Analysis Why France is quietly becoming Saudi Arabia’s go-to internal security partner Riyadh seeks French expertise for crowd control, counternarcotics and digital security ahead of a decade of mega-events. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Amid Gulf pressure, Abbas tells Macron 'Hamas will no longer rule Gaza' Abbas has increased his anti-Hamas rhetoric in recent weeks as war rages in Gaza and a deal with Israel remains elusive, but the group has refused the call to disarm. Palestine
AI chips, drones, jets: A look at Trump's $3.2 trillion megadeals during Gulf trip Amid photo ops and lavish receptions, President Donald Trump’s Gulf trip yielded $3.2 trillion in announced deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — though some details remain vague. United States
Analysis Can Modi leverage Saudi-China ties to reshape India’s global standing? The Saudi "pivot to the east" requires a careful balancing act to avoid antagonizing the United States and damaging ties with China. By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
Analysis Italy revamps ties with Saudi Arabia, eyeing investments and defense trade By Jennifer Gnana In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics
Analysis What to make of Saudi-Iranian flurry of diplomatic activity, military channels? By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Palestinian President Abbas visits Saudi Arabia to ‘strengthen’ relations Abbas’ visit follows reports in regional media that a Hamas delegation was going to visit the kingdom. Palestine
Iranian Embassy reopens its gates in Saudi Arabia after 7 years of closure The move comes as Saudi Arabia and Iran advance their deal to normalize full relations, while Washington scrambles to maintain its relations with the Gulf kingdom. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia invests $51 billion in first wave of Shareek diversification The Shareek investment and diversification strategy is set to create more than 64,000 jobs by 2040. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project to bring huge investments to Egypt Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country will invest in Sharm el-Sheikh as part of $500 billion NEOM project. Egypt
Saudi Arabia, Egypt go in on media project ahead of COP27 Preparations are underway in Egypt to launch an international news channel after securing an agreement with Saudi Arabia to fund the media project. Egypt
Venture capital investments in Saudi startups triple to $584 million Saudi Arabia is proud of its emerging startup scene, but oil remains the bedrock of the Saudi economy. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt's Sisi, Arab leaders coordinate positions ahead of Biden visit Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been meeting with several Arab leaders in the lead-up to US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East slated for mid-July. Egypt
Saudi Arabia, Jordan strengthen ties with energy, mining deals Saudi Arabia is now a major investor in Jordan. Jordan
Saudi crown prince balances Turkey visit with stops in Greece and Cyprus Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to visit Turkey as part of a regional tour shows that the kingdom has no intention to upset Greece and Cyprus while mending fences with Turkey. Turkey
Intel: Biden administration receives top Saudi official Biden administration officials meet with brother of Saudi Crown Prince, reaffirm US-Saudi partnership. United States
The slow, uncertain pace of Saudi-Syrian rapprochement Even if the two sides eventually normalize ties, Damascus faces an uphill struggle to return to the Arab League. Syria
The Takeaway: US ties with Egypt loom large again Picking up the pieces in Gaza; the uneasy, uncertain peace between Israel and Hamas; PLO and Hamas still can’t find common ground; Russia on the diplomatic sidelines; desert kingdom looks to build forest; and more! Egypt
