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QUOTED
“We’re not an agent of Israel. We have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth. We had very specific parameters by which we fell. And the reality is, what I wanted to do is jumpstart some negotiations that were in a very fragile place. And I wanted to say to Hamas, ‘What is the end game that you want here?’” Adam Boehler, President Donald Trump’s hostage affairs envoy, Why did the US break with tradition and hold talks with Hamas? [ME Eye]
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TOP STORY
Saudi Flag Day is March 11 commemorating when late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud approved the Saudi flag on 27 Dhul-Hijjah 1355 AH (March 11, 1937). [more]
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MORE TOP STORYLINES
Via Nathan Hodge: The talks are slated to bring together a Ukrainian delegation that will include Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Zelenskyys chief of staff Andriy Yermak, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also due in Jeddah; in addition to meetings with Ukrainian counterparts, the State Department said he is also expected to meet with the Saudi crown prince. Saudi Arabia’s role in potential peace talks came into focus in February, when US and Russian diplomatic officials held a first round of talks on ending the war in Ukraine. Those discussions yielded the promise of slightly less frigid relations between Washington and Moscow, with the two countries agreeing to begin restoring diplomatic ties. But the ruckus in the Oval Office showed, dealmaking with Trump is a highly personal affair. And the Saudi crown prince, widely known by his initials MBS, has a uniquely close relationship with the US president.
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Via David Brennan in go.com: The two sides have framed Tuesdays talks as a way to reset bilateral relations following last months explosive Oval Office meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance. The showdown prompted Trump to denounce Kyiv as the main impediment to peace in Ukraine, as well as placing a freeze on U.S. military aid and some intelligence sharing. The most important thing that we have to leave here with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who will lead the U.S. delegation — said on Monday ahead of the talks. Zelenskyy has stressed his readiness for peace, though repeatedly warned that any agreement must ensure deterrence against future Russian aggression. On Monday, Zelenskyy — who will not take part in Tuesdays talks — traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman.
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Via Natasha Hall in csis.org: The Middle East is no stranger to water scarcity and violence. For centuries, conflict has exacerbated water insecurity and vice versa. But the region is now at a tipping point. Groundwater aquifers are running dry or becoming contaminated, populations are exploding, and borders are more hardened than ever, making resettlement—a time-tested survival strategy—impossible. As is the case across much of the region, water security fell prey to the lack of political progress on resolving underlying conflicts. Without that political progress, donor governments and aid agencies have resorted to applying technical fixes to political problems. But in the Palestinian territories, as in much of the world, water insecurity has been a sign of deeper dysfunction.
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MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
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Saudi Arabia‘s Red Sea Global’s newest ultra-luxury offering, Desert Rock Resort, has quickly established itself as a global draw since...[By Tala Michel Issa via arabianbusiness.com]
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The report sheds light on financial performance during the fourth quarter of last year, including revenues, expenditures, and public debt indicators. It highlighted a 21...[via com.sa]
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Unlike Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City, which has dominated English soccer over the past decade, and Qatari-backed Paris Saint-Germain, which has done likewise in France, it...[By James Robson via apnews.com]
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Trump’s renewal of the maximum pressure campaign could lead to rising tensions in the Gulf after a brief period of relative stability. The Saudis remember...[By Sultan al-Amer via newlinesinstitute.org]
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Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Mark Carney on Friday, on the occasion of the formation of the new government headed by him...[via arabnews.com]
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Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 50 people, including 11 women on prostitution charges, in a new crackdown on “immoral acts” amid ongoing social and...[via middleeastmonitor.com]
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Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the recruitment of domestic workers from Indonesia to Saudi...[via argaam.com]
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The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia between March 6 and March 12 to ensure compliance with residency, labor, and border security...[via saudigazette.com]
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Saudi Arabia is set to launch a groundbreaking global Twenty20 league, backed by its $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund. Spearheaded by Australian cricket figure Neil Maxwell,...[via geosuper.tv]
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The Saudi Architecture Characters Map highlights 19 architectural styles inspired by geographical, natural and cultural characteristics, derived...[via saudigazette.com]
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Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley witnessed on Sunday the signing of an agreement between the Environment Fund and the Small and...[via saudigazette.com]
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Developer Diriyah Company — backed by Public Investment Fund — secured $1.6 billion in financing to develop the Wadi Safar project, an upscale residential...[By Kelsey Warner via semafor.com]
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The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end...[By Phil Stewart, Mohammed Ghobari and Gabriella Borter via reuters.com]
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Syria's Islamist-led government on Monday said it had completed a military operation against a nascent insurgency by...[By Jana Choukeir via reuters.com]
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