This TRENDS report delves into the nuanced positions of Western political figures, unveiling a multifaceted blend of support, criticism, and calls for humanitarian intervention.

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE and Belgium have stressed the importance of coordinating regional and international efforts to protect civilians and intensify efforts to restore regional security and stability.The sentiments were expressed in a meeting between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hadja Lahbib,...

Israel and Turkey -- an overwhelmingly Muslim nation that forms the bulwark of NATO defenses on the edge of the Middle East -- had only just agreed to reappoint ambassadors last year. But their relations unraveled as Erdogan began to pick up the pace and venom of his attacks on...

Recent developments spark concerns that the conflict, which is spreading across the region, presents a long-term threat to global energy and commercial infrastructure.

New York, United States - Oil prices experienced a 3% surge on Friday, reaching a one-week high, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, raising concerns about potential disruptions in global crude supplies, Reuters reported.Brent crude futures increased by $2.55, or 2.9%, settling at $90.48 a barrel, while US...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai has retained its leading position in the MENA region on Kearney's Global Cities Index, ranking 23rd globally and claiming a spot in the top 25 for the third consecutive year.According to the report, prominent emerging hubs around the world, particularly in the Middle East, have seen...

New York, US-- Kuwait's permanent envoy to the UN, Tareq Al-Bannai, has affirmed Kuwait's continuous efforts to make the Middle East a nuclear and weapons of mass destruction-free zone.The remarks were made during an event organised by Kuwait's permanent mission to the UN late Tuesday, and attended by Permanent Representative...

Moscow, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that the Israel-Palestine conflict could potentially extend beyond the Middle East, Reuters reported.Russian leader stressed the need to protect innocent civilians, during a meeting with religious leaders of various faiths in the Kremlin and called for an end to the...

Qatar's top diplomat Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the two governments -- both Western allies -- "reaffirm our complete rejection of responding to the crisis with double standards when it comes to human life". "It is not permissible to condemn the killing of civilians in one context and justify it...

Erected at the entrance to the ancient city of Khorsabad, the sculpture shows the Lamassu, an Assyrian deity with a human head, the body of a bull and the wings of a bird.

The Chinese and Russian reprimands ring hollow for US officials, who doubt the rival powers will engage in painstaking diplomacy along the lines of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent trip to the region. But the United States has historically stood out as a lonely voice in its close embrace...

Wang "will conduct in-depth exchanges of views with US leaders on China-US relations and international and regional issues of common interest," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing. The top diplomat will "convey China's principles and positions and legitimate concerns about China-US relations," she added.

Beirut, Lebanon - US troops have been redeployed to the eastern Mediterranean, forty years after one of the deadliest attacks on US troops in the Middle East, raising concerns about the potential for a new conflict in the region, Associated Press reported today.  On October 23, 1983, a suicide bomber targeted...

Deep-tech companies in the Middle East are facing challenges due to limited funding and inadequate R&D centers, leaving entrepreneurs seeking a more supportive ecosystem.

Deep-tech companies in the Middle East are facing challenges due to limited funding and inadequate R&D centers, leaving entrepreneurs seeking a more supportive ecosystem.

Paris, France - Stock markets slid on Monday, extending last week's sell-off n fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East and worries that US interest rates will remain elevated for longer than initially thought.The concerns about US interest rates have also been affecting bond markets, with the yield on...

Washington has said it hopes China's friendship with Hamas-backer Iran could help calm the conflict, particularly after Beijing brokered a detente between long-time foes Tehran and Riyadh this year. China has refrained from explicitly condemning Hamas for the attacks that sparked the war.

Iran and Russia have bolstered ties in many fields over the last few years and Moscow has turned to Tehran for military support and economic partnerships as both countries face a raft of Western sanctions. The West has accused Tehran of supporting Russia's offensive in Ukraine by providing it with...

The United States warned against any "escalation" in the Middle East in the wake of Israel's war with Hamas, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, hours after the Pentagon moved to step up military readiness in the region. The US has seen a "prospect of escalation of attacks on our troops"...

A rare delivery of fuel enters the Palestinian territory; Netanyahu says Hezbollah will make "mistake of its life" if its starts a war with Israel and US says it will "take appropriate action" in response to any escalation in the Middle East.

Washington, United States - US military forces in the Middle East have faced multiple threats from drone attacks in Middle East, Washington Post reported today. A US Navy destroyer in the Red Sea successfully intercepted a salvo of cruise missiles and drones launched toward Israel from Yemen. These actions come...

With Benjamin Netanyahu building up a huge force ahead of an expected land incursion into Gaza, Iran has warned of a possible pre-emptive strike and called for an oil embargo against Tel Aviv. President Joe Biden was due to make a television address on the crisis later in the day,...

Xi met Egypt's Mostafa Madbouli in Beijing on Thursday, repeating China's support for a "two-state solution... to realise the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel", according to multiple state media outlets. "China is willing to enhance cooperation with Egypt... and inject more certainty and stability into the region and the...

Washington, United States - The US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered the preparation of approximately 2,000 additional U.S. troops for possible deployment to the Middle East in support of Israel, amid escalating tensions in the region, New York Times reported.These troops, currently stationed in the United States...

The airlines' net income stood at US$1.1bn, up 20.7 percent.

US and European stock markets mostly fell and oil prices rose as US President Joe Biden prepared for a trip to the Middle East aimed at preventing the Israel-Hamas conflict spreading across the region. Investors also weighed another raft of company earnings and rising interest rates.

Shanghai, China - China will this week weigh into the Israel-Hamas war by sending its special envoy to the Middle East, after the United States asked it to use its influence to stop the conflict from spreading.Washington says it hopes China's friendship with Hamas backer Iran could help calm the conflict,...

At the top of the invitation list to China's Belt and Road Initiative forum is Russia's President Vladimir Putin, on his first trip to a major global power since the Ukraine invasion threw his regime into international isolation.

Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest sank 4.79 percent to 4,351 yen and chip-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron gave up 3.84 percent to 20,395 yen. High-tech investor SoftBank Group fell 2.04 percent at 6,375 yen, Sony Group dropped 1.87 percent to 12,610 yen and Panasonic dived 3.18 percent to 1,565.5 yen.

Beijing, China - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is embarking on a visit to the Middle East next week,  state media agency CGTN reported on Sunday. Wang's visit comes amid escalating tensions in the region and reflects China's commitment to playing a more prominent role in the resolution of the...

As Israeli politicians look to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into neighbouring Egypt, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has categorically rejected the idea, saying they should be able to stay as Israel battles Hamas. Blinken is on a crisis tour of the Middle East after Hamas fighters attacked...

Wang's remarks, made on a call to his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday, came as Israel appeared poised for a ground offensive against Hamas fighters in Gaza. Israel should listen earnestly to the calls of the international community and the UN secretary general, and cease its...

Amidst the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict, an alarming number of journalists have been killed, injured, or missing, underscoring the importance of ensuring their safety.

The envoy "will visit the Middle East next week to coordinate with various parties for a ceasefire, to protect civilians, ease the situation, and promote peace talks," a CCTV video report said. The report came as Israeli forces appeared poised for a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip already reeling...

The Middle Eastern region, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is swiftly becoming a global esports hub, driven by its vast gamer community and strategic investments.

Jerusalem - International aid groups and major powers have pleaded with Israel to set up safe zones in Gaza where thousands struggled on Saturday to get out of the north of the Palestinian territory, under threat of attack.With thousands of Israeli troops massed around Gaza's borders, uncertainty over when Israel...

Calling for an end to "Israeli occupation" and the "liberation" of the Palestinian territories, protesters took up multiple blocks in a city that serves as a crossroads for religions and nationalities spanning the world. The largely youthful protest -- which drew demonstrators of all origins, some sporting Palestinian flags and...

Dubai, UAE - Gold prices surged over 3% on Friday, heading for their most robust weekly performance in seven months, as escalating tensions in the Middle East prompted investors to seek refuge in safe-haven assets, Reuters reported on Friday.The price of spot gold increased by 3.2% to reach $1,928.15 per...

"No to the occupation! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered in central Baghdad after Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for a protest "in support of Gaza" and against Israel, an AFP journalist reported.

Lucknow, India - The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation announced a change in the design of the mosque to be constructed on a five-acre plot in Ayodhya's Dhannipur village, as awarded by the Supreme Court in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid verdict. The trust, responsible for building the mosque and other community facilities,...

The bank’s revenues rose 22 percent to US$39.9 billion.

Qatar, where Blinken will head immediately after Jordan, has longstanding ties with Hamas and has been seen as an intermediary in freeing the hostages. "We'll continue pressing countries to help prevent the conflict from spreading, and to use their leverage with Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release the hostages," Blinken...

Marrakesh, Morocco-- The war between Israel and Hamas has cast a shadow over the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Morocco, with warnings on Thursday that it has darkened the outlook for an already sluggish global economy.The global lenders are holding their gathering, which brings together finance ministers and central bankers from...

Dubai, UAE: US dollar sukuk issuance for 2023 is on course to outpace 2022 due to funding needs and diversification strategies, Fitch Ratings said in a new report. However, the third quarter sukuk issuance in all currencies ($51.7 billion equivalent) issued in core markets was 12.3 percent lower YoY, while bond...

Since 2008, Israel has conducted four major military operations in Gaza, resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction.

"Equity markets are bouncing back on Tuesday after a risk-averse start to the week, buoyed... by some promising Fed commentary," said analyst Craig Erlam at trading firm OANDA.

MARRAKESH, MOROCCO - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast that the UAE's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by 3.4 percent in 2023 and 4 percent in 2024.The IMF's forecast is in line with that of the World Bank, which released a similar estimate two days ago.The IMF said...

With potential spikes in oil prices and uncertainty surrounding major projects like the IMEC, the world faces a complex economic future shaped by Middle Eastern tensions.

Anguished at the horrifying images coming out of the Gaza Strip and Israel, celebrities like Madonna and Mark Ruffalo have pleaded for dialogue to end differences.

Israel imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip and cut off the water supply as it kept bombing targets in the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas surprise assault it has likened to the 9/11 attacks. Israel has counted over 700 dead and launched strikes on Gaza that...