MUST-READS

• Will the UAE steer Assad away from Iran-led war with Israel?

  Over the past several years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played a critical role in bringing Syria back into the Arab diplomatic fold. Since Abu Dhabi reopened its embassy in Damascus in 2018, high-ranking Emirati and Syrian officials have consistently engaged in manners that serve to shore up the standing of Bashar Al-Assad’s government in the Arab world. The Syrian president’s Mar. 2022 visit to the UAE was a watershed in terms of his gradual rehabilitation as a “legitimate” head of state in the eyes of Sunni Arab statesmen.

• Israel steps up its battles with the United Nations

  On Thursday, Israeli forces fired on three positions in Lebanon staffed by the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL. At least two peacekeepers were injured and had to receive treatment, according to a UNIFIL statement, after an Israeli tank fired toward an observation tower at their main headquarters in the southwest city of Naqoura. The group — a legacy of international efforts to maintain the peace after Israeli invasions of Lebanon — has a force of some 10,000 peacekeepers of varying nationalities in bases scattered across the Israel-Lebanon border.

• Stop Israel from bombing Iran’s oil sites, Gulf states urge US
  Gulf states are lobbying Washington to stop Israel from attacking Iran's oil sites because they are concerned their own oil facilities could come under fire from Tehran's proxies if the conflict escalates, three Gulf sources told Reuters. As part of their attempts to avoid being caught in the crossfire, Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are also refusing to let Israel fly over their airspace for any attack on Iran and have conveyed this to Washington, the three sources close to government circles said.

• Saudi Arabia Aims For Global Hydrogen Leadership

  A formal announcement is expected soon. The news follows on a statement by PIF governor and Aramco chairman Yasir Al Rumayyan earlier this year, that Saudi Arabia wants to invest more in green hydrogen and have 15% of ‘blue hydrogen’ production globally. While a national hydrogen strategy first appeared in outline in 2020, the country has moved forward gradually under guidance of the Saudi Ministry of Energy. Its diverse hydrogen pathways include numerous initiatives of state oil company Saudi Aramco and affiliates and the new NEOM project.

• Saudi League edge is good for Senegal team, Mane says
  The presence of many Senegal players in the Saudi Pro League benefits the national team due to the competition's high competitive level, Al-Nassr forward Sadio Mane said on Wednesday. Mane, twice African player of the year, started the season with Al-Nassr strongly, scoring two goals and making five assists in six matches playing alongside all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo. "We’re all in the Senegalese national team," Mane told the Saudi Pro League. "Of course, we sometimes talk about the league and many other things.

• Hezbollah forges new command for crucial ground war after heavy Israeli blows
  Hezbollah is preparing for a long war of attrition in south Lebanon, after Israel wiped out its top leadership, with a new military command directing rocket fire and the ground conflict, two sources familiar with its operations said. Hezbollah has been diminished by three weeks of devastating Israeli blows - most notably the killing of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Friends and foes alike are now watching how effectively it resists Israeli troops that have crossed into Lebanon with the stated aim of driving it away from the border.

• US still believes Iran has not decided to build a nuclear weapon, US officials say
  The United States still believes that Iran has not decided to build a nuclear weapon despite Tehran's recent strategic setbacks, including Israel's killing of Hezbollah leaders and two largely unsuccessful attempts to attack Israel, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The comments from a senior Biden administration official and a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) added to public remarks earlier this week by CIA Director William Burns, who said the United States had not seen any evidence Iran's leader had reversed his 2003 decision to suspend the weaponization program.

• Why Saudi Arabia’s first women’s world title fight matters

  Saudi Arabia has played host to some of the biggest boxing events over the past 12 months, and on Saturday – for the first time – the Kingdom will host a women's world title fight. Australia's Skye Nicolson will defend her WBC featherweight title against Briton Raven Chapman, on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol, in Riyadh. "This is a much-needed and big shot in the arm for women's boxing as it joins the Riyadh Season train which is moving to a greater destination for boxing," promoter Eddie Hearn tells BBC Sport.

• Saudi to acquire stake in copper, gold mining project in Pakistan

  Al-Falih further explained that the Saudi company, a joint venture between the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), is expected to invest at least $1 billion in the mining project located in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan. The Reko Diq project, situated near the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, is scheduled to begin production in 2028. Barrick owns 50 per cent of the project, while the Pakistani federal government holds a 25 per cent stake, and the remaining share is owned by the Balochistan provincial government. Saudi is set to buy part of the government stake in the project.

• Saudi Film Confex 2024: catalyzing the growth of Saudi Arabia’s cinema economy

  The four-day confex brings together an array of producers, filmmakers, and specialists from Saudi Arabia and around the world. Discussions during the event revolve around the cultural significance of cinema, its economic impact, and the role of financing in the sector. The confex also underscores the integration of the film industry with other development sectors, which is seen as crucial for achieving growth and leadership in the region.

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