MUST-READS

• New Trump travel ban could bar Afghans, Pakistanis soon, sources say
  A new travel ban by President Donald Trump could bar people from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the U.S. as soon as next week based on a government review of countries' security and vetting risks, three sources familiar with the matter said. The three sources, who requested anonymity, said other countries could also be on the list but did not know which ones. The move harkens back to the Republican president's first term ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

• Turkey moves to power Saudi Arabia’s defense-driven economic transformation

  Riyadh’s bold plans to localize 50% of its defense sector by 2030 are reshaping its approach to military-industrial development. In line with this vision, leading Turkish defense companies such as Baykar, ASFAT and ASELSAN are forging co-production agreements, paving the way for intensifying technology transfer, and expanding local manufacturing capabilities within the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s proposed 6B USD defense agreement with Turkey is a significant step forward for this vision. The deal is expected to include a diverse range of hardware—including warships, the  battle tank Altay, a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and potential collaboration on fifth-generation KAAN stealth fighters. These moves signal broader geostrategic aims beyond a shift in military procurement. In this context, the looming deal has the potential to radically transform Riyadh’s economic and industrial landscape.

• Saudi Giga Projects Report 2025: 24 Giga Projects Transforming Saudi Arabia’s Economy & Infrastructure

  The report provides an in-depth analysis of 24 transformative mega-projects driving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Covering Neom, The Line, Oxagon, King Salman International Airport, Diriyah Project, and more, this report details project progress, contractor awards, and investment opportunities. These giga-projects are reshaping Saudi infrastructure, tourism, and technology, offering lucrative business and subcontractor opportunities.

• Warburg Pincus Partners With Hassana to Chase Saudi Arabia Deals

  Warburg Pincus LLC and Saudi Arabia’s $320 billion pension fund manager will jointly explore deals in the kingdom as the global private equity firm looks to boost its presence in the Middle East. The $86 billion firm’s peers like Ardian SAS, General Atlantic and CVC Capital Partners have either opened offices for deal-making in the region or boosted headcount.  Warburg currently has exposure to the Middle Eastern market through Gradiant, a clean-tech water projects solutions provider and developer. Its previous investments in the region include BPO solutions provider Mercator, which it combined it with Accelya and exited in 2019, and payments firm Network International.

• Saudi Energy Expansion: Lithium Production in Focus

  Lithium, often dubbed “white gold,” plays a critical role in the manufacture of electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage systems, and renewable energy infrastructure. Aramco, in collaboration with Ma’aden, aims to extract lithium from high-concentration deposits and introduce cost-effective direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. With concentrations exceeding 400 parts per million identified in existing operations, Aramco is leveraging its decades of subsurface geological data and advanced digital tools to establish a robust lithium supply chain. This initiative builds on Aramco’s strengths as one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, while Ma’aden contributes deep mining expertise. Their partnership is a testament to Saudi Arabia’s focus on industrial diversification and leadership in the energy transition minerals market.

• New project focuses on restoring degraded lands in Saudi Arabia

  The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has launched a project to study and assess degraded sites in Saudi Arabia’s western and southern regions.  Using advanced technology, the project will develop rehabilitation plans aligned with global standards as part of a broader national strategy, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.  It focuses on identifying degraded areas and analyzing direct and indirect causes in Makkah, Madinah, Baha, Asir, Jazan, and Najran.

• Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chief Forges ‘Landmark’ Boxing Promotion Partnership With TKO and Saudi’s Sela

  Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia‘s General Entertainment Authority, has forged a multi-year boxing promotion partnership with U.S. sports and entertainment conglomerate TKO and Saudi sports marketing company Sela in what is being touted as a landmark deal. He is the mastermind behind the “Day of Reckoning” boxing matches held in Riyadh involving huge names such as Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. Over the past few years Alalshikh has been behind Saudi Arabia’s large investments in many other sports as well, including soccer, golf, Formula 1 and, most recently, tennis.

• Arab leaders, UN endorse Egypt’s $53 billion Gaza plan

  According to the 112-page draft document seen by the DPA and Reuters news agencies, an initial six-month recovery phase would focus on removing rubble and installing temporary housing at a cost of around $3 billion. In a first phase proper, the plan calls for the building of 200,000 housing units in Gaza over the next two years. A second stage will see 200,000 more housing units. By 2030, the plan foresees hundreds of thousands of new homes housing up to 3 million people as well as an airport, industrial zones, hotels and parks. President Sissi said an "independent" Palestinian body would manage Gaza under the reconstruction plan, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas saying his Palestinian Authority would be prepared to play a role.

• TKO Launches Boxing Promotion Partnership With Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, Sela Group

  UFC and WWE parent TKO Group has, as promised, jumped into boxing, inking a partnership with Saudi Arabia. The deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, and Sela, the Saudi national entertainment and events conglomerate, will establish a new boxing promotion that will provide a platform for leading boxers and prospects in the sport. TKO will serve as managing partner, providing day-to-day operational expertise, management and oversight of the promotion, with executive leadership anchored by UFC CEO Dana White and WWE president and TKO board member Nick Khan. TKO CEO Mark Shapiro called the agreement “a strategic opportunity to reimagine the sport of boxing globally.” He had teased a deal as imminent on an earnings call last week. “TKO has the deep expertise, promotional prowess, and longstanding relationships. HE Turki Alalshikh and Sela share our passion and vision for evolving the current model. Together, we can bring the sweet science back to its rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem.”

• MBS confirms Saudi Arabia’s support for resolutions adopted by Arab League summit on Gaza

  Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the Kingdom’s full support for the resolutions adopted by the extraordinary Arab League summit on Gaza. The meeting – held in Egypt’s Cairo – saw leaders from the Arab region come together to counter US President Donald Trump’s “Middle East Riveria” vision, which seeks to displace Palestinians in the territory from their homes. The Cabinet also stressed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to attain their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state along the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital, according to SPA.

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