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
Saudi tech giant expands investments into China, AI as part of $100B plans Alat plans to invest $100 billion by 2030 to coincide with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan to wean the kingdom’s economy off of its reliance on oil. Saudi Arabia
Saudi energy minister reveals why Aramco cut oil target by 1m bpd In January, the world's biggest corporate crude producer said it would halt its oil expansion plan and set a minimum sustained production capacity of 12 million bpd, 1 million bpd below its target announced in 2020 to be reached in 2027. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Aramco pivots investment plans as deals beckon in key Asian growth markets Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
US firm mulls stake in Starbucks Middle East franchise as local competition heats up Apollo Asset Management's reported interest comes after the coffee chain said boycotts related to the Gaza war had hurt its regional business. Saudi Arabia
London Metal Exchange to build delivery centers in Saudi Arabia Investors and mining companies are bracing for a wave of exploration licenses awarded in Saudi Arabia after the kingdom nearly doubled its untapped mineral estimate to $2.5 trillion and announced new incentives for miners in January. Saudi Arabia
Saudi inks $3.2B missile defense deal with South Korea as Iran attends expo The World Defense Show has yielded deals between Saudi Arabia and South Korea and may lead to the strengthening of the kingdom’s ties with Iran, the United States and others. Legacy: Gulf
South Africa’s Milkor gets go-ahead to produce drones in Saudi Arabia The Gulf country is bolstering its defense capabilities amid increasing instability in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Red Sea attacks push global firms to seek overland shipping alternatives An Israeli company is sending goods overland from the United Arab Emirates through Saudi Arabia and other firms are looking at different arrangements as US strikes fail to deter Houthi attacks. Israel
Kuwait emir travels to Saudi Arabia for first foreign visit Relations with Saudi Arabia are a priority for Kuwait's new emir. Legacy: Gulf
Why has Saudi Arabia ordered Aramco to halt its plan to raise oil production? The move may be simply a cost-cutting strategy, or it could be driven by a new, less optimistic outlook from the world's largest crude producer on future oil demand. Saudi Arabia
What does Saudi's first-ever alcohol store say about new Gulf culture? Alcohol-free 'mocktails' are also becoming increasingly popular across the region. Saudi Arabia
Saudi FM: No Israel normalization without ‘irreversible path’ to Palestinian state Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom would not finance the rebuilding of the enclave unless there is a viable path to a two-state solution. Saudi Arabia