US-Iran talks set for Geneva amid military buildup

• A previous diplomatic effort was derailed last year by Israeli air strikes on Iran, triggering a 12-day conflict in June that briefly drew in US forces targeting Iranian facilities
• The security situation has led several countries — including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia — to urge their citizens to leave Iran.

Israel plans ‘Hexagon Alliance’ in Mediterranean, Middle East to counter hostile regional blocs

• Netanyahu outlined a plan to form a “hexagon alliance” involving India, select Arab and African countries, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration and unnamed Asian nations
• “In the vision I see before me, we will form a ‘hexagon alliance system’ around or within Middle East,” Netanyahu said, adding that further details would be shared in due course

Arab Parliament, Muslim nations slam Huckabee’s Middle East remarks

• The Palestinian Authority said on X that Huckabee's words "contradict US President Donald Trump's rejection of rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank".
• Saudi Arabia described the ambassador's words as "reckless" and "irresponsible", while Jordan said it was "an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region".

Abu Dhabi records real estate deals worth $38.7 billion in 2025

• Sales and purchase transactions totalled $27.1 billion from 25,604 deals, while mortgage activity accounted for $11.6 billion across 17,210 transactions.
• Foreign direct investment in Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector reached $2.2 billion in 2025, up 13 percent from the previous year.

Trump launches Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ with $10 billion pledge, outlines vague ambitions

• Five countries — Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania — have committed troops to a proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza.
• Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has offered to send up to 8,000 troops and take a deputy commander role in the force.

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land

• Several governments have renewed warnings that unilateral annexation or settlement expansion would violate international law and risk further destabilizing the region.
• The latest Gaza killings also comes as indirect negotiations and mediation efforts have struggled to gain traction.

Geneva talks loom as Trump backs regime change and redeploys second US carrier

• The addition of a second carrier significantly expands US air power, surveillance capability and rapid strike options in the Gulf and surrounding waters.
• Gulf states, long wary of escalation between Washington and Tehran, have urged restraint while quietly bolstering their own security postures.

Citizen-consumers are redefining the global reputation of multinationals: Ipsos study

• Despite regional differences, one expectation stands out globally: people want multinational corporations to contribute to local economies.
• This economic focus was particularly pronounced in developing and emerging markets, including many countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America.

Web Summit Qatar 2026 in Doha draws 30,000 participants, global tech leaders

The GCC must deploy its ‘strategic advantages’ to lead the transition

• Across the region, business leaders are confronting a reality already transforming global markets.
• Instead of funding isolated projects, Gulf institutions can help build ecosystems such as agritech clusters, circular-economy value chains,