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  • Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

    In a new Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative issue brief, “Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement,” Jonathan Fulton argues that despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political. Middle Eastern perceptions of China vary; it is seen as a cautious, transactional actor with limited capacity for addressing key regional conflicts and security concerns. Fulton adds that while Iran views China as a crucial partner, Gulf states leverage their ties with Beijing to maintain strategic flexibility.

  • Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media

    Saudi Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh called on imams and preachers to be sincere and avoid hypocrisy and showing off. He cited filming and posting prayers and preaching in mosques during the holy month of Ramadan on social media and channels as an example of incompatibility with sincerity. The Grand Mufti said this in a religious edict (fatwa) in response to a question about the decision taken by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance to ban filming and posting prayers and lectures on social media. “This issue was a serious one before the decision of the ministry to ban filming and posting prayers and lectures on social media as part of the measures to ensure avoiding errors that may occur,” he said while noting that there is the issue of sincerity, which is a condition for the acceptance of any act of worship. “There are two conditions to accept any work. They are sincerity to God, and that the work is in accordance with the spirit of the Holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah,” he said.

  • Saudi Aramco Oil Sales to China Set to Fall Sharply in April

    Saudi Aramco is set to supply the lowest amount of oil to China in several months, even as the OPEC+ cartel gears up to boost output. The state-owned Saudi Arabian major will send 34 million to 36 million barrels of April-loading crude to customers in China, the world’s biggest importer, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with 41 million for March, and a figure below 36 million would be the smallest since at least the first half of last year.

  • IPOs in Saudi market poised for strong growth in 2025: EFG Hermes

    Karim Meleka, Co-Head of Investment Banking at EFG Hermes, said 2025 is set to witness strong activity in the Saudi and regional IPO markets, with the Kingdom maintaining dominance as it has for the past four to five years. Speaking to Argaam at the Capital Markets Forum (CMF), Meleka highlighted a wave of IPOs across multiple sectors. Healthcare, real estate, retail, and financial services are all seen to witness significant IPO activity. EFG Hermes has been actively involved in the healthcare sector. Last year, the firm took two sector companies public and is planning to list two more in 2025. The real estate sector is also heating up, particularly in facilities management, where EFG Hermes is working on two upcoming IPOs.

  • Despite tough talk, economic woes may force Iran to bargain with Trump

    For Iran's clerical leaders, engaging with the "Great Satan" to hammer out a nuclear deal and ease crippling sanctions may for once be the lesser of two evils. Though it harbours deep mistrust of the United States, and President Donald Trump in particular, Tehran is increasingly concerned that mounting public anger over economic hardships could erupt into mass protests, four Iranian officials said. That's why, despite the unyielding stance and defiant rhetoric of Iran's clerical leaders in public, there is a pragmatic willingness within Tehran's corridors of power to strike a deal with Washington, the people said.

  • Saudi Crown Prince, Putin discuss bilateral cooperation and Ukraine conflict

    The Crown Prince emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to doing everything possible to support dialogue and find a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian President expressed his continued support for these efforts, according to the SPA. The conversation followed a Tuesday meeting in Jeddah, where Ukrainian and American officials convened under the auspices of Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine-Russia ceasefire proposal. At the meeting, Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire, with Washington committing to discuss proposals for a lasting peace that ensures Ukraine’s long-term security.

  • Saudi leader parlays oil wealth into global diplomatic clout

    Saudi Arabia, a country that is largely made up of desert, has fewer than 40 million people, and boasts a middling military with no nuclear arms, may be emerging as the 21st century’s most improbable superpower. He has drawn closer to China, and to Russia, as a fellow oil producer. He has been welcomed into the BRICS economic coalition of countries in the Global South. And he is also a major player on two international policy fronts where his interests and Washington’s could clash. The first is artificial intelligence and technology, a centerpiece of Crown Prince Mohammed’s vision of a post-oil economy. He has earmarked billions of dollars to attract experts, researchers, and entrepreneurs in AI to visit, teach, invest, and set up shop in Saudi Arabia. U.S. officials are worried that this initiative could transform the kingdom into a sanctions-busting back door for China, as Beijing seeks top flight technology.

  • The UAE’s $2 billion bet on a pro-crypto Trump

    Abu Dhabi is staking out its position in a more crypto-friendly world order. MGX — backed by state investment vehicle Mubadala and the Emirati AI firm G42 — this week invested $2 billion in cryptocurrency stored by Binance in exchange for a minority stake in the world’s largest crypto exchange by volume. The deal is the first time Binance has taken a corporate investment of this kind. The funds will be used to further develop blockchain technology as Binance looks to attract more business from institutional investors, the firms said in a statement.

  • Saudi Arabia has highest penetration rate of women professional gamers globally: Saudi prince: Video

    HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al-Saud, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said on Thursday at CONVERGE LIVE that the country has had the opportunity to show that professional gaming is a “real career path with no baggage for women”.

  • Saudi Arabia still needs consultants despite PwC ban

    “They can’t do this without a lot of people and a lot of expertise,” said Dane Albertelli, a senior analyst at Source Global Research, which analyses global consultancies. “At the moment, they’re kind of maxed out.”  Neither PIF, the $925 billion sovereign wealth fund at the forefront of the kingdom’s investment drive, nor PwC have commented publicly but it seems that a fight over expertise was the most immediate cause of the spat. The UK’s Financial Times has reported that PIF was irked by an attempt by PwC to poach a top auditor from one of its subsidiaries, Neom. These giga projects and others need specialised skills that are in relative short supply in the kingdom of 19 million Saudi citizens, almost half of whom are under the age of 30. Mohammad Al Qahtani, a former senior official in the Saudi royal household, and now CEO of Riyadh-based investment management company Saudi Arabia Holding Co, told his 308,000 followers on LinkedIn last week: “The PIF-PwC decision isn’t just a headline – it’s a wake-up call.”