Gulf air corridors reopen cautiously as evacuations take shape Nearly 1,900 of more than 5,450 flights scheduled to the Middle East were canceled Tuesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. United Arab Emirates
Analysis From oil to data centers, US-Iran war takes key Mideast infrastructure offline Although disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have long been expected as a by-product of a regional war with Iran, Tehran is expanding the list of targets — with other key energy assets potentially in the crosshairs. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Iran pounds Gulf, regional states after US-Israel strikes: What to know Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar, as well as Israel, Jordan and Iraq, have all been targeted by Iranian missiles. Iran
Analysis UAE-Saudi fracture to test Egypt’s security-economy tradeoff By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh “Moving Images” brings Jameel Prize finalists to Jeddah By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
In Saudi Arabia, Sharaa hails 'historic opportunity' for Syria investment Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa touted investment opportunities in his country as he addressed business leaders and officials at the 9th Future Investment Initiative Conference in Riyadh. Syria
Newsletter: Gulf Saudi FII becomes stage for global diplomacy Riyadh’s high-profile investment forum set the stage for global diplomacy this week, as Gulf states deepened ties from Tehran to Bogotá and expanded their reach across Africa and Asia. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Humain’s $3B deal sets tone as Riyadh’s FII summit spotlights AI, private credit At the 2025 edition of Saudi Arabia's flagship investment conference known as “Davos in the Desert," AI is stealing the spotlight from megaprojects. Saudi Arabia
Delta to launch first direct US-Saudi flight as business ties deepen Beginning in October 2026, Delta will fly from its Atlanta hub to the Saudi capital three times a week on an Airbus A350-900 — a route that will span more than 7,000 miles. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh BIENALSUR brings global art to Diriyah Also this week: Peruvian flavors, Islamic artistry and Saudi light art. By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Analysis Saudi Arabia diversifies with new China naval drills, but military remains Western-centric Expanding Saudi-Chinese defense cooperation mirrors the broader deepening of Saudi-Chinese diplomatic and economic relations. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Interview Gulf real estate investors choose UK over US amid political instability The London-based lender is seeing an increase in demand from Gulf investors in UK real estate as US markets have become less predictable. Khaled Alanani Head of real estate finance and investments, Bank of London and The Middle East
Newsletter: China-Middle East China's inroads in Saudi defense industry Saudi Arabia and China kicked off their third bilateral naval drill this week, a move that demonstrates Beijing’s growing role not only as an economic partner, but as a defense one as well for Riyadh. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Singapore's DBS Group, Banque Saudi Fransi ink Asia-Gulf trade deal Trade between Southeast Asia and the GCC reached about $130.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow by another $50 billion by 2027, according to the Singaporean lender. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Vivienne Westwood debuts at Riyadh Fashion Week Also this week: Red Sea luxury, desert art, Expo countdown and Saudi wellness. By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Hong Kong exchange expands Gulf presence with new Dubai commodities arm The emirate has positioned itself as a global commodities trading hub, with the UAE ranking second globally after the US in last year’s Commodity Trade Index. United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to Uber co-founder, Red Sea Global CEO Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick and Red Sea Global CEO John Pagano have been granted Saudi citizenship. Saudi Arabia