Former White House chief of staff and Democratic politician Rahm Emanuel says he turned down bribes from the Saudi government while traveling to the country on a state visit with then President

WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump, whose family has major business interests in the Gulf countries he is visiting this week, said there was no talk of building a Trump Tower in Syria or golf during his meetings in Saudi Arabia that ended on Wednesday.

The emirate, once called “a funder of terrorism” by President Trump, has spent lavishly on overhauling its global reputation.

The kingdom is not the only Gulf Arab state to be accused of abusing migrant laborers in the run-up to a World Cup. Rights groups also criticized Qatar, which hosted the competition in 2022, saying they tallied thousands of unexplained worker deaths.

It’s Wednesday, and we’re halfway through the week! Unfortunately, the rain is expected to continue through the weekend. In today’s issue: Trump touts record Boeing deal in Qatar

President Donald Trump's trip to Qatar is off to a flying start. Like Saudi Arabia a day earlier, Qatar didn't bother waiting for Trump to land before setting out to impress him with a fighter jet escort.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Riyadh was seeking to “de-escalate” the situation in the Middle East and “end the war in Gaza.”

An old tweet from Tulsi Gabbard, the head of intelligence, is circulating online as US President Donald Trump commences his four-day Middle East tour.