MUST-READS

• ‘Haram. Haram. Haram!’ — Riyadh Air CEO slams lack of direct flights from Saudi Arabia to major global cities

  “Haram. Haram. Haram.” With those three emphatic words, Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas made it clear — Saudi Arabia’s lack of direct global connectivity is unacceptable, and it’s time to fix it. Speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum on Wednesday, Douglas didn’t hold back. “We can’t travel directly from Riyadh to Tokyo, to Shanghai, to Seoul, to Sydney — the list goes on and on,” he said. What’s worse, Saudi travelers are propping up foreign airlines instead. “The number one premium passenger for Qatar Airways — business and first class — is Saudi passport holders. Number three on Emirates? Saudi passport holders,” he revealed. Even Douglas himself is forced to fly Emirates next week to attend FII Miami. “Why? Because there is no direct connectivity from Riyadh. Haram. Haram. Haram.”

• Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of global anti-corruption network

  Saudi Arabia, through its Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, or Nazaha, has assumed the presidency of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities. Spain handed over the leadership of the GlobE Network during a ceremony at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. Nasser Nasser Abaalkhail, Nazaha’s deputy for international collaboration, was installed as chairman of the committee, with Boni de Moraes Soares, Brazil’s national solicitor for international affairs, as vice chair.

• Saudi Arabia, Tanzania Sign Trade Agreements and Establish Joint Business Council

  The Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry And Agriculture (TCCIA) signed an agreement to establish a joint Saudi-Tanzanian business council, marking a significant stride towards enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries. The signing ceremony took place in Dar es Salaam on the sidelines of the Saudi-Tanzanian Roundtable meeting held yesterday, in which ministers, officials, and business leaders from both countries took part. During the meeting, discussions revolved around exploring partnership opportunities in vital sectors such as ports, agriculture, and transportation. The event also witnessed the signing of trade agreements between Saudi and Tanzanian companies across various economic sectors.

• Saudi Arabia spearheads Arab scramble for alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan

  Draft ideas will be discussed at a meeting in Riyadh this month of countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Proposals may involve a Gulf-led reconstruction fund and a deal to sideline Hamas, five of the people said. Reuters spoke to 15 sources in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and elsewhere to build a picture of the hurried efforts by Arab states to pull together existing proposals into a new plan they can sell to the U.S. president - even potentially calling it a "Trump plan" to win his approval. One Arab government source said at least four proposals had already been drafted for Gaza's future, but an Egyptian proposal was now emerging as central to the Arab push for an alternative to Trump's idea. The latest Egyptian proposal involves forming a national Palestinian committee to govern Gaza without Hamas involvement, international participation in reconstruction without displacing Palestinians abroad, and movement towards a two-state solution, three Egyptian security sources said.

• EDF and TAQA Geothermal Sign Landmark MoU to Advance Geothermal Energy in Saudi Arabia

  EDF Saudi Arabia and TAQA Geothermal Energy Company have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on geothermal energy technologies including power generation and HVAC applications as well as Compressed Air Energy Storage in Saudi Arabia. The agreement was formalized during the third edition of the PIF Private Sector Forum, held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• Saudi Arabia welcomes ‘riviera’ in Gaza but not by removing Palestinians: Ambassador

  Saudi Arabia would welcome a riviera in Gaza, but not by removing the Palestinian people, a senior Saudi diplomat said on Wednesday. The diplomat was responding to US President Donald Trump’s recent proposal for the United States to take over Gaza and develop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”  “My government’s position is that we would welcome a riviera in Gaza. I think that would be wonderful,” Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom Prince Khalid bin Bandar said. “But we’re not going to do it by removing the Palestinian people, certainly not moving them to Saudi; they don’t want to move. You know, it’s their land, it’s their territory. They deserve all the best that we can provide for them there, and we’d welcome America’s efforts to improve their situation on the ground,” Prince Khalid said in an interview with the London Broadcasting Company (LBC).

• Saudi Arabia firmly rejects extremist Israeli statements on displacing Palestinians

  The Saudi Council of Ministers reiterated its firm rejection of extremist Israeli statements regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman chaired the Cabinet session in Riyadh on Tuesday. In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet, while discussing the latest regional and international developments, reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause to Saudi Arabia and stressed that lasting peace can only be achieved through the acceptance of peaceful coexistence based on a two-state solution.

• Saudi Arabia aims to become mining powerhouse

  Saudi Arabia is making significant investments in exploration to discover new mineral deposits. Al-Mudaifer noted the increase in exploration companies operating in the country: "The number of companies on exploration has increased in Saudi Arabia from 23 in 2023 to 132, 4 times in just one year because the potential is there and the enablement is here." To support exploration efforts, the Kingdom has launched a regional geological survey and established exploration incentives. "We have completed most of it," Al-Mudaifer said about the survey. "65% of the data that we acquired is in our national geoscience database." The country also provides financial support to exploration companies, covering up to 25% of their initial costs.

• Saudi Arabia Releases New Hajj 2025 Rules for Pilgrims

  Saudi Arabia has introduced significant changes for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, aiming to improve safety and streamline the experience for all attendees. One of the most notable updates is a new rule prohibiting children from accompanying pilgrims. This decision was made by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to protect young children from the risks associated with overcrowding, which is a common challenge during this highly anticipated annual event. In an effort to make the Hajj experience more accessible, Saudi Arabia has announced that first-time pilgrims will be given priority for the 2025 season. The goal is to ensure more Muslims can fulfill this sacred journey at least once in their lifetime. This decision highlights the government's commitment to making Hajj a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for as many people as possible.

• Saudi Arabia’s Texas Refinery Just Made a Power Move

  While some U.S. refiners are scaling back, Saudi Arabia’s Motiva Enterprises just made a power move. The Saudi Aramco-owned refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, has quietly expanded its capacity, now processing a record 654,000 barrels per day—officially making it the largest refinery in the United States above Exxon’s Beaumont and Marathon’s Galveston Bay. Motiva pulled this off without a flashy billion-dollar project—just good old-fashioned optimization, removing bottlenecks in the system to squeeze out more production. And they did it at a time when smaller, less efficient refineries are dropping like flies. LyondellBasell’s Houston plant is closing. Phillips 66’s Los Angeles refinery is shutting down.

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