MUST-READS

• Death of AQAP Leader Shows the Group’s Fragmentation—and Durability

  But one should not overplay Raimi’s status. The group fragmented and weakened under his leadership, and he never quite managed to fill the shoes of his predecessor, Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who was among half a dozen senior AQAP figures lost to drone strikes in early 2015.

• Umbrella US Jewish group sends historic delegation to Saudi Arabia

  The Jewish Telegraphic Agency has learned that the visit from Monday to Thursday included meetings with senior Saudi officials, as well as with Mohammed al-Issa, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League who recently led a delegation organised by the American Jewish Committee to Auschwitz. Al-Issa is seen as close to Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince.

• Saudi Princess Lamia bint Majed, goodwill ambassador for the Arab world

  Princess Lamia will advocate for sustainable urbanization, helping UN-Habitat to address urban challenges in Arab states and advance sustainable urbanization as a driver of development and peace.

• Commentary: OPEC Underestimates China Virus’s Impact On Oil Demand

  A comparison of the latest forecasts from the world’s three big oil agencies — the International Energy Agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries — highlights the huge uncertainty that exists over the virus’s repercussions for oil demand.

• Oliver Stone to Head Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Festival Jury

  Oliver Stone will preside over the main jury of Saudi Arabia’s nascent Red Sea International Film Festival, which has unveiled its inaugural lineup. The fest will feature the Middle East premiere of Harvey Weinstein-inspired workplace abuse drama “The Assistant” amid a fresh mix of feature films and docs from Europe, the U.S., Asia and Africa launching in the region on top of a robust representation of Arab films.

• Millions of locusts invade farms in Saudi Arabia and Yemen

  Kuwait's Al Rai newspaper reported on Monday that the swarms of locusts invaded agricultural areas in four Saudi regions: Riyadh, Qassim, Hail and the Eastern Province. Desert locusts pose a significant threat to food security and livelihoods by feeding on plants and crops on farms.

• Saudi Arabia’ fiscal deficit could be 7.4% in 2020, 8.1% in 2021

  The fiscal deficits of Gulf Arab states, which includes Saudi Arabia, will rise next year because of expected higher spending and lower oil prices, S&P analyst Zahabia Gupta said in Dubai.

• WWE to hold largest talent tryout in Saudi Arabia

  WWE today announced that it will return to Saudi Arabia in search of the next generation of Superstars by holding an open talent tryout in Riyadh. The four-day tryout in early June will give up to 50 athletes from Saudi Arabia the opportunity to showcase their abilities with the goal of earning a WWE Talent Development contract and training fulltime.

• Saudi Arabia urges Germany to lift arms export ban

  The Saudi foreign minister has told a German news agency that the current export ban went against "the good relations" between the countries. Yet he also warned that Saudi Arabia is far from dependent on German arms.

• Questions Hang Over Fate of Saudi Crew in Yemen Jet Crash

  The Riyadh-led military coalition fighting the rebels said the two officers ejected from the plane before it crashed in northern Al-Jawf province Friday but that the rebels opened fire at them in "violation of the international humanitarian law."

  • Guardian - Yemen airstrikes kill 31 civilians after Saudi jet crash
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