Oil
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USA and Saudi ArabiaNuclear deal likely to prompt a Middle East arms race?
One part of a predicted, closer U.S.-Saudi relationship is particularly controversial. Experts fear Saudi Arabia may use a civilian nuclear energy programme, supported by the U.S., to develop their own atomic bombs
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Saudi ArabiaWomen drive the Kingdom's thriving startup scene
A flourishing entrepreneurial scene is transforming the Saudi business world. Startups contribute to the nation's branding efforts and aim to tackle unemployment, as the Gulf state aims to move away from its dependence on oil
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Political transition wishful thinking in Libya?"Dangerous status quo" – UN Special Envoy resigns
After "stubborn resistance" by Libya's major political stakeholders, Abdoulaye Bathily, the UN special envoy for Libya, has resigned. Analysts say his replacement will need to disrupt the "dangerous" status quo
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Climate change in IraqWhen the water buffalo die
Iraq is one of the nations hardest hit by climate change. But the 'land between the two rivers' isn't just drying out, it's also battling groundwater contamination as a result of oil production
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Arabian PeninsulaDawn of a new era in the Gulf
Political scientist Sebastian Sons describes in his new book how societies on the Arabian Peninsula are undergoing multiple changes simultaneously as they search for a new identity
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Libya flood victimsDerna – difficult search for missing migrants
Around 10% of the victims of the recent devastating floods in Libya were from other countries. Some were working there, others likely trying to leave for Europe. By Islam Alatrash in Libya and Cathrin Schaer
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More corruption, death and destructionHaftar's sons rise in Derna flood aftermath
Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of eastern Libya, has placed his six sons in positions of political and military power. The deadly floods in Derna have seen his youngest, Saddam, rise to head of disaster relief management and the top of his succession charts. For Libyans, it spells more bad news, writes Leela Jacinto
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Iran-Saudi dealThe Islamic Republic's dilemma
Iran's deal last spring with Saudi Arabia, brokered by China, highlighted the emergence of an unstable equilibrium in the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. Amin Naeni and Ali Fathollah-Nejad explore the inherent tensions
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Libya's DernaA city known for rebellion – and neglect
Before the September 10 storm and flooding killed thousands, Libya's eastern port of Derna was best known for its revolutionary thinking, Islamist extremists and coastal scenery. Now the city is fighting for its very survival. By Cathrin Schaer
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Turkey's realpolitik in the GulfDropping long-held convictions to seek deeper ties
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the Gulf states in July was his most productive so far, signing defence cooperation and other deals worth billions of dollars. But is a strategic partnership really possible while Turkey and the UAE continue to back conflicting sides in various regional crises? By Leyla Egeli
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Saudi ArabiaSaudi border guards killed hundreds of migrants, says HRW report
“They Fired on Us Like Rain”: between March 2022 and June 2023, Saudi border guards killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants attempting to cross the border from Yemen
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Ukraine conference in Saudi ArabiaDiplomatic success for the Crown Prince
A meeting in Saudi Arabia about a war in Europe? The conference in Jeddah shows how much the world is changing. Analysis by Karim El-Gawhary from Cairo