MUST-READS

• Credit
  Saudi Arabia to introduce credit rating agency rules in September 2015

  Saudi Arabia’s capital market regulator will introduce rules for credit rating agencies next September, part of reforms aimed at modernising the financial sector of the world’s top oil exporter.

• Yemen
  Houthi advance raises alert for Saudi border guards

  Gains by the Shi'ite Houthi rebel movement in Yemen are ringing alarm bells in Saudi Arabia, concerned for what it means for its vulnerable southern border, already the conduit for a constant flow of illicit activity.

• Israel-Palestine
  Israeli Generals Call for King Abdullah Peace Plan

  In late October, a group of 106 retired Israeli generals, former Mossad and Shin Bet chiefs issued an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for a resumption of the peace talks with the Palestinians, based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative of then-Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah, now the King of Saudi Arabia. That Arab Peace Initiative was subsequently endorsed by the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

• Saudi-Iraq
  Iraqi president to visit Saudi Arabia amid hopes of diplomatic thaw

  Iraqi President Fouad Masoum will visit Riyadh on Tuesday, Saudi state media reported, raising hopes of a tentative thaw in long-chilly relations between the Arab neighbours. Real power in Iraq resides with the country's Shi'ite-led government and prime minister, but the first presidential visit to Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia since 2010 opens the door to a possible rapprochement, political analysts say.

• GCC Military
  How the US Can Turn the GCC Into a Lasting Military Alliance

  GCC members prefer to deal bilaterally with the United States but when strong common interests exist and the stakes are high, GCC countries are willing to work together.

• U.S. Congress and Iran
  New US Congress a risk to Iran nuclear deal

  The current Democratic Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, blocked a bipartisan bill earlier this year that would have imposed even more stringent sanctions on Iran than are currently in effect. Now under Republican control, the Senate is likely to revive the bill. Even if it is vetoed by the US president, the newly emboldened Congress could signal to Iran that Mr Obama cannot uphold the US side of any agreement.

  • VOA - Will US Election Results Undermine Iran Nuclear Talks?
  • Al Monitor - Some in Iran worry Republican victory could derail talks
  • Washington Post - Obama’s fourth-quarter agenda for foreign policy
  • The Hill - McCain Rips WH for 'Playing Footsie' With Iran
  • Foreign Affairs - Act of Congress Israel, Iran, and the Republican Victory
• Pakistan
  U.S. diplomat and longtime Pakistan expert is under federal investigation

  A veteran State Department diplomat and longtime Pakistan expert is under federal investigation as part of a counterintelligence probe and has had her security clearances withdrawn, according to U.S. officials.

• Al Jazeera Journalists
  Amal Clooney calls on Egypt to release journalist Mohamed Fahmy

  Amal Clooney has called on the Egyptian government to release her client Mohamed Fahmy on medical grounds, after she disclosed that the jailed al-Jazeera journalist is suffering from Hepatitis C.

  • Washington Post - In stark transformation, Egyptian rights activist dies fighting for the Islamic State
• MENA Startup Investment
  New Wamda Research Lab report sheds light on MENA investment landscape and future opportunities

  Entrepreneurs that have the ambition to grow their company often reference limited funding as a barrier to achieving their goals. Whether just starting out, launching a new product or expanding into a new country, access to capital is a critical resource that is not always easy to obtain. The investment ecosystem for startups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is no exception, yet in recent years funding access in the region has improved.

• Riyadh Traffic
  Going round and round, to nowhere

  While residents in the Saudi capital have commended the big revamp being given to Riyadh’s roads, many continue to suffer because of never-ending traffic rerouting in various parts of the city. Two major projects that have been constantly cited by residents are the underground tunnel along King Abdullah Road and a similar project near the old Riyadh airport.

• 10 of 61038 results<< 1 … 5,971 5,972 5,973 … 6,104 >>