MUST-READS

• Global financiers head to Riyadh investment bash in shadow of war
  Global financiers are poised to flock to Saudi Arabia's annual flagship investment conference next week as a tightening of the kingdom's purse strings and a deepening of regional conflict cloud the outlook. Among those expected to descend on the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh are top CEOs, including Goldman Sachs' David Solomon, BlackRock's Larry Fink, Citigroup's Jane Fraser and the London Stock Exchange's Julia Hoggett.

• Israeli strike kills journalists in Lebanon, Blinken sees urgent need for resolution
  An Israeli strike killed three journalists in south Lebanon on Friday, Lebanon's health ministry said, and the UN refugee agency warned that Israeli airstrikes on a border crossing with Syria were hindering refugees attempting to flee the war. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was an urgency to get a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, a day after he said Washington did not want to see a protracted campaign in Lebanon by its ally Israel.

• Women camel jockeys race in Saudi Arabia, breaking a social barrier

  Welcome to the Crown Prince Camel Festival, an event that has been dubbed the Grand Prix of camel racing, where camels race some 250 laps for prizes worth US$13 million. This camel festival, held in honour of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is now in its sixth year and is on par with the richest horse races worldwide. It has come to be recognised as a serious international sport and a great tourist attraction in several Middle Eastern countries. This year, some 21,000 camels are taking part.

• Is Israel carrying out de facto ethnic cleansing?

  “What we have learned this year is that everything is in our hands,” Ben Gvir said, before identifying what he considered the major legacy of militant group Hamas’s terrorist strike on southern Israel more than a year ago. “We are the owners of this land. Yes, we experienced a terrible catastrophe on October 7. But what we need to understand, one year later, is that so many Israelis have changed their thinking. They have changed their mindset. They understand that when Israel acts like the rightful owners of this land, this is what brings results.”

• Saudi Prince’s Beach Party Looks to Show Neom Dream Is Real

  An exclusive group of financiers, entertainers and influencers from around the world will this week descend upon Sindalah Island, the first project to open its doors at the planned city of Neom. The resort is now home to ultra-luxury hotels and unspoilt beaches, plus an 86-berth marina where the uber rich can dock their yachts and dive into the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea.

• Israeli strike kills Lebanese troops as France rallies support for army
  An Israeli strike killed three Lebanese troops in south Lebanon on Thursday as France hosted a conference to rally support for Lebanese state forces which are seen as vital to any diplomatic resolution of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese soldiers were killed as they were evacuating wounded people on the outskirts of southern village of Yater, the Lebanese army said. They were killed at around 4:15 a.m. (0115 GMT), a security source said. There was no immediate comment on the strike from the Israeli military, which has previously said it is not operating against the Lebanese army.

• IMF Forecasts Steady Global Growth in 2025

  India, China, Russia and the United States are forecast to see contractions in their economic output between 2024 and 2025. In Russia, this change is expected to be most pronounced, dropping 2.3 percentage points. Meanwhile, 2025 is forecast to be an improved year for growth in the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany. U.S. has had an upwards revision to a forecasted growth of 2.8 percent in 2024, from the previously estimated 2.6 percent. In 2025, growth is expected to slow to 2.2 percent in the U.S. as fiscal policy is gradually tightened and a cooling labor market slows consumption. This is still an improvement from the July forecast, which had estimated growth at 1.9 percent.

• Saudi Arabia to enforce USB Type-C charging ports for electronic devices from January 1

  This decision introduced by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) aims to enhance the user experience in Saudi Arabia, reduce additional costs for consumers, and provide high-quality charging and data transfer technology while improving the quality of tech products.

• Saudi Arabia Megaproject Neom Says It Needs 20% of the World’s Steel

  Manar Al Moneef, Neom's chief investment officer, spoke at the Global Logistics Forum in Riyadh on the weekend of October 13. According to the business news outlet Arabian Gulf Business Insight, she said, "Neom is going to be the largest customer [in logistics] over the next decade. If you look at our demand in logistics it's 5 percent of the global logistics market."

• Perspective: The New Battle for the Middle East

  These two countries are historic rivals with irreconcilable goals. Vision 2030 appeals to national aspirations, whereas Vision 1979 taps into national grievances. Vision 2030 seeks a security alliance with the United States and normalization with Israel; Vision 1979 is premised on resisting the former and eradicating the latter. Vision 2030 is propelled by social liberalization; Vision 1979 is anchored in social repression.

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