February
The ex-Goldman banker who became Vladimir Putin’s dealmaker
A US-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, Kirill Dmitriev has cut an unexpected figure at recent talks between the US and Russia in Riyadh.
The Australian at the heart of Saudi’s billion-dollar push to dominate global sport
Danny Townsend ran Sydney FC and then the A-League. Now he’s in the box seat to observe Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to dominate world sport. Will his gamble pay off?
Russian wealth fund sees US companies returning in 2025
Some in Russia think economic ties will soon be resumed following the most senior US-Russia meeting this week on the Ukraine war since it began.
Saudi government buys stake in Foxtel’s new owner, DAZN
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it ultimately gives the Gulf kingdom an influential voice in the Australian broadcast market.
Golf club drama in the way of the Saudi revolution
The Saudi-backed golf exhibition will need Grange club members to agree to host the event in the years ahead.
Ukraine snub in looming US, Russia talks in Saudi Arabia
Top Trump officials plan to meet Russian envoys to discuss a path to ending the war in Ukraine, but Kyiv has so far not been invited.
Adam Scott meets Trump in Oval Office to end golf civil war
The Australian player was part of a delegation to the White House to ask the US president to broker a deal to reunite international golf’s rivals.
The truth about Saudi Arabia’s rulers is worse than you thought
The regime is at once “ruthless and reckless” - but that hasn’t stopped the Scramble for Arabia as business, sports and political figures chase their fortunes in the desert.
‘Dubai on the Mediterranean’: Inside Trump’s Gaza plan
The US president’s proposal to expel millions of Palestinians emerges from a fringe idea in his first term that was rejected by Palestinian leaders.
January
Foxtel’s $3.4b sale a bet on a billionaire, not a deal of the decade
There’s much more to the pay TV and streaming provider’s ownership change than the headline price. Now Saudi Arabia is involved.
Gaza hostage deal brings joy – but four painful months lie ahead
While for some families the peace deal will bring immediate joy, for others the process will dash the last embers of hope as loved ones are returned broken or in body bags.
December 2024
Why did Germany’s bizarre terrorist send me angry messages?
Little did I know that the sender would end up being the main suspect in Friday’s Christmas market attack in the eastern city of Magdeburg.
Saudi Arabia warned German police over market suspect’s extreme views
Saudi Arabia sent four warnings to German authorities over the extreme views of Taleb al Abdulmohsen, who posted of his plans to do “something big”.
November 2024
‘Messy stuff is over’: LIV Golf dumps Greg Norman
The Great White Shark will be replaced by Scott O’Neil, who is CEO of Merlin Entertainments in the UK and former president of the NBA’s New York Knicks.
How oil ‘wildcatters’ seized Trump’s energy agenda
Shale barons are jubilant about the Republican’s plan for US “energy dominance”. Climate campaigners fear four years of global warming denialism.
Trump win unlikely to spur US oil, gas production
Despite the president-elect’s promises, production is unlikely to surge as Wall Street demands returns over growth.
From London to Riyadh: six expat hotspots that will make you richer
We sent a hypothetical young lawyer abroad to find out which income and tax combination would help them grow wealth fastest. The winner may surprise you.
October 2024
Saudi crown prince’s beach party looks to show Neom dream is real
It was to be the city of the future that revolutionised everyday life. Yet its development has been plagued by challenges.
Beware the unintended consequences of Middle East escalation
As tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv flare again, the broader geopolitical consequences of the crisis remain difficult to discern.
Nuclear war or lasting peace? What lies ahead for the Middle East
For many Israelis, there is an obvious emotive appeal for a decisive, region-changing war. But beyond its borders, allies fear doing so may prompt a bloodbath.