Jackie Northam

The key to Saudi Arabia's attempt to set up its economy for the future is foreign investment. But suspicions that the Saudis murdered a prominent critic could scare off the money they need.

The disappearance of a Saudi journalist who went into one of Saudi Arabia's consulates has prompted only muted response from the White House.

"The Chinese figured out that technology is the key to wealth and power, and the source of technology is still the West for China," says one China and tech watcher.

A prominent U.S.-based Saudi journalist has gone missing in Istanbul after visiting the Saudi consulate there. It raises concern he's caught up in the Kingdom's crackdown on free speech.

Iranian oil exports are tumbling ahead of the reimposition of sanctions in early November by the Trump administration. But Iran's biggest oil customer, China may try and circumvent the sanctions to keep the oil coming.

We preview the testimony of Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford in front of a Senate committee Thursday. Also, the U.S. is reimposing sanctions on Iran, despite European opposition.

Container giant Maersk will send one of its ships through the Arctic on the Northern Sea Route to test its feasibility as a new, time-saving shipping lane.

Saudi Arabia continues to strike back at Canada for criticizing the kingdom's human rights record. The Canadian prime minister says his country will keep speaking out.

The Saudi government announced it will stop its national airline from traveling to Toronto. This comes after the Gulf nation expelled the Canadian ambassador and recalled its own ambassador.

President Trump has railed against Canada when it comes to trade. A particular point of criticism is the dairy industry. Canada slaps steep tariffs on imports of milk, cheese and butter from the U.S.

Canada is imposing retaliatory tariffs on nearly $13 billion of U.S. goods. It's in response to the Trump administration's tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel.

Among the items targeted in retaliatory tariffs: ketchup, powerboats, dishwashing liquid, steel and aluminum. And gherkins. Canadian businesses have flooded a Canadian pickle business with new orders.

"The brutality of American politics right now is something that is profoundly shocking to Canadians," says a former Trudeau adviser. "I think many people feel they do not recognize the U.S. anymore."

As Iran reels from economic unrest, the U.S. is increasing pressure by warning that it will start punishing countries that buy Iranian oil, including giants like China and India.

The government has ambitious plans to diversify the oil kingdom — and that means revamping the world's biggest petroleum producer.

Allowing women to drive was the emblem of a new Saudi Arabia and its young crown prince. But the arrest of pro-driving activists has generated second thoughts about the country's purported reforms.

These days, some young people in the conservative kingdom also use Tinder to find a match.

The Saudi kingdom says it is trying to wean the economy off an oil and foreign worker dependency. Employers say it has not been easy.

NPR boards a passenger train that crosses the vast, harsh Saudi Arabian desert, from the capital Riyadh to the eastern oil city of Dammam.

Aircraft giant Boeing looked at deals worth billions of dollars with Iran. Now the Trump administration is preventing them as it pulls out of the nuclear agreement. But the company wasn't counting on the deals anyway.