Good morning,

As some of you are probably aware, I have recently been selected for the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia Journalism School for the 2021-2022 academic year. Therefore, I have decided to put Riyadh Bureau on hold while I pursue the fellowship which starts next month in New York City.

This was not an easy decision: your reception and support since I began working full-time on the newsletter earlier this year have been overwhelming and gratifying. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it and discussing its topics with many of you over the past six months. But after talking with officials at the school about the workload and the nature of the programme, it has become clear to me that the best thing to do would be to dedicate my full attention to the fellowship and try to make the most of the experience.

Thanks for reading and for your support. I have paused paid subscriptions. Billing cycles are frozen, so you will not be charged until I resume regular publishing in the future, but if you prefer to cancel your subscription you can find more information on how to do that here. I may send occasional, infrequent dispatches if I feel the urge to write, but please do stay in touch and let’s keep the conversation going. My email is alomran@hey.com.

—Ahmed