MUST-READS

• Manga Productions Chief Essam Bukhary on Saudi Manga Craze and How Partnership With Japanese Studios Is the ‘Future of the Anime Industry’

  Saudi Arabia, where popular anime characters such as “Captain Tsubasa” and “Dragon Ball” protagonist Son Goku have been engrained in the culture for decades, is taking its love affair with Japanese manga content to the next level.

  In late March, just a few weeks after the death of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, it was announced that the world’s first theme park dedicated to the megahit Japanese manga and animation franchise will be built in Qiddiya, the massive entertainment and tourism project outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh through a joint venture between Qiddiya and Japan’s Toei Animation.

• Perspective: What Western Media Won’t Tell You About A Women’s Saudi Arabia
  The Saudi people are tired. Tired of having to justify themselves. Tired of having to defend their attitudes. Tired of a relentless and unforgiving West that seemingly can’t escape sensationalism nor overcome partiality. As a result of this fatigue, we, as outsiders, did not face confrontation or clash upon arriving in the Kingdom. For Saudis, their value system isn’t up for debate, which meant we were given a simple choice: listen or hide behind a veil of ignorance.

• Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Biennale Looks to the Future amid an Imperiled Present

  The second edition of Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale—titled “After Rain” and on view through May—proposes petrichor as a metaphor for renewal, a cleansing by water of our battered earth and spoiled morality. The inaugural edition of the event, curated by Philip Tinari in 2021, was also water-themed, taking its title from a saying about a river crossed by Chinese revolutionaries in the 1980s. The fixation on water could seem ironic, given the arid setting, but it’s a logical idea for the Diriyah Biennale, the first international showcase of its kind in Saudi Arabia, to circle; it’s inextricable from the existence of the event.

• KlasJet Obtains a Permit to Operate in Saudi Arabia

  KlasJet, a well-known exclusive private and corporate jet charter company and a part of the world's largest ACMI providers, the Avia Solutions Group family, is continuing its expansion into the Middle East region. KlasJet Boeing 737 has recently obtained the approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia to operate domestic and international flights.

• Gaza hostage talks deadlock and spark U.S.-Israel blame game

  U.S. officials, together with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, pushed hard in recent days for a deal, stressing it is the only way to reach a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed.

• Israel truce team leaves Doha, official blames Hamas for ‘dead end’
  Israel has recalled its negotiators from Doha after deeming mediated talks on a Gaza truce "at a dead end" due to demands by Hamas, a senior Israeli official said on Tuesday.
  The official, who is close to the Mossad spymaster heading up the talks, accused Hamas' Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar of sabotaging the diplomacy "as part of a wider effort to inflame this war over Ramadan".
  The warring sides had stepped up negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, on a six-week suspension of Israel's offensive in return for the proposed release of 40 of the 130 hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group in Gaza.

• Eid Season 2024 returns to Saudi Arabia

  Scheduled to take place from 10 to 14 April — depending on the moon sighting — Eid Season 2024 will kick off with Eid prayers. Throughout Eid Season 2024, a variety of events and outings are planned across the Kingdom, offering opportunities for families to create lasting memories together. From concerts featuring renowned artists to cultural performances showcasing traditional music and dance, there’s no shortage of entertainment options during Eid Season. Some of the events include concerts by Majid Al Muhandis in Jeddah, Modi Alshamrani and Dhom Altlasy in Dammam, Abadi AlJohar, Zena and AlMestrih in Riyadh, and many others.

• Saudi crown prince, US House Armed Services Committee chairman discuss ties

  Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received in Jeddah Chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers, the Saudi Press Agency said early Tuesday. The US delegation also included committee members Adam Smith, Salud Carbajal, and Veronica Escobar. The meeting discussed bilateral relations and cooperation, in addition to issues of mutual interest.

  Saudi defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and other senior Saudi and US officials attended the meeting.

• Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports increase by 0.8 percent in January

  Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, including re-exports, recorded a 0.8 percent increase in January 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reported the General Authority for Statistics. Excluding re-exports, non-oil exports saw an 11.5 percent decline as re-exports rose by 42.6 percent in the same period. The authority also reported a decline in overall merchandise exports mainly due to the decline in oil exports following Saudi Arabia’s pledge of an additional oil output cut of 1 million barrels per day in July 2023.

• Saudi Arabia lands latest major IP with announcement of world-first Dragon Ball theme park

  Saudi Arabia continues to utilise major IPs in its ongoing tourism push, with the latest announcement seeing the world’s only Dragon Ball-themed park making its way to Qiddiya. Saudi Arabia has been making major investments into its tourism sector in recent years, with a host of IPs such as Transformers, WWE and Warner Bros Discovery all making their way to the kingdom for major attractions projects. Now the iconic Dragon Ball series will join the fray, with fans of the anime franchise able to take in an entire theme park experience for the first time.

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