Saudi comedy festival draws A-list performers, backlash: What to know The star-studded festival highlights Riyadh’s push to brand itself as a cultural hub even as critics accuse Saudi Arabia of whitewashing its repressive reputation. Saudi Arabia
UAE president meets Saudi crown prince ahead of UN Palestine conference The UAE and Saudi Arabia have strengthened cooperation since the Gaza war began in 2023, though their rivalry over regional influence and economic leadership remains. United Arab Emirates
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
Analysis Can Modi leverage Saudi-China ties to reshape India’s global standing? 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
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
China's top diplomat meets Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed strengthening ties and the controversial detention of Muslims in China's Xinjiang region. China-Saudi relations have strengthened in recent years, despite opposition from the United States. Saudi Arabia
Gulf unity deal further isolates Iran Healing the Gulf Cooperation Council rift is a parting gift for Trump and a welcome gift for Biden in dealing with the Islamic Republic. Legacy: Gulf
Biden’s national security adviser criticizes Saudi Arabia for jailing women’s rights activist Jake Sullivan called the sentencing of activist Loujain al-Hathloul "troubling." Saudi Arabia
Trump administration weighs immunity for Saudi crown prince Saad al-Jabri alleged that Mohammed bin Salman has led an attempt to lure him back to the kingdom and kill him. Saudi Arabia
The Takeaway: Is Israel ready to welcome the Squad? Israeli minister says it is time to ramp up outreach to Democrats; Amberin Zaman gets the scoop on Turkey-Israel channel; Biden administration needs to lay out Saudi policy early; four Mideast takeaways from Obama’s book. Israel
Saudis say Biden’s threats are ‘election talk' Although there are political tensions on human rights issues, the US-Saudi relationship could be vital for the United States to address Russian and Chinese influence in the Middle East region. Saudi Arabia
Elections weigh on US-Gulf economic relations Investments worth billions of dollars in the US market and currencies pegged to the greenback leave Gulf states heavily exposed to the American economy. Legacy: Gulf
State Department legally skirted Congress freeze on Saudi arms sales, inquiry finds An inspector general's report redacted by the State Department says that while the department found ways to legally bypass congressional restrictions on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, measures that Congress had called for were not taken. Saudi Arabia
Democrats prepare legislation forcing Trump to declassify report on Khashoggi murder Democrats are drafting new legislation that would force the Donald Trump administration to declassify a report on Khashoggi’s murder, potentially implicating the crown prince. Saudi Arabia
Iraqi series produced by Saudi Arabia sparks controversy Some TV programs on Saudi-funded channels have sparked controversy among Iraqis. Saudi Arabia
