MUST-READS

• Indian State Refiners Eye Middle East Crude to Offset Russian Supply Shortfall

  Indian state refiners are considering tapping into the Middle East crude market as spot supply from their top supplier, Russia, have fallen, according to Reuters. The three major state refiners, Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, and Hindustan Petroleum, are facing a shortfall of 8-10 million barrels of Russian oil for January loading, The refiners fear ongoing challenges in securing Russian oil in the spot market could continue in the coming months due to rising domestic demand in Russia and its commitments under the OPEC pact. Reuters reported that companies might increase crude purchases from Middle East suppliers under optional volumes in term contracts or issue a spot tender for high-sulphur oil.

• The Year ahead in the Middle East: A weakened Iran has big Implications for China

  For a significant period of time, Iran’s status as a rising power within the region has been regarded as a consistent reality in assessing Middle Eastern geopolitics. But events since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel have seen Iran’s position in the region erode substantially. The balance of power in the Middle East has consequently been irreversibly altered. A key pillar supporting Iran’s previously powerful status in the Middle East has been its cultivation of the “Axis of Resistance,” a group of Iranian allies across the region that acted together against Israeli and American interests. The members of the axis, in addition to Iran itself, include Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite militias, the Houthis and Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.

• Saudi previously sought extradition for Germany attack suspect: Source close to government

  Saudi Arabia had previously requested extradition for the Saudi suspect in Germany’s deadly Christmas market attack, a source close to the government told AFP on Monday. “There was [an extradition] request,” said the source, without giving the reason for the request, adding that Riyadh had warned he “could be dangerous.” The attack on Friday evening killed five people. Saudi Arabia had warned Germany “many times” about Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, the source said. He did not explain in what way he was considered potentially dangerous.

• Saudi-Emirati Divergences Lead Hadhramawt to a Crossroad
  Traditionally, Saudi Arabia has had a significant impact in oil-rich Hadhramawt, Yemen’s largest governorate. This has been shaped by religious and cultural ties, a common border stretching for over 600 kilometers, the cross-border mobility of populations, trade, and national security considerations. The Saudis have maintained strong relationships with local elites and tribes, and deepened their security footprint after the merger in 2009 of the Saudi and Yemeni al-Qaeda branches to form al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which seized Mukalla, Hadhramawt’s main coastal city, in April 2015.

• Hyundai Motor and Global Industry Leaders Conclude Hydrogen Fuel Cell Coach Bus Trial in Saudi Arabia
  Hyundai Motor Company, in partnership with Saudi Transport General Authority, Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO/SAT), Almajdouie Motors Company, Air Products Qudra, Abdullah Hashim Gases, and ARAMCO, has successfully concluded a strategic initiative to evaluate the hydrogen-based mobility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The collaboration involved a two-month trial of the Hyundai Universe Fuel Cell Coach Bus in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. The project aimed to assess the feasibility and performance of hydrogen-powered transportation, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s journey toward sustainable mobility.

• Saudi football gets its own Netflix documentary

  Over six episodes, Saudi Pro League: Kickoff chronicles the 2023-24 season, highlighting the impact of Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in 2022. His arrival in Riyadh — and a $200-million-a-year contract — inspired global stars, including Brazil’s Neymar and French striker Karim Benzema, to move to Saudi, elevating the league’s market value and global reach, with matches broadcast in 180 countries. The series examines football’s deep cultural roots in Saudi Arabia, and provides insight into the lives of the newcomers to the country.

• Influence Abroad: Saudi Arabia Replaces Salafism in its Soft Power Outreach
  Today, there is greater acknowledgment, both in Saudi Arabia and abroad, of the connection between certain Salafi teachings and extremism. By cutting back on Saudi support for Salafism, the prince has tried to dispel the notion that the kingdom supports extremist groups. He has also understood the security risks that some such groups may pose, not least threats to Saudi Arabia itself, especially after the Arab upheavals in 2011 and the rise of Islamist movements throughout the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s strategic use of ideology aptly illustrates how it was able to make use of religious doctrine not simply as a guiding principle, but also as an instrument in its relations across borders. However, this brought with it its own series of complexities, not least how far the kingdom’s Salafi ideology would spread, and how it was interpreted and used once it was picked up by others over whom the Saudis had no control.

• Cruise Saudi soft launches private island cruise destination

  Cruise Saudi has partially opened its new private island cruise destination, Saba Beach on Jabal AlSabaya. Passengers onboard AROYA Cruises’ cruise ship AROYA were the first to experience the private island in a soft launch. Jabal AlSabaya, which is around 220 nautical miles from AROYA’s homeport of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, will only be accessible to cruise line passengers. The island’s facilities on completion will include a floating park, restaurant, retail outlets, a VIP beach and VVIP beachfront villas. A spa experience, shisha lounge and a range of water activities will also be available for guests, along with snorkelling excursions.

• End of ‘blank cheque’ culture for Saudi consultancy

  Saudi Arabia remains a boom town for the global consultancy industry, but experts have warned it is no longer the land of milk and honey for international operators and there is now a tighter hold being placed on budgets. The Saudi consultancy market, the largest in the GCC, expanded by 18.2 percent in 2023 with revenues reaching a record $3.2 billion. Opportunities remain, but Saudi Arabia is scaling back its trillion-dollar Vision 2030 giga-projects, and Dane Albertelli, a London-based senior research analyst focused on the industry at Source Global Research, says consultants are now having to “prove their worth”. “I think the days of the blank cheque consulting projects are over in Saudi,” he tells AGBI. “I’d say consultants need to rein in what they think and their expectations. There’s no longer an infinite money tree.”

• The Camel Museum: A Living Symbol of Authentic Saudi Culture

  Believing in the importance of participating in this national celebration of the camel, we at “Northwest Bus” launched a distinctive competition for designing a bus sticker inspired by the Year of the Camel. We invited all creative students across the Kingdom to participate with their ideas and innovative designs to take part in this historical journey and express their pride in this cherished national symbol.  In conclusion, let us celebrate the Year of the Camel with a spirit of pride and heritage, and look forward to a bright future that combines authenticity, progress, and pride in our national identity. 

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