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Economy & Business

An attendee walks past signage displayed inside the venue for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok on October 14, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images)

Syria to rejoin Arab group at IMF, leaving Russian-led constituency

Syria will rejoin the Arab constituency at the International Monetary Fund beginning Nov. 1 and has applied for membership in the EBRD.

Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova returns the ball to Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina during their WTA Finals tennis tournament in Riyadh on November 5, 2025. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

From Six Kings Slam to FIFAe finals, Saudi Arabia's events derailed by war

Some of Saudi Arabia’s flagship events — across sectors including culture, entertainment and sports — have been canceled or postponed following deadly Houthi attacks over the weekend.

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.

Latest News

Explainer

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

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) /

Jeddah airport flights disrupted as Houthis escalate threats

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)

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.

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

Iran market

Iran central bank governor resigns amid currency crisis

The Islamic Repubic named a new governor for its central bank and arrested currency brokers, as the rial nosedived to the lowest rates ever recorded.

Saudi fans react as they watch on a screen the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group C football match between their national team and Mexico, at the Marsool Park in Riyadh, on November 30, 2022. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia’s sports ambitions take center stage as MENA countries eye 2030 World Cup

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

TALANT KUSAIN/AFP via Getty Images

Abu Dhabi logistics firm expands into Kazakhstan

The Central Asian country has important strategic value for Iran, Turkey and other countries in the region.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel expected to increase natural gas drilling in 2023

Faithful to his past energy policies and on the backdrop of the global energy crisis, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to expand exploration for natural gas off Israel's shores.

Nishimura

Japan strengthens energy ties to Saudi Arabia, Oman

Oman wants to increase its natural gas exports, and Saudi Arabia continues to show interest in clean energy and carbon capture technology.

Shoppers walk past jewellery shops in the Taiba gold market in the capital Riyadh on June 29, 2020, after authorities announced a 10% increase in the VAT rate, to reach 15%, starting from first of July. (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Gulf tax landscape ushers in a new era

Sebastian Castelier

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

A photograph taken in Dubai on January 4, 2022 shows the world's highest skyscraper Burj Khalifa. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

2022 in review: Reforms, Ukraine war drive boost in UAE’s real estate market

Improved regulatory policies and diplomatic measures amid the Ukraine war have welcomed foreign direct investment and boosted the UAE real estate market in 2022 above the global average. 

An aerial view shows the town of Ghadames, a desert oasis some 400 miles southwest of the capital Tripoli, Libya, Oct. 19, 2021.

Oil pollution threatens Libyan oases

The populated areas near the oil fields in northeast Libya are suffering from pollution resulting from oil-related operations, in the absence of any action from authorities.

Sunset shot showing a row of electricity pylons in the desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Getty Images)

Analysis

2022 in review: Saudi-China, Qatar-Germany deals cap Middle East's energy developments

Hydrogen power, oil price fluctuations and electric vehicles could feature prominently in the region in 2023.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

An Iraqi man counts Iraqi dinars as he exchanges them for US dollars at a money exchange office, Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 12 2007.

Iraq's Central Bank moves to strengthen dinar against US dollar

The plan includes a measure to buy more Chinese yuan. Other states are also considering using the yuan more.

A general view shows headscarves for sale at Khan al-Khalili market, Cairo, Egypt, May 20, 2016.

Secondhand clothes offer Egyptians respite as inflation skyrockets

With living expenses rising and temperatures dropping and inflation surging to a five-year high of 18.7%, many Egyptians are looking to buy secondhand clothes at Wekalat al-Balah, Egypt's most famous used clothing market in the center of Cairo

The Evergreen leaves the Suez Canal for the Mediterranean after the signing of the settlement contract, Ismailia, Egypt, July 7, 2021.

Egyptian official says Suez Canal 'not for sale' amid fears of foreign investment

The chairman of Egypt's Suez Canal Authority has responded after a parliamentary session discussing a private fund linked to the waterway sparked widespread criticism.