Robbie COREY-BOULET

Forces loyal to Yemen's Houthi rebels take part in a military parade marking the seventh anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention in their country, in the capital Sana'a, on March 31, 2022. (Mohammed Huwais/AFP)

April 10, 2023, 12:14 am

Saudi delegation in Yemen for talks with rebels aimed at ending devastating war

Riyadh and Houthis reportedly agree on truce to pave way for peace, after hundreds of thousands killed; comes after surprise agreement between Saudis and Iran, which backs rebels

By Jamil Nasser and Robbie COREY-BOULET

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, speaks during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 14, 2021. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP, File)

March 25, 2023, 5:41 am

‘Sea change’: Disruptive Saudi prince shows new pragmatism with Iran

Some analysts believe deal with Tehran signals maturation and realism in Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regional approach

By Robbie COREY-BOULET and Haitham el-Tabei

A man in Tehran holds a local newspaper reporting on its front page the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

March 13, 2023, 7:58 pm

‘Early days’: Middle East officials, analysts cautious on Iran-Saudi deal

Joint statement announcing China-brokered rapprochement deal identifies 2-month window for sides to formally restart relations, reopen diplomatic missions after 7-year rupture

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, at right, shakes hands with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban, at left, as Wang Yi, China's most senior diplomat, looks on, at center, for a photo during a closed meeting held in Beijing, March 11, 2023. (Luo Xiaoguang/Xinhua via AP)

March 11, 2023, 5:10 pm

Reestablishment of Saudi-Iran ties adds twist to Israel’s Arab outreach

One analyst calls China-brokered deal ‘a clear diplomatic victory for Iran’ and ‘a blow’ to Netanyahu, but others argue it may not be such terrible news for Jerusalem

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Serhiy Petrovytch Doumenko, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv, Head of Ukraine church, leads an Orthodox Christmas service at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv on January 7, 2023. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP)

January 8, 2023, 12:03 am

Little letup in fighting as Ukraine marks Orthodox Christmas under Russian invasion

Despite Putin declaring 36-hour ceasefire for religious festival, heavy artillery fire reported along frontlines; Russia says it ‘repelled attacks’ during period

By Daria ANDRIIEVSKA and Robbie COREY-BOULET

This handout picture taken and released by Ukrainian Presidential Office on December 31, 2022 shows the President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena during their New Year's address to Ukrainian people. (Photo by AFP)

January 1, 2023, 6:40 am

Zelensky says Ukraine to fight until victory, as Russia continues bombings into 2023

Explosions rock Kyiv 30 minutes after new year begins, with much of country in darkness; president says in annual address: ‘Ukrainians, you are incredible, we fight as one team’

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

A serviceman stands at the bottom of a hotel, partially destroyed by a Russian strike, in the center of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv on December 31, 2022 (Sergei Supinsky/AFP)

December 31, 2022, 6:38 pm

Russia strikes Ukraine hours before New Year; Putin: Moral rightness on our side

Ukrainians prepare to celebrate December 31 despite ongoing war: ‘Our enemies can destroy our calm but they cannot destroy our spirit’

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Rescuers clear debris of homes destroyed by a missile attack in the outskirts of Kyiv, on December 29, 2022, following a Russian missile strike on Ukraine. (Genya Savilov/AFP)

December 30, 2022, 8:59 pm

Ukraine says it repelled attack of Iran-made drones from Russia

Kyiv says its forces shot down all 16 kamikaze craft, with no casualties

By Robbie COREY-BOULET and Cecile Feuillatre

Saudis attend the Noor Riyadh lighting festival held at Al-Salam Park in the Saudi capital Riyadh, November 3, 2022. (Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

November 10, 2022, 7:51 am

Saudi light festival tries to sell public on push to become arts destination

More than 130 artists from 40 countries participating in Noor Riyadh event in capital, which curators say aims to bring art to those who can’t travel to see it elsewhere

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Two British citizens Aiden Aslin, left, and Shaun Pinner, right, and Moroccan Saaudun Brahim, center, sit behind bars in a courtroom in Donetsk, in the territory which is under the Government of the Donetsk People's Republic control, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, June 9, 2022. (AP Photo)

September 22, 2022, 1:53 am

10 POWs, including 2 Americans, released from Russia in exchange with Ukraine

Five Britons also transferred to Saudi Arabia in deal brokered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Mirror-encased skyscrapers extending over 170 kilometers (more than 100 miles), known collectively as The Line, at the planned Neom city in Saudi Arabia, unveiled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on July 25, 2022. (Neom.com)

July 27, 2022, 1:59 pm

Saudi Arabia unveils design of car-free, futuristic megacity Neom

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presents plans for parallel structures of mirror-encased skyscrapers 170 km long known collectively as The Line, in reimagination of urban life

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) welcomes Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman upon his arrival at the Elysee Presidential palace for a meeting on April 10, 2018 in Paris. (AFP Photo/Ludovic Marin)

July 26, 2022, 8:51 pm

Saudi crown prince flies to Europe for first time since Khashoggi murder

Mohammed bin Salman will meet leaders of France and Greece to discuss deepening bilateral ties, as diplomatic fallout over brutal killing fades

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

US President Joe Biden boards Air Force One before departing from King Abdulaziz International Airport, wrapping up his first Middle East tour as president, in the Saudi Arabia city of Jeddah, July 16, 2022, (Mandel Ngan/AFP)

July 17, 2022, 6:42 pm

Biden wraps up Mideast tour without any significant diplomatic breakthroughs

There’s little question the moves announced during Biden’s trip were ‘modest,’ but some represent ‘positive signs of perhaps something bigger to come,’ says one analyst

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves as he arrives to give a speech during a party parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) in Ankara, Turkey, on April 20, 2022. (Adem Altan/AFP)

April 28, 2022, 11:58 pm

Turkish President Erdogan visits Saudi Arabia, in first since Khashoggi killing

Erdogan hopes ‘to launch a new era’ in bilateral ties with Gulf country, following years of tensions after dissident’s assassination

By Robbie COREY-BOULET

Saudi model Ziad al-Mesfer is pictured in Tahliya street in the capital Riyadh, on April 9, 2022. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)

April 17, 2022, 8:57 am

A boundary-pushing male model tests gender norms in a changing Saudi Arabia

Ziad al-Mesfer, 25, has millions of Snapchat followers and has captured the attention of luxury brands in the conservative country where dressing as a woman is forbidden

By Robbie COREY-BOULET