Saudi Arabia made their debut at the Asian Winter Games in China this week and will controversially host the next edition in a move derided as "awful" by one Olympic skier and denounced by environmental groups.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince may not be inside the room where the first high-level talks between Russia and the United States over Moscow’s war on Ukraine are taking place.

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of top American and Russian officials for a high-stakes rapprochement meeting underlines the kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts.