SOCIAL REFORM

Goldman Sachs Head Lloyd Blankfein Visits Saudi Arabia, Calls Changes in Kingdom ‘Striking’

This morning, King Salman issued a royal decree ordering that women be able to drive next year.
"Just back from Saudi Arabia. Social and economic change is striking. Long way to go but new generation is 'driving' reform," Blankfein said.

Saudi Arabia

News, analysis, and more

Bond Issues

Saudi Arabia Keeps Emerging Bond Crown in Year Full of Surprises

It’s been a hectic 12 months for Saudi Arabia. It appointed a 32-year-old as heir to the throne, lifted a ban on women driving and...

 

Mohammed El-Kuwaiz

Saudi market can become one of world’s biggest, CMA chairman says: Video

Saudi Arabia, once open to mainly local investors, is now opening up to foreign traders, Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, chairman of the Capital Market Authority of Saudi...

 

Driving Ban Lifted

Saudi women driving: The effect on the country’s economy could be big

For decades, the restrictions on women driving in Saudi Arabia produced an awkward sub-economy dedicated to men driving women around. Richer Saudi families generally hired...

 

Driving Ban Lifted

Commentary: Women to Drive after Community Persuaded

I don’t agree with those who describe this decision as political in the first place. Any political decision on a community-linked cause first needs a...

 

Driving Ban Lifted

Commentary: The King Hands Over the Car Keys

Saudi women celebrating the decision aren’t just thrilled about the possibility of sitting behind the wheel but of what this signals about how the political...

 

Driving Ban Lifted

Saudi women to be allowed to drive from age 18, same as men

Saudi women will be allowed to drive from the age of 18, a government spokesman said on Thursday, partially allaying speculation they could still face...

 

Driving Ban Lifted

Ford’s New Ad Shows Solidarity With Saudi Women

In a tweet Wednesday, Ford shared an ad featuring a Saudi woman looking in a rearview mirror. The black material behind the mirror resembles that...

 

Sarahah

How a Saudi Workplace Messaging App Went Viral With U.S. Teens

Mr. Tawfiq came up with the idea for an anonymous messaging platform about a year ago while thinking about the corporate culture at the company...

 

KACare

Saudi KACARE eyes energy project with international partners

The President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) Dr. Hashim Bin Abdullah Yamani has held here separate high-level meetings with representatives...

 

Mohammed El-Kuwaiz

CMA ‘ready to accommodate’ Saudi Aramco IPO, chairman says: Video

There are little to no gaps in Saudi Arabia's securities regulation that would complicate a Saudi Aramco IPO, Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, chairman of the Capital Market...

 

Mubadala Investment Company

Mubadala explores investment options in Saudi Arabia

“Absolutely. We are looking very closely at Saudi Arabia,” Khaldoon Al Mubarak told the National in an exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi. “Saudi is obviously...

 

Gas Processing

Saudi Aramco to complete gas processing facilities

Saudi Aramco is expected to complete gas processing facilities as part of a project that will allow it to produce shale gas for the first...

 

Housing

Saudi Arabia set to hand over 53,000 housing units

More than 53,000 residential units, including flats and villas, will be ready shortly for distribution in different parts of Saudi Arabia, said a report....

 

Reform

Goldman Sachs chief tweets support for Saudi reform

Lloyd Blankfein spoke on a panel last week with the managing director of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, where the Goldman Sachs Group CEO called for...

 

Saudi +

Regional and related topics

Syria

Putin, Erdogan Pledge To Closely Cooperate On Syria, Increase Trade

But Russia, Turkey, and Iran earlier this month agreed to create a "de-escalation zone" in Idlib, an area under the control of opposition forces in...

 

Kurdish Referendum

Perspective: Kurds Voted. So Is the Middle East Breaking Up?

The Kurdish vote reflects an existential quandary across the entire Middle East: Are some of the region’s most important countries really viable anymore? The world...

 

Qatar Dispute

Perspective: A Field Trip to the Front Lines of the Qatar-Saudi Cold War

The only winners so far are the lobby groups making good money by providing advice, devising strategies, and setting up opposition websites and conferences. Seldom...

 

U.S. State Department

State Department reform: Much ado about nothing?

Secretary Rex Tillerson provided a preview of the plan on September 13, and if the final product is consistent with what’s been released thus far, it...

 

Yemen Inquiry

Compromise sought on UN Yemen inquiry as Saudi pressure mounts

Seeking to win Saudi Arabia’s agreement to a UN investigation into alleged war crimes in Yemen, the Netherlands revised a proposed resolution late on Thursday,...

 

ME Millionaires

Middle East millionaire club grows as combined riches top $2.42 trillion

The World Wealth Report by global consultancy firm Capgemini revealed that there are now 642,800 high net worth individuals (HNWI) — people with assets of...

 

Anti-ISIS Campaign

‘New Baghdadi tape’ posted by Islamic State group

Baghdadi, who has a $25m (£19m) US bounty on his head, has not been seen in public since July 2014, leading to much speculation about...

 

U.S.-Egypt

US pledges $121m in aid to Egypt

Egypt and the US signed eight bilateral assistance agreements amounting to some $121.6 million, aimed at promoting development in the country, the US Embassy in...

 

Egypt

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Leader Gets Another Life Sentence

An Egyptian court has sentenced 16 people, including the head of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, to life in prison on violence-related charges....

 

Turkey

Turkey’s Erdogan Suggests Swap: Jailed U.S. Pastor For Turkish Cleric

It's been nearly a year since Turkey detained American pastor Andrew Brunson — and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says if the U.S. wants Brunson freed,...

 

Jerusalem to the Sinai

Walking 1000 Miles Through the Middle East

From Jerusalem, McCarron followed a series of ancient trading and pilgrimage routes to traverse some of the most contested landscapes in the world, through the...

 

Libya

U.S. Conducts Precision Strikes in Libya

In coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), U.S. forces conducted two precision airstrikes in Libya against ISIS militants on Tuesday, Sept. 26...

 

Recent Editions

Left Menu Icon
Logo Header Menu