Brussels was holding a European crisis summit on the war in Ukraine a week after Donald Trump's White House blowout with the Ukrainian president.

Saudi Arabia is not modeling itself after China or India. It is forging a path entirely its own, built on its unique history and ambitions. The question is no longer whether Saudi Arabia is changing—it is whether the world is ready to recognize and embrace it.

Riyadh has been emerging as a neutral ground for mediating geopolitical issues in recent years and Trump’s return to the White House has opened other opportunities as a player in global diplomacy, though its broader strategy is still firmly rooted in the Gulf,

Declaring himself pleased by Zelenskyy's "apology", US envoy Steve Witkoff said he planned to travel to Saudi Arabia to speak to Ukrainian negotiators about an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and a "framework" for a longer agreement.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun will ask Saudi Arabia to reactivate a $3-billion aid package to the Lebanese army in his visit to the kingdom next week, Aoun said in an interview with Asharq television broadcast on Friday.

The Ramzan crescent has been sighted in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Indonesia, marking the start of fasting.