Sanam Vakil of Chatham House states Gulf states remain reliant on the US for security but are uneasy with Washington's 'regime change-light strategy,' urging them to diversify defense relationships and manage diplomatic tracks amid an 'uncomfortable moment' with uncertain US policy and unpredictable Iran.
A record 8 MENA teams compete in World Cup 2026. Al Jazeera analyzes each team's chances, strengths, weaknesses, and predicts their tournament outcome.
Brics’ inability to speak with one voice on the Middle East conflict has become a stern test of India’s leadership of the bloc, exposing the challenge of building consensus among its 10 members with divergent interests and concerns. The bloc could not agree on a common position on the war at a meeting of Brics officials to discuss Middle East and North Africa issues in New Delhi last week. Brics has long sought to present itself as a voice for the Global South as frustrations with the US-led...
Startups across the Middle East and North Africa secured over $29 million in funding over the past week, with deals spanning AI, fintech, gaming, and digital infrastructure. Saudi Arabia's Signit raised $15M series A, Oman's Fascano closed $10M, Egypt's Sinai.ai got $1.45M pre-seed, and UAE's Ray raised $1.2M seed. Austria's Speedinvest launched a MEA-focused fund backed by Mubadala and Qatar Investment Authority, while VAST Data raised $1B at a $30B valuation.
Analysis examines China's diplomatic role in the Middle East, arguing that despite limited concrete peace achievements, Beijing's strategy advances its regional interests and differentiates it from the US. Since 2016, China has consistently called for ceasefires and negotiations in conflicts from Syria to Palestine, with the 2023 Saudi-Iran normalization as the sole exception. Following the US-Iran ceasefire, Xi Jinping proposed a four-point peace plan and criticized American policy as risking a 'law of the jungle' approach.
