United Arab Emirates - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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United Arab Emirates

August 13, 2026

Abu Dhabi 5:09 am

33°C

port attack

Hormuz traffic sinks to one-week low as ships attacked, talks stagnate

The United States and Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out separate attacks on commercial ships on Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea.

Building construction at the Red Sea in Egypt.

Explainer

UAE-Egypt ties keep growing as Cairo navigates shifting Gulf landscape

An Emirati investor could soon strike a $2.7 billion deal to develop another tourism project on Egypt's North Coast, the latest in a string of UAE-linked pacts that have continued advancing despite turmoil from the US-Iran war.

Sudan's de facto leader and armed forces chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan greets supporters in Port Sudan, Dec. 29, 2024.

Analysis

Amid realignment with Egypt, Turkey steps up support for Sudan’s Burhan

Turkey has been intensifying engagement with the Sudanese army leader as Red Sea security concerns grow and to protect its interests in the broader Africa region.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Oil jumps 8% as US-Iran war pressures Saudi Arabia, explosions hit Egypt

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on July 24, 2026, in New York.

Analysis

How Gulf banks are absorbing Iran war shocks

A man counts Saudi riyal banknotes in the capital, Riyadh, Oct. 3, 2016.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Explainer

Saudi airlines outbuy Gulf rivals at Farnborough air show: What to know

Spectators look on as an A350-1000 by the European plane maker Airbus takes off on the second day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, Farnborough, July 21, 2026.

United Arab Emirates

Israel fears US deal would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium

US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands as they arrive to speak to journalists during a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 29, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

Nuclear energy ambitions near inflection point in the Middle East

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

DXB chaos

Emirates suspends check-in as Dubai airport grapples with flood backlog

Amid the devastating floods that have paralyzed the UAE, Emirates suspending check-in for travellers with onward connections through Dubai Friday.

United Arab Emirates

What Binance's new Dubai license means for UAE cryptocurrency sector

Binance, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, has experienced some legal setbacks recently and is the latest firm to receive Dubai’s coveted VASP license.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai floods

Dubai floods bring travel to halt after heaviest UAE rainfall on record

The National Center of Meteorology said the downpour was the largest volume of rainfall the UAE has experienced since data collection started 75 years ago.

United Arab Emirates

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s FM to visit Qatar as regional diplomacy seeks to contain Iran-Israel tension

Turkey says its flurry of diplomatic activity is aimed at bringing the Gaza war back into focus amid the Israel-Iran escalation.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Microsoft pumps $1.5B into UAE's G42 amid US-China tech power struggle

Washington reportedly threatened to punish G42 if it did not reduce its ties with Beijing and strengthen its US commitments.

United Arab Emirates

UAE’s high stakes crypto bet poised for crucial test as Bitcoin rebounds

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

dnata loading meals onto an Etihad aircraft.

Gulf firms set sights on Western airports with Investcorp, dnata deals

The Emirati sovereign fund Mubadala is also reportedly considering an event in London’s Heathrow Airport — another sign of Gulf interest in the West’s airports.

United Arab Emirates

Office building of ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) in Abu Dhabi.

What’s behind Abu Dhabi’s $13 billion investment in gas?

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is seeking more foreign partners as it aims to boost gas production capacity.

United Arab Emirates

A miner from Gold Fields South Africa company walks near the exit of the South Deep gold mine in Westonaria, Gauteng, on Oct. 12, 2022.

Saudi Arabia, UAE amp up Africa investments amid growing competition

Africa is seeing a major uptick in investments from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which presents the possibility of 'greater returns' for the Gulf states.

Attendees wearing traditional dress arrive at the Grand Palais Ephemere for the Riyadh 2030 reception event to promote Riyadh's candidacy for 2030 World Expo, in Paris on June 19, 2023. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Growing Middle East economic and investment cooperation caught between tailwinds and headwinds

Picture from the Web Summit 2024 in Qatar.

Middle East sees 23% drop in VC funding: Qatar, Bahrain, UAE hardest hit

Qatar saw VC investments tumble by 57% to 43 million QR ($11.81 million), eclipsed only by Bahrain with an 82% drop.