MUST-READS

• What does the ceasefire agreement mean for Israel, Hamas and the wider Middle East?

  Israel can point to countless tactical victories in the war, from the assassination of top Hamas leaders to the blows it rained on Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran itself, which backs both groups. But Israel fell short on two central aims: Hamas to date has survived, even if greatly weakened, and several hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack died in captivity. Some were accidentally killed by Israeli forces, others by their Hamas captors as troops closed in. Israelis see the return of captives as a sacred obligation, worth the agonizing price of releasing large numbers of imprisoned militants in lopsided deals. The inability to reach a deal through months of negotiations tore the country apart.

• Desert Farming: Advancing Innovation in the Middle East

  Desert farming is emerging as a critical solution to the challenges posed by arid environments, including water scarcity, poor soil conditions, and extreme climates. Dumain highlighted the role of innovative practices, such as the use of IoT sensors to monitor variables like soil moisture and temperature, enabling farmers to maximize efficiency and conserve resources. Digital farming platforms can be central to the transformation of desert farming. Such platforms integrate localized data to offer tailored recommendations for pest, disease, and weed management, helping farmers make informed decisions. Additionally, the digitization of supply chains is crucial in addressing inefficiencies and reducing food loss. Dumain explained, “Digital tools allow us to enhance traceability and optimize supply chains from farm to table, minimizing waste and improving sustainability.”

• How the Middle East can assume the mantle of green energy leadership

  Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries are both highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and exceptionally well placed to become the most important global producers of various forms of green energy, thanks to abundant sunshine, wind, and available land on which to build the installations that can generate these new energy sources. Saudi Arabia alone is home to the world’s cheapest solar electricity at Shuaiba—almost 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. Four of the ten most cost-effective solar projects are here. So far, green foreign direct investment (FDI) has not flowed here, however. Foreign direct investment data shows that more than $0.9 trillion in large-scale green FDI has been announced, with more than 80% of it allocated to hydrogen, renewable energy, and batteries. For now, Europe is the main destination, while the Middle East is missing out despite its considerable advantages.

• Netanyahu says deal to release hostages held in Gaza has been reached after last minute snags

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached, after his office said earlier there were last minute snags in finalizing a ceasefire that would pause 15 months of war. Netanyahu said he would convene his security Cabinet later Friday, and then the government to approve the long-awaited hostage deal. Netanyahu’s pre-dawn statement appeared to clear the way for Israeli approval of the deal, which would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and see dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The deal would also allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the remains of their homes in Gaza.

• Saudi Arabia Welcomes Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's welcoming of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and appreciates the efforts made by the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America in this regard. The Kingdom stresses the need to adhere to the agreement and stop the Israeli aggression against Gaza; the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Strip and all other Palestinian and Arab territories, and the return of the displaced persons to their homes. The Kingdom also stresses the importance of building on this agreement to address the root causes of the conflict by enabling the Palestinian people to claim their rights, foremost among them is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Kingdom hopes that this agreement will permanently end this brutal Israeli war, which has claimed the lives of more than 45,000 people and injured more than 100,000.

• Nice One share price up 55% in first week of trading

  Nice One Beauty Digital Marketing Co’s shares jumped 9.81 percent on Tuesday, beginning the day at SAR49.75 ($13.25) and reaching SAR 54.30 by its close. Eight days after the Saudi cosmetics retailer launched an initial public offering (IPO) for 30 percent of its capital (36.5 million shares) on January 7, its shares have increased in value by 55 percent from the initial price of SAR35.  The total IPO, which was worth $320 million, included a retail tranche of 10 percent that was eight-times oversubscribed and an institutional tranche, which accounted for 90 percent, that was 139-times oversubscribed. Nice One’s share price jumped 30 percent on the first day of trading, the maximum allowed.

• CR7 ‘set to extend’ his Saudi deal with an eye-watering pay rise

  According to reports from Saudi Arabian outlet Al Khabar, which have seen been corroborated by Sky Sports and journalist Ben Jacobs, Ronaldo could put pen to paper on a new deal in the Kingdom very soon. The 39-year-old is currently one of the highest-paid athletes in the world and is being offered a pay rise worth over £3m-per-week, plus several performance-related bonuses. The deal would see Ronaldo extend his playing days into 2026 with the veteran attacker looking to be in contention to play for Portugal in the North and Central American World Cup.

  • Daily Mail - Revealed: New details emerge of Cristiano Ronaldo's new Saudi mega-contract, including part ownership of Al-Nassr, with deal confirming his place as world's highest-paid athlete
• Commentary: Biden could have had the best presidential record – Gaza destroyed it

  US President Joe Biden may be on the brink of finally securing a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, but his atrocious mishandling of that devastating conflict will leave a terrible and lasting bloodstain splattered over the record of what might have otherwise been one of the great presidencies of recent decades. It’s a tragedy, an outrage and a shame that will linger over US foreign policy for many years to come. Mr Biden presided over a remarkable string of domestic legislative achievements, with just a tiny majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in his first two years. It was arguably the finest domestic record since Lyndon B Johnson in the early 1960s. This ground-breaking legislation addressed climate change, health care, pandemic relief, industrial policy and many more crucial issues.

• Google Pay to launch in Saudi Arabia in 2025

  The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has partnered with Google to introduce Google Pay in Saudi Arabia during 2025 via the national payment system mada. Google Pay will offer users a secure and seamless way to make purchases in stores, on apps, and online. It will also allow users to conveniently add and manage their cards through Google Wallet, ensuring enhanced convenience and safety.

• Saudi Arabia vows to be ‘fast and furious’ in mining as it reveals $100 billion investment

  Saudi Vice Minister of Mining Affairs Khalid al-Mudaifer announced Wednesday the development of a new mineral investment project valued at $100 billion, and that $20 billion of it was already in the final engineering phase or under construction. While the vice minister did not provide further details, Saudi officials have discussed plans to significantly expand the country’s exploration for lithium, as well as for other critical minerals and rare earth elements including copper, gold, zinc, phosphate and nickel. The minister highlighted Manara, a recently established venture between Ma’aden and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, or PIF. Manara was established to invest in mining assets around the world and develop more resilient global supply chains. “We don’t claim to have all the resources or abilities, so we’ve created Manara to make sure we can reach out for the resources that we need,” bin Salman said. “We have to be doing it as fast and furious as possible.”

• 10 of 63018 results<< 1 … 95 96 97 … 6,302 >>