menu_open Columnists
Samuel Wendel

Samuel Wendel

Al Monitor

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Gulf states push incentives for investors, expats after war dents image

Several Gulf states are working to recover their images as global havens of stability in the wake of the Iran war.

friday 1

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Hormuz tolls, frozen funds pose early tests for US-Iran peace progress

Early cracks are beginning to show following last week’s US-Iran deal announcement even as both sides move ahead with steps toward ending the...

23.06.2026 7

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Qatar blast underscores challenges in race to restart Gulf energy flows

The deadly explosion marks an early test of Gulf efforts to revive oil and gas production following a historic energy supply shock caused by the...

22.06.2026 9

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air wins US flight approval: What to know

The approval follows Riyadh Air’s first commercial flights as the carrier pushes to establish a foothold in lucrative global aviation markets...

16.06.2026 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Kuwait wooes wealthy foreigners with investor permit as war hits economy

The Gulf state announced a new 15-year year residency permit for investors on Monday, just a day after stripping citizenship from thousands.

15.06.2026 9

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Mideast’s AI startups capture record $858M in funding during 2025, doubling share

The growth represents a sizable jump from recent years, when local AI companies captured just a sliver of dealmaking, and Magnitt now predicts funding...

10.02.2026 50

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Uber snaps up Getir in Turkey as Mubadala exits battered delivery bet

For Uber, the $335 million deal marks a fresh bet on a populous growth market and comes at quite the discount — as recently as 2022, Getir was...

10.02.2026 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

How US-India trade deal could impact Mideast energy, trade routes

The United States and India struck a trade agreement on Monday that eases months of tension between the two countries and could influence Gulf oil...

03.02.2026 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

UAE firm’s $1.7B legal threat spotlights Gulf split on Lebanon as Qatar invests

Lebanon’s bid to lure Gulf investment into its crisis-stricken economy is facing turbulence as Dubai's Al Habtoor Group threatens legal action over...

27.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Iran's internet blackout enters third week as filtered access flickers back

The internet monitoring group NetBlocks reports that messaging apps and virtual private networks have become more widely available, but overall...

24.01.2026 30

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Trump dials up risky Iran tariffs that would hit China, UAE and others: What to know

Any country trading with Iran now faces a 25% tariff, per the White House, but the move is unlikely to ratchet up pressure on Tehran in the short...

14.01.2026 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Lebanon revives offshore gas push with new approval for Total-led consortium

Beirut has approved a new exploration permit allowing international energy companies to begin work on an offshore block bordering Israel’s maritime...

10.01.2026 30

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Lebanon revives offshore gas push with new approval for Total-led consortium

Beirut has approved a new exploration permit allowing international energy companies to begin work on an offshore block bordering Israel’s...

09.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Iran security forces use tear gas in Tehran bazaar as toll rises

Iranian security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators at the Tehran bazaar on Tuesday, as an NGO said more than two dozen people had been...

07.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Saudi Arabia, UAE accelerate cashless payment push in 2026: What to know

Dubai is targeting 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026, while Saudi Arabia is now set to enforce an e-payments rule for domestic...

07.01.2026 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Iraq parliament elects new speaker

Iraq's new parliament elected a senior figure from the Sunni Taqadom party as its speaker Monday, the first session since November elections that...

29.12.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern...

29.12.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

UAE AI investor MGX moves closer to strategic stake in TikTok US

The state-linked Emirati investment firm is set to acquire a 15% stake in the social media platform's new US business as part of a plan that would...

19.12.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Morocco’s markets rise as World Cup spending fuels largest IPO in decades

Shares in SGTM jumped by 10% on Dec. 16 after the construction firm raised roughly $550 million from its IPO, underscoring demand in a market that has...

16.12.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

UAE deals with Anduril, Palantir deepen US tech footprint in Gulf defense

A new generation of Silicon Valley-linked US defense players are strengthening Gulf ties, representing a challenge to America’s legacy weapons...

15.11.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Malaysia's AirAsia bets Bahrain can fuel Mideast growth, challenging Gulf hubs

The Malaysian carrier signed a preliminary pact with Bahrain to explore establishing the kingdom as its Middle East hub, with plans for dozens...

04.11.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Humain’s $3B deal sets tone as Riyadh’s FII summit spotlights AI, private credit

At the 2025 edition of Saudi Arabia's flagship investment conference known as “Davos in the Desert," AI is stealing the spotlight from...

28.10.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

US, UAE strike $1.8B critical mineral venture amid China tensions and Gulf rivalry 

A new US-UAE consortium targeting critical minerals is emerging at a pivotal moment for global supply chains as Gulf states eye major roles in...

24.10.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Bahrain joins Gulf’s late movers in the solar race with 150 MW project

If completed on schedule, the Bilaj Al Jazayer solar plant would more than double the kingdom’s total installed renewable capacity, which...

20.10.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

UAE wealth fund ADIA scoops into $18B Haagen-Dazs owner Froneri

The UAE sovereign wealth fund has become a co-investor in Froneri in a deal valuing the global ice cream firm at about $18 billion.

02.10.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

What’s next for Saudi Arabia’s budget balancing act as deficit doubles?

The Gulf state now expects a deficit of $65.3 billion in 2025 — more than double the initial forecast — as the kingdom continues heavy...

01.10.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

PayPal bets $100M as Middle East’s Gulf fintech giants amplify competition

The move from the US payments giant comes amid a flurry of activity that has further cemented the Gulf’s fintech sector on the map for global...

24.09.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Netanyahu signs West Bank settlement expansion plan

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to push ahead with a controversial settlement expansion...

11.09.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Israel PM vows 'there will be no Palestinian state'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Thursday that there would be no Palestinian state, speaking at a signing ceremony for a major...

11.09.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Lebanon grants license to Musk's Starlink in bid to address sluggish telecomms

Starlink’s arrival in Lebanon could give businesses a vital lifeline, but the impact could be limited as long as access is restricted to corporate...

11.09.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

UAE’s new AI K2 Think chases DeepSeek moment in Gulf tech race

The Gulf state has launched K2 Think, an open-source reasoning model designed to speedily and efficiently tackle math and logic problems.

09.09.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

World's largest illegal sports streaming site shut down after Egypt arrests

Streameast, believed to be the world’s largest illegal sports streaming network, was taken down in August during a sting operation conducted by...

04.09.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Saudi Arabia escalates Arabic AI race with new state-backed chatbot

The app is available only in Saudi Arabia, but the company plans to expand across the region and eventually globally.

25.08.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Lenovo’s $2B Saudi expansion suggests China to hold ground despite US push

Lenovo and Huawei both continue to expand in Saudi Arabia months after US President Donald Trump's landmark Gulf tour delivered tech deals for US...

19.08.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Israel in talks to resettle Gaza Palestinians in South Sudan, sources say

NAIROBI (Reuters) -South Sudan and Israel are discussing a deal to resettle Palestinians from war-torn Gaza in the troubled African nation, three...

15.08.2025 10

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Diverging Gulf bets: PIF exits US tech stocks as Mubadala reshuffles portfolio

During a quarter in which US stocks began surging toward record highs, two of the Gulf's most influential investors took different approaches to the...

15.08.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Starlink targets Saudi skies as Musk’s Middle East push rolls on

The satellite internet service operated by SpaceX had been on an expansion spree in the Middle East in 2025, most recently launching in Israel as it...

14.08.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

How Trump’s US chip crackdown could shake up Middle East tech ambitions

US tariffs on semiconductors and efforts to onshore production potentially threaten industries in Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE alongside...

18.04.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel

Trump tariffs could disrupt Gulf’s IPO hot streak as markets sink

New US tariffs have roiled markets worldwide and initial public offerings should not be expected to escape unscathed.

08.04.2025 20

Al Monitor

Samuel Wendel