Eritrea

Cuba

Nicaragua

Venezuela

Egypt

Iran

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

China

Norway

Belarus

Russia

Cyber

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

Politics

Science & Technology

Reporters Without Borders published its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, indicating that suppression of journalists and political attacks on the press have "significantly intensified" in the last year, The Guardian reported on May 3.

Global: Press Freedom Declines Amid Pivotal Elections Around the World

Israel

Saudi Arabia increased its arrests of citizens for posting anti-Israel content on social media during the Israel-Hamas war, Bloomberg reported on May 2.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Arrests Anti-Israel Activists

United States

Saudi Arabia is pushing for a "Plan B" bilateral defense pact with the United States that would include U.S. support for a Saudi civilian nuclear program and increased technology cooperation on artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, The Guardian reported on May 1.

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Pushes for 'Plan B' Defense Pact Not Dependent on Israel

Saudi Arabia's economy and planning minister said the country is "focusing on accelerating diversification," with non-oil growth expected between 4% and 5% in 2024, and intends to finish all planned Vision 2030 projects at their intended scale, Bloomberg reported on April 29.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Claims Steady Momentum on Vision 2030, Despite Some Revisions 

Kuwait

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was close to presenting a security deal to Saudi Arabia if it normalized relations with Israel, Agence France-Presse reported on April 29. 

U.S.: Blinken Prepares Saudi Security Deal Dependent on Israel Normalization, Floats More GCC Defense Integration

Riyadh will scale back its medium-term goals for Neom, the $1.5 trillion megaproject city slated to be at the forefront of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals, Bloomberg reported on April 5. 

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Reduces Medium-Term Expectations for Neom

United Arab Emirates

Turkey's Trade Minister Omer Bolat signed a deal to start talks for a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, Reuters reported on March 21.

Turkey, GCC: FTA Talks Could Increase Trade Values, but Negotiations Could Take Years

Energy

Gulf national oil companies Saudi Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. plan to extract lithium from brine in their oil fields, Reuters reported on March 8.

UAE, Saudi Arabia: National Oil Companies To Invest in Lithium Extraction From Oil Field Brine

Assessments

Yemen

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 29 at a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-U.S. Strategic Partnership in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh will continue to progressively advance diplomatic relations with Israel and deepen defense ties with the United States, while maintaining its cautious outreach to Iran.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Riyadh will continue to progressively advance diplomatic relations with Israel and deepen defense ties with the United States, while maintaining its cautious outreach to Iran.

Assessing Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy During the Israel-Hamas War and Beyond

A picture taken on Nov. 22, 2023, shows the Galaxy Leader cargo ship (right), seized by Houthi fighters two days earlier, approaching a port in the Red Sea off Yemen's province of Hodeida. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

Even if the U.S.-led coalition adopts a restrained approach to the ongoing harassment of ships off the coast of Yemen, it would risk escalation and broadening the conflict to Iran.

Can the U.S. and Its Allies Secure the Red Sea From Houthi Attacks?

Ethiopia

South Africa

Brazil

Taiwan

Belgium

India

Leaders at the closing day of the BRICS Summit on Aug. 24, 2023, in Johannesburg. On Jan. 1, BRICS will admit Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia after agreeing at an August summit to expand its membership.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Taiwan's Election Media Blackout, BRICS Expansion

A grab from handout footage released by Yemen's Huthi Ansarullah Media Center on Nov. 19, 2023, reportedly shows members of the rebel group during the capture of an Israel-linked cargo vessel at an undefined location in the Red Sea. 

The rebel group's escalating harassment of commercial shipping in the region may leave the Biden administration with little choice but to directly strike back at the Iranian proxy.

In the Red Sea, Houthi Attacks Force the U.S. to Mull a Tougher Response

Snapshots

Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attend a welcoming ceremony ahead of their talks in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 6, 2023.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The rare visit was likely aimed at aligning the Arab Gulf states on OPEC+ policy and assuaging their concerns about Russia's ties with Iran, but could prompt the U.S. to respond.

The Aims and Implications of Putin's Trip to the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Kenya

OPEC headquarters on June 3, 2023, in Vienna. OPEC+ will meet Nov. 26 to decide whether to deepen production cuts.

Social Issues

The Weekly Rundown: Climate Negotiations at COP28, OPEC+ Meets Following an Oil Sell-off

Liberia

Madagascar

Spain

U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Xi and Biden at APEC, a Saudi Summit on Gaza

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (center) sits next to his Palestinian counterpart during an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's executive committee regarding the situation in Gaza on Oct. 18, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Renewed anti-Israel anger could turn more Saudis against their government and its efforts to normalize ties with Israel, while leaving some more prone to radicalization.

What the Backlash Against Israel's War Means for Saudi Arabia

Lebanon

Syria

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian holds a press conference at the Iranian embassy in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Oct. 14, 2023. 

Iran's recent warnings indicate a growing risk of the conflict expanding beyond its current geographic scope, with Tehran able to use multiple mechanisms to attack Israel and the West.

Iran Threatens to Join the Gaza War, Fueling Fears of an Expanded Conflict

Bahrain

Iraq

Jordan

Morocco

Tunisia

Students from the American University of Beirut (AUB) rally in support of Palestinians outside the main gate of the university in the Lebanese capital on Oct. 9, 2023. 

Israel's likely ground invasion in Gaza will alienate many Muslims in the Middle East, pressuring their governments to respond in support of Palestinians.

Gauging the Regional Response to the Gaza Conflict

A missile explodes over Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on Oct. 8, 2023. 

In response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Israel is widely expected to launch an incursion that could spark another bloody intifada, along with widespread unrest across the region.

The Implications of an Israeli Ground Invasion in Gaza

Iranians attend a gathering in Tehran on Oct. 7, 2023, to express their support for Palestinians after Hamas militants launched a deadly assault into Israel from the Gaza Strip. 

While the exact scope of its participation is unclear, Tehran was likely involved in planning the assault, raising the risk of Israeli and/or U.S. retaliation that could spark a broader conflict.

Iran's Potential Motives for Backing the Hamas Attack on Israel

Comprising a majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is surrounded by Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen.  The kingdom's main geographic challenges are controlling its sparsely populated territory and maintaining shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.    Surrounded by vast deserts, the central Najd plateau is the core of Saudi Arabia and is home to the country's capital, Riyadh. Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest cities, are protected by mountains in the west and flanked by the Red Sea. The security of these cities is a key to the monarchy's legitimacy.    The collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I set the stage for the House of Saud to unify the territory that became Saudi Arabia in 1932. Oil and natural gas have been the country's main exports and source of wealth since their discovery in 1938.     A restive Eastern Province holds a majority of the kingdom's reserves and makes the country vulnerable to invasion from the north or the Persian Gulf. Cross border tribal ties also expose the kingdom to unrest in the south on the border with Yemen.    A scarcity of fresh water and a small population density limit Saudi Arabia's defensive capabilities. Since the vast majority of Saudi oil exports pass via the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, the kingdom has historically relied on a foreign power to balance regional rival, Iran and keep the Strait open.    As global oil consumption continues to rise, Saudi Arabia will continue to play a dominant role in the Middle East despite its geographic challenges.

The Syrian Civil War

The Saudi Survival Strategy

A Crude Recovery

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

SITUATION REPORTS

Global: Press Freedom Declines Amid Pivotal Elections Around the World

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Arrests Anti-Israel Activists

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Pushes for 'Plan B' Defense Pact Not Dependent on Israel

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Claims Steady Momentum on Vision 2030, Despite Some Revisions

U.S.: Blinken Prepares Saudi Security Deal Dependent on Israel Normalization, Floats More GCC Defense Integration

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Reduces Medium-Term Expectations for Neom

Turkey, GCC: FTA Talks Could Increase Trade Values, but Negotiations Could Take Years

UAE, Saudi Arabia: National Oil Companies To Invest in Lithium Extraction From Oil Field Brine

Forecasts

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