[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Oman to cut benefits for state employees: report Civil servants in Oman brace for a new wave of austerity measures, including cuts to school tuition, housing feels, and insurance.
Oman to build $400m oil storage terminal in Duqm Although a timeline has not yet been determined, the project expects to complement the construction of a new oil refinery.
UAE is fourth top remittance-sender - World Bank The list also includes the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, rounding out the top three.
Emirati engineers blaze trail in UAE nuclear industry A group of Emirati women work to develop nuclear technology in the United Arab Emirates.
Kuwait freedoms make austerity drive tricky for government Kuwaiti citizens have the ability to unionize and protest more freely than their counterparts in the Gulf, causing slow government progress in passing budget cuts.
Qatar’s population hits 2016 high, continues to rise The country broke yet another record for population totals in April, with over two and a half million residents in the country.
Exclusive: Qatar fund uses more external managers, cuts focus on Europe The country’s investment authority seems to be restructuring the way it handles investments, including a toning down of flashy investments.
Qatar investigates death at World Cup site as labor rights under scrutiny Qatar claims that the death was caused by a heart attack, unrelated to working conditions at the site.
QNB: Company’s reputation, not customers, was target of recent hack The company continues to investigate last week’s data leak of confidential banking information.
Bahrain sentences 8 to life in prison on terrorism charges The eight will be permitted to appeal the court’s decision, which stem from cases in early 2015.
11 terror suspects arrested in Bahrain The arrests in Bahrain allegedly connect to a bombing in April that killed one policeman and injured two people.
Saudi official proposes 65km Bahrain, Qatar roads The proposition would add additional linkages between the three countries.
KSA kills two militant suspects, arrests third Saudi Arabia linked the three men to the Islamic State attacks in the country over the past year.
Half of Saudi Arabia's Military Purchases To Be Local In the coming years, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince plans to develop the country’s military industry capabilities, instead of relying on purchasing from western states.
Saudi Binladin Group employees set fire to buses in protest Layoffs and unpaid salaries comprise some of the grievances of the employees in Saudi Arabia.
All-women technology park to open in Saudi Arabia The park will be co-run by Wipro, an Indian tech company, and Princess Noura University.
Saudi Arabia says to provide housing to 100,000 poorer families The plan hopes to create more affordable housing and mortgage opportunities for low-income families.
Saudi Arabia: Turning off oil reliance means locals must work Saudi Arabia must shift away from current labor policies in which only forty one percent of Saudis of working age are actually employed, mostly in public sector government jobs.
Saudi Arabia looks to UK, France and China for help building homes South Korea already signed an MOU earlier this year to build one hundred thousand residences in the coming years.
GCC to get more schools by 2020 As GCC populations continue to grow, countries grapple with what types of schools will be most desirable in the future.
UAE looks forward to ‘new horizons’ of relations with Qatar The renewed ties between the two states will branch out over a variety of different sectors and shared interests.
Reports and Opinions
A Helping Hand for Film Artists in Oman A conversation with the founder and director of a new film center in Oman.
Oman and Iran: Friends with many benefits Joint ventures between the two states indicate similar interests and outlooks.
The Rise and Rise of Gulf Cities: Prospects and Challenges How will the Gulf cities rise to fill the void left by the decline of dominant Arab cities of the twentieth century?
Not So Rich Anymore, Gulf Arabs Enter World of Cuts and Strikes Gulf citizens lament the loss of cushy government jobs and extravagant lifestyles.
Holidays in Saudi Arabia? The kingdom’s ambitious post-oil tourism plan. Part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to reduce dependence on oil involves huge investments in tourism.
A Promising New Path for Saudi ArabiaTheNew York Times editorial board praises the proposed Saudi reforms outlined in the country’s new 2030 vision.
Saudi Arabia and Iran: Enemies With a Common Problem A look at the telecommunications industries and capabilities of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Best Place for Self-Driving Cars Is Not America. It's a Place Like Dubai. Dubai’s target of having twenty five percent of cars be self-driving by 2030 may be reasonable for the country, given its size and terrain.
Another ‘world’s tallest tower’ planned for Dubai…but are we in a bubble? Why do the Gulf countries keep trying to out-build each other?
The UAE may build a mountain to make it rain Other possibilities include further developments in cloud seeding, or the construction of pipelines from Pakistan.
The rise and rise of the Persian Gulf airlines Gulf countries shell out huge sums of money to create world-renowned airline operations.
Saudi Reform Plans Court Social Change Following changes in economic policy, Saudi Arabia’s social fabric will soon adapt to new changes as well.
Qatar’s prized racing camels bred for success A look at the techniques and secrets of training camels in Qatar.
Gulf states looking beyond Obama Gulf states will need to reevaluate their policies toward the US in the coming months, with less than a year left for Obama in the oval office.
Crisis in Yemen
The Giant Al Qaeda Defeat That No One’s Talking About Last week, Emirati and Saudi forces put a dent in AQAP’s year-long power grab in Yemen.
Yemen facing plague of locusts as it reels from civil war Different organizations across the country issued warnings of an upcoming locust plague, which will deplete already low food supplies.
Yemen’s Jews and the road to Israel The history of Yemeni Jews and their migration to Israel throughout the twentieth century.
Yemen officials say peace talks suspended after Houthis seize base Houthi officials claim that Yemen’s government and Saudi forces also violated terms of the truce in the past week.
Yemen Security Chief in Aden Survives Suicide Attack, 5 Dead Multiple attacks on the security chief in the past weeks have either been foiled or unsuccessful.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: A timeline AQAP’s history in the Gulf dates back as early as 1992.
Human Rights
Bahrain: critics and dissidents still face twin threat of statelessness and deportation In 2015 alone, Bahrain stripped the citizenship of two hundred eight nationals, including young people and students.
A Guggenheim Museum Branch in the United Arab Emirates One former museum director questions the vision of the Guggenheim in the United Arab Emirates, in the middle of the country’s human rights policies.
EAST AFRICAN DOMESTIC WORKERS UNION DEMANDS MORE PROTECTION FOR ITS WORKERS IN THE GULF Domestic workers from Africa heading to the Gulf organize to fight for better rights on their home turf.
Saudi Arabia: Human rights defender Issa Al-Hamid sentenced to nine years in prison Al-Hamid is one of three brothers currently serving jail time for organizing and advocating for civil rights in Saudi Arabia.
NATIONS DON’T BUILD THEMSELVES. PEOPLE DO. One video looks at the contributions of migrant workers on the landscapes of major Gulf cities.