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Saudi Arabia

September 23, 2026

Riyadh 5:26 am

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red carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival

Saudi Arabia pauses star-studded Red Sea film festival as Houthis hit kingdom

The postponement arrives as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants are increasingly disrupting the kingdom’s economy and could also impact other high-profile international events.

Gargash

UAE's Gargash expects 'prolonged' war, calls for Iran-Gulf security talks

"We need a new mindset that these sort of discussions ... can happen at an Iranian-American level, it should also take place at an Iranian-Arab level," Gargash told Al-Monitor.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

Explainer

After $5B in Saudi backing, what’s next for bankrupt LIV Golf?

LIV Golf

Analysis

Despite Mecca pact, Turkey rules out direct military role in Yemen

Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Explainer

From Maysan to Saudi Arabia, drone attack puts Iraqi province under scrutiny

A man uses a pole to navigate a boat

Analysis

Houthi attacks pressure Saudi Arabia’s splashy economic overhaul

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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

Two Exchange Square in Central District. Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK) is located in the this building.

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

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick leaves the Phillip Burton Federal Building on day three of the trial between Waymo and Uber Technologies on February 7, 2018 in San Francisco, California.

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 Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih with Moroccan Industry Minister Riad Mezzour

Saudi investment minister visits Morocco, Senegal on Africa trade drive

Saudi Arabia has pledged more than $41 billion in investment in sub-Saharan Africa over the next decade.

Ziad El Chaar, Dar Global's chief executive officer. — Dar Global

Interview

Dar Global hints at Trump real estate deals in Saudi Arabia’s gigaprojects

The Dubai-headquartered real estate company has worked with the Trump Organization on luxury property developments across the Gulf.

Ziad El Chaar

Chief Executive Officer, Dar Global

A picture taken from a station of Dubai's Palm Monorail, shows traffic on a road in Palm Jumeirah on August 28, 2025.

World Bank ups Middle East 2025 economic outlook as oil, tourism rebound

The lender expects gross domestic product growth in the region to average 2.8% this year, up from its April forecast of 2.6%.

aluminium-dutton

Saudi, Chinese companies to develop giant aluminum industrial hub in Riyadh

The new industrial base is set to cover 1.5 million square meters and will be developed in two phases, with the first expected to be completed in 30 months and create more than 1,800 jobs.

A Riyadh Metro train makes its way along a track in the middle of a road in Riyadh on December 3, 2024.

What’s next for Saudi Arabia’s budget balancing act as deficit doubles?

The Gulf state now expects a deficit of $65.3 billion in 2025 — more than double the initial forecast — as the kingdom continues heavy spending amid weak oil prices.