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United Arab Emirates’ visa changes will draw criticism

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The amendments aim to attract highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs with significant assets. These are part of a wider set of changes introduced over the past two years in an…

Lebanese protests will tighten the economic trap

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LEBANON

Lebanon’s debt is reaching unsustainable levels, meaning politicians can no longer delay addressing longstanding structural fiscal and current account deficits. However, public…

Manama can control internal anti-Israel backlash

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BAHRAIN/ISRAEL

Both Arab governments have had informal ties with Israel for some time. Unlike the UAE, which announced its recognition plans on August 13 in return for Israel halting its plans…

Religious tolerance aids the Gulf’s expats and rulers

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GULF STATES

The pope’s trip highlights the efforts of several Gulf countries to brand themselves as religiously tolerant. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are also hoping that the promotion of…

Female influx may stir up the Emirati advisory council

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Federal National Council election.

Island transfer will promote Saudi-Israeli ties

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SAUDI ARABIA/ISRAEL

Egypt ceded the Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia in 2017. Israel lifted its veto on the deal in July and in exchange, Saudi Arabia opened its airspace to all Israeli…

India’s Gulf relations will overcome recent setbacks

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INDIA

In June, he stopped over in the UAE on his return from the G7 summit in Germany, where he was a guest. India’s Gulf ties have recently encountered turbulence because of comments…

Oman’s new sultan faces a difficult balancing act

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OMAN

Oman was unique among Arab monarchies in that Qaboos refused to name an heir during his lifetime, creating uncertainty. Not necessarily the obvious candidate, Sultan Haitham’s…

Shifting Middle East geopolitics risk more instability

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MIDDLE EAST

Relations between the two NATO allies have been strained because Washington supports Kurdish groups in Syria in its fight against Islamic State (IS), while Ankara regards Kurdish…