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
Dar al-Ifta joins in Egypt-Turkey culture war Amid heightened tensions between Cairo and Ankara, culture is emerging as the new battlefront as each party offers its own version of the Ottoman era. Saudi Arabia
How Houthi forces won key Yemeni district Houthi rebels take over Yemen's strategic Nahm district, defeating Yemeni government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition. Saudi Arabia
Peace with the region is not a peace plan The Trump peace plan is flawed because it has more to do with building a coalition against Iran rather than with promoting peace between Israelis and the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia turns to Democrat-tied lobbyists for Capitol Hill relationship advice The Williams Group is the 10th firm hired by Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington and the ministry of foreign affairs. Saudi Arabia
Erdogan to discuss trade, military plans in Pakistan Pakistani and Turkish officials have a variety of topics to address when they meet this week, including investment, foreign policy, China and defense. Saudi Arabia
How Saudi Arabian farmers are trying to preserve traditional coffee production Climate change, water shortages and newcomers are challenging the traditional coffee culture in Saudi Arabia, which has the 10th largest per capita consumption in the world. Saudi Arabia
Magnitsky law spawns cottage industry of sanctions lobbying The Magnitsky Act is being used in unexpected ways, with lobbyists pushing for human rights sanctions against nations on behalf of corporate clients. Legacy: Gulf
Intel: Democrats push Trump administration to crack down on Saudi prince Emboldened by the latest United Nations report implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in hacking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ phone, Democrats are pushing the Donald Trump administration to toughen up on the Saudi heir. Saudi Arabia
Sudanese troops continue exit from war-stricken Yemen Sudan's military contingent in Yemen has been reduced to a symbolic presence as the main players in the Saudi-led coalition scale back their fighting. Saudi Arabia
Intel: What’s behind Israel’s latest decision to allow travel to Saudi Arabia Israeli citizens are now allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time in the country’s history. Saudi Arabia
Are Saudis readying Yemen's Tareq Saleh for Sanaa battle? The situation in Yemen’s south is volatile and the north is still in the Houthis’ firm grip, so people's curiosity has been raised about the motives behind Brig. Gen. Tareq Saleh's recent trip to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
UN fingers Israeli spyware firm in Bezos hack UN investigators say Saudi use of NSO Group software was the “most likely explanation” for the hacking attack against the Amazon CEO. Saudi Arabia