Analysis Gulf’s citizenship industry poised for growth amid new global uncertainty Flexible visa programs have emerged in the Middle East, fueled by wealthy Gulf states competing to attract foreign investors and skilled professionals as part of their economic diversification strategies. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
UAE Middle East's most economically competitive country in 2024: IMD In the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, the UAE climbed three places to seventh in the world, out of 67 countries. Saudi Arabia ranked at 16th, Bahrain at 21st, Kuwait at 37th, Jordan at 48th and Turkey at 53rd. United Arab Emirates
Gulf states reach out to new Syrian leaders ahead of Jordan talks: What we know Bahrain's King Hamad sent a letter to HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, while the UAE has held direct contact with opposition groups. Qatar is set to reopen embassy in Damascus soon. Syria
Qatar to reopen embassy in Syria after 13 years Doha is looking to engage with the Islamist-led government in Syria after severing relations 13 years ago over deposed President Bashar al-Assad's brutal crackdown. Syria
China embraces debt listings to tap into Gulf’s pool of wealth By Sebastian Castelier In Dubai, reporting on regional business
Analysis Saudi Arabia to pursue two-track approach for Trump presidency By Jennifer Gnana In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics
Kuwait breaks from GCC on warming up to Israel While Kuwait is joining its fellow GCC nations in terms of supporting Syria's return to the Arab League, Kuwaiti officials want nothing to do with Israel. Gulf
What will 2019 have in store for dysfunctional GCC? The Gulf Cooperation has essentially been split in, with Qatar, Kuwait and Oman resisting the actions of Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE's Mohammed bin Zayed. Gulf
How Qatar is working to boost its influence in Yemen Doha balances close relations with Houthi and Islah factions in the Yemen war in order to take advantage of political instability in the country and bolster its influence over the country’s internal affairs. Saudi Arabia
What's behind Qatar’s Cabinet shuffle? With a recent Cabinet shuffle, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appears to be positioning his country for long-term economic success by taking advantage of short-term realities. Gulf
Commentary: Saudi First foreign policy comes back to bite Trump US alignment with Riyadh’s worldview is under scrutiny after the disappearance of journalist and regime critic Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is at its least stable in 50 years To maintain its stability, Saudi Arabia needs to end the costly war in Yemen, where much of the population is subject to famine and disease. Gulf
How did Turkey end up with VIP plane it didn’t need? A Qatar leader's VIP plane that had first been put up for sale ended up as a gift for Erdogan, causing a major stir in Turkey. United Arab Emirates
Trump shelves Gulf talks until next year The White House has once again postponed a Gulf Cooperation Council summit aimed at bringing together the fragmented alliance to counter Iran. Saudi Arabia
Qatar crisis looms over Trump meeting with Kuwait emir In a quiet visit overshadowed by domestic US political turmoil, Kuwait’s emir visited the White House on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia
Will Hamas, Israel call Qatar-brokered truce? Qatar has been increasingly involved in talks between Hamas and Israel in what raises questions about its exploitation of the Gaza card in the Gulf crisis. Qatar
Cairo breathes sigh of relief as Saudi oil exports resume through Bab el-Mandeb Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Falih announced that his country resumed oil exports via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, amid Egyptian fears that a decrease in traffic in the popular shipping corridor could impact Suez Canal revenues. Saudi Arabia
Qatari envoy to Gaza rouses Hamas' ire Palestinians have expressed their anger at the Qatari ambassador’s statements in which he claimed that Hamas and Israel are conducting secret negations to avoid war. Qatar
