IR, Middle East political economy, democracy aid, & development • Egypt she/her • Author, Marketing Democracy: http://bit.ly/3j8sN8k
"Saudi Arabia’s economy shrank by 4.8 per cent in the second quarter compared with the same period last year, the steepest quarterly decline since the Covid-19 pandemic, as the US-Iran war takes its toll on the Arab world’s largest economy."
Saudi economy shrinks as Middle East conflict takes heavy tollGDP contracted by 4.8% in second quarter compared with same period in 2025giftarticle.ft.comRIP to the magnificent Glen Hansard.
Glen Hansard (2015): KCRW Live From ApogeeYouTube video by KCRWyoutu.be"A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said in an initial assessment on Wednesday, in a potential spread of the Middle East war."
Drone hits storage tanker at Egyptian port on Mediterranean, security firm Ambrey saysBy Jana Choukeir and Ahmed TolbaDUBAI/CAIRO, July 29 (Reuters) - A drone hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said in an...www.al-monitor.com"Hundreds of Jordanian political, legal and other figures signed an open letter last week calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Jordan in a rare public challenge to the government, which has long cracked down on free speech and dissent."
Some Jordanians Dare to Speak Out Against U.S. Troop Presence (Gift Article)Hundreds of political, legal and other figures signed a public letter warning that Jordan’s close alliance with the United States poses a risk.www.nytimes.com"Xi Jinping’s flagship overseas infrastructure programme the Belt and Road Initiative boosted its green energy financing to a record $20.1bn in the first half of 2026 as the US war in Iran fuels demand for cheaper renewable power."
China pours funding into green energy deals as Iran war hits oil demandBeijing’s Belt and Road Initiative takes advantage of rise in appetite for renewables as Middle East conflict drags ongiftarticle.ft.com"It turns out that would-be authoritarians don’t need to staff their regimes with ideological true believers, offer extreme enticements or impose draconian punishments in order to make successful power grabs.They just need to figure out how to target their ideal labor pool:the frustrated & mediocre"
"It turns out that would-be authoritarians don’t need to staff their regimes with ideological true believers, offer extreme enticements or impose draconian punishments in order to make successful power grabs.They just need to figure out how to target their ideal labor pool:the frustrated & mediocre"
Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. (Gift Article)New research sheds light on how mediocre employees help would-be authoritarians maintain power.www.nytimes.com"There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia to Trump’s comments. The kingdom’s state news TV channel highlighted a post by the US president about punishing Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iran but appeared to ignore his statement about the nuclear deal, posted a few minutes earlier." 🫠
Trump says Saudi nuclear deal depends on relations with IsraelCrown prince has insisted any rapprochement with Israel will depend on steps towards establishing Palestinian stategiftarticle.ft.com"The agreement includes two secret side letters reached with the Saudis. The administration is expected to argue they contain proprietary business information and deal with sensitive national security issues" I'm sure nothing dodgy is at play, nor any profiteering by administration officials...
Erin A. SniderSome real art of the deal genius. To get this deal with MBS, Trump had to agree to terms that would limit international inspectors from going to sites they think could be a pathway to diverting fuel to weapons projects.& Saudis may be allowed to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium on their soil.
Some real art of the deal genius. To get this deal with MBS, Trump had to agree to terms that would limit international inspectors from going to sites they think could be a pathway to diverting fuel to weapons projects.& Saudis may be allowed to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium on their soil.
Saudis Reach Deal With U.S. That Could Let Them Enrich Nuclear Fuel (Gift Article)U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials have expressed opposition to such a plan, to be announced Wednesday, fearing that the kingdom could use a civilian nuclear project to develop nuclear weapons.www.nytimes.com"Kuwait has been targeted by nearly 1,400 missile and drone attacks, according to INSS, second only to the United Arab Emirates — and has borne the brunt of renewed strikes since a fragile weeks-long ceasefire between Washington and Tehran broke down this month."
The Gulf nation that became Iran’s softest targetKuwait, still scarred by the 1990 Iraqi invasion, has been repeatedly attacked by Tehran and its alliesgiftarticle.ft.com"The proposal revived bitter memories in Lebanon, which the Syrian military occupied for nearly three decades. It also baffled Syrians, whose government has made clear over and over again that it has no interest in meddling in its neighbors’ affairs or entering into more wars."
Trump Suggestion of a Syrian Crackdown on Hezbollah Confounds Many in Mideastwww.nytimes.comChina emerges as a relative winner from the Strait of Hormuz crisis. "One main takeaway is that the crisis has demonstrated Beijing’s ability to use prices, export controls, subsidies and a managed currency to absorb shocks in its economy."
China Emerges as a Relative Winner From Strait of Hormuz Crisiswww.nytimes.comOn the heartbreaking death of Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil in Tyre. Her house was hit during Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon two weeks ago. In the words of her friend, "She absolutely refused to be displaced, which was fitting for someone so determined."
Philip Gourevitch"She used to talk about the beach like it was a person. Her bond to the sunset, her bond to the water and the turtles….she was really into conservation, and into the soul, the spirit of conservation." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...