Syria’s Sharaa in Riyadh as Saudi airports come under Houthi attacks: What to know Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Riyadh as the Houthis escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia and warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace. Yemen
Interview Ex-PM says Sudan risks partition amid US ceasefire push Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok also called for the United States to impose sanctions that would carry “personal consequences” for the warring sides.
MBS hosts Sheikh Mansour as Saudi-UAE ties thaw: What to know The renewed outreach comes as Saudi Arabia faces mounting attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis. United Arab Emirates
UAE’s Sheikh Mansour to visit Saudi Arabia amid strained ties The two Gulf countries have been at odds over Yemen, where Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the UAE has supported the separatist Southern Transitional Council. Saudi Arabia
Davos 2024: Inside Investcorp’s plan to build China-Gulf 'investment bridge' In an interview with Al-Monitor, co-CEO Hazem Ben-Gacem said there is a big push for infrastructure funding in the Asia-Pacific region, controlled buyouts in Japan and growth investments in India and China. Bahrain
Davos 2024: Reaching net zero without space tech 'wishful thinking,' says Saudi minister On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha told Al-Monitor that technology will help countries deliver on climate promises. Saudi Arabia
Will Saudi Arabia see mining gold rush in 2024? The kingdom plans to take advantage of the growing demand for critical minerals to power the green transition. Saudi Arabia
Why has Iran Air abandoned plans to relaunch Saudi Arabia flights despite detente? The Iran Air flights to Saudi Arabia were intended to transport pilgrims to Jeddah and were scheduled to take off from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan on Wednesday. Iran
Analysis 2023 in review: The year Saudi Arabia became sports superpower The kingdom has been laying the groundwork to become a sporting leader for decades, but this year marked a turning point as investment ramped up. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Saudi PIF ups investment in China’s Alibaba-backed tech fund eWTP Arabia Capital invests in energy and technology start-ups across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Saudi Arabia
Kuwait, Qatar, UAE telecoms merge assets into $2.2B tower company Three Gulf companies will create a new entity, which has not yet been publicly named, combining around 30,000 tower assets in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Tunisia. Legacy: Gulf
Italy and Saudi Arabia in talks for major deals as ties grow under Meloni The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which came into power in October 2022, has been working to deepen ties with energy- and cash-rich states in the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia to sign more than $500M in deals with African countries Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih said the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, will make some “game changing” investments in Africa. Saudi Arabia
What the Gulf states new unified visa means for Saudi, UAE, other citizens The new Schengen-like visa — allowing seamless travel between members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — will be introduced during 2024-25. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia's oil cuts weigh heavy on economy, GDP tanks by 4.5% The kingdom's economy shrunk by the most since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 due to energy measures. Saudi Arabia
Italy's FM in Saudi Arabia to talk energy partnerships, investments as ties grow The far-right government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has worked to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia
