QUOTED

“We confirm that we will continue to hold such meetings and talks between our two countries to ensure further progress, partnership, investment development and mutual trade.”

-Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Natural Resources, on talks with Russia during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak. [Reuters]

TOP STORY

The Seven Wonders of Arabia, a Tribute to the Kingdom’s Remarkable Heritage Sites – Part 6: Rijal Alma—’A Wonder to Behold’

Aramco Expats, an online blog that is a resource for current and former Saudi Aramco expatriates and their families, recently published a series of excellent blog posts on the seven wonders of the Arabia – the best heritage sites and historical places in the Kingdom. [more]

MORE TOP STORYLINES

Petrochemical giant SABIC 'is feeling the financial pain from slowing global economic demand'

Via Jareer Elass in The Arab Weekly : Declining vehicle sales in Europe and China are particularly hitting the petrochemical industry hard because automobile manufacturers are dependent on plastics and chemicals in the production process.

Yemeni Houthis launch drone attacks on Saudi airports, airbase

Via Maher Chmaytelli, Marwa Rashed and Lisa Barrington in reuters.com : Yemeni Houthi forces launched drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid airbase and Abha and Najran airports, according to information from the Houthis’ military spokesman. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen said later that Houthi drones had been intercepted and downed heading in the direction of civilian airports.

Middle East Biennale pavilions challenge entrenched views of women

Saudi Arabia and Lebanon's installations at the Venice Biennale seek to redress the balance by questioning masculine views and Western myths surrounding the portrayal...[By Rebecca Ann Hughes via euronews.com]

Middle East military burden is world’s highest in 2023 as Israel spending up 24%

Middle East countries spent 4.2 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2023, the highest rate globally, as ...[By Deena Kamel via thenationalnews.com]

Saudi PIF Merges Mobile Tower Firms to Create Regional Giant

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund agreed to buy a majority stake in Saudi Telecom Co.’s tower unit for 8.7 billion riyals ($2.3 billion)...[By Dana Khraiche via ]

EU announces five-year Schengen visas for Saudi, Omani and Bahraini citizens

The Schengen Area, which includes 29 European countries, was expanded last February to include Bulgaria and Romania, eliminating all air and maritime...[By Mona Farag via thenationalnews.com]

Saudi Arabia pushing for Israel to accept ceasefire, more aid into Gaza: FM

Saudi Arabia is pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza and the entry of more aid into the territory amid Israel’s war...[via alarabiya.net]

9% spike in Mideast military spending driven by Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey

The institute noted that three largest spenders in the region — Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey — all increased military spending last year. Saudi Arabia...[By Adam Lucente via al-monitor.com]

Saudi Arabia clashes with West over Chinese green tech

The head of Saudi Arabia’s state oil company praised China’s exports of green technology, echoing Beijing’s talking points in what appeared to be a deliberate...[via semafor.com]

The Importance of Venture Capital for Startups in Saudi Arabia

Startups are a critical component of the 21st-century economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and fostering national economic growth. In Saudi Arabia, venture...[By Sharif Almadani via linkedin.com]

Saudi Aramco in talks to buy 10% of China’s Hengli Petrochemical

Saudi oil giant Aramco said on Monday it is in talks to acquire a 10% stake in...[By Yousef Saba via reuters.com]

Saudi ministry shuts 67 erring hospitality facilities in 3 months

The Ministry of Tourism has shut down as many as 67 tourism hospitality facilities, including hotels and residential apartments, across the Kingdom during the first...[via zawya.com]

Saudi Arabia’s cinema revenue soars to over $986 million in just six years

Saudi Arabia’s cinema industry has generated revenue of SAR3.7 billion ($986.42 million) just six years after the opening of its first cinemas. According to government data...[By Elias Al Helou via economymiddleeast.com]

Blinken planning to visit Saudi Arabia this weekend

Blinken is expected to participate at a special...[By Barak Ravid via axios.com]

Saudi Arabia braced for heavy rainfall, Civil Defense issues warning

Saudi Arabia is set to receive more rainfall toward the weekend, with Riyadh and its outskirts likely to witness heavy rains from Friday to next...[By Rashid Hassan via arabnews.com]

Saudi Arabia airline Flynas confirms plans to launch IPO this year

Saudi Arabia's low-cost airline Flynas on Tuesday confirmed plans to list its shares on the Tadawul stock exchange this year, amid the...[By Deena Kamel via thenationalnews.com]

Interest Rates

UAE, Saudi, Bahrain cut interest rates following US Fed

Gulf central banks largely move in lockstep with the US to protect their currencies’ peg to the dollar. But as the Fed raised rates nine...[By Gavin Gibbon via Arabian Business]

Gulf Shipping

Iran seizes tanker carrying ‘smuggled fuel’

Iranian forces seized a ship in the Persian Gulf suspected of carrying smuggled fuel, state media reported Sunday, marking the Revolutionary Guard’s third seizure of...[By Mehdi Fattahi and Aya Batrawy via Washington Post]

Reuters - Iran says will not tolerate 'maritime offences' in Gulf

Yemen

Al-Qaeda launches deadly attack on army base in southern Yemen

An al-Qaeda attack on a military camp in war-torn Yemen has killed at least 19 soldiers, security officials said, a day after dozens of people were killed...[via Aljazeera]

Anti-ISIS Campaign

US officials say Islamic State still poses global threat

Ambassador James Jeffrey, the State Department envoy to the international coalition fighting the Islamic State, told reporters that thousands of the extremist organization's fighters are...[By Erick Tucker via Military Times/AP]

Taliban Talks

U.S. preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in initial deal with Taliban

The agreement, which would require the Taliban to begin negotiating a larger peace deal directly with the Afghan government, could cut the number of American...[By Dan Lamothe, John Hudson and Pamela Constable via Washington Post]

Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Coming to Middle East in Abu Dhabi Deal

The five-year agreement comes as "Viacom has invested significantly in this key region," says Raffaele Annecchino, president of Southern and Western Europe, Middle East and...[By Georg Szalai via Hollywood Reporter]

UAE-Iran

Commentary: UAE Outreach to Iran Cracks Open the Door to Dialogue

Given Iran’s apparent determination to continue testing the limits of “maximum resistance” with carefully calibrated escalations, the UAE has incentives to use dialogue to try...[By Hussein Ibish via Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington ]

U.S.-Iran

Iran says ready for worst in battle to save nuclear deal amid standoff with U.S.

The downbeat remarks by Rouhani, architect of the landmark 2015 accord and a strong proponent of negotiations, hinted he was losing hope of avoiding a...[By Parisa Hafezi via Reuters]

Daily Beast - Team Trump Turns to Lindsey Graham to Cut an Iran Deal

Netherlands

Dutch ‘burqa ban’ rendered largely unworkable on first day

Under the terms of the Partial Ban on Face-Covering Clothing Act, the wearing of ski masks, full-face helmets, balaclavas, niqabs and burqas is prohibited in...[By Daniel Boffey via The Guardian]

Middle East Peace

Kushner returns to Middle East as Trump envoys accuse Iran of profiting from Israeli-Palestinian conflict

President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner is visiting Israel and Arab states this week as part of a push invoking the threat from Iran...[via Washington Post]

Jerusalem Post - White House official denies report of Trump summit with Arab leaders