Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
How Saddam Hussein Came to Symbolize Anti-Americanism in the Middle East
Today, more than ever, youth from across the Muslim world idolize former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein. While in the West, Saddam represents tyranny and evil, his legacy in the Middle East is far more complicated due to the interplay of reflexive...
Owner: Institute On Religion & Democracy
HALA Raises $157 Million in One of the Middle East’s Largest Fintech Series B Rounds, led by TPG and Sanabil Investments
HALA has rapidly scaled to serve over 142,000 businesses and now processes more than $8 billion of annual transactions, cementing its position as the region’s MSME focused fintech leader. HALA, Saudi Arabia’s leading fintech and provider of...
Owner: Shayne Barretto
Money20/20 Middle East 2025: Riyadh’s Roar—Vision, Unicorns, and a New Global Order on Day One
The inaugural Money20/20 Middle East opened on September 15, 2025, at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham. The event drew over 45,000 attendees, more than 450 exhibiting brands, and upwards of 600 investors to the Saudi capital,...
Owner: Jason Ayo Williams & Jason Williams
Al-Jadaan: Saudi Arabia’s Financial Market Is Fastest-Growing Worldwide
Saudi Arabia’s financial market has surged past $2.4 trillion, making it the fastest-growing globally, as the Kingdom doubles down on fintech, digital payments and artificial intelligence to diversify its economy and cement its role as a financial...
Owner: Saudi Government
ISM Middle East 2025 opens in Dubai with record-breaking edition
Pro-Government
Eye of Riyadh
·
ISM Middle East, the gateway to global confectionery and snacks trade, and the largest event of its kind across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, returned to the Dubai World Trade Centre from 15th-17th September 2025. The show brings together the...
Owner: Abdullah Al-Harbi
How Jared Kushner’s Bold Bets In The Middle East Made Him A Billionaire
Neutral
Forbes
·
Jared Kushner’s biggest private equity win so far is an Israeli business he tried to buy into more than a decade ago. In 2014, Kushner was 33 and the CEO of Kushner Companies, the New York City-based real estate company cofounded by his father and...
Owner: Integrated Whale Media Investment & other shareholders
Shortlist drawn up for Middle East LNG export facility's multibillion-dollar expansion
Neutral
Upstream
·
State-owned Oman LNG has drawn up a shortlist of pre-qualified contractors for key work on the further expansion of liquefaction facilities at the country's Qalhat industrial complex. The new expansion project is being carried out by Oman LNG, a...
Owner: Anette Sofie Olsen
Barry Eichengreen: Why have financial markets shrugged off Trump’s war on the Fed?
This might seem like a dramatic disconnect. Actually, however, the two groups have good reasons for responding differently. Commentators concerned with the stability and integrity of US monetary policy have every reason to be horrified by Trump’s...
Owner: Shobhana Bhartia
Juice trends in the Middle East & Africa: Exploring “healthier...
Indeterminate
Food Ingredients First
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In the sweltering heat of the Middle East and Africa, juices and juice-based drinks are more than simple hydration products. These cooling beverages are influenced by various consumer preferences, from evolving flavors to a focus on health-driven...
Owner: Lu Ann Williams
Ex-Sequoia-India Investor Raises $3M for AÏZA by Amaani from Peak XV’s Surge to Build Beauty Brands from the Middle East
Shubham Poddar, Founder and CEO, Amaani. Image courtesy: Amaani Amaani, a new-age consumer company reimagining beauty and wellness from the Middle East, has raised $3M in seed funding for its debut Arab beauty brand AÏZA. The round was led by Peak...
Owner: Kapil Rampal
The case for US Middle East retrenchment has never been clearer
Is Israel becoming the new hegemon of the Middle East? The answer to this question is an important one. Preventing the rise of a rival regional hegemon — a state with a preponderance of military and economic power — in Eurasia has long been a core...
Owner: Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Inc.
Türkiye, Italy chart new 'golden age' in economy, defense, security
Türkiye and Italy, two Mediterranean powers and NATO allies, are enjoying an unprecedented high, even a “golden age,” in their relations with enhanced economic and trade ties, deepening cooperation in the defense industry, and strengthening...
Owner: Zeki Yeşildağ
Business News | Riyadh to Host the First Edition of BIO Middle East
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], September 16: The Saudi Ministry of Health has announced the launch of the first edition of BIO Middle East, the region's pioneering event dedicated entirely to biotechnology. Also Read | UCL 2025-26: Mikel...
Owner: Aditya Pittie
Banks Face Surge in Deepfake Fraud Across the Middle East
Financial institutions across the Middle East are grappling with a sharp increase in fraud driven by synthetic identities and AI-powered deepfakes, placing traditional verification systems under intense strain. Rob Woods, director of fraud and...
Israel Launches Major Ground Offensive In Gaza City As UN Accuses It Of Genocide
Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in Gaza City overnight, marking a dramatic escalation in the nearly two-year-long war in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the "significant" new...
Owner: David Jang
Turkiye's budget posts $2.4-bn surplus in Aug 2025
Indeterminate
Fibre 2 Fashion
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Turkiye's budget surplus in August this year was 96.7 billion Turkish liras (~$2.37 billion), according to data from the Treasury and Finance Ministry.The budget revenues were at 1.3 trillion Turkish liras (~$31.86 billion) in the month, while...
Owner: Shah Family
Israel seizes Iran-linked wallets with up to $1.5B USDT
Israel’s Ministry of Defense ordered the seizure of 137 crypto wallets, with an estimated balance of $1.5B USDT, based on additional reports. The wallets have been linked to sanctioned usage in Iran. A total of 137 wallets with up to $1.5B were...
Owner: Karnika Yashwant
Corporate assets hit 96 trillion Turkish Liras in 2024
Pro-Government
Hurriyet Daily News
·
ANKARA The total assets of companies operating in Türkiye reached 95.84 trillion Turkish Liras in 2024, according to sector balance sheet data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). Aggregate income statement data revealed that all...
Owner: Demirören Family
Iranian sprinter Safarzadeh ayes two golds at 2025 World Para Athletics Championships
TEHRAN - Iranian Paralympic sprinter Hajar Safarzadeh aims to win two gold medals at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in India. She won a silver medal in the 400m T12 category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a time of 55.39 seconds....
Owner: Iranian Government
Israeli defense tech to get state-backed guarantees to support innovation
Right-wing
The Times of Israel
·
Israel is set to allocate NIS 200 million ($60 million) in state-backed guarantees to support the launch of venture capital funds focused on defense technology innovation, with the aim of strengthening the country’s security independence and...
Owner: David Horovitz & Seth Klarman