Al Majalla rolled out its December cover story last week, titled Saudi Arabia and the US: renewing a long partnership. In it, Ibrahim Hamidi and Brian Katulis weigh in on the evolution of US-Saudi ties and prospects for the future. Meanwhile, Abdullah F. Alrebh pens a piece titled No US-Saudi defence treaty yet, but a good first step. In it, he says, “The legislation needed to make a strong bond unbreakable is still being discussed, but Saudi Arabia’s $1tn in pledged investment in America and mutually beneficial commitments in technology help pave the path.

For his part, Omar Karkous covers the GCC summit where, following Israel’s unprecedented attack on Qatar in September, Gulf leaders have pledged to forge a unified defence front, marking a historic shift from cautious neutrality to collective security. And Michael Horowitz explains why the US is asking Lebanon to return an unexploded bomb that Israel dropped during its strike that killed Hezbollah’s military chief in November. 

Meanwhile, Subhi Franjieh explains why Israeli actions in southern Syria give Iran an opening. In his piece, he says, “Israeli raids and bombs have served as a powerful recruiting tool for those wishing to resist Israel.” And writing on the one-year anniversary of the fall of longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Robert Ford lays out prospects for Syria’s future, while Haid Haid writes that "if 2025 demonstrated the promise of transition, 2026 is when the hard work of reform, justice and accountability must begin,” adding that “Syrians want more than promises; they want results.”

Onto tensions between the US and Venezuela, Stefanie Butendieck Hijerra outlines the evolution of drug cartels in Latin America. “What began as a locally rooted trade in coca leaves and opium evolved into a transnational system of cartels that challenged governments, corrupted institutions, and destabilised countries,” she explains. 

And Con Coughlin looks at the latest diplomatic moves to end the war in Ukraine in his piece titled Ukraine peace talks: one step forward, two steps back. In it, he says, “The prospects of a breakthrough remain bleak as Putin blames Europe for sabotaging a 28-point peace plan agreed on with the US.” In Economy, Mohammed Sharki looks at how The Moroccan dirham emerges as an alternative currency in African markets. And in technology, Marco Mossad explains how Musk lifted the lid on X social media manipulators.

In Culture, Mohammed Al-Bittari interviews Spanish poet Miriam Reyes, whose collection Con won Spain’s 2025 National Poetry Prize. In their discussion, the acclaimed writer details her creative process and explains how she escapes the prison of the page. And last but not least, Mimoza Al-Arrawi visits Syrian artist Shadi Abu Saada’s latest exhibition in Beirut, where he showcases his take on the migrant experience.