Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Saudi Arabia awards $490m contract for museum in Diriyah Also this week: Smash burgers in Riyadh and Saudi maps in Venice By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Analysis UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift OPEC's fourth-largest producer will leave the cartel on May 1, marking the most significant departure in the group’s history as the war changes Abu Dhabi's relationship priorities. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Why UAE's decision to leave OPEC is major shift for cartel The UAE accounts for 12% of OPEC's output, but tensions had been simmering over intragroup rivalries and the country wanting to export more oil. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Ithra brings MENA design to Milan By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Analysis Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Failed Yemeni talks shatter hopes of Yemenis' financial recovery Residents of Houthi-controlled Sanaa pinned their hopes on a recent meeting between Yemen’s warring sides to solve economic crises as the country’s Central Bank remains divided, but no solution was found and differences remain. Saudi Arabia
Intel: How Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancee is keeping the pressure on Saudi Arabia Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancee is determined to keep his legacy alive and well — and that starts with making sure Washington holds Saudi Arabia accountable for killing him. Saudi Arabia
Qatari aid includes West Bank, Gaza Strip Qatar's announcement of $480 million in aid to both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip has sparked fears over the Saudi response to such aid. Saudi Arabia
Why global and regional powers aren't standing up against Hifter's Libya offensive If major international players could find a common interest in a stable Libya, they might see a simple way out of the seemingly endless wars of post-Gadhafi succession, yet they continue to back opposing factions in Libya. Saudi Arabia
Israel, Qatar interests merge on Gaza, West Bank In order to ameliorate its image in Washington, Qatar is now ready to extract Israel from the complicated situation it got into by withholding money from the Palestinian Authority. Saudi Arabia
Congress tries to defund US nuclear transfers to Saudi Arabia House Democrats want to use the power of the purse to halt the transfer of US civil nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Yemenis demand aid transparency as humanitarian crisis rages A campaign demanding transparency in aid delivery is gaining traction in Yemen, where a humanitarian crisis threatens millions. Saudi Arabia
Saudis’ troubled ties in region threaten Trump's anti-Iran agenda The Trump administration is tightening the screws on Iran, but Saudi Arabia, Iran's archnemesis, may not be of help drumming up support for the US policy given the state of its current relations in the Arab world. Legacy: Gulf
Russia, Kuwait discuss common ground in regional conflicts Russia embraces yet another US ally in the Gulf as Moscow seeks partners for its "inclusive collective security architecture" in the Middle East. Legacy: Gulf
Democrats move to defund Yemen war after veto defeat After failing to override a presidential veto on ending US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Congress is looking for new ways to tie the Trump administration’s hands. Saudi Arabia
Yemen's divided parliament growing further apart Literally and figuratively, the two sides of Yemen's split parliament are miles away from each other and show no sign of reconciliation. Saudi Arabia
Trump pressed to punish Saudi Arabia over religious intolerance A federal commission on religious freedom wants the president to end a decadelong pass for Riyadh. Saudi Arabia