QUOTED

Quoted

“People always have pity on orphans, and if they want to help them, they usually do so by giving them food and water only. But there’s little education. Through a study, I found that orphans are less educated, so I wanted to pay attention to them.” Mansour Al-Mansour, a teacher at the Prince Saud bin Jalawi School in al-Ahsa, Saudi educator known for charity and prisoner work wins $1 million Global Teacher Prize [AP]

TOP STORY

$5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International tees off in Riyadh

Golf, Ladies International

The 5th edition of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is underway at the Riyadh Golf Club. [more]

 

MORE TOP STORYLINES

Saudi Arabia spearheads Arab scramble for alternative to Trumps Gaza plan

Via Pesha Magid, Samia Nakhoul, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Nafisa Eltahir in msn.com: Draft ideas will be discussed at a meeting in Riyadh this month of countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Proposals may involve a Gulf-led reconstruction fund and a deal to sideline Hamas, five of the people said. Reuters spoke to 15 sources in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and elsewhere to build a picture of the hurried efforts by Arab states to pull together existing proposals into a new plan they can sell to the U.S. president – even potentially calling it a Trump plan to win his approval. One Arab government source said at least four proposals had already been drafted for Gazas future, but an Egyptian proposal was now emerging as central to the Arab push for an alternative to Trumps idea. The latest Egyptian proposal involves forming a national Palestinian committee to govern Gaza without Hamas involvement, international participation in reconstruction without displacing Palestinians abroad, and movement towards a two-state solution, three Egyptian security sources said.

Largest Middle East maritime exercise unites over 35 nations

Via George Allison in org.uk: The Middle East’s largest maritime exercise, International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2025, officially commenced on February 10th in Bahrain and Jordan, according to a press release. The 12-day training event, hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), features over 5,000 personnel from more than 35 nations and international organisations. IMX 2025 is linked with Exercise Cutlass Express, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, allowing for extensive information sharing between maritime operations centres. The goal is to enhance theatre-to-theatre coordination, reduce operational gaps, and strengthen partner nation capabilities in responding to maritime threats.

Saudi private school in Herndon to shut down, surprising families

Via Angela Woolsey in ffxnow.com: The current school year will be the last official one for King Abdullah Academy. After close to a decade in the Herndon area, the Islamic private school announced in late January that it will close for good after the 2024-2025 academic year, citing challenges with identifying a “viable financial path to self-sustainability.” Funded by Saudi Arabia’s government, King Abdullah Academy launched in August 2016 after relocating to its current 40-acre campus at 2949 Education Drive east of Dulles International Airport. The school was previously known as the Islamic Saudi Academy and operated out of the original Mount Vernon High School from 1985 until its Herndon move. The academy’s departure opened the door for Fairfax County to redevelop the Mount Vernon site (8333 Richmond Highway), a project that began construction last fall.

 

MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND

Inside the ‘camouflaged’ Desert Rock Resort: Saudi Red Sea destination draws global tourists at $3,200 per night

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]

 

CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues

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]

 

Why Saudi cash hasn’t been able to turn Newcastle into a soccer superpower

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]

 

Trump’s Middle East Policy and Its Impact on Saudi Arabia

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]

 

Saudi crown prince congratulates Mark Carney on confirmation as Canada PM

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]

 

Saudi Arabia launches crackdown on ‘immoral acts’ amid social reforms

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]

 

Saudi Arabia, Indonesia to ink MoU to resume hiring domestic workers

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]

 

Saudi Arabia records 23,865 violations in nationwide residency and labor law inspections

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]

 

Saudi Arabia unveils plans for Global T20 League with $500M investment

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]

 

Crown Prince launches Saudi Architecture Characters Map to celebrate Kingdom’s architectural heritage

The Saudi Architecture Characters Map highlights 19 architectural styles inspired by geographical, natural and cultural characteristics, derived...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Saudi Arabia launches loan guarantees for SMEs to stimulate investment in environmental projects

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]

 

Saudi pours billions into Diriyah as megaproject nears completion

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]

 

US vows to keep hitting Houthis until shipping attacks stop

The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end...[By Phil Stewart, Mohammed Ghobari and Gabriella Borter via reuters.com]

 

Gulf digitalisation growth barely moving needle in productivity

Improvements in the availability and quality of digital infrastructure and services have yet to impact productivity growth in the Gulf economies...[By Valentina Pasquali via agbi.com]

 

CERAWeek 2025: triumphalism, agnosticism, and a touch of fear

CERAWeek, the annual gathering of the energy elite in Houston, Texas, is an intense crash course in the state of world...[By Frank Kane via agbi.com]

 

Trade wars and oil woes fuel market uncertainty

Between 10am and 4:30pm on March 11 the tariff rate on Canadian aluminium and steel imports to the US was hiked...[By Robin Mills via agbi.com]

 

S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia’s credit rating after two years on economic diversification efforts

S&P Global Ratings has raised Saudi Arabia’s credit rating for the first time in two years, citing the country’s economic...[By John Benny via thenationalnews.com]

 

Navantia Begins Construction of Saudi Arabia’s Seventh Avante 2200 Corvette

Spanish defense contractor Navantia has cut the steel of the Royal Saudi Naval Force’s seventh Avante 2200-class corvette at its shipyard in San Fernando. The...[By Rojoef Manuel via thedefensepost.com]

 

‘Bad Boys 3’ Directors Shooting Saudi Blockbuster ‘The Seven Dogs,’ First-Look Image Revealed

“Bad Boys 3” directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are shooting Saudi blockbuster “The Seven Dogs,” featuring...[By Nick Vivarelli via variety.com]

 

Spending pushes Saudi fiscal deficit to $31bn in 2024

Saudi Arabia’s fiscal deficit reached SAR116 billion ($31 billion) in 2024, driven by a 6 percent rise in expenditure, according to the ministry of...[By Pramod Kumar via agbi.com]

 

Hamas says it is willing to move ahead with Gaza ceasefire

Hamas signalled on Thursday that a crisis threatening to unravel an already fragile ceasefire in Gaza could...[By Nidal Al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie via reuters.com]

 

Oman advances liquefied hydrogen export project

Developed by Oman’s state-run hydrogen company Hydrom, the Ministry of Energy, Athens-based Ecolog and offtaker EnBW, one of Germany’s largest power...[By Eva Levesque via agbi.com]

 

Map wars in the Middle East

Nowhere is this more true than in the contested regions that today include modern-day Israel and the Palestinian territories. Since the establishment of the state...[By Christine Leuenberger via asiatimes.com]

 

Energy, petroleum ministries trade blame as blackouts roil Tehran

Unplanned power outages in Tehran have sparked a highly public blame game between Iran’s energy and petroleum ministries—leading both conservative and pro-reform media to call...[via amwaj.media]

 
 

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