United Arab Emirates - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

UAE cover image

United Arab Emirates

December 19, 2025

Abu Dhabi 11:03 pm

16°C

RICCARDO MILANI/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

UAE AI investor MGX moves closer to strategic stake in TikTok US

The state-linked Emirati investment firm is set to acquire a 15% stake in the social media platform's new US business as part of a plan that would avert a nationwide ban starting in 2026.

United Arab Emirates

Solar panels in a Sinai desert, Egypt.

Egypt lands $572M UAE-backed solar deal, expanding Gulf's clean-energy footprint

Gulf companies have been increasing their investments in North African renewable energy.

Latest News

Interview

Robots can solve UAE construction labor shortage, says Buildroid AI

Buildroid AI

Culture

Egypt’s koshary, Gulf’s bisht gain UNESCO recognition

A woman sells koshary after the Eid prayer in Abu Sir village on April 21, 2023, in Giza, Egypt.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

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

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

Jennifer Gnana

Gulf Correspondent

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

Dubai expo

UAE explores economic cooperation with Cuba

The Abu Dhabi and the Cuban chambers of commerce met at the Expo 2020 Dubai event, and a Cuban minister visited an Emirati renewable energy company.

United Arab Emirates

Serbia expo 2020

Emirati cloud firm G42 signs agreement with Serbia

The memorandum was signed at the Expo 2020 forum in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images

Afghan evacuees in UAE protest US resettlement delay

From their shelter in Abu Dhabi, the protesters demanded they be resettled in the United States.

United Arab Emirates

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

UAE intercepts Houthi ballistic missile as Israeli president visits

The Houthis are warning of additional attacks after the third attempted strike on Dubai and Abu Dhabi this month.

United Arab Emirates

Borja Sanchez Trillo/Getty Images

US warns against travel to UAE over drone, missile threats

The State Department updated its travel advisory following recent attacks on the United Arab Emirates carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

United Arab Emirates

ALEXANDER BOGDANOV/AFP via Getty Images

Mideast airlines halt flights to Kazakhstan amid unrest

Flydubai and Air Arabia have cancelled flights to Almaty as violent anti-government protests roil Kazakhstan’s largest city.

United Arab Emirates

A US F-35A fighter jet lands at Chungju Air Base on March 29, 2019, in Chungju, South Korea.

Intel: UAE suspends F-35 talks over US security demands

Emirati officials head to the Pentagon on Wednesday for two days of strategic talks with Washington.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai skyline

US to warn UAE banks, firms against sanctioned Iran dealings

The Wall Street Journal reports that US officials will warn petrochemical companies, private firms and banks of "extreme risk" for noncompliance.

An F-35 fighter plane flies over the White House on June 12, 2019, in Washington DC.

UAE says French fighter jets no substitute for US F-35

The head of the UAE's air force sought to clarify comments by France's President Emmanuel Macron last week.

United Arab Emirates

Rafale fighter

UAE signs $19 billion fighter jet deal with France

The sale of Dassault Rafale jets and Caracal helicopters marks Paris' largest foreign military sale to date.

United Arab Emirates

Iranian diplomat and political deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran Ali Bagheri Kani.

Iran's deputy foreign minister pledges 'new chapter' in Iran-UAE relations

Iran's deputy foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, met with senior Emirati officials in Dubai on Wednesday.

Lloyd Austin

Pentagon chief to assure allies of US commitment in Bahrain, UAE

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will speak at the Manama Dialogue forum on Saturday morning.

United Arab Emirates