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Saudi Arabia

December 5, 2025

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Fighters affiliated with Yemen's separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) man a position as they deploy amid tensions in the southern port city of Aden, on February 3, 2022, after Washington announced sending a warship and fighter jets to help defend its Gulf allies as conflict with Yemeni rebels intensifies. (Photo by Saleh Al-OBEIDI / AFP) (Photo by SALEH AL-OBEIDI/AFP via Getty Images)

Yemen's STC separatists advance in Hadramout as UAE-Saudi rift grows

The fighting between the UAE-backed southern separatists and Saudi-aligned tribal forces, nominal allies against the Houthis, has raised concerns about the division of Yemen.

Royal Bahraini Air Force F-16s perform air maneuvers during the 2018 Bahrain International Airshow at the Sakhir Airbase on Nov. 14 2018.

US approves $1.4B in military sales to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain: What to know

An estimated $1 billion in foreign military sales will go to Saudi Arabia, and $445 million will go to Bahrain.

spa

Saudi Arabia signs first visa-free travel agreement with Russia: What to know

The deal will allow citizens of either country to enter visa-free for 90 days for tourism, business and family visits.

Latest News

Analysis

US-Gulf critical minerals ties grow in bid to weaken China’s grip on industry

Spots of gold-rich ore speckle a stone pictured during a press tour at the Al-Amar Gold Mine, in the Riyadh region on May 28, 2008.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

South Korea’s $15B jet offer expands UAE's options as US moves to sell Saudis F-35s

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

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

Saudi Arabia opens Nomu Parallel Market to new investors: What to know

A man monitors the board at the Stock Exchange Market (Tadawul) bourse in Riyadh, Dec. 12, 2019.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

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

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

YouTuber MrBeast brings pop-up theme park to Saudi Arabia

Beast Land, open from Nov. 13 to Dec. 27, features several obstacle-course challenges similar to those that appear in the influencer’s videos.

US President Donald J. Trump leaves the Saudi Royal Court with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on May 13, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Analysis

Ahead of MBS visit, Saudis link Israel normalization to 3 asks from Trump

President Donald Trump would clearly like to say he persuaded Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize ties, but neither Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman nor Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seem ready to make the necessary compromises.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: Saudi Arabia Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman poses for a photo opportunity ahead of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the U.S. State Department Building on February 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Earlier this week Salman also visited the Pentagon. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Saudi defense chief visits White House ahead of MBS trip: What to know

Saudi Arabia is seeking to purchase dozens of F-35 fighter jets, but the Trump administration may hold off to leverage the kingdom to normalize ties with Israel, a top ambition of its Middle East policy.

Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder of 1001 AI.

Meet the Silicon Valley-linked AI startup targeting Gulf’s costly inefficiencies

Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, formerly a director at Silicon Valley’s Scale AI, shares how he spotted an opportunity to automate complex workflows that could reduce inefficiencies potentially worth over $10 billion across the Gulf's airports, ports, construction and the energy sector.

United Arab Emirates

France's President Emmanuel Macron and Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa look on during a bilateral meeting within the framework of the COP30 UN climate conference in Belem, Brazil, Nov. 6, 2025.

Syria attends Brazil’s COP30 as most Middle East leaders skip talks

Two years after the UAE and Egypt hosted back-to-back climate conferences, global headwinds are threatening climate action as talks begin in Belem amid notable absences.

United Arab Emirates

DAMASCUS, SYRIA - JULY 16: Members of Syria's civil defense work amid the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on Syria's defence ministry headquarters on July 16, 2025 in Damascus, Syria. A spokesperson from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Wednesday that Israeli airstrikes have targeted the headquarters of Syria's defence ministry and a site near the presidential palace in Damascus. The strikes come amid an escalation in conflict between Syrian government forces and Druze militia in the southern Sy

Analysis

Sharaa in Washington: Can US charm offensive boost Syria’s reconstruction?

The trip signals strong support for the new Syrian government, as President Sharaa seeks the breakthroughs needed to end economic isolation and speed up reconstruction, while US sanctions continue to paralyze investment.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

People sit listening as the Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanne speaks during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi, on Nov. 3, 2025.

Egypt courts investors, signs new gas deals at Abu Dhabi ADIPEC summit

Minister Karim Badawi met with executives from companies including Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, UAE state energy holding company TAQA, US conglomerate Halliburton and British Petroleum.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, right, and Qatari Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari arrive at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2025.

Analysis

UK chases elusive GCC trade deal that could boost exports, economic links

A new charm offensive at Saudi Arabia's flagship investment conference has fueled optimism that a UK-GCC trade pact, under negotiation since 2022, could soon be completed.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Oil prices fall for 3rd straight month as Saudi-led OPEC+ weighs more cuts

The falling oil prices are being driven further down by China’s slowdown and are affecting Saudi Arabia’s diversification plans.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Billion-dollar AI, clean energy deals headline Saudi 'Davos in the Desert'

Humain, an AI firm backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, signed a $3 billion deal with AirTrunk, a company backed by US asset manager Blackstone, to build a data center campus in the kingdom.