Newsletter: Gulf GCC approves military command center as tensions simmer Gulf states are moving to strengthen their collective military capabilities by establishing a new command center in Kuwait. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Newsletter: FutureVerse Does Middle East have Nvidia problem? Nvidia shares tumbled this week as the company launched an independent investigation, sparking fallout that could reach all the way to the Middle East. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Explainer UAE selling Saudi oil highlights new Gulf energy realities News surfaced on Nov. 10 that the UAE has reportedly marketed 1.87 million barrels of Saudi crude salvaged from a damaged supertanker for sale, marking an exceptional example of energy cooperation between Gulf rivals. United Arab Emirates
GCC to build military command center in Kuwait as region simmers: What to know GCC countries have stepped up their joint defense efforts with the announcement of a new forward command center to be headquartered in Kuwait, as tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Syria denies sending troops to fight Houthis in return for Saudi loans By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Gulf’s $3 trillion US investment drive faces post-midterm Trump reckoning By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: Gulf Gulf states step up China diplomacy as Trump’s lame-duck session nears By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Russia investigation casts shadow over Kushner's Mideast peace push In a rare public appearance, the president's senior adviser Jared Kushner discussed the Trump administration's "ultimate deal" for Palestinian and Israeli peace. Saudi Arabia
Is Trump's Mideast initiative one-sided? Palestinians worry that US President Donald Trump is pressuring the pragmatic Sunni leadership to accept an American plan that would be closer to the Israeli position than to the Palestinian one. Saudi Arabia
Saudi reforms put spotlight on Iran's women's movement Absent political will to engage in genuine reform, Iranian women face a long road ahead in achieving their rights. Saudi Arabia
Egypt flexes its mediation muscle in Lebanon crisis During an emergency meeting in Cairo, the Arab League condemned Iran’s meddling in Arab affairs. Saudi Arabia
Why did Hariri go to Cairo before returning home to Lebanon? To spare the Middle East another battleground, Cairo played a role in containing the crisis of the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Saudi Arabia
Is Saudi crown prince winning or losing in the Middle East? With Saad Hariri staying on as prime minister in Lebanon, the Saudi crown prince has suffered another setback in his efforts to counter Iran. Saudi Arabia
Abbas under pressure to accept Trump's 'ultimate' deal The United States is making efforts to push US President Donald Trump's vision for the Palestinian-Israeli peace process using Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a pressure point. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon reports troop surge in Middle East Newly released Pentagon figures show a surge in US troops deployed across the Middle East this summer. Saudi Arabia
Why Hezbollah wants Hariri back in Lebanon Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s surprise resignation and Saudi Arabia's involvement could set in motion events that will negatively affect Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia
Defeating IS in Yemen While the Islamic State has faced major defeats in Iraq and Syria, the protracted war in Yemen has provided the terrorist group's branch in that country oxygen to breathe. Saudi Arabia
Yemenis 'trapped in hell' as war escalates With help from the United States and the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia’s blockade and airstrikes on Yemen have created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia
Has Kushner given Riyadh carte blanche? Diplomats and military chiefs worry Jared Kushner's peace play could be giving Saudis and Emiratis a sense of entitlement to take overreaching, hard-line actions that could destabilize the region. Saudi Arabia