Iran says it will administer Hormuz as talks make progress on Lebanon security
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced the creation of a direct communication channel designed to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and...
Geostrategy
Trump threatens Hormuz tolls as Iran keeps strait closed ahead of Switzerland talks
The developments came ahead of technical talks between U.S. and Iranian officials expected in Switzerland as both sides seek to...
Geostrategy
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
Geostrategy
US-Iran talks set for Geneva amid military buildup
The renewed diplomacy comes as Washington has deployed two aircraft carriers, additional jets and ships, and reinforced air defenses across...
- 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.
Geostrategy
Israel plans ‘Hexagon Alliance’ in Mediterranean, Middle East to counter hostile regional blocs
Speaking ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu outlined a plan to establish what he called a “hexagon alliance system”...
- 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
Geostrategy
Arab Parliament, Muslim nations slam Huckabee’s Middle East remarks
Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, stressed that any talk of control over the occupied Palestinian...
- 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".
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”...
- Lebanon’s health ministry reported 12 people killed — 10 in the east and two in the south — while Hezbollah confirmed eight of the dead were its members.
- Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire intended to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities.
Geostrategy
US–Iran tensions escalate toward war as Gulf military buildup and Israeli preparations intensify
Indirect talks in Geneva have yielded what officials call “guiding principles” for a possible agreement, but the framework remains skeletal...
- Israel is intensifying emergency preparedness across its healthcare system, armed forces and civilian infrastructure as tensions with Iran escalate
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blunt warning to Tehran, saying any attack would draw an “unimaginable” response
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.
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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
Iran says it will administer Hormuz as talks make progress on Lebanon security
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced the creation of a direct communication channel designed to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
Saudi, UAE startups join World Economic Forum’s global tech cohort
Saudi Arabia was represented by intella, which develops Arabic-language speech recognition and analytics tools, and Nommas Technologies, which provides AI-powered...
Geostrategy
US strikes Iranian military sites after Apache helicopter downing
The latest confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz threatens regional shipping security and comes despite renewed diplomatic efforts to stabilize...
Geostrategy
Israel and Iran signal restraint after renewed military clashes
Both countries, however, warned that they were ready to launch retaliatory attacks if provoked. The renewed hostilities raised concerns that...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Economy
UN food organization sees global cereal output falling in 2026/27
Dubai, UAE -- Global cereal production is expected to decline by 2% in the 2026/27 season to 2.982 billion tons,...
- Record 2025/26 harvests helped build global cereal inventories despite forecasts of tighter supplies in the coming season.
- Lower wheat and barley trade volumes are expected to offset stronger maize and rice shipments worldwide.
Geostrategy
Fresh Israel-Iran attacks overshadow ceasefire efforts across the region
Air raid alerts sounded across Israel, explosions were reported over Jerusalem, and Iranian state media reported blasts in Tehran, Tabriz...
- The escalation comes amid continued fighting in Lebanon, deadlocked US-Iran diplomacy and growing warnings over the conflict's economic fallout.
- Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon this week killed at least 12 people, including Lebanese army Brigadier General Wassam Sabra.
Geostrategy
US expands Iran sanctions as pressure campaign intensifies
The U.S. Treasury said the sanctions cover 12 entities, including companies based in the Marshall Islands, the United Arab Emirates...
- Washington also sanctioned an Iranian exchange house and associated individuals accused of facilitating billions of dollars in transactions.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, meanwhile, accused Iran of using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the United States.