France's Macron lands in Riyadh on surprise 'solidarity' visit
French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Riyadh in a surprise "solidarity" visit, making him the first Western leader to touch down in the kingdom since Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis intensified their attacks this month. The unannounced trip sends a strong signal to his oil-rich Saudi ally as Riyadh comes under near-daily attack. It was part of a Gulf tour to secure oil and diesel and bring down prices in France, following a weekend of violent protests over soaring living costs.
