kuwait, Feb. 6, 2024.

Regional View

Inside Kuwait's political turmoil as parliament dissolves, new government forms

The Kuwaiti emir’s move to dissolve parliament and appoint a government a few days later further deepens years of political instability in the Gulf nation.

Latest News

Quick Take

Turkey and Kuwait sign six deals as Erdogan hosts country's Emir

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah in Ankara on May 7. Photo courtesy: The Turkish Presidency

Quick Take

Chipotle opens restaurant in Kuwait, its first in Middle East

A customer orders food at a Chipotle restaurant on April 26, 2022, in San Francisco, California.

Quick Take

US firm mulls stake in Starbucks Middle East franchise as local competition heats up

A man poses for video outside a Starbucks coffee shop in a market area in Dubai on May 18, 2023.

Kuwait holds annual camel race as sport regains regional traction

Race camels resting before a race in Qatar.

Al-Monitor Staff

By Al-Monitor Staff

Quick Take

Kuwait emir travels to Saudi Arabia for first foreign visit

Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah gestures as he delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the 17th parliamentary term at the National Assembly in Kuwait City on Oct. 18, 2022.

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

Karen Young

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

QatarEnergy

Quick Take

Saudi Aramco, QatarEnergy, UAE’s Emirates among Fortune Arabia top 10

The list of 500 companies from 22 Arab countries posted around $1.6 trillion in revenues in 2022, yielding a net profit of $343 billion.

A Foreign Ministry staff member arranges the Chinese flag before an official visit, Beijing, December 24, 2015.

Quick Take

Syria’s Assad and Kuwaiti crown prince in China signing cooperation deals

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad participated in a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the eastern city of Hangzhou, reported SANA, Syria’s official news outlet.

Mideast heat

Quick Take

From Egypt to Iran, heatwave compounds Middle East electricity problems, climate change burdens

Countries like Iraq are particularly susceptible to climate change, as recurring blackouts make it harder to stay cool indoors.

A file picture shows Kuwait's largest oil refinery at Al-Ahmadi complex, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Kuwait City, Kuwait, Nov. 21, 2014.

Quick Take

Kuwait to begin drilling in disputed gas field with Iran

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia’s dispute with Iran over the Durra gas field is coming amid improved ties between Iran and the Gulf.

Regional View

Kuwait prohibits all cryptocurrency use in new virtual assets ban

Users of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets in Kuwait would be subject to Kuwait’s 2013 money laundering and terrorist financing laws.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 10: A Chipotle store signage is seen on August 10, 2022 in New York City. NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that they will be paying $20 million dollars to current and former workers in their NYC restaurants for violating city labor laws. The settlement will cover about 13,000 employees who worked at the chain's NYC stores between 2017 and this year. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Quick Take

Popular Mexican food chain Chipotle coming to UAE, Kuwait

The fast-food giant that specializes in Mexican food is one of the biggest in the United States.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Regional View

Saudi Arabia outranks US for expat life, Kuwait ranks worst

Saudi Arabia was found to be the 28th best country to live in as an expatriate while the United States ranked 30th, according to a Tuesday report.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

UAE, after Kuwait, releases Iranian prisoners

The moves come as Iran works to restore its ties with Gulf countries following years of estrangement and tension.

Beatrice Farhat

By Beatrice Farhat

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand on September 15, 2022. (Photo by Alexandr Demyanchuk / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Quick Take

Iran summons Russia's ambassador over UAE islands dispute

On Monday, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) issued a statement calling for a “a peaceful solution” to the dispute over the Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands “in accordance with international law."

A picture taken on October 13, 2021 shows Kuwait's largest oil refinery at the Al-Ahmadi complex, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of the capital Kuwait City. - A fire broke out on October 18, 2021 in Al-Ahmadi refinery, with no interruptions to site operations or petrol exports. The fire was reported at the site of Mina al-Ahmadi, located on the Gulf coast just opposite Iran, according to an AFP photojournalist. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait's gas dispute with Iran tests recent detente

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia consider the Durra gas field to be theirs, but Iran claims a part of it. The issue shows disagreements remain between Riyadh and Tehran following the resumption of diplomatic relations.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

A picture shows the Iranian South Pars quarter one (SPQ1) gas platform in the Gulf near Qatar's territorial waters on Jan. 26, 2011.

Quick Take

Kuwait rejects Iran's drilling plans in disputed gas field in Gulf

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding dispute with Iran over the Durra gas field. The recent disagreement follows improvement in Iran's relations with both countries.

Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah (R) meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L), in Kuwait City

Regional View

Iran's FM visits Kuwait, then UAE in latest Gulf charm offensive

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Oman on Tuesday to meet with Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi as part of his Gulf tour that began in Doha.

United Arab Emirates