MUST-READS

• Parts of Saudi Arabia covered with snow

  The Middle East has been experiencing a remarkable weather phenomenon this week, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enduring an intense hailstorm, followed by Oman being battered by torrential rains that caused such severe flooding the government declared a national holiday. Adding to this meteorological spectacle, parts of Saudi Arabia have now been covered in a layer of snow, transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland on Thursday, February 15. In Saudi Arabia, the temperature took a significant dive as heavy rains pelted the mountainous regions of Jabal Al Lawz, subsequently giving way to a light snowfall that has captivated both residents and visitors. Snowfall in the desert regions is always a source of fascination, often generating viral videos and widespread awe, yet for the Tabuk region, this wintry blanket is not uncommon. Situated at an elevation of 2,600 meters, the area is known for its almond bushes and regularly attracts tourists eager to experience its cooler climate and unique snowy scenery.

• ‘Game-changing’ Professional Fighters League in Saudi Arabia ready to revolutionise MMA

  The chief executive of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) says next week’s “game-changing” inaugural event in Saudi Arabia will provide a launch pad to “building out a world-class ecosystem” for mixed martial arts in the kingdom and throughout the region.

• Saudi FM stresses need for humanitarian efforts in Rafah with Iranian counterpart

  Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed the need for humanitarian efforts in Rafah with his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian in a phone call on Friday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported. Israel has said it will mount an offensive to take out Hamas’s “last bastion” in Rafah, where well over 1 million Palestinians have sought sanctuary from its devastating Gaza offensive. Israel has said its army is drawing up a plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah to other parts of the Gaza Strip. But UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday it was an “illusion” to think people in Gaza could evacuate to a safe place and warned of the possibility of Palestinians spilling into Egypt if Israel launches a military operation in Rafah.

• Saudi money in golf: Tiger Woods is now saying what once made Phil Mickelson persona non grata

  Wednesday afternoon, hours before his return to the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods sat before a bank of microphones and uttered a line that would have lit the golf world on fire just a couple years ago. “Ultimately,” Woods said, “we would like to have PIF be a part of our tour and a part of our product.” “PIF” is the Public Investment Fund of Saudi ­Arabia, the source and driving force of golf’s current bone-deep schism.

• Kuwait Emir dissolves parliament – KUNA

  Kuwait's emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah issued a decree on Thursday to dissolve the parliament, state news agency KUNA reported. The Emiri decree was based on the assembly's "violation of the constitutional principles", KUNA added. The legislature in Kuwait wields more influence than similar bodies in other Gulf monarchies, and political deadlock has for decades led to cabinet reshuffles and dissolutions of parliament.

• Red Sea Attacks Foster Arab-Israeli Trade Link by Land

  Houthi drone and missile attacks on Red Sea shipping have spurred the development of an alternative “land bridge” to carry cargo by truck from the Persian Gulf across Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel and Egypt. The project, which is already seeing dozens of trucks per day reach the Israeli port of Haifa, is seen as an early benefit of the 2020 Abraham Accords normalizing ties between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. It bodes well for future cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The United States is seeking to broker a deal that would see the normalization of relations between those two countries in exchange for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

• Saudi Arabia Lures Big Law Firms to Lucrative New Legal Market

  At least 30 multinational law firms have opened branches in Saudi Arabia in the past nine months or have applied for the right to do so, racing to establish a foothold in the oil-rich kingdom now allowing outside legal work. Several had affiliations with Saudi-based firms since the early 2000s, but for the first time were allowed to create their own practices in the country without the constraints of a local partner. Others are entering the marketplace for the first time.

• Saudi Treasury Holdings Hit Highest Level in Nearly Three Years

  Saudi Arabia added nearly $4 billion to its US Treasury holdings by the end of last year, taking its stockpile to the highest level since early 2021. The amount stood at nearly $132 billion in December, according to the latest figures from the Treasury Department. Other top US government debt holders, including China and Germany, also increased holdings in the world’s safest asset, potentially taking advantage of attractive yields.

• Saudi Arabia enters table tennis with WTT Grand Smash event

  World Table Tennis (WTT), the commercial arm of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), has announced that Saudi Arabia will host a WTT Grand Smash from 2024 onwards, marking the first time a professional table tennis event will be held in the kingdom. The inaugural Saudi Smash will take place from 4th to 11th May at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The city has already hosted Formula One, the Fifa Club World Cup, ATP NextGen tennis, sailing’s America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta, and world heavyweight boxing.

• Stage set for Season 4 Extreme E opener in Saudi Arabia

  The fourth instalment of Extreme E is almost upon us, with the 2024 campaign opening in Saudi Arabia this weekend (17-18 February). There are new teams and new line-ups joining the fray in Season 4, along with plenty of familiar faces, as the pioneering all-electric off-road racing series returns to action for the Desert X Prix. The deserts of Saudi Arabia have launched each of the three previous Extreme E campaigns, all offering astonishing backdrops for the opening rounds of the championship season, and another special event can be expected for Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2024 campaign in Jeddah.

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