Aramco begins expansion of oil export route bypassing Hormuz The kingdom plans to expand the East-West Pipeline’s capacity to carry crude to as much as 10 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: FutureVerse US elections spotlight Gulf tech risks A sweeping victory by Democrats could put the White House’s recent Gulf dealings under greater scrutiny. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Oil tops $114 as traders brace for Iran escalation after US midterms On Friday, BP posted its highest profits in 18 years as a result of the Iran conflict, which has driven up oil and gas margins. Iran
Russian satellite data helped Yemen’s Houthis target Saudi Arabia: What to know A report by The Associated Press found evidence that Russian satellites helped Yemen’s Houthis identify and target specific sites, including energy facilities and military bases, in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Analysis How wartime urgency pushed Iran to court Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Moscow's shifting strategy in Yemen With the recent appointment of Ahmed Salem al-Wahishi as Yemen's ambassador to Russia, Moscow finds itself in a strong position to lead a political solution to the Yemen conflict. Saudi Arabia
Erdogan hopes to woo Saudi Arabia with Gulf damage-control tour Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his visit to the Gulf was mainly about the GCC-Qatar crisis, but analysts indicate Ankara is also trying to curry favor with Saudi Arabia. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey flexing military muscle in Qatar Turkey is signaling a shift to "hard power" foreign policy by incrementally building its military presence in Qatar to a brigade-level force. Saudi Arabia
Trump administration looks to Oman for help navigating Middle East US officials, while wary about Oman's ties with Iran, seek Oman's assistance in resolving Qatar dispute. Legacy: Gulf
Tillerson calls on Saudi bloc to lift blockade on Qatar The US secretary of state, after meeting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi today in Washington, called for the lifting of the blockade on Qatar as a sign of good faith. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey’s economic dilemma: Win Qatar or lose the Gulf? By backing Qatar, Turkey faces economic losses in the Gulf but improved economic ties with Iran Legacy: Gulf
Abu Mazen plays losing hand badly in Gaza Strip The Palestinian president faces a challenge from a bitter rival backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates; what is Saddam Hussein’s family doing in Qatar?; Russia and the United States wary of Turkish military intervention in Syria. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's dependent fees leave Egyptian expats in dire straits Dependents of expat workers in Saudi Arabia will be charged a dependent fee starting in 2017, which is a further strain on the salaries of foreign workers and will likely result in large numbers of families going back home. Saudi Arabia
Egypt opposition MP: Resigning over island transfer 'no longer useful' Nadia Henry, a member of Egypt’s opposition 25-30 bloc in parliament, tells Al-Monitor that the opposition will continue to fight the transfer of Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia, and that a larger opposition coalition could be created. Saudi Arabia
Rise of new Saudi crown prince stirs serious concerns in Iran While the elevation of Mohammed bin Salman was no surprise to many observers in Tehran, his de facto rule over Saudi Arabia is raising serious concerns in Iran. Saudi Arabia
Iran ready to work with Interpol over 1994 Argentina bombing Iran expressed readiness to start talks over its alleged involvement in a 1994 bombing in Argentina. Saudi Arabia
Saudi king shows no signs of slowing aggressive foreign policy Saudi Arabia has overextended itself militarily and economically and it would behoove it to return to a more traditional approach in its foreign policy. Saudi Arabia