All articles tagged with #uae
The UAE ordered the Abu Dhabi and Dubai stock exchanges closed for March 2–3 as the region reels from Iran's retaliatory missile and drone strikes, signaling broader Gulf economic disruption while regulators monitor developments and investors await clarity on the damage; Gulf markets that opened on Sunday fell sharply as trading pauses take effect.
After a U.S.–Israel operation against Iran, Tehran launched missiles and drones at regional targets, triggering air defenses and cross-border attacks that disrupted flights and injured people from the UAE and Dubai to Doha and Kuwait City, as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan report strikes and regional leaders condemn the aggression.
The New York Times reports that Trump told UAE leader MBZ that Saudi Arabia asked him to sanction the UAE for backing Sudan’s RSF, a claim linked to Saudi lobbying after a White House visit; Riyadh now leans toward the Sudanese army in the conflict, while the US has already targeted RSF commanders with sanctions.
Lawyers for two Jordanian men detained in Ras al-Khaimah since 2014 have filed petitions with the United Nations alleging arbitrary arrest and mistreatment amid an internal power struggle, seeking their release. Jihad Quzmar and Karam al-Sadeq, convicted on fraud-related charges tied to former Rakia CEO Khater Massaad, describe harsh prison conditions including long solitary confinement; Quzmar faces a 24-year sentence and al-Sadeq more than 20. The petitions to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture request scrutiny and relief; UAE authorities have not commented publicly.
Former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy lambasts Donald Trump and his family for founding World Liberty Financial, a UAE-backed crypto venture, arguing it was designed to monetize political influence by disguising payoffs as private business. He notes at least $2.5 billion from the UAE and suggests the deal dwarfs figures discussed in Biden-related inquiries, signaling that the scrutiny over the Trump crypto venture is far from over.
Trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States wrapped their second round with plans for a follow-up on Feb. 5 and an agreed prisoner-of-war exchange; Zelensky said Ukraine will adjust its negotiating stance in response to renewed Russian strikes that hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, underscoring the fragility of the peace process.
A UAE-linked investment firm tied to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to invest $500 million for a 49% stake in Trump-affiliated World Liberty Financial, with $187 million already paid, just days before last year's presidential inauguration, prompting Democrats to call the deal ‘mind-blowing corruption’ and raising national-security concerns over UAE access to Nvidia AI chips; the piece links this to prior crypto deals and ongoing regulatory debates around crypto in the Trump era.
The Wall Street Journal reports Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired a $500 million, 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s crypto venture, via Aryam Investment, making it the largest shareholder after the founders. The move occurred ahead of a U.S. decision to allow UAE access to Nvidia AI chips, sparking questions in Congress about conflicts of interest and national security implications.
A UAE-linked investment firm purchased nearly half of the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company, World Liberty Financial, for about $500 million, with Eric Trump signing the deal days before his father’s inauguration. The arrangement ties the Trump business to UAE interests while the president pursues foreign policy with the Middle East, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and propriety.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan that Russia is closely monitoring the Iran situation and wants to discuss it in Kremlin talks, signaling a potential diplomatic channel with the UAE as tensions around Iran persist; Kremlin spokesman Peskov warned that any force against Tehran could cause regional chaos.
The United Arab Emirates publicly joined President Trump’s 'Board of Peace' to oversee Gaza under his 20-point peace plan, with the board’s executive committee including Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio and Tony Blair, signaling UAE support amid surrounding diplomatic controversy.
Somalia cut port-security deals with the UAE after Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent state, accusing Abu Dhabi of backing Somaliland and undermining Somalia’s sovereignty. The UAE reportedly pulled security assets from Bosaso, while Somaliland’s DP World-operated Berbera port remains active. Analysts say the move reflects widening regional blocs and tensions over Yemen, with Mogadishu seeking support from Turkey and Saudi Arabia, though the central government lacks full authority over Somaliland and other semi‑autonomous regions.
A leaked October 2023 UAE document shows plans to use UAE military bases in the southern Red Sea (Yemen, Eritrea, Somalia) to support Israel in its war against Hamas, including military, logistics and intelligence aid, with meetings to coordinate with Yemen’s NRF and to transfer weapons; the leaks also flag substantial Qatari support to Hamas and describe increased UAE expenditures and commitments to back Israel until Hamas is defeated.
A delegation from Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council announced the group’s dissolution in Riyadh, but members abroad rejected the move, signaling that the disbandment may not be voluntary and highlighting ongoing internal rifts amid UAE backing for a potential independent South Arabia.
Yemen's main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council, appears to be splitting amid a Gulf rivalry, with its leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi fleeing Yemen and conflicting statements about the group's disbandment, reflecting tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.