Aya Patrawi
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Saudi Arabia had projected a budget deficit for this year of $44 billion.
But figures released by its finance ministry this week show a deficit reaching three quarters of that by March.
The kingdom's had to grapple with budget deficits for several years running as it spends heavily on new industries like AI and projects to create jobs for young Saudis.
In past months, it's had to cancel some of the crown prince's most outlandish projects, like a 100-mile-long towering city in the desert called The Line.
And while oil prices are higher now because of the Iran war, Saudi Arabia is exporting 3 million barrels less a day now due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Aya Baltrawi, NPR News, Dubai.
Trump says that based on the tenor and depth of the conversations, he's instructed the U.S.
military to hold off on striking any Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days as talks continue throughout the week.
But Iran says there is no dialogue with Washington.
Iran's state broadcaster published a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry saying that while there are efforts by countries in the region to reduce tensions, Trump's statement is aimed at reducing energy prices in order to gain time to implement his military plans.
Iran had threatened to target power plants in Dubai and other Gulf Arab cities if its power plants are bombed.
Eight-year-old Noor Zinnu cries in pain as a physician at this Doctors Without Borders clinic in Gaza City changes her dressing for severe burns sustained in the war.
She's among what the Gaza Health Ministry says is more than 170,000 Palestinians wounded in Israeli attacks.
NPR's Anas Baba visited the clinic's waiting room, which was packed with the wounded and sick.
But it faces closure now, after Israel banned Doctors Without Borders and around 40 other aid groups from bringing aid or staff into Gaza.
Israel says the decision is based on new security and transparency requirements aid groups fail to meet.
Doctors Without Borders says it treated a million patients in Gaza in 2025, half the population.
They say Palestinians will be deprived of essential care if aid groups lose access to Gaza.