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Saudi Arabia

April 29, 2026

Riyadh 12:16 am

27°C

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift

OPEC's fourth-largest producer will leave the cartel on May 1, marking the most significant departure in the group’s history as the war changes Abu Dhabi's relationship priorities.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

MUMEN KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images

Why UAE's decision to leave OPEC is major shift for cartel

The UAE accounts for 12% of OPEC's output, but tensions had been simmering over intragroup rivalries and the country wanting to export more oil.

United Arab Emirates

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (L) disembarks from an airplane upon his arrival at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut on Jan. 23, 2025.

In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia pursues quiet diplomacy as Trump pushes Israel normalization

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in intense diplomacy in Lebanon in recent days, leading up to the extension of a ceasefire with Israel.

Latest News

Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal?

A person walks past the closed Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center on Jan. 7, 2021, in New York City.

Analysis

Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock

A picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on Feb. 6, 2017.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Syria’s Sharaa makes fourth visit to Saudi Arabia, first since Iran war: What to know

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives ahead of a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in central London on March 31, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jeddah on March 20, 2024. Secretary of State Blinken, who landed in Jeddah earlier on March 20 on the first leg of a regional tour that was extended to include Israel, met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan before holding talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Photo by Evelyn Hockstein / POOL / AFP) (Photo by EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

As Netanyahu stalls, can Saudis, US internationalize peace framework?

The Biden administration is still trying to keep the prospects of Saudi-Israeli normalization alive.

A miner from Gold Fields South Africa company walks near the exit of the South Deep gold mine in Westonaria, Gauteng, on Oct. 12, 2022.

Saudi Arabia, UAE amp up Africa investments amid growing competition

Africa is seeing a major uptick in investments from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which presents the possibility of 'greater returns' for the Gulf states.

Attendees wearing traditional dress arrive at the Grand Palais Ephemere for the Riyadh 2030 reception event to promote Riyadh's candidacy for 2030 World Expo, in Paris on June 19, 2023. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Growing Middle East economic and investment cooperation caught between tailwinds and headwinds

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Saudi private equity investment peaked at $4B in 2023 amid rising buyouts

The kingdom's deep-pocketed sovereign wealth fund was involved in the top three private equity transactions between 2019 and 2023.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer, will take part in the global beauty pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September.

Culture

Saudi Arabia to make debut at Miss Universe pageant

The move is a historic first for Saudi Arabia, where women have long faced restrictions under conservative Islamic laws.

MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images

Houthis warn Saudi Arabia 'would be a target' if it backs US-UK strikes

The Houthi warning comes amid increased attacks against vessels in the Red Sea claimed by the Iran-backed group in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

India's President Ram Nath Kovind (C) looks on as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during a ceremonial reception at the presidential palace in New Delhi on Feb. 20, 2019.

As it looks East, Saudi Arabia strikes delicate balance between India, Pakistan

"Shared strategic interests" with India and Pakistan motivate Saudi Arabia to maintain diplomatic relations with both countries.

A picture taken on March 31, 2018 shows a Saudi man standing at the entrance of a tomb at Madain Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage site, near Saudi Arabia's northwestern town of al-Ula. - Al-Ula, an area rich in archaeological remnants, is seen as a jewel in the crown of future Saudi attractions as the austere kingdom prepares to issue tourist visas for the first time -- opening up one of the last frontiers of global tourism. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to sign a landmark agreement with Paris

Saudi tourism blitz accelerates as Riyadh hopes investors buy the hype

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Graphic of a planned roller coaster, Extraordinary Shenron, at the Dragon Ball Z theme park.

What's behind Saudi Arabia's decision to host first-ever 'Dragon Ball' theme park

The announcement of the park based on the popular Japanese anime show follows the kingdom’s developments in video games and mixed martial arts.

A general view of processing facilities at the Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines and the subject of a dispute between Congolese authorities and the Chinese firm CMOC, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on June 17, 2023.

UAE eyes Zambia mine as minerals race heats up against Saudi Arabia, China

Wealthy Gulf countries are racing against China, Europe and the United States for minerals critical to powering the global green transition.

United Arab Emirates

Guests attend the Global AI 2020 Summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Oct. 21, 2020.

With $40B fund, Saudi Arabia looks to become world leader in AI

The fund would make the Gulf state the world’s largest investor in AI and help the kingdom realize its Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy away from oil.

Saudi Mining and Industry Minister Bandar Al-Khorayef addresses the Future Mineral Forum in Riyadh on Jan. 10, 2024.

Saudi Arabia offers $182M package, other incentives for mining investors

The kingdom is prioritizing the lucrative sector as part of its ambitious Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy away from a reliance on oil.