QUOTED

Quoted

“A total of 195 countries and 15 territories were analyzed on their levels of access to political rights and civil liberties, before being categorized as either “free”, “partly free” or “not free”. While democracy has been in decline for nearly two decades, the global landscape has improved since the report was first published 51 years ago. Back then, 44 out of 148 countries were counted as “free”, versus 83 out of 195 today.”

Worldwide Decline of Freedom Outweighs Improvements [statista]

TOP STORY

Report Says Saudi Arabia Seeing a Surge in Demand for Cybersecurity Specialists

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Saudi Arabia has seen a surge in demand for cybersecurity specialists amid growing concerns about cyber threats within the Kingdom, according to a recent report by security software company Qrator Labs. [more]

  

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Saudi-Led Arabs Push Plan for Palestine State as War Rages

Via Sam Dagher in bloomberg.com: The plan, which builds on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, is expected to outline the creation of a Palestinian state along the lines of borders that existed prior to the 1967 Six-Day War. It would include measures such as rolling back Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank — one of two main Palestinian territories alongside Gaza — and mechanisms to implement a two-state solution, said the two senior Arab officials.

More than 100 killed while seeking aid in Gaza, overall death toll passes 30,000

Via Nidal Al-Mughrabi in reuters.com: Gaza health authorities said Israeli forces on Thursday shot dead more than 100 Palestinians as they waited for an aid delivery, but Israel blamed the deaths on crowds that surrounded aid trucks, saying victims had been trampled or run over. At least 112 people were killed and more than 280 wounded in the incident near Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said. The loss of civilian lives was the biggest in weeks. Hamas said the incident could jeopardise talks in Qatar aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages it is holding. When asked if he thought it would complicate the talks, U.S. President Joe Biden said: I know it will.

Energy Minister Launches First Saudi School of Public Policy

in kapsarc.org: The KSPP will focus on public policies in the fields of energy, climate, and sustainability. Aiming to set new standards in policy studies, the school offers a two-year master’s degree and executive education programs designed to enable and empower future policy leaders and professionals within Saudi Arabia and globally to address the most pressing domestic and international public policy challenges in the public, non-profit and private sectors.
 

MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND

‘To the Future’: Saudi Arabia Spends Big to Become an A.I. Superpower

More than 200,000 people converged at the conference, including Adam Selipsky, chief executive of Amazon’s cloud computing division, who ...[By Adam Satariano and Paul Mozur via nytimes.com]
 

Saudi giga-project Diriyah Gate targets 2027 completion

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Greg Norman ‘open-minded’ to altering LIV’s signature 54-hole format

His comment is significant because, like LIV Golf’s team competition and shotgun starts, the...[By Cindy Boren via washingtonpost.com]
 

Book Review: The Conflicts Shaping the Middle East

The recently released book “Battleground – 10 Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East” by historian Christopher Phillips provides a useful overview of ten ongoing conflicts...[By Christopher Phillips via thecipherbrief.com]
 

Oil price could exceed $100 a barrel if Middle East conflict worsens, World Bank warns

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GCC’s project awards jump 20% to $45b despite geopolitical headwinds

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Saudi economy witnessing a fundamental shift, says minister

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Saudi Arabia Makes Strides In Global Energy Discourse At 26th World Energy Congress

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Henning Larsen Architects Reveals Jeddah Opera House in Saudi Arabia

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‘World’s largest’ coral-restoration project unveiled in Saudi Arabia

One of Saudi Arabia's top universities has announced a Red Sea project described as the world’s largest coral reef restoration. ...[By Daniel Bardsley via thenationalnews.com]
 

NDMC closes the April 2024 Issuance under the Saudi Arabian Government SAR-denominated Sukuk Program

The National Debt Management Center announces the closure of April 2024 issuance under the Saudi Arabian Government SAR-denominated Sukuk Program. The total amount allocated was...[via mof.gov]
 

India’s oil imports from Russia drops 19% in February, Saudi Arabia 2nd largest supplier

The month-on-month decline in imports from Russia comes amid lower discounts offered by Russia. Russia has been the largest source of crude for...[By Rituraj Baruah via livemint.com]
 

Two US law firms push into Saudi Arabia under new attorney rules

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IDC expects Saudi Arabia’s ICT spending to hit $37.4B by 2024-end

Spending on the information and communication technology (ICT) market in Saudi Arabia is expected to reach about $37.4 billion by the end of 2024, showing...[via argaam.com]
 

Saudi Arabia Makes It Clear They’re Taking Design Seriously

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Worldwide Decline of Freedom Outweighs Improvements

Democratic watchdog organization Freedom House has released its annual ranking of the world's most free and most suppressed nations. The report is considered a key...[By Katharina Buchholz via statista.com]
 

Americans Remain Committed to NATO, Critical of UN

A 47% plurality of Americans want to see the United States keep its current commitment to NATO, with 20% feeling support for the alliance should...[By Mohamed Younis via ]
 

Iran election: ruler Khamenei seeks big turnout amid discontent

Iranians voted for a new parliament on Friday in an election seen as a test of the clerical establishment's legitimacy at a time of growing...[By Parisa Hafezi via reuters.com]
 
 

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