Middle East evacuations gather pace as explosions rattle Abu Dhabi airport Dozens of Emirati flights were forced to hold or diver after the country's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted six ballistic missiles and 125 drones. United Arab Emirates
UAE billionaire Habtoor openly lambasts Trump over Iran war The Emirati businessman condemned the US president, a former business partner, for his “dangerous” attack on Iran and asked whether he had stopped to consider the collateral damage. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Iran’s assault reveals Gulf defense gaps and reliance on US tech and intel The recent Iranian strikes on bases, airports and energy facilities across the Gulf have exposed gaps in the GCC's defense architecture. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis From oil to data centers, US-Iran war takes key Mideast infrastructure offline By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Why UAE's ADNOC is investing in Exxon's Texas hydrogen plant Abu Dhabi's state-run oil company is taking a stake in ExxonMobil's major new low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia plant, its second foray into the Texas energy industry. United Arab Emirates
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