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Saudi Arabia

September 6, 2026

Riyadh 9:40 am

35°C

The entrance to the city of Qiddiya, south of the capital Riyadh, April 25, 2019.

Analysis

Iran war tests Gulf's theme park ambitions

Saudi Arabia is pressing ahead with multibillion-dollar projects as the conflict disrupts regional tourism and exposes weaknesses in the Gulf states' entertainment strategies.

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

A man walks past a mural depicting oil pumps and the Venezuelan flag, with portraits of Venezuelan independence leader Simon Bolivar (L) and former late President Hugo Chavez (R), in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sept. 3, 2026.

Analysis

Could Trump’s oil push in Venezuela upend OPEC’s energy order?

Washington’s growing role in controlling the Latin American country's crude riches could help reshape an energy order centered on OPEC as the Hormuz crisis pressures Gulf exports.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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.

Latest News

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

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

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

His Excellency Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, today signed a memorandum of understanding in Guinea Conakry with His Excellency Moussa Cissé.

Saudi Arabia continues inroads into Africa with Guinea water project

The Saudi Fund for Development’s grant to the West African country will also utilize solar power technology.

Saudi passengers take the train on an internal trip in Riyadh's only railway station 19 September 2004. Only four passenger trains per day operate from the six-platform station and along the sole operating track in the vast desert kingdom. The trains carried around 900,000 passengers in 2003 between the capital -- home to some four million -- and the center of the oil-rich Eastern Province. The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) believes that the existing service has improved immensely during the past three

Rail development to grow across GCC, with Saudi Arabia & UAE leading the charge

Afshin Molavi

PATRICK BAZ/AFP via Getty Images

US woman detained in Saudi Arabia released amid guardianship battle

US citizen Carly Morris has been released from a Saudi prison, but says she's still unable to leave the kingdom with her young daughter.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi crown prince launches electric car company

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants the oil-rich kingdom to focus more on green technology as he seeks to diversify the economy.

View

Saudi Arabia establishes open banking framework

Saudi Arabia wants to grow its fintech sector in line with its diversification plan, but finding the right talent could be a challenge.

Delegations attend the 46th ordinary session of the Council of Arab Central Banks and Monetary Authorities Governors, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 18, 2022.

Gulf banks raise interest rates in response to the Fed, Kuwait stays put

Saudi Arabia could be in store for a liquidity crunch, according to a leading credit rating agency. Kuwait has a history of not following the trend on interest rates.

Aramco exhibition section at the Misk Global Forum on innovation and technology held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Nov. 13, 2019.

Saudi Aramco continues to reap big profits

The Saudi oil giant has been investing in futuristic technology as it benefits from high oil prices.

Senator calls for investigation into Saudi Twitter ownership

Saudi Prince Alwaleed is the second-largest stakeholder in Elon Musk's Twitter, which has earned him criticism from Sen. Murphy. But the prince’s investment in the company is not new.

Twitter

Saudi prince to retain stake in Twitter after Musk takeover

Prince Alwaleed previously criticized Elon Musk’s plan to buy the social media giant, but later changed his tune.

GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

Trump hosts final Saudi LIV Golf tournament in Miami

Victims of the September 11 attacks continue to voice opposition to the former president’s relationship with the Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed league.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Aramco launches sustainability fund

The more than $1 billion new Saudi fund will invest in hydrogen, ammonia and other alternative fuels to oil.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia criticizes Biden over oil reserve release

The US president recently announced that he would sell some emergency oil reserves in response to the Saudi-backed oil supply cut.