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QUOTED
“That Saudi officials want de-escalation in the Gulf is new evidence of an evolving strategy for a more pragmatic management of regional challenges. In the aftermath of the September 14, 2019, attacks on Aramco, the crown prince expressed a similar de-escalatory tone in a TV interview. Yet this new pragmatism seems not to have factored into the U.S. calculus, as the assassination of Solemaini has put the kingdom in Iran’s crosshairs.”
–Yasmine Farouk, commenting in an article for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, assessing Riyadh’s take on the Soleimani killing. [carnegieendowment.org/]
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TOP STORY
As tensions soar between the United States and Iran, Saudi officials are keeping close tabs on emerging cybersecurity threats that may be emanating from the Islamic Republic, according to a report. [more]
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TOP STORY
Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held several meetings with top U.S. officials yesterday in Washington, D.C., including Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and President Donald Trump. [more]
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TOP STORY
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has instructed his younger brother and deputy defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to travel to Washington and London to “urge restraint” after the killing of a top Iranian commander has sent regional tensions soaring. [more]
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MORE TOP STORYLINES
in cnn.com: Former Saudi Ambassador to the United States and current Chairman, King Faisal Foundation Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Turki Al-Faisal, speaks with Christiane Amanpour regarding the Kingdom’s perspective on current tensions with Iran. Prince Turki, who always clarifies that he is not in the Saudi government, indicates that the Kingdom would like to see ‘wisdom’ displayed and avoid escalation of the crisis.
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in zawya.com : Consumer spending in Saudi Arabia rose during the first eleven months of last year by 4.5% or $10.64 billion, on the back of the increased point of sales (POS) operations. Saudi consumer spending reached $249 billion in the eleven-month period, compared with $238.4 billion for the same period last year.
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in fragomen.com : The Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD) will cancel the yellow band of the Nitaqat program on January 26, 2020. Yellow-rated companies will automatically be moved to the red band and will be considered noncompliant with required Saudization levels until their ratings improve.
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MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
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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]
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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 ]
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According to government data...[By Elias Al Helou via economymiddleeast.com]
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Blinken is expected to participate at a special...[By Barak Ravid via axios.com]
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The base is used to train local forces. Last month, the US Central Command reported that the first female military instructors in the region had...[via bbc.com]
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said overnight missile strikes on military bases housing American forces in Iraq were a "slap in the face" to...[By Patrick Smith, Ali Arouzi and Amin Hossein Khodadadi via nbcnews.com]
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When a swarm of drones and cruise missiles attacked Saudi Arabia's biggest oil facility on 14 September, an outraged Trump administration quickly blamed Iran for...[By Joby Warrick via independent.co]
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In a Tuesday interview, retired Gen. Hawk Carlisle — former head of Air Combat Command and head of the National Defense Industrial Association — said...[By Stephen Losey via airforcetimes.com]
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Putin’s trip — which was not announced in advance — marked his first visit since 2017 to Syria, Moscow’s main Middle East ally. Syria also...[By Isabelle Khurshudyan and Sarah Dadouch via washingtonpost.com]
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The United States issued a security alert last week to all Americans living in Iran to leave the country following the death of Qasem Soleimani,...[By Joel Beall via golfdigest.com]
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