QUOTED

Quoted

“Saudi Arabia’s transition to a knowledge-based economy depends on trust in financial reporting. Ethical, transparent accounting practices are essential for attracting investment and ensuring long-term economic resilience.” ICAEW Middle East head Hanadi Khalife, Saudi finance leaders discuss accounting reforms at ICAEW event [The Accountant]

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Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Islamic Arts Biennalle, Jeddah 2025

The second Islamic Arts Biennale entitled And All That Is In Between (Wama Bainahuma) is being held in Jeddah at King Abdulaziz International Airport’s Western Hajj Terminal from January 25 to May 15. [more]

 

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US resumes sending aid, intel to Ukraine; seeks ‘yes’ from Russia on ceasefire

Via Patrick Tucker in defenseone.com: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his own statement that the day’s discussions began with Ukraine’s key priorities: stopping Russia’s missile and drone attacks, releasing prisoners of war, the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, and building confidence in the overall diplomatic process. “The American side understands our arguments and considers our proposals,” Zelenskyy said. “The U.S. side proposed taking an even bigger first step—a 30-day full interim ceasefire, not only stopping missile, drone, and bomb attacks, not only in the Black Sea, but also along the entire front line. Ukraine is ready to accept this proposal.”

Saudi Arabia rebrands as mediator for global crises

Via Jennifer Holleis and Majda Bouazza in dw.com: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is increasingly busy hosting state leaders who fly in to discuss pressing global conflicts. This Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the Saudi Crown Prince to speak about Russias war in Ukraine. This is ahead of a Tuesday meeting between Ukrainian and a US teams set to negotiate a potential end to Russias war of aggression, as well as a security deal that would include US access to Ukraines valuable mineral and metal deposits. It will be the first time that Ukrainian and US delegates talk face-to-face after the public spat between US President Donald Trump and President Zelenskyy in the White House in late February. The fact that the two countries have agreed to meet in Saudi Arabia — and not, say, in Europe — highlights the emerging key position of the oil-rich kingdom in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has indeed established itself as a platform for dialog in the last two to three years, Sebastian Sons, a senior researcher for the German think tank CARPO, told DW. In Saudi Arabias foreign policy strategy, it currently plays a very important role to talk to everyone, he added.

The changing face of project finance around the Gulf

Via Matt Smith in agbi.com: Project finance is a funding model often used for infrastructure, in which repayment comes from revenue generated by the completed facility rather than being guaranteed by the owners. “Repayment depends on the project succeeding,” says Rahul Bajaj, director of Mena equity research at Citi in Dubai. As such, banks expect a premium for accepting the higher risk. “These are usually not low-margin products,” adds Bajaj. The project finance model is expected to play a bigger role in supporting the Gulf’s economic development. As governments push ahead with mega-projects, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the need for alternative financing mechanisms has grown, bankers say.

 

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Syria’s government signs breakthrough deal with Kurdish-led authorities in northeast

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China, Iran and Russia hold joint naval drills in Middle East as tensions rise between Tehran and US

The joint drills, called the Maritime Security Belt 2025, took place in the Gulf of Oman near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth...[via arabnews.com]

 

Will regional geopolitical shifts shake up Sunni politics in Iraq?

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Back to Violence in Syria?

Mohanad Hage Ali is the deputy director...[By Ghida Tayara and Jasmine Khelil via carnegieendowment.org]

 

How separatist militants hijacked a train in Pakistan

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