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Economy & Business

Flames burn at a facility belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco south of Riyadh

Explainer

Aramco HQ attack exposes Saudi defense gaps, infrastructure vulnerabilities

The Iran-linked Yemeni militants struck at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry this week amid an expanding campaign against key infrastructure.

Abdulrahman Alfozan in an undated photo

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.

Latest News

Analysis

How Manchester City fallout tests Gulf’s global investment model

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

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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.

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

Karen Young event

The Economic Statecraft of the Gulf Arab States: A book talk with Karen Young

Register now for this in-person event in Washington, DC on Monday, April 3.

Cairo peddler

Egypt raises interest rates again as inflation continues to creep up

The Central Bank of Egypt’s rate hikes have so far been unable to curb inflation.

AFP via Getty Images

China settles first LNG trade in yuan with UAE deal

China has held several discussions with countries in the Middle East and North Africa about conducting trade using its local currency.

ALI AL-SAADI/AFP via Getty Images

International oil firms stop operations as Iraqi-Kurdish oil dispute continues

A Kurdish official told Al-Monitor that the Kurdistan Regional Government disagrees with an Iraqi government proposal to resolve the issue, as the stoppage of oil exports to Turkey threatens the autonomous region's economy.

The national flags of Saudi Arabia (R) and China are displayed from a road lamp at Tiananmen square in Beijing on February 21, 2019. - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a visit to China from February 21 to 22. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) (Photo by WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudis joining Shanghai Cooperation Organization as China bromance blossoms

Russia, China and a number of former Soviet states in Central Asia created the SCO in 2001 to counter US hegemony in the region.

Egyptian man looks at Qatari LNG carrier

Analysis

North Africa diesel exports to Europe surge as Russia digs deeper into Ukraine

Europe has been looking for alternative sources of oil and gas in light of Western sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war.

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

AI middle east

Is the Middle East ready for its AI breakthrough?

Many Middle East governments see AI as an essential catalyst for growth and diversification, but the region’s aspirations have yet to materialize. This new Pro Trend Report takes a deep dive into the feasibility of regional AI strategies.

A general view of the Dubai skyline on November 30, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

UAE’s ‘Second Salary’ savings plan offers its expat majority passive income

The savings plan is the first step in establishing a long-term retirement plan structure by the savings and investment company, amid low rates of retirement savings in the region.

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

UAE-Israel ties strengthen further with offer for NewMed Energy

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and British Petroleum are seeking a 50% stake in the firm. The news follows the activation of the Israel-UAE free trade agreement and another Emirati firm buying a stake in Israel's gas fields.

A customs agreement between Israel and the UAE is signed in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 26, 2023.

Israel, UAE sign customs agreement as Emirati president hosts Naftali Bennett

Economic cooperation between the the UAE and Israel remains strong and they have now activated their free trade deal, despite heightened Emirati criticism on the Palestinian issue.

Saudi National Bank chairman resigns after Credit Suisse loss

Current CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Ghamdi will take over as the new chairman on March 27, with deputy CEO Talal Ahmed Al Khereiji filling his place.

Asian labourers work at the construction site of Saudi Aramco's (the national oil company) Al-Khurais central oil processing facility in the Saudi Arabian desert, 160 kms east of the capital Riyadh, on June 23, 2008. Deep in the Saudi desert, 28,000 Asian workers are racing to get a giant oil processing complex ready to help King Abdullah keep a vow to meet world demand for crude. AFP PHOTO/MARWAN NAAMANI (Photo by MARWAN NAAMANI / AFP) (Photo by MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

Why global energy giants are increasing their presence in the Middle East and North Africa

Global energy companies have all made the strategic assumption that they will be able to invest in exploration and production in the Middle East for several decades to come.

Gerald Kepes

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy trends