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
Explainer Gulf states push incentives for investors, expats after war dents image Several Gulf states are working to recover their images as global havens of stability in the wake of the Iran war. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: Business & Tech Oil falls to prewar levels as Hormuz reopens Oil prices retreat as Gulf shipping stabilizes, Qatar moves to restore LNG output, and regional governments roll out new investment and residency incentives. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Interview Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says French investors are reallocating capital toward strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and technology rather than pulling out of the region altogether. Axel Baroux France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East
Newsletter: Gulf Gulf defense giants head to Europe By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Saudi contemporary art lands at Art Basel By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Qatar's precarious position between Saudi Arabia, Iran The recent decline in Saudi-Iranian relations has put GCC members in a bind, in particular Qatar, which for years has tried to maintain diplomatic and economic ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia
Will Saudi's cut to trade with Iran really matter? Saudi Arabia’s cutting of commercial ties with Iran appears to be having a far smaller impact than Riyadh’s parallel severing of diplomatic relations with Tehran. Saudi Arabia
You won't believe what this Saudi blogger has to say about Iran The Iranian-Saudi freeze claims collateral damage as a popular Saudi blogger studying in Tehran can’t go back to finish her degree. Saudi Arabia
Hezbollah's pick for president of Lebanon It seems Hezbollah is not giving up on Christian parliament member Michel Aoun’s candidacy for the Lebanese presidential elections, especially since Aoun now has the support of another major Christian leader in Lebanon, Samir Geagea. Saudi Arabia
Who's to blame for recent kidnappings in Iraq? Many foreign diplomats and workers have been kidnapped in Iraq by armed gangs that have been spreading in the absence of security measures, which could damage diplomatic representation. Saudi Arabia
Iranians launch boycott of Saudi businesses Following Saudi Arabia’s move to cut diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran, some Iranians have joined forces to launch a campaign against Saudi firms in the country — but is the boycott having any impact? Saudi Arabia
Could Iraq mediate Iran, Saudi strife? Utilizing Iraq as a mediator to address its dispute with Iran would allow Saudi Arabia to both improve relations with Tehran and build important relations with Iraqi Shiites. Why, then, is Riyadh not seizing this opportunity? Saudi Arabia
Who was behind Saudi Embassy attack in Iran? Iranian officials have announced the name of the main culprits behind the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Iran. Saudi Arabia
How Turkey is losing a top trade partner Turkey is experiencing a serious but underreported crisis with its biggest export market in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia
Gas price hike, subsidy cuts shake up Saudis The Saudi government's new year is off to a shaky start financially — a burden it's sharing with its citizens, leaving them to wonder just how bad things will get. Saudi Arabia
The truth about the Saudi executions Why the executions of cleric Nimr al-Nimr and three other Shiites in Saudi Arabia are not the result of Sunni-Shiite sectarianism as many have claimed. Legacy: Gulf
Why Hamas hopes to keep low profile in Saudi-Iranian tensions In light of the escalating dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Hamas has remained silent to maintain good ties with each party, as both have provided it with financial or military support. Saudi Arabia