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Saudi Arabia

September 6, 2026

Riyadh 5:01 am

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Guests stand at the booth of Saudi artificial intelligence company Humain during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh, on Oct. 29, 2025.

Saudi Arabia taps China’s MiniMax for Arabic AI model

The development signals that the kingdom continues deepening AI ties with China while simultaneously pursuing major US technology partnerships, keeping the Gulf state at the center of an intensifying technology race between the superpowers.

A commercial vessel passes through an international shipping lane off Yemen's Hanish Island in the Red Sea on July 27, 2026.

Saudi oil exports hit nine-year low as tanker attacks threaten recovery

The country’s oil exports were around 3 million barrels per day in August.

Latest News

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan set Mecca Alliance into motion

Mecca Alliance

Iraq reinforces Saudi border security amid militia tensions: What to know

Iraqi army troops patrol the Iraq-Saudi Arabia border

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

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Sabena Siddiqui

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

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Saudi Aramco in 'advanced' talks on hydrogen offtake as Q3 income drops 15.3%

Aramco's Q3 net income fell 15.3% to $27.6 billion on low oil prices. Aramco is looking to expand into new business areas such as renewables and hydrogen.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

China to issue up to $2B in bonds in Saudi Arabia as business ties deepen

The two countries have been deepening economic and trade ties to help each other meet strategic initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan.

A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows a view of an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.

How Trump, Harris presidencies could impact Middle East oil markets

Trump has favored a more interventionist approach toward OPEC, while the Biden-Harris administration has used the US' strategic petroleum reserves to influence oil policy

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event on food security in a barn on the Smith Family Farm on September 23, 2024 in Smithton, Pennsylvania. The event, hosted by the Protecting America Initiative, led by former Trump acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell, highlighted China ownership of nearly 250,000 acres of U.S. land, slightly less than 1% of foreign-held acreage. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Analysis

In Middle East, China's influence unconstrained by Trump, Harris

In theory, Beijing may favor the predictability of Harris over the uncertainty of Trump. But in practice, China did exceedingly well in the Middle East during Trump’s presidency and has successfully navigated challenges under the Biden-Harris administration

Joyce Karam

Participants arrive to attend the annual Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, on Oct. 29, 2024.

Saudi Arabia's PIF signs $51B in MoUs with Japanese banks amid Asia push

The signings come amid the Future Investment Initiative this week in Riyadh, which attracted hundreds of international companies and investors to the kingdom.

Saudi Arabian Minister for Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud arrives at the BRICS summit in Kazan on October 24, 2024. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi-Israel normalization 'off table' until Palestinian statehood, FM says

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has said that normalization with Israel will wait for progress on Palestinian rights.

HOLMES CHAN/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's NEOM attracts $16B in private financing over 2 years

Saudi Arabia's flagship sustainability project has attracted substantial private investments and is looking for more.

AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Algeria lines up energy deals with US, Saudi firms as clock ticks on gas export ambitions

Algeria has launched a rare licensing round for oil and gas projects as it chases new interest in its upstream sector.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A general view shows the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, on March 29, 2018.

Saudi Arabia ramps up renewable tenders to 44 GW, doubles down on oil and gas

Saudi Arabia's renewable energy capacity under development will reach 44GW by end of 2024. However, its energy minister told an industry conference that the country will "monetize every molecule" of its oil and gas resources.

Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser speaks during the annual Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh on Oct. 29, 2024.

Saudi Aramco expects oil demand to average 104.5 million bpd in 2024

The CEO of the world's largest oil-exporting company sounded more bullish on oil demand compared with OPEC and the IEA.

BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 17: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd-L) meets with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2nd-R) at Great Hall of the People on March 17, 2017 in Beijing, China. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will pay a state visit to China from March 15 to 18, 2017. (Photo by Lintao Zhang - Pool/Getty Images)

In first, Saudi Arabia to begin trading China-focused ETF: What we know

The ETF, which will begin trading on the Saudi Stock Exchange, has raised more than $1.2 billion.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi's PIF downsizes foreign investment, turns to AI, domestic priorities

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is looking to invest in tourism, real estate and sustainability as its Vision 2030 deadline draws closer.