On the financial strains of Saudi Vision 2030, by Abeer Abu-Omar "With the budget in deficit for six straight quarters, Saudi Arabia has become the biggest issuer of international debt in emerging markets." bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Sad news from Oman, where the Islamic State claimed a mass shooting attack on Shiite worshipers in Muscat, a normally-quiet city in a diverse Gulf country that prides itself on religious tolerance. 4 Pakistani residents killed, 1 Indian, and 1 policeman: nytimes.com/2024/07/16/wor…

"Yemeni scholars & former U.S. officials...said that the Israeli strikes would do little harm to the Houthis. Instead, they said, the attack was likely to exacerbate suffering in Yemen, which is experiencing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.." nytimes.com/2024/07/21/wor…

AP: A UAE court "sentenced dozens of Bangladeshi nationals to prison, including 3 for life imprisonment, over protests against their home government in the Gulf country." The protests were on Friday & the sentencing on Monday, according to UAE state media: apnews.com/article/emirat…

Arab News on rising rents in Riyadh: "The Kingdom’s capital has experienced a significant surge in apartment rental prices in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for many residents to afford suitable accommodation." arabnews.com/node/2555126/s…

17-year-old Saudi female swimmer competing in the Olympics: arabnews.com/node/2558121/s…

"The United Arab Emirates has awarded a lottery license for the first time, potentially taking another step toward legalizing casinos and other kinds of gaming in a market that’s being closely eyed by Las Vegas operators." bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

🚨🚨🚨Some personal news: I'm very excited to announce I'm joining the @NYTimes as a Dubai-based reporter covering the Gulf and the wider MENA region. More excited to tell the stories of my people and region. Please connect with me on ismaeel.naarThe New York Times.com

I'm so excited that the New York Times Gulf bureau is growing as Ismaeel Naar takes on a new role for us as a reporter in Dubai. I can't wait to team up with Ismaeel and continue to deepen our coverage of the region. nytco.com/press/new-repo…

Important story by Haitham El-Tabei التابعي on the dangers that delivery workers in Saudi Arabia (and other Gulf countries) face as they ride motorcycles in scorching heat straight through the midday lunch rush msn.com/en-gb/news/wor…

"Sitting atop nearly $4 trillion and acutely aware of their importance to Western capital markets, the Middle East’s biggest state-controlled funds are increasingly asking asset managers what they’ll do in return for an investment." bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

"'There Is No Childhood in Gaza:' A 9-year-old Palestinian boy lost his mother, father and two siblings in an Israeli airstrike early in the Gaza war. Within months, he, too, was killed." By Raja Abdulrahim nytimes.com/2024/08/17/wor…

How to Be Truly Free: Lessons From a Philosopher President nytimes.com/2024/08/23/wor…