MUST-READS

• Faisal Al-Saud
  A new king in Saudi Arabia: November 1964

  Among numerous modernising reforms, Faisal established a new judicial system, abolished slavery, backed industrial development and introduced free health care. He built schools, hospitals, orphanages, airports and roads. He encouraged the development of women’s education in Saudi Arabia and of television, though cinema remained banned. At the same time he was a leading opponent of Israel and supporter of Palestinian nationalism, hugely admired in the Arab world, while skilfully keeping on good terms with the United States.

• Oil Slump
  Saudi Arabia is not declaring a volume war (yet)

  Some commentators have interpreted the U.S. price cuts as a signal the kingdom is initiating a deliberate price-war targeting U.S. shale producers. The reality is more complex.

  • Christian Science Monitor - Oil price tumbles on Saudi price cut. Big Oil feels a pinch.
  • Reuters - Saudi Arabia adds to oil power with new refineries
  • Reuters - Saudi Prince Alwaleed calls for sovereign fund as oil slides
• Sunni Arab Coordination
  Egypt, Gulf Arab allies eye anti-militant alliance

  Talks on an alliance against extremists are well advanced, the Egyptian officials said. But the further idea of forming a joint force is more distant, and there are differences among the countries over the size of any force, funding and headquarters, and over whether to seek Arab League or U.N. political cover for operations, one of the Egyptian officials said. Past attempts at a pan-Arab military force have fallen apart. Still, even if no joint force is agreed on, the alliance would coordinate military action, aiming at quick, pinpoint operations against militants rather than longer missions, the officials said.

  • CFR - U.S. Policy, Viewed From the Middle East
  • Middle East Monitor - Saudi Arabia plays major role in fighting weapons smuggling to Gaza
• Education
  Scholarship program brings Middle Eastern women to New College in Florida

  The group from Israel, Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are in their first year at New College of Florida. All are on a full, four-year scholarship, participating in the Daughters For Life Scholars program, an educational opportunity meant to help women from the Middle East make a difference in the world.

• Saudi-Lebanon
  French-Saudi Arms deal for Lebanon to be inked today

  Saudi Arabia and France will on Tuesday seal a deal to provide Lebanon's army with USD 3 billion worth of French weapons, with Riyadh footing the bill, a Saudi daily and a French source had said yesterday.

• Islamic State
  Islamic State ‘kills 322’ from single Sunni tribe

  Mass killings by Islamic State militants have seen 322 members of an Iraqi Sunni tribe killed in western Anbar province, Iraq's government says.

  • NBC - Most American Voters Focused on Economy, Domestic Issues - Not ISIS, Ebola
  • WSJ - Convert to Islam Tests Boundaries of Germany’s Terror Lawsf
  • NYT - Opinion: Flying Blind in Iraq and Syria
• Car Sales
  Saudi Arabia’s car market sees record sales during H1

  Research compiled by motory.com, a Saudi-based automotive portal, showed Toyota topped the sales chart, despite numerous recent recalls, capturing a 35 percent share of the market with over 150,000 vehicles sold.

• Refining Margins
  Refining Saudi Arabia’s Oil Strategy

  Those banking on a rebound in oil prices shouldn’t look down. Downstream, that is.

  • MarketWatch - Oil slips, Saudi Arabia’s December prices in focus
• U.S. Foreign Policy
  John Kerry: The Cold War Was ‘Easy’ Compared to Today

  “The Cold War was easy compared to where we are today,” the secretary of State said Thursday, during an appearance at The Atlantic‘s Washington Ideas Forum, an annual event that features high-profile speakers in government and the private sector. For the U.S. as a superpower, Kerry said, managing many countries’ competing interests is more difficult than dealing with just one other superpower, like the Soviet Union back then.

• Boeing Sales
  Boeing books first sales to Iran since 1979

  Boeing said on Wednesday it had sold aircraft-related goods to Iran Air in the third quarter, marking the first acknowledged dealings between U.S. aerospace companies and Iran since the 1979 U.S. hostage crisis. The Chicago-based aerospace and defense company said in a filing that it sold aircraft manuals, drawings, navigation charts and data to Iran Air to help improve the safety of Iran's civil aviation industry.

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