Breaking | Last Updated: November 5, 2026, 3:56 pm Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Turkey
Culture What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo after retirement from Portugal team? The Portuguese superstar is signed to the Saudi side Al Nassr until 2027, but the Yemen war is impacting the sport in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Dana Awartani revives lost mosaics Also this week: Lebanese dining, a new Arab art prize and ‘Girls of Riyadh.’ By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Newsletter: Business & Tech Democrats’ win: What’s at stake for Gulf business The immediate concern for the region is whether Washington and Israel will resume strikes on Iran, potentially triggering further Iranian attacks on Gulf states. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse US elections spotlight Gulf tech risks By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Saudis see Houthi gains in Yemen as advance for Iran Many Saudis are interpreting the Houthis’ sudden advance toward the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, as a message from Iran that it will not tolerate a Sunni Islamist advance on Baghdad. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia denies visas to Egyptian pilgrims As Saudi authorities denied Umrah visas to more than 50,000 Egyptians, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism says the crisis with Saudi Arabia is being solved. Saudi Arabia
ISIS should be catalyst for new Middle East alliance The author, who served as a minister in several Israeli governments and as a brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces, makes the case for an Israel-Saudi Arabia-Egypt alliance, anchored in an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Saudi Arabia
The Syria disconnect in US Iraq policy Iraq welcomes Syrian airstrikes on ISIS; Aleppo’s water crisis. Saudi Arabia
Iraq’s ambassador to US: war with ISIS 'acid test' of US-Iraq ties Lukman Faily, Iraq’s ambassador to the United States, says that in light of the urgency of the Iraq crisis, “we will not be in a position to choose our partners and whoever is available to help us in our survival war, then we will take that.” Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia sees allies among Iraq's Sunni tribes The kingdom is distinguishing between Sunni tribes opposed to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia threatened by ISIS advance in Iraq Despite their problems with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Saudi leaders consider the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) a threat to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Israel sees Jordan as buffer against regional 'madness' Most Israeli security officials wonder how much longer Jordan can cope with the threats on its other borders. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi king's short victory lap in Egypt Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz makes a rare visit to Egypt for Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's inauguration, as the threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) complicates its regional policies. Saudi Arabia
Saudis debate Salafism and democracy The recent growth of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has led to an extensive debate among Islamist groups in Saudi Arabia over the relationship between Salafism and governance. Saudi Arabia
Khamenei rep blames Saudi Arabia, Qatar for Iraq insurgents In a rare moment of directness, a representative of Iran’s supreme leader has directly named Saudi Arabia and Qatar as the cause of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham’s surge in Iraq. Saudi Arabia
Poll suggests Israelis could be sold on Arab League Initiative A poll conducted ahead of a major Israeli political conference examined the extent of the Israeli public’s exposure to the Arab Peace Initiative, and findings indicate that most Israelis are ignorant of the details of the plan. Saudi Arabia