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
In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia pursues quiet diplomacy as Trump pushes Israel normalization Saudi Arabia has been engaged in intense diplomacy in Lebanon in recent days, leading up to the extension of a ceasefire with Israel. Lebanon
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Ithra brings MENA design to Milan Also this week: Lana Khayat at Art Dubai and Najdi dining in Diriyah 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
Newsletter: FutureVerse NEOM’s new logistics look By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Can anyone stop Netanyahu’s annexation plans? A formidable array of figures is working in public and behind the scenes to block Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex West Bank lands. Saudi Arabia
Saudi coalition in Yemen condemns separatists’ declaration of self-rule The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen rejected the Southern Transitional Council's declaration of self-rule in the strategic port city of Aden. Saudi Arabia
Women, children face increased risk of abuse during Mideast lockdowns No COVID-19 furlough for imprisoned Iranian women’s rights activists; Interreligious, LGBT couples struggle to connect; Yemen’s cease-fire gets a second chance. Saudi Arabia
Intel: Trump calls on Qatar to work toward resolving Gulf dispute President Donald Trump has asked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to take steps to resolve the ongoing dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, which blockaded Qatar in 2017. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi-led cease-fire expires in Yemen with no deal in place A unilateral truce in Yemen has expired as aid organizations fear a coronavirus outbreak in the war-ravaged country. Saudi Arabia
Saudi King approves tarawih prayers without public attendance at holiest mosques Saudi Arabia's King Salman says only staff can perform prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. Saudi Arabia
Intel: Trump to 'look at' blocking Saudi oil exports as Republican pressure mounts President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to "look at" a potential embargo on Saudi oil shipments to the United States as record low oil prices turned negative for the first time ever. Saudi Arabia
What oil markets' 'bloody Monday' means for Gulf producers Gulf producers must navigate between an angry White House and Congress, with the threat of tariffs, and uncertainty regarding Asian partners and demand as a result of the pandemic. Legacy: Gulf
For Gulf, South Asia countries, worst is yet to come The pandemic is expected to be especially hard on migrant workers in the Mideast and South Asia, as it has left many of them unemployed and struggling to return home to an uncertain future. Legacy: Gulf
Hope for Yemen? Plus, three quick takes on the IMF’s outlook for Iran, Lebanon and Egypt The UN-Saudi peace initiative may be the best hope in an otherwise gloomy regional forecast during "The Great Lockdown." Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti says Ramadan prayers to be held at home As the number of coronavirus cases in the kingdom surpasses 7,000, the country's grand mufti suspended group prayers in mosques. Saudi Arabia
Yemen’s Houthis seek regional role as part of Axis of Resistance Iran-backed Ansar Allah may have ambitions well beyond Yemen. Saudi Arabia