MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia offers safe return for dissidents without consequences
  “Saudi Arabia welcomes those who were misled and manipulated for ulterior motives, as long as their opposition remained ideological and they were not implicated in criminal cases,” Al Howairini stated. Dissidents wishing to return can contact the designated number (990) to provide their identity and location for assistance. Alternatively, they may authorise a family member to coordinate with the relevant authorities on their behalf. Saudi embassies worldwide are also prepared to facilitate and support their safe return. Al Howairini further underscored the critical role of Saudi society in combating extremism and terrorism, revealing that nearly 20% of detainees in the country were taken into custody following requests or coordinated efforts by their own families. He noted that families increasingly recognise the state’s proactive approach in safeguarding its citizens from extremist influences.

• Lebanese president hopes to mend ties with Saudi Arabia in first visit in years

  Lebanon’s president said Monday that he hopes to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia during a visit to the kingdom following years of strained relations between the countries. Joseph Aoun became Lebanon’s first head of state to visit Riyadh in six years. Saudi Arabia has been vocal about its concerns over the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group and Lebanon’s positions on some regional issues. In recent years, it imposed a travel and import ban on Lebanon. Aoun’s appointment as president as well as that of a diplomat and former head of the International Criminal Court, Nawaf Salam, as prime minister are both seen as major blows to Hezbollah. As relations slowly thaw, Lebanon hopes that Saudi Arabia will lift the travel ban on the cash-strapped country, restore trade and help its reconstruction efforts after the war between Hezbollah and Israel left southern and eastern Lebanon in ruins.

• Jennifer Lopez returns to Saudi Arabia to headline Formula 1 Grand Prix in Jeddah

  Global pop sensation Jennifer Lopez is set to headline the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025, taking place April 18-20 over the Grand Prix weekend in Jeddah. She will join Usher and Major Lazer Soundsystem in an entertainment lineup powered by MDLBEAST. The high-energy post-race concerts will take place in Jeddah, offering motorsports and music fans an unforgettable experience. Known for her spectacular stage presence and chart-topping hits, Lopez is set to deliver an electrifying performance that will be one of the standout moments of the Formula 1 weekend. This won’t be the first time JLo dazzles audiences in Saudi Arabia. In a memorable performance at Riyadh Season, Lopez shared the stage with Celine Dion to celebrate Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s 45th anniversary, marking one of the biggest fashion and music spectacles in the Kingdom.

• Photos: Saudi Arabia welcomes Ramadan with festive spirit
  Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has embraced the arrival of Ramadan with festive decorations, as streets and public spaces glow with illuminated crescents and lanterns, symbolising the joy and anticipation of the holy month. Meanwhile, regulatory teams continue to monitor commercial activities and implement preventive health measures to ensure public safety throughout the Kingdom. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), residents across the Kingdom are upholding cherished traditions by decorating their homes, exchanging greetings, and organising family gatherings.

• Saudi Arabia’s Port of Neom expanding to be one of world’s largest

  It's expected to handle 12 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) when completed. For reference, the Port of Los Angeles, known as America's Port, is the busiest container port in the US, handling just over 9 TEUs annually. To make this happen, the port's access channels have been dredged using a zero-discharge dredging technique to minimize environmental impact. Rather than simply dredging the sea floor and dumping the soil back into the ocean elsewhere, all materials are reused for land reclamation or infrastructure projects. When the project began, the access channel was roughly 590 ft (180 m) wide and 39-46 ft (12-14 m) deep. Today, the channel is 1,805 ft (550 m) wide and 62 ft (19 m) deep, allowing for more and larger vessel access.

• Ramadan fasting hours in Saudi Arabia: how they change each year
  As Ramadan progresses through the seasons, fasting hours in Saudi Arabia are gradually shortening each year. This trend will continue until 1454 AH (2032), when Ramadan will fall in December, the month with the shortest daylight hours, according to Dr. Abdullah Al Misnad, former climate professor at Qassim University. This year, fasting hours are relatively uniform across the Kingdom due to Ramadan coinciding with the spring equinox on March 20, when the sun aligns directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal day and night lengths. On the first day of Ramadan, the longest fasting hours were in Ahad Al Masarihah (13 hours, 4 minutes), while Al Qurayyat recorded the shortest (12 hours, 54 minutes). By mid-month, Arar in the north will have the longest fast (13 hours, 19 minutes), while Sabya in the south will have the shortest (12 hours, 15 minutes).

• Aramco dividend vital to big-spending Saudi Arabia

  Saudi Aramco’s 2024 full-year results due this week are likely to again underline the importance of the world’s largest listed oil company to big-spending Saudi Arabia’s economic development plans. Aramco has said it expects to announce fourth-quarter dividends – payouts to the Saudi government are a core source of state revenue – of SAR116.5 billion ($31.1 billion), the same payout as the preceding three quarters. That would boost its total dividends for 2024 to SAR466 billion ($124.3 billion) and equate to 34 percent of the SAR1.37 trillion of state spending last year, according to AGBI calculations. The kingdom’s annual deficit was SAR115.6 billion. Aramco introduced an additional “performance-linked” dividend in 2023, which boosted payouts significantly; assuming fourth-quarter net profit is in line with that of the first nine months of 2024, Aramco’s dividend-to-profit ratio would be 110 percent. Or, put more simply, Aramco will pay more in dividends than it made in profit. Why the increased windfalls for deteriorating performance? The government, which owns 81.5 percent of Aramco, needs the money. Likewise, the state-owned Public Investment Fund, which also holds a 16 percent stake and is a lead protagonist in the country’s economic diversification programme.

• Saudi Arabia Introduces Seventy E-Gates at Jeddah Airport to Speed Up Travel

  Saudi Arabia has taken another major step in modernizing its aviation sector with the launch of seventy AI-powered e-gates at King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah. The new system, inaugurated by Deputy Emir of the Mecca Region, Prince Saud bin Mishaal, is set to enhance travel efficiency, improve security, and reduce wait times for 175,000 passengers daily. Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport follows King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh) and Neom Bay Airport in adopting AI-powered e-gates, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s commitment to smart airport solutions.

• Saudi Arabia arrests 131 in major anti-corruption crackdown
  Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has launched a sweeping crackdown on corruption, arresting 131 individuals and investigating 370 others as part of its latest enforcement efforts. In a statement released on Friday, the authority said it conducted 3,466 oversight visits across various government entities in February, uncovering cases of bribery, abuse of authority, and other violations. Some of those arrested were later released on bail.

• Saudi Arabia denounces Israel’s blocking of aid into Gaza; calling it ‘blackmail and collective punishment’

  Saudi Arabia condemned on Sunday the decision of the Israeli occupation government to block the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia's condemnation and denunciation of the decision of the Israeli government to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and its use as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment. The ministry stated that it is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law, in light of the humanitarian catastrophe that the Palestinian people are facing. Saudi Arabia reiterated its call to the international community to stop these serious Israeli violations, in addition to activating international accountability mechanisms, and ensuring sustainable access to aid.

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