Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh The Ship of Tolerance sails into Jeddah Also this week: new pizzeria in Riyadh, AlUla exhibitions and Spanish culture By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Newsletter: Gulf How Gulf states view possible US strike on Iran Saudi Arabia has led a quiet push — alongside Oman and Qatar — to persuade Washington against intervening militarily, warning that escalation would rattle oil markets and risk destabilizing the Gulf. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Syria’s Sharaa heads to Davos, ending years of global isolation The World Economic Forum begins on January 19 and ends on January 23, hosting a cohort of around 400 political leaders. Syria
Israel holds drills, prepares missile defenses for possible Iran attack: What to know Israel is on high alert over the possibility of an American strike on Iran, which could trigger Iranian retaliation against the Jewish state. Israel
Analysis How Trump’s Venezuela oil grab could test OPEC’s power, Mideast energy models By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Amid Saudi-UAE rivalry, Turkey courts Riyadh without crossing Abu Dhabi By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
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
Saudi crown prince on goodwill tour as royal family frets Saudi Arabia's king and crown prince are touring the country and region to drum up support for the heir apparent, whose thuggish behavior has alarmed many in the royal family and abroad. Saudi Arabia
Khashoggi murder: Storm clouds gather over Turkish-Saudi ties Whatever fate awaits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara’s already frosty relationship with Riyadh will continue to be clouded by this affair for the foreseeable future. Saudi Arabia
How Saudi Arabia, Qatar are competing over Iraq As the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Qatar continues, each country seeks influence in Iraq in order to expand its economic and political power in the region. Saudi Arabia