Trending Middle East

In this episode of Trending Middle East, US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders in New York next week during the UN General Assembly to discuss a postwar strategy for Iran, Axios has reported. The UAE Central Bank has raised interest rates after the US Federal Reserve increased its rates by 25 basis points in response to geopolitical developments. The move is intended to help control inflation by reducing spending, but makes borrowing more expensive. The Houthis are experimenting with new weapons, including so-called “loitering torpedoes” that could extend their ability to attack ships, according to new findings by Conflict Armament Research. Security chiefs in Iran accused of violent crimes during a 2022 crackdown on women's rights protests continue to consolidate their power and rise through the ranks, Amnesty International says in a new report. And Dubai has approved a new 12-lane motorway that will eventually connect Sharjah and Abu Dhabi through the emirate in an effort to ease congestion. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, Saudi Arabia has warned that the security of Makkah is a “red line” after the kingdom's air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of the holy city. The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation condemned the attack, saying it breached the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and threatened civilians. In Abu Dhabi, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed and Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara have discussed plans to deepen economic ties between their countries. Meanwhile, an investigation by The National has found that one of Lebanon’s biggest fuel scandals can been traced to sanctioned Russian oil associated with a shadow maritime network. Researchers say ransomware activity is rising sharply across the Middle East, with criminal groups increasingly attacking businesses and infrastructure in the Gulf. And Abu Dhabi is planning a direct transport link between its main Etihad Rail station and Zayed International Airport. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels intensifies, with strikes reported in the kingdom and Yemen. Saudi authorities on Tuesday morning issued shelter warnings across several cities, a day after 13 people were injured in Houthi attacks on civilian areas. The Houthis said Saudi warplanes carried out 54 strikes across Yemen. US President Donald Trump says Iran wants to reach a deal with Washington “quickly and badly”, adding that the US is open to engagement. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies is seeking a stake in a proposed $15 billion pipeline that would carry Iraqi oil to Syria’s Mediterranean coast and provide an alternative export route to the Strait of Hormuz. Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay makes Emmy history with 14 awards, the most for a comedy series in a single year. And Abu Dhabi and Dubai are named among the 28 “cities to watch” in Oxford Economics’ latest Global Cities Index. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, a meeting between Iran and Gulf states in Oman is postponed, after the sultanate said the appropriate conditions were not in place. Tehran and Muscat jointly agreed to reschedule the talks, which had been set to take place in Salalah. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels suffer heavy losses in clashes with government forces in Taiz, after making major gains along the Red Sea coast. Meanwhile, oil prices surge towards $108 a barrel after Saudi Arabia shut its East-West pipeline following attacks, removing a key route for crude exports that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. Dubai has recorded its strongest month for international tourism since the Iran war began, welcoming 869,000 overnight visitors in August. And Abu Dhabi’s new off-plan mortgage framework is expected to make financing easier for buyers and boost confidence in the emirate’s property market. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, the UAE announces plans to invest 40 billion euros in Germany across sectors including industry, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and energy. The announcement comes as President Sheikh Mohamed meets German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. Israel says it has blown up Hezbollah tunnels under Ali Al Taher ridge, completing what it calls a security zone in southern Lebanon. The UAE says it hopes Algeria’s decision to cut diplomatic ties will be temporary, after Algiers asked the Emirati ambassador to leave. Anthropic says it disrupted the use of its AI models in missile development projects in Houthi-held Yemen, including work on a guided rocket, a long-range ballistic missile and a proposed hypersonic glide vehicle. And Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will lead the UAE delegation at the Brics Summit in New Delhi this weekend. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National, and curated and edited by humans