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

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United Arab Emirates

December 20, 2025

Abu Dhabi 4:07 pm

21°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

This picture taken December 12, 2019 shows (L) a view of the exchange board at the Stock Exchange Market (Tadawul) bourse in Riyadh displaying Aramco shares on the second day of their trading, along with a poster depicting Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz ibn Saud (C), his son and current King Salman bin Abdulaziz (R), and the latter's son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) on display. - Energy giant Saudi Aramco's market value soared above $2 trillion as its share price surged again on its second da

Gulf oil exporters look past Biden’s green energy platform

The possible return of Iranian crude to global markets is a short-term concern for Gulf oil producers, which expect to be the last man standing in a decarbonizing world.

UAE narrows search for next Emirati astronauts

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center will select two applicants from a shortlist of 61 potential astronauts.

United Arab Emirates

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Travellers exit via the International Arrival gate at Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 on August 22, 2020 in London, England. As of Saturday morning at 4am, travellers arriving in England from Austria, Croatia, and Trinidad and Tobago were required to quarantine themselves for 14 days. At the same time, travellers from Portugal were no longer required to quarantine. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

UK opens 'travel corridor' to Gulf states

Visitors to the United Kingdom from Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE will not need to isolate upon arrival come Saturday.

United Arab Emirates

This picture taken on July 17, 2020 shows an Emirates Boeing 777-31H aircraft taxying upon arrival at the Iranian capital Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. - The UAE's Emirates airlines landed its first flight in Tehran on July 17 after a five month shutdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Emirates reports massive drop in revenue in 2020

The Dubai-based airline's revenues fell billions and it is relying on reserves and support from the government to continue flying.

United Arab Emirates

Trump White House proposes sale of 50 F-35s to United Arab Emirates

The proposed sale includes 18 MQ-9B weapons-ready drones and air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.

United Arab Emirates

<<enter caption here>> on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada.

Intel: Trump administration to propose $3 billion drone sale to UAE

News of the proposal comes a week after the administration informally notified Congress of its intent to sell F-35 fighter jets to Abu Dhabi.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai-based airline announces daily flights to Tel Aviv

The budget carrier flydubai will start flying to Israel's largest city later this month in the latest sign of deepening economic ties between Israel and the Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

Israeli farm workers harvest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for Bazelet HaGolan winery, beneath wind turbines constructed between vineyards and fruit orchards as part of a wind farm, near El Rom settlement in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights by the border with Syria, on October 5, 2020. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel boycott movement furious at UAE over deal to import wine from occupied Golan Heights

The United Arab Emirates signed a deal with Israel to buy wine produced in the settlements of the occupied Golan Heights, prompting a wave of anger among Palestinians and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

United Arab Emirates

An Israeli policewoman stands guard at an entrance of the al-Aqsa compound, leading to the Dome of the Rock mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem on October 18, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. - Israel began to ease its month-long coronavirus nationwide lockdown, allowing citizens to venture further than 1km (0.6 miles) away from their home with preschools, daycare centres and places of worship reopening to all, under some restrictions. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUN

New normal takes shape for Israel, Palestinians, UAE

Israelis and Emiratis throw themselves into their new relationship and Palestinians are throwing Gulf visitors out of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

United Arab Emirates

Benny Gantz (C), Israel's Alternate Prime Minister and Defence Minister, receives US Defense Secretary Mark Esper (2nd-R) and his wife Leah (R), all mask-clad due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod on October 29, 2020. (Photo by Paul HANDLEY / AFP) (Photo by PAUL HANDLEY/AFP via Getty Images)

After meeting Esper, Gantz says US committed to Israel’s security

It took three meetings between US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz to convince the latter to drop his opposition to the F-35 sale to the United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

IN FLIGHT, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 08: An F-35B combat aircraft from the United States Marine Corp refuels from an RAF Voyager aircraft over the North Sea on October 08, 2020 in flight, above Scotland. The first air-to-air refuelling of F-35Bs from the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group took place as part of Operation Joint Warrior. Flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth, the RAF, RN and USMC Pilots (USofA) were demonstrating the operational capabilities of NATO and the UK for current and future threats. Operation Joint

Intel: Trump administration notifies Congress of proposed F-35 sale to UAE

Lawmakers have introduced legislation intended to ensure the sale does not eclipse Israel's regional military edge.

United Arab Emirates

Tourists gather at Abu Dhabi sea front before a heavy rain storm on March 9, 2016.
Schools in the United Arab Emirates were ordered to shut after rare heavy rain hit the desert Gulf state, causing flights to be suspended and flooding roads.

/ AFP / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Israelis flock to the Emirates

The normalization agreement with the Emirates was signed just a few weeks ago, but Israeli businesspeople, athletes and tourists are already flocking there.

United Arab Emirates