MUST-READS

• Foreign liaison visit strengthens Naval supply partnership between US, Saudi Arabia

  A delegation from Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) embarked on a significant foreign liaison visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support maritime and aviation cooperation March 3. “Inviting our team to Saudi Arabia to discuss current and future capabilities is a testament to the value of open communication,” expressed Cmdr. Albert Sonon, NAVSUP WSS, Director of International Programs. “Sustaining weapon systems is not just an individual task but a collective effort between Nations.” The NAVSUP WSS International Programs delegation’s objective was to meet with key Saudi Arabian officials and discuss various aspects of logistical support and readiness capabilities.

• Russia tells citizens: refrain from travel to the Middle East

  Russia's foreign ministry told citizens on Thursday that they should refrain from travelling to the Middle East, especially to Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. "The tense situation in the Middle East region persists," said the foreign ministry, which first issued such travel advice in October when it urged Russians not to visit Israel and the Palestinian territories after Hamas attacked Israel.

• Russia, Germany, UK urge restraint as Iranian threat puts Middle East on edge

  Russia, Germany and Britain on Thursday urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and Israel said it was preparing to "meet all its security needs" in a region on edge over an Iranian threat to strike Israel. The German airline Lufthansa, one of only two Western carriers flying to Tehran, extended a suspension of its flights to the Iranian capital and Russia warned against travel to the Middle East.

• Opinion: A Million Dollar Middle East Peace Plan

  Short-sighted leaders on both sides are fueling a new generation of violence and hatred. Hamas’s bloody terrorism is bad enough, but I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow the current war expands to Lebanon or Iran—or if a radiation ‘dirty’ bomb explodes in Tel Aviv, making parts of the city uninhabitable. The only good news is that the political careers of both Bibi Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas are clearly coming to an end. Both of these deplorable leaders have led their peoples to a dead end.

• US restricts travel for diplomats in Israel amid fears of Iran attack

  The United States has restricted travel for its embassy personnel in Israel amid fears of an attack by Iran. The US embassy said staff had been told not to travel outside the greater Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Beersheba areas "out of an abundance of caution". Iran has vowed to retaliate, blaming Israel for a strike on its consulate in Syria 11 days ago, killing 13 people. Two US officials have told the BBC's US partner CBS News that an attack could come as soon as Friday.

• Oil prices head back up on Middle East jitters

  Oil prices rose in early trade on Friday on heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Iran has promised to retaliate for a suspected Israeli air strike on its embassy in Syria, which could risk disruptions to supply from the oil producing region. Brent crude futures climbed 34 cents, or 0.38%, to $90.08 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 44 cents, or 0.51%, to $85.45, at 0033 GMT.

• Industrial Policy is Back But the Bar to Get it Right Is High

  Governments have traditionally used targeted interventions known as industrial policy to make domestic producers more competitive or promote growth in selected industries. While some developing countries continued to use it, industrial policy fell out of favor across most of the world for years, because of its complexity and uncertain benefits. Now, industrial policy appears to be back everywhere. The pandemic, heightened geopolitical tensions, and the climate crisis raised concerns about the resilience of supply chains, economic and national security, and more generally about the ability of markets to allocate resources efficiently and address these concerns. As a result, governments came under pressure to have a more active industrial policy stance.

• Al Hilal thrash Al Ittihad to win Saudi Super Cup

  Al Hilal beat Al Ittihad 4-1 in the final of the Saudi Super Cup on Thursday to stay on course to win four trophies this season, with the injured Neymar watching his teammates cruise to victory. The trophy, lifted in Abu Dhabi's Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, is the first of the season for the Riyadh giant, but is unlikely to be the last as the team is also 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League with just seven games remaining.

• Race for AI Supremacy in Middle East Is Measured in Data Centers

  One of the best places to view the Gulf states’ unfolding rivalry over artificial intelligence is inside an unmarked building in an industrial park near a golf course on the outskirts of Dubai. The windowless facility is cool and extraordinarily clean. Upon entering, guests step onto sticky blue floor mats designed to prevent stray sand particles from making their way inside. Like the scorching heat outside, any speck of desert dust could be hazardous to the multimillion-dollar equipment stored within.

• Saudi banks’ foreign assets surge by 22%, reflecting robust international investments

  The foreign assets of Saudi Arabia’s commercial banks surged by 22 percent in February, reaching a total of SR347.63 billion ($92.7 billion), compared to the same month of the previous year. This notable increase, as reported by recent data from the Kingdom’s central bank, also known as SAMA, reflects a significant expansion in the institution’s international holdings and investments. Conversely, Saudi banks witnessed a 38 percent surge in foreign liabilities over the same period, increasing to SR288.22 billion. This rise, which encompasses various financial obligations to banks outside the Kingdom, resulted in the calculation of net foreign assets amounting to SR59.41 billion.

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