Category: Talking Point

Global peace has deteriorated for a 12th consecutive year as armed conflicts, military build-ups and geopolitical fragmentation deepen instability across much of the world, the 2026 Global Peace Index has found.The latest index, covering 163 countries and territories, recorded a 0.7 per cent decline in the average level of peacefulness over the past year, the 15th deterioration in 18 years. Ninety-nine countries became less peaceful, while 62 improved, underlining a widening imbalance between states able to maintain social stability and

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority has said the Strait of Hormuz will be “completely closed” to transit traffic, escalating fears of a wider maritime disruption at the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoint as tensions involving US military operations intensify.The notice, issued through a post on X, cited “aggressive US forces” and an announcement by the IR Armed Forces as grounds for the planned closure. It told companies and vessel operators that had already obtained transit permits to remain patient and

Universities face mounting pressure to redesign coursework and examinations after a large study of undergraduates found that generative artificial intelligence is now embedded in student assignments and is being used by a measurable minority to cheat.The research, based on survey responses from 95,513 students across 20 major public research universities in the US, found that about two-thirds had used generative AI during the 2023-24 academic year, while 37 per cent used it at least monthly. About 9 per cent of

Crescent Petroleum Chief Executive Officer Majid Jafar has warned that the Gulf conflict has moved beyond an energy-market disruption into a whole-economy shock, exposing the vulnerability of global trade, industry and food systems to a narrow set of strategic maritime chokepoints.Speaking in Washington, DC, at the Arab Gulf States Institute’s Petro Diplomacy 2026 conference, Jafar said disruption to flows through the Strait of Hormuz had shown how far the global economy remains dependent on an energy corridor that normally handles

Global airlines are facing a sharp downgrade in earnings expectations for 2026, with industry profit forecasts almost halved as the Middle East war drives up fuel costs, disrupts Gulf air corridors and weakens demand across one of the world’s most strategically placed aviation regions.The International Air Transport Association’s latest financial outlook puts combined airline net profit at about $23 billion this year, down from an earlier projection of about $41 billion and below the $45 billion earned in 2025. The

Saudi Arabia has moved to reassure global energy markets that it will remain a dependable supplier as geopolitical shocks, shipping risks and divergent demand forecasts intensify pressure on producers and consumers.Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that stability in the energy sector had become an urgent global requirement. “We are a resilient energy supplier; we have been and will remain so under all circumstances,” he said, placing the Kingdom’s energy diplomacy

US forces said they defeated an overnight wave of missile and drone attacks launched by Iran towards Gulf states and civilian shipping, while carrying out self-defence strikes on military sites on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.The confrontation marked a sharp escalation in a conflict already threatening energy flows, maritime security and diplomatic efforts to contain hostilities across the Gulf. US Central Command said its forces intercepted Iranian projectiles and drones aimed at regional targets and commercial vessels, and

Russia has imposed a temporary ban on aviation fuel exports until 30 November, tightening control over domestic supplies as repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries and energy infrastructure strain the country’s fuel system.The measure, announced by the Russian government on Monday, is aimed at stabilising the internal aviation fuel market after a series of refinery disruptions affected output across several regions. The restriction covers aviation kerosene and adds to earlier curbs on gasoline exports, underlining Moscow’s growing concern over fuel availability

A sweeping overhaul of the UAE’s civil law takes effect on June 1, lowering the age of legal adulthood to 18 and reshaping how residents, families, companies and young people handle contracts, assets, liabilities and disputes.Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 on the Civil Transactions Law replaces Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, the country’s four-decade-old Civil Code. The new framework is one of the most significant updates to the UAE’s civil legal system, with direct implications for everyday transactions,

Kuwait’s air defence systems intercepted hostile missile and drone threats aimed at its airspace early on Thursday, the Kuwaiti Army’s General Staff said, as the Gulf state moved to contain security risks from widening regional military tensions.The military said its systems were responding to a wave of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles attempting to penetrate the country’s airspace. It did not identify the source of the threats, the number of projectiles involved, or whether any debris had fallen inside Kuwait.

Washington has moved to fold Middle East normalisation into its Iran diplomacy, with President Donald Trump urging key Muslim-majority states to join the Abraham Accords as negotiations with Tehran enter a delicate phase.Trump used a Truth Social post to say talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran were “proceeding nicely”, while warning that failure to reach what he called a “great deal” could send the parties back to the “battlefront and shooting”. The remarks placed Israel’s regional acceptance at the

Gold prices advanced by more than 1 per cent on Monday as a weaker dollar and a sharp fall in crude oil prices strengthened demand for bullion, with investors reassessing inflation risks and the likely course of US monetary policy amid signs of progress in Washington’s talks with Tehran.Spot gold traded near $4,560 an ounce, extending gains after the dollar slipped against major currencies and oil benchmarks fell to two-week lows. The shift reflected a broader repricing across commodities and

Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company has completed a Dhs110m transaction using DDSC on ADI Chain, marking one of the first live institutional-scale tests of a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin on a regulated blockchain infrastructure.The transfer, valued at about $30m, was executed on ADI Chain, an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by ADI Foundation. DDSC is designed as a digital payment token backed one-for-one by UAE dirham reserves, positioning it as a settlement instrument for institutions seeking faster treasury movement, cross-border payment options

UAE economic growth is expected to slip into a mild contraction in 2026 as the Iran war disrupts oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, before staging a strong recovery in 2027 on higher crude and gas production, major energy projects and continued strength in non-oil sectors.The projected setback marks a sharp reversal for the Gulf’s second-largest economy, which has spent the past decade reducing its reliance on hydrocarbons through expansion in trade, tourism, aviation, logistics, finance, real estate and

British Airways has pushed back the return of flights to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv to August 1, extending disruption on three strategically important Middle East routes as airlines continue to adjust schedules around security risks, airspace limits and uneven demand across the region.The one-month delay, shown on the carrier’s booking systems and reflected in its travel updates, affects passengers who had expected services to resume earlier in the summer. The airline said the continuing situation in the Middle East

Washington has imposed sanctions on more than 50 Iran-linked individuals, companies and vessels, targeting a currency exchange network and oil transport channels as pressure builds on Tehran to reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The measures announced on Tuesday place Amin Exchange, also known as Ebrahimi and Associates Partnership Company, at the centre of a renewed campaign against Iran’s financial and petroleum networks. The Iran-based exchange house is accused of helping sanctioned banks and commercial entities move

Abu Dhabi technology group G42 and the Government of India have formalised terms to deploy Condor Galaxy India, an 8-exaflop artificial intelligence supercomputing cluster designed to strengthen the country’s sovereign AI infrastructure and widen access to advanced computing for research, public services and industry.The agreement, witnessed by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s official state visit to Abu Dhabi, advances the UAE-India digital infrastructure memorandum of understanding signed in 2024. The

Aldar Properties has bought a residential and community retail project in Dubai Studio City for AED1.1 billion, marking a fresh step in the Abu Dhabi developer’s push to expand its recurring income base in Dubai’s fast-growing rental market.The acquisition from private developer SRG will give Aldar a build-to-rent community scheduled for completion in 2028. The project is planned around 312 homes across six mid-rise buildings, supported by a community mall and 39 retail units designed to serve residents and neighbouring

China’s search for safer gas supplies has pushed energy to the centre of Xi Jinping’s talks with Donald Trump in Beijing, where the war involving Iran has sharpened pressure on both sides to repair a trade channel that collapsed under tariffs.The discussions come as disruption around the Gulf has unsettled fuel markets, tightened liquefied natural gas flows into Asia and revived the commercial logic of United States energy sales to China. Beijing’s retaliatory duties on United States LNG and crude

Oil loadings at Iran’s main crude export terminal appear to have stopped for several days, raising fresh concerns over Gulf supply as war pressure, shipping restrictions and environmental fears converge around Kharg Island.Commercial satellite imagery showed no ocean-going oil tankers at the island’s loading jetties on May 8, 9 or 11, marking the clearest sign so far of an extended interruption at the facility that handles the overwhelming bulk of Iran’s crude exports. Short gaps in tanker presence have occurred

Abu Dhabi has unveiled a AED55 billion public-private partnership pipeline, setting out 24 projects across transport, core infrastructure and social facilities that are expected to enter the market through 2026 and 2027.The programme, launched by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre, marks one of the emirate’s largest structured openings to private capital in public infrastructure. It is designed to bring developers, financiers, contractors and long-term operators into projects that support mobility, flood resilience,

Dubai’s financial centre has drawn renewed backing from global banks, insurers, wealth managers and financial technology firms, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a regional base for capital flows despite geopolitical tension and uneven global growth.Senior executives across the Dubai International Financial Centre ecosystem have signalled that client activity remains steady, with companies continuing to use the UAE as a platform for business across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and wider international markets. Their confidence rests on a combination of

 Saudi Aramco delivered a sharp first-quarter profit rebound, beating market expectations as higher crude prices, stronger sales volumes and improved downstream margins lifted the world’s largest oil company.Net income attributable to shareholders rose to SAR 120.13 billion, or $32.04 billion, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, up 25.6 per cent from a year earlier. Adjusted net income increased to SAR 125.97 billion, or $33.59 billion, ahead of the roughly $31 billion expected by analysts, underlining Aramco’s capacity to

Global oil markets are consuming their emergency cushion at a record pace as the Iran war keeps Persian Gulf flows constrained, turning inventories into the main defence against a supply shock that has already reshaped prices, refining and fuel security across major importing economies. Visible stockpiles fell by about 4.8 million barrels a day between 1 March and 25 April, far above earlier quarterly drawdown peaks, while the disruption has removed more than a billion barrels of expected supply from