Analysis Iran war tests Gulf's theme park ambitions Saudi Arabia is pressing ahead with multibillion-dollar projects as the conflict disrupts regional tourism and exposes weaknesses in the Gulf states' entertainment strategies. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Could Trump’s oil push in Venezuela upend OPEC’s energy order? Washington’s growing role in controlling the Latin American country's crude riches could help reshape an energy order centered on OPEC as the Hormuz crisis pressures Gulf exports. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Saudi Arabia taps China’s MiniMax for Arabic AI model The development signals that the kingdom continues deepening AI ties with China while simultaneously pursuing major US technology partnerships, keeping the Gulf state at the center of an intensifying technology race between the superpowers. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: Business & Tech Oil rises amid renewed US-Iran fighting Iran launched a wave of attacks on US sites across the Middle East on Wednesday after an extensive American bombardment. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse LEAP’s comeback By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Economists unmoved by pause in Turkish lira's plummet Though the latest news about Turkey's currency is good, economists still believe Turkey could well be sailing into recession, while at the G-20 summit, the Turkish president is frustrated by how little is being made of the Jamal Khashoggi murder case. Saudi Arabia
Arab Spring memories fresh as Tunisians protest MBS Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was greeted in Tunisia by hundreds of protesters, blaming him for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and calling for an end to the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
Trump administration dusts off Cold War playbook to defend Saudi ties The Donald Trump administration is using a popular 1980s theory to rationalize support for a friendly autocracy. Saudi Arabia
Will Erdogan, MBS meet at G-20? The Turkish president hasn't ruled out meeting with the Saudi crown prince in Argentina, but what could the de facto Saudi leader offer for Turkey to bury the Jamal Khashoggi murder case? Saudi Arabia
Official handshakes, angry crowds greet Saudi crown prince in Tunis Tunisian protesters say hosting the Saudi crown prince, who is accused of ordering journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder last month, is the wrong move for a country striving to promote democratic gains and ensure human rights. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu’s diplomacy: buying friends by selling weapons Rather than basing its global standing on the principles of equality and justice, Israel exports cyber weaponry to tyrannical, racist rulers. Saudi Arabia
Congress clears key hurdle in ending support for war in Yemen In an unprecedented move, the Senate has cleared a key procedural hurdle that paves the way to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
Pompeo-Mattis briefing on Yemen to Senate bombs Secretaries of State and Defense, Mike Pompeo and Jim Mattis, urged senators to stay the course on US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, but senators said they were inclined to vote for legislation to curtail US support. Saudi Arabia
Why Iran is also a strategic asset for Israel A significant number of Arab and Muslim leaders in the Middle East and the world fear Iran. For them, Israel is the only real answer to the Iranian threat and the only country able to confront it. Saudi Arabia
Trump administration launches last-ditch effort to halt anti-Saudi bills The Donald Trump administration is briefing the Senate on Riyadh’s murder of Jamal Khashoggi in a last-ditch bid to kill a resolution intended to end US support for the Saudi coalition in Yemen. Saudi Arabia