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,...
Geostrategy
No option but to continue resistance, says Hezbollah after deadly Israeli strikes
Mahmud Qamati, a Hezbollah official, described the strike in the Bekaa Valley as “a new massacre and a new aggression”...
Geostrategy
Battle of the Tech Hubs
Economy
Geostrategy
Trump launches Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ with $10 billion pledge, outlines vague ambitions
Speaking in Washington before representatives from nearly 50 countries, Trump said nine member states had committed more than $7 billion...
- 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.
Interview
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...
- Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
- The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.
Economy
Battle of the Tech Hubs
The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...
- The GCC smart cities and digital transformation market reached $145.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $907 billion by 2032.
- Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, for instance, was the largest sovereign-owned investor globally in 2024, deploying $29 billion across 52 deals, a 67 percent increase from the previous year.
Geostrategy
Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land
Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...
- 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.
Geostrategy
Geneva talks loom as Trump backs regime change and redeploys second US carrier
The Pentagon confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford is being moved from the Caribbean toward the Middle East, a...
- 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.
Geostrategy
Trump signals second carrier deployment as US-Iran prepare to resume talks
In interviews with Israeli media, Trump warned of consequences if negotiations fail. “Either we reach a deal or we'll have...
- In interviews with Israeli media, Trump warned of consequences if negotiations fail. “Either we reach a deal or we'll have to do something very tough.”
- ranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran will demand the lifting of financial sanctions and uphold its nuclear rights, including enrichment
Geostrategy
Iran signals potential dilution of highly enriched uranium if sanctions are lifted
Iran and the US resumed indirect nuclear talks on Monday in Muscat under Omani mediation, marking the first round of...
- Media speculation has focused on Iran’s stockpile of around 400 kilograms of enriched uranium, with reports suggesting Washington has sought its transfer to a third country
- Eslami said Iran continues to engage with International Atomic Energy Agency under existing safeguards agreements, including discussions related to nuclear facilities
Geostrategy
Iran says US talks in Oman a ‘good beginning’ as fears of military confrontation grow
The discussions took place in Muscat, with the US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian side...
- Oman said its foreign minister held separate meetings with Araghchi, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and emissary Jared Kushner
- According to a statement, the “consultations focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations.”
Geostrategy
US and Iran set for new nuclear talks in Istanbul to revive stalled diplomacy
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that he has instructed diplomats to pursue negotiations with the United States, signalling a...
- Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Tehran was reviewing several diplomatic initiatives proposed by countries in the region and expected a framework for talks to emerge
- Media reports later suggested that talks could take place in Istanbul on Friday, involving US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
Opinion
The GCC must deploy its ‘strategic advantages’ to lead the transition
The models that once governed aid, CSR, employment, and economic engagement are shifting, and the GCC has an opportunity to...
- 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,
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
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,...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Israeli airstrike kills five Palestinians in West Bank
Palestinian medics said an air strike targeting a car in the occupied West Bank killed five people on Thursday, while...
Biden, Kadhemi meeting to focus on US troop withdrawal from Iraq
The White House talks between the two allies come just a week after a deadly attack claimed by the Islamic...
Bomb-laden drones hit Erbil airport in northern Iraq
The attack took place at around 1930 GMT but caused no injuries or major damage Since the start of the...
Battle of the Tech Hubs
The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...
Economy
Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land
Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...
Geostrategy
Geneva talks loom as Trump backs regime change and redeploys second US carrier
The Pentagon confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford is being moved from the Caribbean toward the Middle East, a...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Iran signals potential dilution of highly enriched uranium if sanctions are lifted
Iran and the US resumed indirect nuclear talks on Monday in Muscat under Omani mediation, marking the first round of...
- Media speculation has focused on Iran’s stockpile of around 400 kilograms of enriched uranium, with reports suggesting Washington has sought its transfer to a third country
- Eslami said Iran continues to engage with International Atomic Energy Agency under existing safeguards agreements, including discussions related to nuclear facilities
Geostrategy
Iran says US talks in Oman a ‘good beginning’ as fears of military confrontation grow
The discussions took place in Muscat, with the US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian side...
- Oman said its foreign minister held separate meetings with Araghchi, Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and emissary Jared Kushner
- According to a statement, the “consultations focused on preparing the appropriate conditions for resuming diplomatic and technical negotiations.”
Geostrategy
US and Iran set for new nuclear talks in Istanbul to revive stalled diplomacy
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that he has instructed diplomats to pursue negotiations with the United States, signalling a...
- Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Tehran was reviewing several diplomatic initiatives proposed by countries in the region and expected a framework for talks to emerge
- Media reports later suggested that talks could take place in Istanbul on Friday, involving US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi