Technology

People attend the international esports gamers Next World Forum in Riyadh, Sept. 7, 2022.

Culture

Iran war hits Saudi gaming drive as Esports Nations Cup pushed to 2027

The postponement is a blow for the kingdom, which has made growing its esports sector one of the main priorities under its Vision 2030.

A ship sails off the coast of Ajman on July 10, 2026.

Interview

Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF

The fund's Middle East director, Jihad Azour, told Al-Monitor that the big Gulf energy producers now have more capacity to absorb the shock.

Jihad Azour

Jihad Azour

Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund

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

Interview

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

Around 70% of Saudi Arabia's population is 35 years old or younger, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics, providing ample opportunity for an educated and technology-savvy national workforce in the coming decades.

Olivier Badard

CEO of Armada Holding

This photo illustration taken in Damascus on May 20, 2026, shows the X account of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on a smartphone displaying his tweet to President Donald Trump.

Syria reports sabotage of undersea internet cable between Tartous and Alexandria: What to know

The affected cable connects Syria to Egypt and is one of four cables that link to the coastal city of Tartous.

Latest News

Explainer

Saudi investors could emerge as key winners from SpaceX’s historic IPO

The headquarters of SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, with a Falcon 9 booster in March 2024.

Iran partially restores internet after 88-day blackout: What to know

An Iranian woman walks past a mobile phone shop at the Valiasr Square in Tehran on April 19, 2026.

Oman enters Gulf AI race with new special economic zone in Muscat

Haitham AL-SHUKAIRI / AFP via Getty Images

Who is Handala, the hacktivist group US ties to Iranian intelligence?

Flag of Iran on a computer binary codes falling from the top and fading away.

Egyptian program aims to send first Egyptian into space

Egypt's young but ambitious space agency is accepting applications from cititzens who would receive training to go into space as the first Egyptian by 2026.

3,000-year-old talking mummy creates dispute in Egypt

Egyptians are arguing among themselves on a new study that has recreated the voice of a 3,000-year-old mummified Egyptian priest.

Death on the Nile takes a digital turn

Two online platforms help families organize funerals in Egypt.

What, no connection? Internet outage further darkens life in Yemen

Yemenis have long suffered a humanitarian crisis, but a severed wire makes it even worse when they can no longer connect.

Can Egypt's newest search engine root out extremism?

Egypt's Islamic authority Dar al-Ifta has launched a search engine to track extremist content in the fight against terrorism and Islamophobia, but critics believe much more is needed.

Is US redesigning southern flank?

Amid Turkey’s rapprochement with Russia, the United States has stepped up military cooperation with Greece, Turkey’s traditional regional rival, heralding shifts in geostrategic balances in the Balkans, the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.

Interview

UAE minister draws on the past to seize possibilities of AI future

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s minister of artificial intelligence, laid out his country's approach to AI, stating, “We do not believe that we need to wait and be followers in the AI revolution. We need to take the lead.”

Imprisoned Hamas members end 2-week hunger strike

The senior leadership of Hamas prisoners said the prisoners have ended their hunger strike after receiving assurances from the Israel Prison Service to stop using cellphone jamming devices, but Israeli media portray the strike as having little effect.

Egypt evaluates digital upgrades, prepares for more

The Egyptian government is reporting advances toward achieving its goal of digital transformation in all sectors.

How Russia plans to take part in building Syria's IT sector

As Syria seeks to restore some of its damaged IT facilites and build "an information society" in the country, Russian companies consider opportunities to chip in.

An employee works with her laptop at Takhfifan company in Tehran, Iran January 19, 2016. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - GF20000100032

How Iran’s startup sector can realize its potential

Iran’s startup scene is rapidly growing and holds great potential, but shortcomings remain and a failure to address them will undermine the sector.

Coding academy opens new opportunities for Moroccan youth

3W Academy Maroc aims at addressing youth unemployment in Morocco through accessible tech education.