United States

The Iraqi PM and Joe Biden stuck to the script, emphasising economic opportunities. No one mentioned US troop withdrawal, but Baghdad's tense relations with Iraqi Kurds did come up.

Six months of war have led to huge swings in public opinion and growing criticism of Israel from US leaders, which would have been unthinkable in the past. Have things changed?

The Saudis have outlined their conditions for a true and binding pact. Such a pact is highly unlikely, not least because of the current US political atmosphere and the issue of US-Saudi mistrust.

Plastic bottles contribute a quarter of the pollution affecting seas and oceans. The biggest two companies are trying to out 'green' each other, but doubts are being cast over their recycling plans.

The presidential candidate's views encapsulate a deep-seated American cultural preference to prioritise trade benefits over political alliances.

There's a great risk that the Gaza war's repercussions could spread elsewhere, from Baghdad to Beirut to the Red Sea

China is still growing faster than the US, but economic parity will be much delayed

In 2022 alone, 524 AI startups were founded in the US and 160 in China

Presidents Biden, focussed on security, and Xi, focussed on the economy, may strike an item or two from their to-do lists in San Francisco, but the a-la-carte agreement will have limited success.

The SDF commander rejects demands to disband his forces and tells Al Majalla in an exclusive interview that US-Russian tension east of the Euphrates is 'under control'