Analysis Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock ADNOC, Aramco and QatarEnergy have aggressively expanded their international portfolios in recent years, a strategy facing new constraints as the US-Israel-Iran war impacts Gulf production and exposes structural risks. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Syria’s Sharaa makes fourth visit to Saudi Arabia, first since Iran war: What to know The visit comes in light of the deepening economic relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia post-Assad. Syria
MBS hosts Sudan's Burhan in Jeddah as $1.5B Saudi-backed arms deal stalls Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan traveled to Jeddah Monday for a visit that could be aimed at salvaging a $1.5 billion Pakistani arms deal Riyadh has reportedly blocked. Sudan
UAE's deputy PM holds first call with Ghalibaf amid push to extend US-Iran ceasefire The Emirati vice president and Iran’s parliament speaker talked de-escalation on the phone in the first such contact since the Iran war began. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Why Algeria's nixing of UAE air deal is more diplomatic than economic Algeria has begun canceling its air services agreement with the UAE amid heightened tensions over the Gulf country’s foreign policy in the region. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Mideast’s AI startups capture record $858M in funding during 2025, doubling share The growth represents a sizable jump from recent years, when local AI companies captured just a sliver of dealmaking, and Magnitt now predicts funding for MENA’s AI startups will easily surpass $1 billion in 2026. United Arab Emirates
MBZ hosts Sisi as Saudi Arabia and UAE jockey for regional influence Economic ties between Egypt and the UAE are strengthening thanks to large Emirati investments in the North African country. Egypt
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
Saudi defense chief visits White House as Riyadh wary of Iran strike The visit is occurring as the Pentagon amasses an armada off Iran and the United States continues to threaten to strike the Islamic Republic militarily. Saudi Arabia
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
Thousands rally for South Yemen independence amid Saudi diplomatic push Large protests called for southern independence in Yemen on Friday, reflecting persistent support for the separatists despite the Saudi-backed government’s efforts to quash the separatist movement. Yemen
Herzog: Saudi normalization talks could resume as Gaza ceasefire enters next phase The Israeli president said the rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia “should be the future vision of the Middle East.” Israel
Somalia, Qatar sign defense pact after Mogadishu scraps UAE deals: What to know Somalia and Qatar signed a defense cooperation agreement in Doha on Monday to strengthen bilateral military ties and security collaboration, days after Mogadishu ended all its contracts with the United Arab Emirates. Somalia
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
US evacuates some personnel from Qatar air base amid Trump threat to strike Iran Iran's Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned Tuesday that Tehran will retaliate for any attacks on the country. United States
Turkey's Fidan to visit UAE as Iran unrest, Gulf tensions intensify The top Turkish diplomat’s UAE visit coincides with heightened Gaza diplomacy, growing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, and escalating unrest in Iran. Turkey
