Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Dana Awartani’s art of remembrance in Venice Also this week: French-Asian bites in Jeddah and Saudi art in Doha By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Saudi FM in Turkey as Ankara, Riyadh step up coordination amid Iran war Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Ankara comes amid rapidly expanding Turkish-Saudi coordination as the fallout from the Iran war reshapes Gulf security dynamics. Turkey
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Saudi Arabia awards $490m contract for museum in Diriyah Also this week: Smash burgers in Riyadh and Saudi maps in Venice By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Analysis UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift OPEC's fourth-largest producer will leave the cartel on May 1, marking the most significant departure in the group’s history as the war changes Abu Dhabi's relationship priorities. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
What Saudi Arabia is doing to save water Saudi Arabia’s self-sufficiency policy has led to the overconsumption of water, a resource that Saudi Arabia critically needs. Countries
Will the Russians be able to help Lebanon get a new president? Russia’s withdrawal from Syria and the goodwill it generated in Arab circles, may allow it to play the role of mediator in Geneva and to help Lebanon fill its presidential vacuum. Saudi Arabia
Is this the man who will replace Abbas? It seems dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan is expanding his regional and international influence to become the potential successor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Saudi Arabia
Iran officials defend Rouhani's Pakistan trip After criticism suggesting that President Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Pakistan did not achieve anything, officials from the administration and media linked to the administration have fired back. Saudi Arabia
After 10 years of war, are Yemenis hopeless? The war in Yemen has added a new group of internally displaced persons to that previously created during a decade of conflict between Houthis and the state. Legacy: Gulf
MP says Iran shuttered embassies over lack of funding According to one Iranian parliamentarian, financial issues were behind Iran's closing of a number of embassies, for which the Foreign Ministry has long complained of a lack of funding. Saudi Arabia
Can Hezbollah withstand Saudis' wrath? Hezbollah's actions are isolating Lebanon from the Arab states and exacerbating the country's already fractured and paralyzed politics. Legacy: Gulf
Erdogan takes authoritarian rule to new heights in war on PKK Terrorist bombing in Turkey kills two Americans as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan resurrects "thought crimes" in confronting critics; Is Iran a spoiler in Palestinian politics? Israel cool to feelers from Sudan. Saudi Arabia
What Russia's Syria shift means for Moscow-Riyadh ties Russia’s likely gradual and partial military withdrawal from Syria may minimize one of the irritants in the Russian-Saudi relationship, but it won’t address their fundamental differences. Saudi Arabia
Will Riyadh cancel aid to Egypt? Saudi Arabia might be using the promise of aid or the threat of withdrawing aid to get Egypt to toe the line politically in regard to Syria. Saudi Arabia
Why is Hariri back in Lebanon? There is much speculation about why Saad Hariri has returned to Lebanon, including that he plans to help elect a president so he can head a new Cabinet and save himself politically and economically. Saudi Arabia
Will Gulf sanctions impact Lebanon’s banking sector? Although the recent decisions by Gulf states to impose political and economic measures on Lebanon’s Hezbollah sparked concerns about the impact on the country’s economy, experts in the field say Lebanese banks will be able to overcome this phase. Legacy: Gulf