Anuj Chopra

Hungarian-born US investor and philanthropist George Soros answers questions after delivering a speech on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on May 24, 2022. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP)

April 10, 2023, 9:52 am

Soros targeted by antisemitic conspiracy theories, hatred amid Trump indictment

Holocaust survivor philanthropist, accused by ex-US president of wielding control over district attorney who led historic grand jury indictment, faces renewed stream of hate

By Anuj Chopra

Jordanian Bassem Awadallah, then vice president of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), speaks to media in the ancient city of Petra, June 20, 2006. (Joseph BARRAK / AFP)

April 13, 2021, 1:05 pm

Arrest of adviser close to Saudi crown prince in Jordan royal feud stirs unrest

Riyadh keen to reassure Amman it was not involved in alleged plot to destabilize Hashemite kingdom, but also wants to secure release of Bassem Awadallah

By Anuj Chopra

File: Saudi soldiers parade to mark Saudi Arabia's 89th National Day celebrations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

April 10, 2021, 6:21 pm

Saudi Arabia executes 3 soldiers for high treason, collusion with unnamed enemy

Killings come as a Saudi-led military campaign intensifies in neighboring Yemen

By Anuj Chopra

Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz (Screen capture: YouTube)

December 2, 2020, 9:20 pm

Outcry as detained Saudi prince apparently moved to secret site

European lawmaker calls for Saudi Arabia to provide info on whereabouts of Salman bin Abdulaziz and his father, who have been held without charges since 2018

By Anuj Chopra

Then-US vice president Joe Biden, left, offers his condolences to Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, upon the death of Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

November 10, 2020, 11:48 pm

After cozy Trump ties, ‘pariah’ Saudi Arabia faces reckoning with Biden

Mohammed bin Salman now vulnerable to renewed scrutiny from kingdom’s closest Western ally, which could leave him isolated amid challenges that imperil his reform agenda

By Anuj Chopra

In this January 23, 2020, file photo, a delegation of Muslim religious leaders gather at the gate leading to the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz, together with a Jewish group in what organizers called 'the most senior Islamic leadership delegation' to visit the former death camp in Oswiecim, Poland. (American Jewish Committee via AP, File)

September 23, 2020, 10:52 am

No deal with Israel, but Saudi Arabia pushes outreach to Jews

Efforts include barring disparagement of Jews, Christians in mosques; officials say textbooks, which used to denigrate Jews and other non-Muslims as swine and apes, being revised

By Anuj Chopra

Saudi Arabia's King Salman, and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa during the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 21, 2016. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

September 13, 2020, 3:37 am

‘Alternative normalization’ with Saudi Arabia seen in Bahrain-Israel deal

Riyadh unlikely to immediately follow suit in formalizing ties with Jerusalem, but by giving tacit okay for Manama to do so, Saudis appear to be testing waters of open relationship

By Anuj Chopra

A Saudi man reads a newspaper while keeping an eye on a screen displaying stock market figures, at al Jazeera Capital Bank in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 19, 2008. (Hasan Jamali/AP)

September 2, 2020, 12:33 pm

Spurned by allies, Saudi Arabia rethinks checkbook diplomacy

After decades of spending billions to increase its influence, Riyadh has little to show for it, observers say, and allies can no longer rely on Saudi largesse

By Anuj Chopra

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on September 18, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

August 17, 2020, 6:30 am

Saudi Arabia silent over UAE-Israel deal, but covert ties under focus

While Riyadh remains hesitant to publicly declare relationship with Israel, analysts expect a significant increase in behind-the-scenes cooperation

By Anuj Chopra

Imams observe social distance rules as they attend the Eid al-Fitr prayers, at the Grand Mosque in Pristina on May 24, 2020 (Armend NIMANI / AFP)

May 24, 2020, 11:56 am

Virus lockdowns stifle Eid celebrations as global infections rise

Festivities are overshadowed by coronavirus, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections

By Anuj Chopra

Illustrative: A Saudi tornado warplane flies over the Gulf Sea during a training mission, November 29, 2007. (Hassan AMMAR/AFP)

February 19, 2020, 8:42 am

Saudi jet ‘downing’ in Yemen stirs alarm over Houthi weaponry

Rebels say they shot down a Tornado jet in the northern province of Al-Jawf; fate of two crewmen unknown; development may challenge Riyadh-led coalition’s air dominance

By Anuj Chopra

This picture from December 12, 2019, shows (L) a view of the exchange board at the stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh displaying Aramco shares on the second day of their trading, along with a poster depicting Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz ibn Saud (C), his son and current King Salman bin Abdulaziz (R), and the latter's son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)

December 12, 2019, 8:49 pm

Saudi Aramco briefly hits crown prince’s $2 trillion valuation target

Surge in national oil company’s share price vaults Saudi Arabia’s stock market into seventh place among world’s largest exchanges

By Anuj Chopra

The half built Qatari-funded hotel site in the eastern Saudi city of Al-Ahsa is pictured on November 29, 2019 after the construction was abruptly halted following a Saudi-led bloc boycotted Qatar in 2017. (Photo by AFP)

December 9, 2019, 2:08 pm

Once propped up by Qatari high-rollers, Saudi city prays for truce

Al-Ahsa, a border desert oasis where shoppers from Qatar once kept the local economy humming, hopeful for thaw after Riyadh-led bloc accused Doha of backing radical Islamists

By Anuj Chopra

Florida state troopers block traffic over the Bayou Grande Bridge leading to the Pensacola Naval Air Station following a shooting on December 6, 2019, in Pensacola, Florida. (Josh Brasted/Getty Images/AFP)

December 7, 2019, 2:09 pm

Saudi Arabia distances itself from gunman who killed 3 at US military base

Rampage by Saudi military student is setback to kingdom’s efforts to quash image of exporting Islamic extremism; Florida governor says Saudis ‘owe a debt’

By Anuj Chopra

In this photo from November 13, 2019, visitors stop at the Aramco exhibition section at the Misk Global Forum on innovation and technology held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP)

December 6, 2019, 10:43 am

Saudi Aramco raises $25.6 billion in biggest-ever IPO

Sale of stake in kingdom’s national oil company makes it the most valuable firm in the world, but comes up short of $2 trillion valuation hoped for by crown prince

By Anuj Chopra and Luc OLINGA