Houthis strike Saudi oil tankers as Iran stops passage of three ships in Hormuz
The latest attack comes after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would strike Iran's civilian infrastructure, including bridges and...
Geostrategy
Dubai to award $15bn of Al Maktoum Airport projects by end-2026
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai plans to award strategic contracts worth more than AED55 billion ($15 billion) for the expansion of...
Business
Geostrategy
Who has been invited to be on Trump’s Gaza boards?
The White House said there would be a main board, chaired by Trump himself, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant...
- BOARD OF PEACE - The White House says this body will focus on issues such as "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction.
- NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF GAZA - This body, made up of technocrats, will "oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions.
Economy
Global economy set for “sturdy growth” in 2026, MENA growth to outpace global economy
The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to...
- Goldman Sachs Research has projected that the world economy will expand faster than widely expected next year, saying its economists expect sturdy global growth of 2.8%
- The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to grow by 3.6% year on year compared to global growth of 3.1%
Economy
MENA emerges as fast-growing global e-trading hub, UAE leads with over half-trillion dollars in volume
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most dynamic retail e-trading markets,...
- The study, Trading’s New Horizon: How Access, Innovation and Ambition Are Fuelling MENA’s E-Trading Boom, draws on two years of data from 62,850 verified traders across the region
- The report notes that MENA traders are young, digitally savvy and highly educated, and nearly 86% are aged 18–44, and 64% hold a university degree—far higher than Europe’s 39%
Business
UAE’s AI Office announces Google Gemini as top model in ‘AI in the Ring’ Index
Dubai, UAE - The UAE’s Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office announced that Google Gemini has ranked...
- Gemini earned the top ranking following a review of over 400 questions and 5,200 generated responses from 11 major language models
- A Committee of Emirati experts evaluated the outputs to identify which models demonstrated the strongest cultural understanding
Business
GCC countries attract $523.4bn in foreign investment in 2023
Muscat, Oman -- The GCC countries have seen a steady rise in foreign investment, according to data from the Statistical...
- Intra-GCC investments rise to $130 billion, aided by infrastructure, technology improvements, and modern legislation boosting regional business attractiveness.
- Capital markets grow to $4.2 trillion as corporate profits improve and institutional investments continue despite global economic uncertainties.
Geostrategy
Riyadh, Washington seal major defense agreement amid Saudi push for two-state roadmap before Israel normalization
Saudi Crown Prince said that his kingdom wanted to normalize relations with Israel through US President Donald Trump's Abraham Accords,...
- The agreement comes within the framework of the long-standing strategic partnership and the deep-rooted ties that have united the two countries for more than ninety years
- It affirms that Saudi Arabia and the United States are capable security partners, able to work together to confront regional and international challenges and threats.
Business
Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X planes despite delays
Dubai, UAE -- Emirates, the Middle East's biggest airline, topped up its order of Boeing 777X planes on Monday despite...
- The order of 65 777-9s, valued at $38nn including engines, came despite last month's announcement that delivery was now due in 2027 -- seven years behind the original schedule.
- Emirates, already the biggest customer for the Boeing 777, now has 270 777X, 10 777 freighters and 35 Boeing 787s on order.
Business
Ring, Lloyds Bank and Snapchat hit by massive internet outage
Lloyds Bank and Halifax’s mobile apps went down for users on Monday after a major outage linked to Amazon Web...
- Dozens of popular websites and apps, including Snapchat, Ring, Fortnite, and Amazon’s own Prime Video, were inaccessible during the blackout
- Lloyds’ website posted a notice saying: “Sorry, we’re unable to process your request at the moment. We are currently having some technical issues.”
Interview
Digital sovereignty Is the new independence, says UAE cybersecurity official
Digital sovereignty, in my view, is no longer a technical concept — it’s a cornerstone of national independence and strategic...
- Digital sovereignty, in my view, is no longer a technical concept — it’s a cornerstone of national independence and strategic stability, says Lt. Colonel Al Shebli in an interview
- The UAE has been forward-thinking in this domain, ensuring that data, platforms, and systems critical to our nation’s wellbeing remain under national jurisdiction. he adds
Geostrategy
Building a secure future: Key takeaways from WEF’s Dubai meetings
The Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity, held jointly with the Global Future Councils, focused on strengthening global cooperation to enhance digital...
- It convened over 500 experts from government, business, civil society and media, together with 150 of the world’s foremost cybersecurity leaders.
- Participants identified key innovations, policies and business models that could drive meaningful and sustainable economic growth.
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Houthis strike Saudi oil tankers as Iran stops passage of three ships in Hormuz
The latest attack comes after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would strike Iran's civilian infrastructure, including bridges and...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Iran floats 30-day roadmap to end conflict; Trump signals scepticism
Iran has put forward a fresh 14-point proposal to the United States, calling for a resolution of tensions within 30...
Geostrategy
Riyadh Emerges as Escape Hub for Super-Rich Fleeing UAE After Iran Strikes
With airspace across parts of the Middle East locked down and thousands of flights cancelled or delayed, King Khalid International...
Geostrategy
UK withdraws Tehran embassy staff as Trump weighs Iran strikes; JD Vance says “no chance” of long war
Reports suggest some of Trump’s advisers would prefer Israel to initiate any strike, calculating that American public opinion would be...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
India to US: 8 nations issue Middle East travel advisories amid Iran tensions
Several governments have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately, while others are pulling non-essential embassy personnel from sensitive locations,...
- Several governments have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately, while others are pulling non-essential embassy personnel from sensitive locations, citing security concerns
- The advisories reflect growing concern over regional instability, with governments seeking to safeguard their nationals as geopolitical tensions intensify
Geostrategy
Middle East tensions rise as Iran eyes Chinese anti-ship missiles amid Trump warning
Negotiations between Tehran and Beijing began at least two years ago but gained momentum after a 12-day conflict between Israel...
- The proposed agreement centres on the Chinese-made CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, which reportedly have a range of around 290 kilometres
- Designed to fly low and fast to evade shipborne defence systems, the missiles could substantially enhance Iran’s maritime strike capabilities
Business
Six Middle East cafés feature in the world’s 100 best coffee shops 2026 list
Six coffee shops from the Middle East have secured places in The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 list, highlighting...
- The United Arab Emirates led the region with two cafés making the Top 100, reinforcing its position as a fast-expanding specialty coffee hub
- Qatar and Oman achieved their first-ever entries in the global ranking, while Turkey’s Meet Lab Coffee returned to the list