Newsletter: Gulf Gulf states step up China diplomacy as Trump’s lame-duck session nears Oman and Saudi Arabia are deepening diplomatic outreach to Beijing as the outcome of Tuesday’s US midterm elections introduces fresh uncertainty over Washington’s Iran policy. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Turkey
Culture What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo after retirement from Portugal team? The Portuguese superstar is signed to the Saudi side Al Nassr until 2027, but the Yemen war is impacting the sport in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Dana Awartani revives lost mosaics Also this week: Lebanese dining, a new Arab art prize and ‘Girls of Riyadh.’ By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Newsletter: Business & Tech Democrats’ win: What’s at stake for Gulf business By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse US elections spotlight Gulf tech risks By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Elon Musk to send Saudis to space, internet to Iran The eccentric billionaire has said he'll ask for an exemption to US sanctions on Iran to provide Spacelink internet access to the country. Legacy: Gulf
NEOM’s ambitious concept-to-project transition presents funding, feasibility challenges Robert Mogielnicki
Saudi crown prince unveils national strategy for esports, video games Investment in video games is officially forming part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative for economic diversification. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia plans new AI center The agreement between the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence and King Abdullah University was made on the sidelines of an artificial intelligence summit in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Culture Yemeni man arrested for dedicating pilgrimage to Queen Elizabeth Saudi authorities said the Yemeni man seen in a video dedicating his umrah to the English queen was arrested simply for bringing a banner to a holy site. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi GDP quarterly growth rate reaches 10-year high Saudi Arabia is investing in several sectors in its bid to diversify the economy, but oil remains a major driver of growth. Saudi Arabia
Oil prices fall following Saudi-backed OPEC+ production cut The decrease in production could be a message from Saudi Arabia to the US over the Iran nuclear deal. Legacy: Gulf
Culture Gulf states warn Netflix over content that 'contradicts Islamic values' The controversy follows some Gulf states cracking down on rainbow colors due to their resemblance to the LGBTQ pride flag, though the Gulf Cooperation Council did not mention what exactly the issue is with Netflix. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi firm Alfanar to build green hydrogen plant in Egypt Saudi Arabia is helping Egypt boost its renewable energy capabilities. Egypt
Saudi-India economic ties grow closer with mining agreement Saudi Arabia is seeking to boost its mining sector, and India is a natural partner in this endeavor. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia to invest $1 billion in Pakistan, following UAE and Qatar Pakistan is seeking help from the Gulf amid its foreign currency reserves crisis. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Central Bank approves fintech companies Lean Technologies, Mod5r Saudi Arabia recently launched a fintech strategy with the goal of becoming a regional hub for financial technology. Saudi Arabia