Middle East Archives

Middle East

January 6, 2026 9:57 AM

COAS General Upendra Dwivedi strengthens defence ties with UAE during visit

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi met Major General Staff Yousef Maayouf Saeed Al Hallami, commander of the UAE land forces, as part of his ongoing visit to the UAE, with discussions focused on strengthening defence cooperation between the ...

January 6, 2026 9:54 AM

Third international AYUSH conference to be held in Dubai in February

Dubai will host the third international AYUSH conference and exhibition from February 15 to 17, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and students of traditional sy...

January 6, 2026 9:51 AM

Iran protests deepen as judiciary orders firm action amid economic crisis and U.S. warnings

Iran is witnessing its most serious wave of unrest in three years as nationwide protests entered the tenth day on Tuesday, January sixth. Security forces have tightened their presence across major cities, even as U.S. President Donald Trump warned th...

January 5, 2026 12:09 PM

Maduro’s capture delivers blow to Tehran as Iranian protesters take to streets

The United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, after a series of airstrikes under Operation Absolute Resolve. The development is a setback for Iran, which is facing its own internal unrest. The timing of Maduro's ...

January 5, 2026 11:02 AM

GCC forces take part as Gulf Shield 2026 begins in Saudi Arabia

Gulf Cooperation Council forces have begun a major joint military exercise in Saudi Arabia aimed at strengthening collective defence and improving regional military coordination. The Saudi ministry of defence said the exercise, titled “Gulf Shield...

January 5, 2026 11:01 AM

Forty-one candidates enter Iraq’s presidential race as nomination deadline approaches

Iraq's presidential nomination deadline is set to expire on January 5 as forty-one candidates have entered the presidential race, including the daughter of former President Fouad Masum. Despite the crowded field, only 30 candidates had formally submi...

January 5, 2026 10:59 AM

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid marks 20 years as UAE prime minister

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, marked the 20th anniversary of his assumption of the office of Prime Minister on January 5, 2006, in a gathering with current and former ministers...

January 5, 2026 10:56 AM

Iran government triples subsidies to meet people’s needs

Iran has announced a major increase in government subsidies as it moves to ease the impact of rising prices and the weakening rial on households. The government says monthly subsidies will rise from three million rials to ten million rials per househ...

January 4, 2026 5:32 PM

Oman launches $29.77 billion budget, targets 4 percent growth

Oman has approved a $29.77 billion general state budget for 2026, projecting public expenditure of about $31.15 billion and setting a target of around 4 percent economic growth, as the sultanate continues to diversify from its reliance on oil. The bu...

January 4, 2026 5:26 PM

OPEC+ to keep oil output steady despite turmoil

OPEC+ has agreed in principle to maintain steady oil output despite rising political tensions among key members and widening geopolitical uncertainty. The eight participating countries, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Kuw...

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