Iran hits Gulf, threatens truce as Israel escalates in Lebanon: What to know Iranian attacks continued in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hours after a ceasefire between Iran and the US was announced. Iran
China, Russia veto scaled-back Hormuz resolution at UN Security Council The vote came hours before the US deadline for Iran to reopen the global chokepoint. Bahrain
Gulf nations in line of fire brace for Iran escalation: What to know A bridge linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain was briefly closed as Iran escalates its attacks in the Gulf ahead of a looming US deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. United Arab Emirates
AirAsia stays course on Bahrain hub as Iran war clouds aviation growth plans The low-cost carrier’s commitment, while conditional on how the conflict evolves, stands out as most global airlines scale back routes, delay launches and reroute flights to avoid the Middle East. Bahrain
Analysis Hostage to Hormuz, can Gulf rewire future energy flows to bypass Iran’s chokepoint? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Downturn or pause? Iran war puts Dubai property market to test By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Qatar to pump nearly $11B into French start-ups, funds until 2030 The new investments will target key areas, including the aerospace, energy, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, digital, health, hospitality and cultural sectors. Qatar
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in Saudi Arabia to talk prisoners, Russia war Saudi Arabia has taken an increasingly active role in mediating the Ukraine-Russia war while maintaining friendly relations with both states. Legacy: Gulf
US sanctions UAE entities for allegedly violating Russian oil price cap The US Treasury Department also moved to crack down on entities buying diamonds from Russia, a key revenue stream for Moscow amid its war against Ukraine. United Arab Emirates
South Africa’s Milkor gets go-ahead to produce drones in Saudi Arabia The Gulf country is bolstering its defense capabilities amid increasing instability in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Analysis UAE-backed fund's planned Telegraph takeover raises press freedom fears Members of parliament and former state security figures have raised concerns about what it would mean for an entity with close ties to a foreign government to own one of the United Kingdom’s most influential newspapers. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
What does Saudi's first-ever alcohol store say about new Gulf culture? Alcohol-free 'mocktails' are also becoming increasingly popular across the region. Saudi Arabia
Red Sea trade hit can be 'managed' amid weak global demand, says WEF Maroun Kairouz, director of the World Economic Forum for the Middle East and North Africa, told Al-Monitor that the Israel-Hamas conflict has not had a material impact on global energy markets so far. Yemen
Davos 2024: Inside Investcorp’s plan to build China-Gulf 'investment bridge' In an interview with Al-Monitor, co-CEO Hazem Ben-Gacem said there is a big push for infrastructure funding in the Asia-Pacific region, controlled buyouts in Japan and growth investments in India and China. Bahrain
Davos 2024: Reaching net zero without space tech 'wishful thinking,' says Saudi minister On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha told Al-Monitor that technology will help countries deliver on climate promises. Saudi Arabia
Will Saudi Arabia see mining gold rush in 2024? The kingdom plans to take advantage of the growing demand for critical minerals to power the green transition. Saudi Arabia
Why has Iran Air abandoned plans to relaunch Saudi Arabia flights despite detente? The Iran Air flights to Saudi Arabia were intended to transport pilgrims to Jeddah and were scheduled to take off from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan on Wednesday. Iran
Analysis 2023 in review: The year Saudi Arabia became sports superpower The kingdom has been laying the groundwork to become a sporting leader for decades, but this year marked a turning point as investment ramped up. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
