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 11:58 pm

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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

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Next British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's views on Middle East

The Conservative statesman has expressed fairly mainstream views on Israel, Iran and other regional issues.

A picture taken on March 12, 2019, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes shows a scale model of the city of Dubai.

Russian, British citizens top buyers of nonresidential property in Dubai

The war in Ukraine is driving more Russians to buy property in Dubai’s flourishing real estate market.

United Arab Emirates

A Japanese and an Emirati man in traditional clothes check their phones at the Arabian Travel Market.

UAE and Japan agree to visa-free travel

The two countries also recently pledged to boost economic, industrial and energy cooperation.

United Arab Emirates

CIS summit

Middle Eastern leaders converge on Kazakhstan

The Central Asian nation hosted the annual Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States summits this week.

Persian Gulf AI

UAE goes deeper into metaverse

The Emirate of Sharjah’s launch of a metaverse project follows the UAE’s Economy Ministry opening an office in the digital world.

United Arab Emirates

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

Abu Dhabi announces nearly $1 billion drilling contract

Oil and gas remain a major part of the Emirati economy, despite recent investments in renewable energy and green technology. The contract comes as the UAE gets ready to provide gas to Germany amid the war in Ukraine.

United Arab Emirates

Drone delivery

Aerial drone delivery coming to Abu Dhabi

Israel has also experimented with delivery by unmanned air vehicles since last year.

United Arab Emirates

Workers hang their laundry out to dry on the railings of their labor accommodation, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 27, 2022.

UAE touts new domestic workers law

The UAE, like other Gulf countries, has faced criticism for its treatment of foreign workers.

United Arab Emirates

Francois Nel/Getty Images

Culture

NBA debuts in UAE

Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island continues to develop into an international sports hub, hosting two games in North America’s National Basketball Association.

Halfaya oil field in the al-Kahla district in the city of Amara south of Baghdad on July 26, 2022.

Abu Dhabi port operator signs oil transport deal with Iraqi firm

AD Ports Group is seeking to expand its international business, recently making agreements in Egypt and Uzbekistan to this end.

Holofair - metaverse location.

UAE Economy Ministry opens new office in metaverse

Developing futuristic technology is a priority for the Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (C) attends the opening of the Global Business Forum on Africa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 1, 2017.

UAE, Tanzania sign double tax avoidance deal

The Emirates is also pursuing renewable energy projects in the southern African country.