Summary: while Benjamin Netanyahu continues his courtship of fascist politicians, Palestinians continue to suffer under occupation with leaders in the West and even some in the Middle East showing unwavering support for Israel.
Summary: a new book on Yemen by Arab Digest contributor Helen Lackner is an invaluable primer on the history, politics and prospects of a country stalked by war.
Summary: President Biden has promised to hold MbS to account and impose consequences on the ruthless and unstable Saudi leader. The best way for him to do so would be to secure the release of Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz.
Summary: with word that two storied football franchises are for sale, Gulf bidders signal their interest; a game of double standards and hypocrisy plays on as Netanyahu assembles an extremist government; and an ageing superstar looks set to cash in on one more big payday.
Summary: despite the recent uptick in equity markets, global economic prospects look gloomy enough to justify agreement on a further cut in output when OPEC+ meets on 4 December.
Summary: a book just out takes a fresh look at the Benghazi attack that killed the US ambassador to Libya and became a political cudgel rather than an object lesson in the failures of US foreign policy and diplomacy.
Summary: Saudi Arabia’s response to the market threat posed by US shale was to broker a partnership with Russia in 2016 that six years later is working very well, allowing the Saudis to exert geopolitical influence while shrugging off demands from the Biden White House.
Summary: a renegade golf tournament handsomely funded through Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund shows MbS has ambitions well beyond the links.
Summary: the fighting may have largely ceased but Yemen’s food insecurity increases as humanitarian funding falls and prices for basic commodities continue to rise.
Summary: Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is now Twitter’s second largest shareholder after Elon Musk, raising questions about threats to US national security interests, especially as the prince and his business concerns are allegedly controlled by MbS.
