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Economy & Business

Who is Abdulrahman Alfozan, Saudi national charged in bugging OpenAI meetings?

The Saudi national who was arrested for allegedly planting a covert listening device at OpenAI’s offices has extensive experience working at leading technology companies in the US and serves as a venture partner at a Saudi venture capital firm.

TOPSHOT - Smoke rises from the direction of an energy installation in the Gulf emirate of Fujairah on March 14, 2026. Smoke could be seen rising from the direction of a major UAE energy installation on March 14, in what appeared to be the latest strike targeting the Gulf's petroleum facilities hours after the US struck Iran's Kharg Island. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /

Explainer

IMF projects Gulf rebound in 2027. Can energy production keep pace?

Restoring shipping access in the Strait of Hormuz is only part of the recovery, as Gulf producers also need to repair damaged infrastructure to avoid further disruption to production and exports.

Men walk at a terminal at Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on December 12, 2019. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Jeddah airport flights disrupted as Houthis escalate threats

Saudi Arabia’s busiest airport, Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport, saw widespread flight cancellations and delays on Tuesday.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Manchester City's Emirati owner and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed

Analysis

How Manchester City fallout tests Gulf’s global investment model

The Premier League’s historic financial misconduct ruling against the Emirati-owned club has sparked a media firestorm and experts say fallout could extend beyond the pitch to impact Gulf investment in sports and other industries.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

Explainer

What Houthi airport attacks mean for Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft of Saudi airline Riyadh Air is pictured on the tarmac at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 7, 2026.

Saudi Arabia outlines oil export plans amid escalating Houthi attacks

Guests attend the 25th WPC Energy Congress, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 12, 2026.

Riyadh’s skies remain unsettled after deadly Houthi strikes

Cars drive past the gates of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sept. 19, 2026.

Riyadh airport issues travel alert as Yemen's Houthis claim fresh attack on Saudi Arabia

Travelers queue to check in their luggage at the terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, on March 10, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Sabena Siddiqui

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

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Dubai economy

Oil leaves invisible footprint on Gulf's non-oil economies

Touted progress in diversifying Gulf economies beyond the fossil fuel rent comes with a caveat. Oil and gas revenues indirectly propel large chunks of the non-oil economy through public expenditures such as wages, subsidies and infrastructure spending.

Visitors view a TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK attack helicopter on display at the Turkish Aerospace stand during the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX), part of the wider International Defence Exhibtion (IDEX) at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre on February 20, 2023. (Photo by Ryan LIM / AFP) (Photo by RYAN LIM/AFP via Getty Images)

Economic arsenals: the Middle East’s rise as a global defense industry hub

The Mideast's defense market is evolving, motivated by a desire to secure greater self-sufficiency and national sovereignty.

Dubai free trade zone

Dubai free zone reports 24% increase in Chinese companies

The Dubai Multi Commodities Center has more than 770 Chinese companies in its free trade zone.

United Arab Emirates

Justin Rose of England and his caddy look on.

US Justice Department investigating Saudi LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger: reports

The revelation follows action taken by some members of Congress in response to the Saudi sovereign wealth fund-backed golf league’s deal with the US-based PGA Tour.

A general view of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion at COP26 on Nov. 10, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's carbon credit exchange: climate action or greenwashing?

Sixteen firms, including Aramco, Saudi Airlines, Saudi Electricity Company and NEOM subsidiary ENOWA, bought more than 2.2 million tons of carbon credits in Nairobi on Wednesday.

By Salim A. Essaid

KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt remittances plunge amid economic uncertainty

Money transfers through official channels by Egyptians working abroad plummeted by 23% during the second half of 2022, reaching the lowest level since the 2016 crisis.

A worker is seen at the Kuwait Global Steel Services factory in Kuwait City on December 5, 2018. (Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat / AFP) (Photo credit should read YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf industrialization potential gains traction

The global push to decarbonize supply chains and the rise of a multipolar world is an opportunity for the Gulf to emerge as an energy-rich industrial hub equidistant from Asia, Africa and Europe.

Sebastian Castelier

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

View of the cottage village in the suburbs of Alanya, also known as the Turkish Riviera.

Russia, Iran, Ukraine nationals top Turkey's real estate market for foreigners

Official data shows the number of foreign real-estate buyers has increased in May from the previous month.

Uber

Uber to exit Israel as market share disappoints

In Israel, Uber is trailing behind Israeli-founded Gett and Russian-owned company Yango when it comes to taxi and private vehicle hire.

Emmanuel Macron Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia's MBS heads to France to meet Macron, attend business summits

The two leaders will meet Friday and discuss bilateral relations as well as Middle Eastern and international issues including the war in Ukraine.

Cars drive along a street in front of high-rise buildings in Dubai on Feb. 18, 2023.

UAE ranked first globally in attracting new millionaires in 2022

The UAE had the highest net inflow of millionaires in the world in 2022, while China had the highest net outflow, followed by India and the United Kingdom.

United Arab Emirates

A picture taken on September 15, 2019 shows the entrance of an Aramco oil facility near al-Khurj area, just south of the Saudi capital Riyadh. - Saudi Arabia raced today to restart operations at oil plants hit by drone attacks which slashed its production by half, as Iran dismissed US claims it was behind the assault. The Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, have claimed thi weekend's strikes on two plants owned by state giant Aramc

Saudi Aramco tops Middle East companies for 2023: Forbes

The Saudi oil giant continues to perform well on the back of oil prices. The list also revealed strong performances by several Moroccan banks.