Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid airport sets record with 3.9M passengers in July Air travel is a part of the Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy, though challenges remain in attracting tourists and catching up to other Gulf airports. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Broken dams, broken trust: How Iran’s water crisis and heatwave have sparked emergency Water and electricity shortages are reaching crisis levels across Iran, triggering widespread public service disruptions and forcing industrial closures. As reservoirs rapidly deplete and rolling blackouts increase, mismanagement and delayed reforms are being laid bare. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Citing security threats, Sudan blocks WhatsApp calls: What to know The restriction comes as Sudan's civil war continues to devastate telecommunications infrastructure. Sudan
Over 10 years after ISIS takeover, Iraq's Mosul Airport reopens: What to know The airport has been out of operation since the fall of the northern Iraqi city to the Islamic State in 2014. Iraq
Ankara plans road network to connect Syria with southern Turkey The Turkish government is working with local councils in Syria's Euphrates Shield area to build and improve a road network to connect the area's cities with southern Turkey. Syria
Will public opposition stop proposed Egypt-Israel railway dead in its tracks? Egyptian media outlets are making a fuss about a recent meeting between Israel's ambassador to Cairo, David Govrin, and the director of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, discussing a railway between Egypt and Israel. Saudi Arabia
Can the private sector salvage Egypt’s dilapidated railway system? While a train accident in Egypt’s Giza governorate has placed the railway system's efficiency in the spotlight, experts remain optimistic about the government’s modernization plan. Egypt
Decks and the City: Artist proposes gardens over car parks in Beirut This year's Beirut Design Week focuses on urban design, and the projects and showcases include street revival and creative new green spaces. Lebanon
Syria's not waiting for peace to rebuild, and Iran wants to help There's a lot of talk about reconstructing Syria, but at the moment, Iran seems to be the only country actively working toward that end. Syria
Weary Istanbulites flock to seaside Izmir Tired of traffic, extreme concretization and decelerated social interaction, white-collar, educated Turkish people are abandoning Istanbul for Turkey’s Aegean coastal province of Izmir. Turkey
Iran’s housing sector keeps building Iran’s housing sector is on track to escape its yearslong stagnancy, yet Iranian tenants are still squeezed by rising rents. Iran
Ethiopian dam talks jammed with no compromise in sight Another meeting between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on the massive Nile dam ended in an impasse, leaving many questions about its construction unanswered. Egypt
Turkish firm brings light back to struggling Syrian city Turkey plans to help restore utilities and other services to Syrian towns, starting with a new power plant for the city of Azaz, which has been running on generators. Syria
Lebanon plans to overhaul its public transportation sector The World Bank has approved a $295 million financing package to reform public transportation in Beirut. Lebanon
Could container homes alleviate Israeli housing crisis? Israeli architects and students explore the concept of using shipping containers as homes and shopping spaces. Israel
Istanbul’s new airport: a looming black hole Istanbul’s giant new airport, scheduled to partially open in October ahead of key elections next year, has become a headache that threatens to carve a black hole in Turkey’s public finances. Turkey
