Transportation

People walk on the platform of the Haramain High Speed Rail Network at the airport station in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, on Dec. 12, 2019.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar ink high-speed rail deal advancing Gulf integration

Saudi Arabia is seeking to boost its railway infrastructure, and longstanding efforts to connect Gulf states by train are finally gaining momentum.

MOHAMED AFRAH/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Org, Saudi partner Dar Global launch crypto scheme for Maldives resort

The deal marks a notable fusion of the Trump family’s traditional real estate business and its expanding foothold in the crypto world, and arrives a day before Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince arrives in Washington.

HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images

Middle East commercial aircraft fleet will double in 20 years, Airbus says

The European planemaker predicted the Middle East will be one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation regions with 4,080 new passenger aircraft deliveries in the next 20 years.

United Arab Emirates

Wreckage is seen at the crash site of the Turkish C-130 military cargo plane in the Sighnaghi area at the Georgia-Azerbaijan border on November 12, 2025. A Turkish military cargo plane carrying 20 passengers and crew crashed in Georgia on its way home from Azerbaijan, the defence ministry said Tuesday. (Photo by Giorgi ARJEVANIDZE / AFP) (Photo by GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey grounds all C-130 military aircraft after Georgia crash kills 20

Authorities said the aircraft’s maintenance was up to date, no ammunition was on board and the investigation is ongoing.

Latest News

Israel's El Al posts record $203M Q3 profit as foreign airlines trickle back

An Israeli El Al Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft bound for Los Angeles takes off from Israel's central Ben Gurion Airport on June 25, 2025.

Uber announces $200M technology center in Turkey: What to know

A woman opens the UBER application on her mobile phone at the Eminonu district on March 30, 2018 in Istanbul.

Delta to launch first direct US-Saudi flight as business ties deepen

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A220 airplane prepares to takeoff at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on July 10, 2025.

Iraq's security chief visits Iran, steps up border and railway cooperation: What to know

Iraqi national security adviser Qasim al-Araji meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in Tehran, on Oct. 20, 2025.

Several trucks carrying humanitarian aid cross the border between Armenia and Turkey at the village of Margara, Armenia, on March 21, 2025.

Analysis

From flights to electricity grids, Turkey-Armenia ties slowly advance

New confidence-building measures are set to roll out between Ankara and Yerevan as experts call on Turkey to do more to support the Armenian government.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Bellieud

Interview

Al-Futtaim targets 2026 UAE rollout for game-changer ultrafast EV charging

The technology, which has only been deployed in China, will enable up to 400 kilometers of car recharging in five minutes, roughly the same time as filling a petrol tank.

Lucas Bellieud

Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Managing Director

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 aircraft lands at Barcelona's 'El Prat' airport on September 28, 2018

Ryanair scraps Tel Aviv return amid airport dispute, regional instability

The Irish low-cost carrier said Tuesday it would not restart winter flights to Israel, scrapping some 22 routes to and from Tel Aviv and around 1 million seats.

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

India weighs options as US ends waiver for Iran’s Chabahar Port: What to know

India has been working to develop the strategically important Gulf port for close to a decade, but the move has been complicated by US sanctions on Iran.

An Xpeng AeroHT X2 Flying Car is seen on display in Hong Kong on May 17, 2024

China-made flying car makes first test flight in UAE: What to know

The Chinese company is facing competition from a US firm that is currently developing an air taxi service in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish, Armenian envoys to meet Wednesday amid renewed peace push

The sixth round of Turkish-Armenian normalization talks will follow the Washington peace summit between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is expected to inject fresh momentum into reconciliation efforts.

WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images

Qataris hail Chinese robotaxis as Gulf embraces driverless cars

Three Chinese companies have publicly announced plans to roll out the autonomous vehicles in the Gulf.

An Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner comes in to land at Heathrow Airport in west London on April 29, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Etihad half-year profit hits record $306M on strong travel demand

The Abu Dhabi airline reported a profit after tax of 1.1 billion Emirati dirhams ($306 million), up 32% from the first half of 2024.

United Arab Emirates

A Tesla Model Y is seen on a Tesla car lot on May 31, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

Turkish Tesla sales soar in August, surpassing European, Japanese rivals

Elon Musk’s EV company sold 8,730 Model Ys in August, jumping 86% compared to July, according to data from Turkey’s Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L) in Tianjin, China, on Sept. 1, 2025.

Turkey, Armenia leaders eye cooperation as Azerbaijan peace process advances

The meeting came after the Aug. 8 peace summit in Washington, hosted by US President Donald Trump, between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

Sharjah International Airport is an airport located 13 kilometers southeast of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Syrian airline Fly Cham launches flights to UAE’s Sharjah as ties warm

The United Arab Emirates is relatively bearish on Syria’s Islamist government, though ties are advancing both politically and economically.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

A man and a woman ride their motorcycles past a billboard in the background bearing a portrait of Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi in central Tehran, on May 21, 2024.

Culture

Iran mulls lifting ban on women driving motorcycles: What to know

Women face a number of restrictions in Iran, among them an effective prohibition on riding motorcycles.