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INDEPENDENTSpain condemns ‘selfish’ response of EU leaders to Ceuta migrant crisis as death toll risesBRASIL WIREIn Offering Brazil’s Future to the US, Flávio Bolsonaro Endangers our Sovereignty and DemocracyTHE INDEPENDENTOnlyFans model accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death in luxury condo takes plea dealMAIL & GUARDIANThe “GENOCOST” and the DRC’s War “Against Rwanda”THE GUARDIANArchbishop of Canterbury vows to support £100m pledge helping communities affected by enslavementMAIL & GUARDIANThe Land Rover Discovery gets the balance rightTHE INDEPENDENTMissing North Carolina woman, 58, found dead as sex offender is charged over her murderTHE DIPLOMATSafeguarding Children Online: Beyond Singapore’s Social Media Ban DebateBRASIL WIREGenerals Convicted: Inside Brazil’s Historic Bolsonaro Coup Trial VerdictTHE GUARDIANEbola outbreak in DRC the fastest growing in the history of the virusTHE DIPLOMATSouth Asia’s Smaller States Push to Revive SAARC — AgainLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhite Australia's ‘unprecedented act of racism'?THE GUARDIANEU to hold urgent meeting after Spanish PM calls Ceuta crisis response ‘selfish’MAIL & GUARDIANHigh Court reinstates National Arts Council, suspends McKenzie's dissolutionLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhen the world took Ethiopia's sideTHE INDEPENDENTTrump lashes out at Jeanine Pirro after she drops Reflecting Pool ‘vandalism’ charges: ‘I don’t know what she was thinking’LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUECan capitalism save Cuba's revolution?THE GUARDIANAt least 57 people die as tens of thousands cross to Spanish enclave of Ceuta from MoroccoTHE DIPLOMATAfghanistan’s Return Crisis: Why Sending People Back Is Not a Durable SolutionTHE DIPLOMATLee Pushes AI Investment in Silicon Valley and Turns to South American MineralsLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhat France's far right has learned from Israel's apartheid systemTHE DIPLOMATJohor State Election 2026: Decoding Peninsular Malaysian PoliticsMAIL & GUARDIANHas South Africa lived up to Walter Sisulu's vision?BRASIL 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enslavementMAIL & GUARDIANThe Land Rover Discovery gets the balance rightTHE INDEPENDENTMissing North Carolina woman, 58, found dead as sex offender is charged over her murderTHE DIPLOMATSafeguarding Children Online: Beyond Singapore’s Social Media Ban DebateBRASIL WIREGenerals Convicted: Inside Brazil’s Historic Bolsonaro Coup Trial VerdictTHE GUARDIANEbola outbreak in DRC the fastest growing in the history of the virusTHE DIPLOMATSouth Asia’s Smaller States Push to Revive SAARC — AgainLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhite Australia's ‘unprecedented act of racism'?THE GUARDIANEU to hold urgent meeting after Spanish PM calls Ceuta crisis response ‘selfish’MAIL & GUARDIANHigh Court reinstates National Arts Council, suspends McKenzie's dissolutionLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhen the world took Ethiopia's sideTHE INDEPENDENTTrump lashes out at Jeanine Pirro after she drops Reflecting Pool ‘vandalism’ charges: ‘I don’t know what she was thinking’LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUECan capitalism save Cuba's revolution?THE 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Banking Fraud in History ExposedTHE INDEPENDENTSpain condemns ‘selfish’ response of EU leaders to Ceuta migrant crisis as death toll risesBRASIL WIREIn Offering Brazil’s Future to the US, Flávio Bolsonaro Endangers our Sovereignty and DemocracyTHE INDEPENDENTOnlyFans model accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death in luxury condo takes plea dealMAIL & GUARDIANThe “GENOCOST” and the DRC’s War “Against Rwanda”THE GUARDIANArchbishop of Canterbury vows to support £100m pledge helping communities affected by enslavementMAIL & GUARDIANThe Land Rover Discovery gets the balance rightTHE INDEPENDENTMissing North Carolina woman, 58, found dead as sex offender is charged over her murderTHE DIPLOMATSafeguarding Children Online: Beyond Singapore’s Social Media Ban DebateBRASIL WIREGenerals Convicted: Inside Brazil’s Historic Bolsonaro Coup Trial VerdictTHE GUARDIANEbola outbreak in DRC the fastest growing in the history of the virusTHE DIPLOMATSouth Asia’s Smaller States Push to Revive SAARC — AgainLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhite Australia's ‘unprecedented act of racism'?THE GUARDIANEU to hold urgent meeting after Spanish PM calls Ceuta crisis response ‘selfish’MAIL & GUARDIANHigh Court reinstates National Arts Council, suspends McKenzie's dissolutionLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhen the world took Ethiopia's sideTHE INDEPENDENTTrump lashes out at Jeanine Pirro after she drops Reflecting Pool ‘vandalism’ charges: ‘I don’t know what she was thinking’LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUECan capitalism save Cuba's revolution?THE GUARDIANAt least 57 people die as tens of thousands cross to Spanish enclave of Ceuta from MoroccoTHE DIPLOMATAfghanistan’s Return Crisis: Why Sending People Back Is Not a Durable SolutionTHE DIPLOMATLee Pushes AI Investment in Silicon Valley and Turns to South American MineralsLE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUEWhat France's far right has learned from Israel's apartheid systemTHE DIPLOMATJohor State Election 2026: Decoding Peninsular Malaysian PoliticsMAIL & GUARDIANHas South Africa lived up to Walter Sisulu's vision?BRASIL WIREBolsonaro Takes Stand in Coup Trial

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Saudi ArabiaIran

Saudi Economy Suffers Its Sharpest Contraction Since the covid-19 Pandemic

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Saudi Economy Suffers Its Sharpest Contraction Since the covid-19 Pandemic

Amid the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the regional war involving Iran, Saudi Arabia’s economy contracted by 4.8% in the second quarter of 2026, marking its largest quarterly decline since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The downturn comes as the Kingdom remains heavily dependent on the oil sector, which still accounts for approximately 60% of government revenues. At the same time, more than 20% of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making any disruption to this strategic maritime corridor an immediate shock to energy markets, investment flows, and economic stability.

The contraction also coincides with continued massive spending on mega-projects and mounting pressure on public finances, as the region experiences its highest level of geopolitical risk in years.

Geopolitical Assessment:

These figures suggest that the Saudi economy has become increasingly vulnerable to regional shocks despite years of promoting an ambitious economic diversification agenda. The war is no longer merely draining military resources—it is exposing the structural limits of an economic model built on regional security, uninterrupted foreign investment, and freedom of navigation in the Gulf.

Should the regional confrontation continue and pressure on the Strait of Hormuz intensify, today’s economic headwinds could evolve into a long-term strategic challenge. Such a scenario would force Riyadh to bear the growing costs of its political and security choices while placing the ambitions of Vision 2030 under unprecedented economic strain. ⚠️ 📊

Saudi Economy Suffers Its Sharpest Contraction Since the covid-19 Pandemic | The Observer