MUST-READS

• The Undertaker Attends Soccer Game In Saudi Arabia, Presents Riyadh Season Cup Trophy

  One WWE Hall of Famer who will definitely not be participating in this evening’s WrestleMania 40 Kickoff press conference is The Undertaker. The Deadman made a surprise appearance in Saudi Arabia earlier today at the soccer game between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. The Undertaker presented the winners of the game with the Riyadh Season Cup Trophy. Al-Hilal won the game 2 to 0.

• NPR: Why Saudi Arabia is building a new city in the desert

  For decades, Saudi Arabia's economy has been defined by its abundant oil reserves. Its ability to influence global oil supply propelled Saudi Arabia to one of the richest countries in the world. The Saudi royal family became important players on the world stage. However, waning dominance in the oil market is forcing the Saudi government to think differently about its reliance on the commodity. Today on the show, we explain Saudi Arabia's fantastical vision for its future and how the government is using its present influence in the oil market to fund it.

• Opinion: Unless Biden exerts real pressure on Israel, Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations

  The Biden administration has for some time sought to dangle the prospect of Saudi recognition of Israel as part of an Israeli-Hamas cease-fire agreement that would also involve the terrorists’ freeing of Israeli hostages. It has been widely assumed that if Riyadh recognizes the Jewish State, it would do so under the umbrella of the Abraham Accords. For its part, the White House has made no attempt to dispel that assumption. Indeed, the administration initially appointed Daniel Shapiro, a former ambassador to Israel, as special envoy for the accords (he has since taken the slightly lower-ranking position as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East).

• India Relaxed About OPEC+ Cutting Oil Output, Minister Says

  India’s oil minister said the country isn’t concerned about OPEC+’s output cuts and Saudi Arabia’s recent decision not to expand production capacity. “There is enough oil in the world and new suppliers are coming in,” Hardeep Singh Puri said on the sidelines of India Energy Week in Goa. “You decide, you want to sell it or you want to keep it in the ground.”

• Photos: US bolsters regional partnerships at Saudi World Defense Show

  U.S. Air Force personnel assigned to the Air Forces Central Band pose for a photo during the Saudi World Defense Show at an undisclosed location in the Central Command area of responsibility, Feb. 4, 2024. U.S. military participation in the Saudi World Defense Show allows foreign military and civilian decision-makers an opportunity to evaluate and compare U.S. Air Force aircraft in a non-operational and threat-free environment.

• Saudi Arabia poised for new Aramco share sale -sources

  Saudi Arabia is poised to sell more shares of energy giant Aramco, three people familiar with the matter said, which could boost the country's funding and its aim to wean the economy away from oil. The government has lined up Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and HSBC for the sale, one of the people said, which could take place in the second or third quarter of this year, a second person said. The share sale could raise about $20 billion, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the news. The preparations are ongoing and the details could change, the people said. The government's communication office did not have an immediate comment. Aramco declined to comment.

• Cease-Fire Emerges as Key to Israeli-Saudi Normalization

  The Biden administration believes it is still possible to broker a historic normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but the window for an agreement is closing with fighting still under way in Gaza and the U.S. presidential campaign ramping up. Saudi Arabia won’t agree to move forward until a cease-fire is in place, but talks to halt the conflict have stalled, according to U.S. and Saudi officials. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is traveling in the Middle East this week, is pushing a normalization deal in talks with Saudi and Israeli officials, as part of a broader effort to end the Gaza war, isolate Iran, and stabilize the region. 

• In the Gulf, Is Civil Society Fighting for Climate?

  Tracking the efforts and successes of civil society elements in underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change will remain a key bellwether for progress on issues relating to global warming, energy transition, and sustainability.

• How Should the U.S. Respond to a Middle East Crisis Threatening Its Policy and Personnel?

  The October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel created an immediate crisis for the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. administration’s policy of promoting greater regional integration and upholding stability and security in the Middle East. That agenda is coming under intensified pressure, most dramatically by the killing of three U.S. service personnel and the wounding of dozens more by a drone strike in Jordan that the White House blames on Iranian-backed militias.

• How Should the U.S. Respond to a Middle East Crisis Threatening Its Policy and Personnel?

  The October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel created an immediate crisis for the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. administration’s policy of promoting greater regional integration and upholding stability and security in the Middle East. That agenda is coming under intensified pressure, most dramatically by the killing of three U.S. service personnel and the wounding of dozens more by a drone strike in Jordan that the White House blames on Iranian-backed militias

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