QUOTED

Quoted

“We had a very good discussion about the work that we’ve been doing for many months now on normalisation, and that work is moving forward. We’re continuing to make good progress.”  Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State following meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. He added that he could not offer a timeframe and another senior State Department official said Washington and Riyadh were down to a handful of bilateral issues and there was political will to address those gaps. Blinken cites progress with Saudis on normalising ties with Israel [Reuters]

TOP STORY

Hyundai and Red Sea Global Agree to Test EVs and Air Mobility Systems

Hyundai, PIF

Hyundai Motor Group said on Monday it has agreed with Saudi Arabia’s state-sponsored developer Red Sea Global (RSG) to cooperate in the Middle Eastern country’s push for electrification and other eco-friendly future mobility projects.

[more]

 

MORE TOP STORYLINES

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia ‘like nowhere else’

Via Nada Alturki in arabnews.com: “I have been celebrating Ramadan in Saudi Arabia for many years now. Ramadan here is like nowhere else. Everyone is kinder, the mosques are always open … night prayers and festivities make it so special. “The change of routine is what I enjoy the most. The office timings are shortened which is a perk you can’t get in most of the non-Muslim countries. The markets are open all night long. It gives Eid vibes even before Eid.”

UN chief says there is growing consensus to tell Israel a ceasefire needed

Via Suleiman Al-Khalidi in reuters.com:

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to Jordan on Monday that there is growing international consensus to tell Israel that a ceasefire is needed and that an assault on Rafah would cause a humanitarian disaster.
We see a growing consensus emerging in the international community to tell the Israelis that the ceasefire is needed and I also see a growing consensus, I heard in the U.S., I heard from the European Union, not to mention of course the Muslim world, to tell clearly to Israelis that any ground invasion of Rafah could mean a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a press conference.

Frankly Speaking: How Saudis view the war in Gaza

in arabnews.com: Saudi Arabia is using its leverage to help bring an end to the conflict in Gaza but stands by its original position that normalization with Israel will not occur without the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki Al-Faisal.

 

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

Diriyah Gate, one of the first Saudi giga-projects, said this week that it was on target for completion by late 2027. The opening of the project’s...[By Andrew Hammond via agbi.com]

 

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

A serious escalation of tensions in the Middle East would push the price of oil above $100 (£80) a barrel and reverse...[By Larry Elliott via theguardian.com]

 

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

The regional upswing also defies oil production cutbacks which have all weighed on economic growth in the region as seen from International Monetary Fund’s latest...[By Issac John via khaleejtimes.com]

 

Saudi economy witnessing a fundamental shift, says minister

Speaking at the event titled “Industrial policies to promote economic diversification,” the top official said there have been fundamental changes in the legislative and economic regulations to...[via arabnews.com]

 

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

From April 22 to 25, 2024, the 26th World Energy Congress convened in the Netherlands, drawing participation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s energy industry....[By Pooja Chandak via solarquarter.com]

 

Henning Larsen Architects Reveals Jeddah Opera House in Saudi Arabia

Henning Larsen Architect has just revealed the designs for The Jeddah Opera House, a new local landmark in Saudi Arabia. Drawing inspiration from the historical...[By Nour Fakharany via archdaily.com]

 

‘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

Two major U.S. law firms are opening offices in Saudi Arabia following a change last year in...[By David Thomas via reuters.com]

 

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

Set within the landmark Mediateca Santa Teresa library in Milan’s Brera district, Design Space AlUla presented a smattering of projects...[By Ryan Waddoups via surfacemag.com]

 

Saudi Arabia marks Vision 2030’s 8-year anniversary

Today marks the eight-year anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, an ambitious blueprint aimed at transforming the Kingdom into a...[via arabianbusiness.com]

 

Vision 2030: 87% of initiatives on track or completed

More than halfway through its "Saudi Vision 2030" journey, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated notable progress, with 87% of the 1,064 initiatives either completed or advancing...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Saudi fund PIF’s managed assets hit $749bln in 2023

Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF's managed assets reached 2.81 trillion riyals ($749.2 billion) in 2023, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday. The kingdom's non-oil...[By Jana Choukeir and Nayera Abdallah via zawya.com]

 

Gaza war: How the crisis is testing the limits of US diplomacy

Much of Mr Blinken's trip was crisis management. Trying to get aid into Gaza, get the hostages...[By Tom Bateman via bbc.com]

 

Biden to host Iraqi leader with talks underway on winding down coalition against the Islamic State

The leaders will “consult on a range of issues,” including the fight against the Islamic...[By Eric Tucker via washingtonpost.com]

 

Where Water Stress Will Be Highest by 2050

Water is not only the basis of life for animals and plants, but is also likely to become a contested resource in parts of the...[By Martin Armstrong via statista.com]

 

Iraq girds to revive long-abandoned nuclear energy program

The Iraqi government has declared its intention to revive the country’s long-abandoned nuclear energy program. The announcement by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani comes amid...[via amwaj.media]

 

Sara Netanyahu criticises liberated Israeli captives

The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara, sparked a wave of reactions from the Israeli captives who were returned from Gaza during...[via middleeastmonitor.com]

 
 

Recent Editions

Left Menu Icon
Logo Header Menu