United Arab Emirates
18 stories from Middle East Affairs.
Kuwait closes only Iranian school, uprooting families weeks before term
Kuwait's authorities shut down the country's only private Iranian school in early August, forcing Iranian families to find alternatives weeks before the new academic year begins in mid-September.
Iranian media reports explosions near Kharg Island oil terminal
Iranian state media reported hearing multiple explosions near Kharg Island, the country's main oil export terminal, as military tensions with the United States intensified.
US forces attack Iranian tanker near Kharg Island
US forces attacked an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island, Iran's main crude export terminal, according to state news reports.
Trump threatens imminent strike on Iranian military site
President Trump said the United States may soon strike an Iranian military site, as administration officials signaled economic and military pressure on Tehran.
Bessent's claim that Hormuz will lose value faces skeptical analysts
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicted the Strait of Hormuz would become "worthless" within two years as new pipelines divert energy exports, but energy analysts say the critical waterway will retain strategic importance for container shipping and liquefied natural gas.
UAE rescue team arrives in Nepal to search for flood survivors
A United Arab Emirates search and rescue team has begun operations in Nepal alongside local authorities to find survivors of devastating August floods that have killed more than 1,300 people and left 5,500 missing.
Iran says it attacked U.S. bases in Gulf, after reporting American strikes
Iran's military said it attacked U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait after reporting that American strikes killed nine Iranian service members.
Gold prices rise across Middle East as dollar weakens
Gold prices rose on Thursday across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, driven by a weakening dollar and declining U.S. Treasury yields.
UN investigators document foreign support fueling Sudan war
UN investigators documented transnational recruitment and weapons networks supporting both warring parties in Sudan, with up to 2,000 foreign contractors involved in combat operations.
Iran turns to shadow networks and cryptocurrencies to weather Trump sanctions
Iran is relying on shadow business networks and cryptocurrencies to circumvent the Trump administration's new sanctions on oil, banking and technology sectors.
Mitsubishi Pajero's four decades of desert popularity in UAE near end with new model
Mitsubishi this week unveiled a fifth-generation Pajero to succeed a model that dominated UAE desert driving for four decades before production ended in 2021.
UAE restaurants reopen after summer closures
Restaurants across the UAE are reopening after summer closures for renovations, relocations and menu overhauls as the hospitality sector responds to shifting visitor numbers and dining habits.
Fashion brands pursue partnerships to tap into scarcity and cultural cachet
Fashion's embrace of unlikely brand partnerships continues to accelerate in 2026, with designers from Elie Saab to Stella McCartney leveraging scarcity and borrowed prestige to drive sales.
Netanyahu says toppling Iran government "within reach" as U.S., Iran trade strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that overthrowing Iran's government is "within reach," as the United States and Iran exchanged military strikes this week.
Taco Bell to return to UAE after 14-year absence
Taco Bell will return to the UAE under a new agreement with Americana Restaurants, which plans to expand the US chain across Gulf markets.
UAE fashion influencers build audiences and business on Instagram
Content creators in the UAE have built large Instagram followings by sharing fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice, turning their social media presence into business ventures.
Dubai Coins Museum traces currency through millennia in old quarter
The Dubai Coins Museum, a free institution in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, displays thousands of years of currency history from across the Arab world, including rare early Islamic coins and Gulf regional coinage.
Lebanon seeks to assert independence from Iran and Israel
Lebanon's government has begun pushing back against both Iranian influence through Hezbollah and Israeli military encroachments in the south, declaring an Iranian ambassador persona non grata and insisting that regional powers treat it as a sovereign state.
