Abu Dhabi has suspended all trade, commercial and financial transactions with Tehran after detecting two ballistic missiles fired from Iran into UAE territory on Aug. 18-19. Experts and businesspeople in the UAE say decades-long economic links between Abu Dhabi’s financial centre and southern Iran are not easily broken and that a prolonged rupture could weigh on the Dubai economy.

Mohammed Basha, founder and analyst at independent risk firm Basha Report, said recent Houthi advances on Yemen's west coast reflect battlefield experience and expose deep divisions among forces opposing them. He said the operation began on Aug. 9 and lasted about 30 days, with the main ground offensive around Sept. 1. Houthi fighters mounted small‑unit attacks across multiple fronts, using mountain routes, ambushes and drone strikes to suppress government positions. Basha described them as a powerful force and said anti‑Houthi factions repeatedly underestimated their capabilities. He warned the UN‑recognized government faces fragmented command and control—eight rival military formations vying for influence—which makes defeating the Houthis unlikely. He added foreign military aid will have only limited impact and said the conflict is ultimately a Yemeni responsibility, not Riyadh's or Washington's.

A Peruvian candidate for director-general of the International Labour Organization said they would prioritize managing AI's growing impact on employment and the future of work.