Saudi Arabia extends hand to Venezuelan leader Maduro in state visit.

Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy with US foes. The visit comes ahead of an international conference on combating extremism in Riyadh, which will be co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been restoring relations with Iran and Syria, and recently hosted Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a senior Russian official under Western sanctions. The diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdom's image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects.