Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Zayed National Museum opens in Abu Dhabi Also this week: Apollo lands in Palm Jumeirah, 421 turns 10, and Design Miami heads to Dubai By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Yemen's STC separatists advance in Hadramout as UAE-Saudi rift grows The fighting between the UAE-backed southern separatists and Saudi-aligned tribal forces, nominal allies against the Houthis, has raised concerns about the division of Yemen. Yemen
Turkey defense firms break record with $10B in revenues: SIPRI Turkey set a new record with five companies in the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's Top 100 for 2024, which included nine Middle Eastern countries for the first time amid conflict-driven arms demand. Turkey
Analysis US-Gulf critical minerals ties grow in bid to weaken China’s grip on industry Saudi Arabia and the UAE are emerging as indispensable partners to the United States in its efforts to “friend-shore” a strategic sector and supply chains dominated by China. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis South Korea’s $15B jet offer expands UAE's options as US moves to sell Saudis F-35s By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Abu Dhabi opens Middle East’s largest natural history museum By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Sudan restricts gold trade as currency falls: What to know The UAE, historically the largest importer of Sudanese gold, could be affected by the move, and Khartoum is seeking to reduce exports of the commodity to the Gulf state over a dispute related to the civil war. Sudan
Newsletter: China-Middle East UAE rivals China in Africa A UAE-based resource investment firm on Monday broke ground on a major solar plant in the Central African Republic that aims to power over 300,000 households once operational By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
UAE breaks ground on 50 MW solar plant in CAR, expanding Africa footprint Abu Dhabi’s financial footprint has expanded across Africa, making the UAE the continent’s fourth-largest source of foreign capital. United Arab Emirates
UAE’s Masdar secures $1.1B for 2 GW Saudi solar megaproject: What to know The Al Sadawi Independent Power Producer (IPP) Project is set to be one of the largest solar plants in the world, according to Masdar. United Arab Emirates
UAE police arrest three suspects in attempted $25M diamond heist Three men were arrested after attempting to smuggle a 21.25-carat pink diamond from Dubai, now a major global diamond hub. United Arab Emirates
Analysis What UAE interest in South Korea’s KF-21 jets signals for Gulf defense strategy A recent “friendship flight” with the KF-21 Boramae gave the UAE a firsthand look at Seoul’s most advanced fighter, highlighting Abu Dhabi’s efforts to diversify its airpower suppliers and expand regional influence. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Diverging Gulf bets: PIF exits US tech stocks as Mubadala reshuffles portfolio During a quarter in which US stocks began surging toward record highs, two of the Gulf's most influential investors took different approaches to the market. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Global art masterpieces arrive at Louvre Abu Dhabi Also this week: Mamluk art, light installations, desert dining and live Qawwali. By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Jordan, UAE military chiefs vow stronger defense ties in Amman meeting Jordan has moved to increase military cooperation with the UAE in recent years, including via joint exercises as the Hashemite Kingdom works to bolster its defenses. Jordan
Dubai Police to host expanded esports event amid UAE gaming push: What to know The UAE wants to grow its esports sector as part of its economic diversification plans, mirroring a similar endeavor in neighboring Saudi Arabia. United Arab Emirates
Landmark $18.7B Santos-ADNOC takeover delayed: What to know Santos said in a statement that the due diligence period, initially set for six weeks, has been extended until Aug. 22. United Arab Emirates
How an Arabic translation firm from Jordan became a Gulf AI player Tarjama, now based in Dubai, recently raised $15 million to accelerate the rollout of an Arabic-language AI platform for businesses in the Middle East. Jordan