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July 4, 2026

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A man walks past the flags of the countries attending the Gulf Cooperation Council summit at Bayan palace in Kuwait City on Dec. 5, 2017.

Analysis

How Iran war shaped divergent paths to security among GCC states

The Iran war left the Gulf more fragmented than united, with competing security strategies replacing any prospect of a common regional defense.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

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

Oil drilling near Dakhiliyah in the desert region of Hasakah, Syria, Jan. 25, 2026.

Syria launches gas project with Saudi firm in latest Gulf energy partnership

The project is the latest in a series of Gulf-backed investments aimed at rebuilding Syria's energy sector after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Crude oil tankers, bulk carriers and vessels sit anchored around Qaboos Port on June 22, 2026, in Muscat, Oman.

Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress."

Latest News

Explainer

Saudi FM concludes China visit amid Trump-MBS friction: What to know

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud before a family photo for the attendees of a meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim-majority nations at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on November 20, 2023. The international community must take urgent action to stop the "humanitarian disaster" unfolding in Gaza, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting diplomats from Arab and Muslim-majority nations on Novembe

Saudi Arabia's FM heads to China amid differences with US on Iran war

PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

Interview

Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO

A student attends a training seminar at the Tourism Ministry Training center in the city of Riyadh on August 30, 2022.

Olivier Badard

CEO of Armada Holding

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

A man monitors the board at Tadawul, the Saudi stock exchange, Riyadh, Dec. 12, 2019.

Analysis

Could Saudi Arabia spark tech startup IPO boom in Middle East?

With startups outside the Gulf focused on survival amid a funding drought, the Saudi pipeline could boost investor interest in companies typically seen as too risky.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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.