UAE battles tanker oil spill as war's environmental toll mounts Gulf oil spills have become more frequent since the beginning of the US-Israel-Iran war on Feb. 28. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Dubai steps back onto the runway Also this week: French-Japanese dining, Kenyan sculpture and a Cairo bookseller’s memoir By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
UAE nominates Lana Nusseibeh for UN secretary-general: What to know Nusseibeh, who is of Palestinian descent, would become the second Middle Eastern person to serve as UN secretary-general after Boutros Boutros-Ghali and the first woman to hold the position. United Arab Emirates
Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the European country’s consumption. Bahrain
Analysis How Manchester City fallout tests Gulf’s global investment model By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Who are Yemen's Southern Giants Brigades leading the fight against the Houthis? By Giorgio Cafiero
US-Iran tensions fan oil disruption fears as Gulf states confront retaliation risks From blocking the Strait of Hormuz and seizing commercial shipping to striking energy infrastructure, Tehran’s retaliation playbook could rattle the region as Gulf states fear red lines have been crossed. Iran
Abu Dhabi merges ADQ into new wealth fund L'IMAD: What to know Under the new structure, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, will oversee a broader swath of the emirate’s investment holdings. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai “Urdu Worlds”: Dubai hosts UAE’s first contemporary art exhibition on the Urdu language Also this week: A bookish new eatery opens in Alserkal, Sikka Art & Design Festival takes over Dubai’s heritage districts and and new exhibitions spotlight emerging voices By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
UAE President meets Putin in Russia to discuss nuclear energy, trade, Iran The visit of Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed comes a day after the Kremlin hosted President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the future of Russian military bases in Syria. Russia
UAE Central Bank approves first US dollar-backed stablecoin: What to know The approval marks a milestone in the UAE’s development of digital currency infrastructure and positions USDU as the Gulf country’s first USD-denominated currency for digital assets. United Arab Emirates
Gold hits $5,300 as UAE market adjusts to record prices Dubai is one of the world's major gold hubs, and higher bullion prices impact jewelry-buying habits. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: Gulf Iran-US row puts Gulf at risk Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar have intensified quiet diplomacy to discourage US military action, pairing it with stepped-up security coordination. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
UAE launches sovereign open-source AI model K2 Think: What to know The Gulf state is one of the few countries in the world developing its own sovereign open-source AI model to counter the dominance of the United States and China in the sector. United Arab Emirates
Analysis No strings attached: UAE, India deepen defense ties, balk at mutual guarantees India and the UAE signed a letter of intent on a strategic defense partnership, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s push to diversify security ties and New Delhi’s effort to expand cooperation without deeper regional entanglements. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Interview Qualcomm sees growing demand for edge AI in the Middle East The Middle East's young population is increasingly adopting AI through mobile devices rather than data center-based solutions, Wassim Chourbaji, Qualcomm's president for the Middle East and Africa, told Al-Monitor. Wassim Chourbaji Qualcomm president for the Middle East & Africa
Newsletter: City Pulse Dubai Emirati artist Shamsa Al Omaira returns with first solo show in 12 years Also this week: Nobu One Za’abeel opens, Quoz Arts Fest returns and Abu Dhabi names a new biennial director By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
UAE, India agree on formalizing defense pact, $200B trade deal: What to know During an official visit to India, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing of several memorandums of understanding and letters of intent across multiple sectors, including defense and space. United Arab Emirates