JavaScript is not available.

Jul 14, 2022

What does $500 billion build in the Saudi desert? The investigative project I've been working on for the past 6 months is finally out. It goes deep inside the story of Neom, MBS's science fiction-inspired plan to create a whole new region from scratch.

MBS’s $500 Billion Desert Dream Just Keeps Getting Weirder

Neom, the Saudi crown prince’s urban mega-project, is supposed to have a ski resort, swim lanes for commuters, and “smart” everything. It’s going great—for the consultants.

478

1,167

"Even as the global financial community contends with layoffs and lower bonuses, banking jobs remain plentiful and salaries are surging in one unexpected corner of the world: Saudi Arabia." By

@MattMartin128

@NicolasParasie

The Country Where Bankers’ Pay Is Booming: Saudi Arabia

The expansion of Wall Street firms and Saudi government bodies is boosting banker salaries in the kingdom

May 4

"The assessment aligns with the view of Bloomberg Economics, which estimates Saudi Arabia needs an oil price above $80 and perhaps closer to $100 to meet all spending commitments," By

@AbeerAO1

Saudi Arabia Needs Pricier Oil to Balance Its Budget, IMF Says

The International Monetary Fund expects Saudi Arabia won’t balance its budget if oil is below $80 a barrel, a revision that means the kingdom will move back into fiscal deficit after its first...

May 4

My latest from Port Sudan, where everyone gathering to flee has a painful story of escape. “I feel I have a family to protect by any means necessary,” said Ahmed, 21, traveling with his ailing mother. “And you don’t have guns, you don’t have power..."

Fleeing Sudan, Some Find Saudi Ships ‘a Golden Opportunity’ to Escape

A Sudanese student waiting to be evacuated by Saudi Arabia counted himself as one of the lucky ones: Born in the kingdom and holding a residency permit, he could board a rescue ship.

Saudi alfalfa sparks tension in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert

May 1

"Saudi Arabia, she explained, has become a 'lightning rod' for Americans in a way the United Arab Emirates has not."

news.yahoo.com

In an arid pocket of Arizona’s rural southwest, thirsty tufts of alfalfa are guzzling unlimited amounts of groundwater — only to become fodder for dairy cows some 8,000 miles east. This Sonoran...

Retired NSA director won lucrative consulting deals with Saudis, Japan

Apr 30

"Retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, who was a national security adviser to Obama, reported in 2017 that he expected to collect between $40,000 and $60,000 a month as a consultant to the [Saudi] Defense Ministry, according to FOIA documents..."

washingtonpost.com

Retired Army Gen. Keith Alexander won federal approval to serve as $700,000 cyberwarfare adviser to Saudi Arabia after 2018 death of Jamal Khashoggi

Apr 18

Interestingly, Graham touched on all of Saudi Arabia's requests from the U.S. that we mentioned in this story below (nuclear program, weapons sales, security agreement/treating kingdom more like NATO ally) and said he supports them all

Saudi Arabia Offers Its Price to Normalize Relations With Israel

The Saudi crown prince is seeking a civilian nuclear program and security assurances from President Biden, a steep price for an agreement long sought by Israel.

Lindsey Graham talks about his-about face on Saudi Arabia in an interview with Saudi channel Al-Arabiya: “The world has changed, Saudi Arabia has taken a new path. 2018 still looms large, I’ll just be honest with you...But, I see things happening here..."

arabnews.com

‘I reserve the right to change course,’ Lindsey Graham tells Al

LONDON: US Senator Lindsey Graham said he “reserved the right to change course” on his opinion of Saudi Arabia following a visit to the Kingdom. The Republican South Carolina senator arrived in Saudi

This is a very interesting interview of

@SafiraLeaf

thenationalnews.com

US closely watching 'detente' between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Barbara Leaf says

Full reconciliation yet to be seen but de-escalation in the region to be welcomed, senior official says

Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Scoop Up Russian Oil Products at Steep Discounts

Apr 17

"Despite U.S. objections, the Gulf countries are using the discounted Russian [oil] products internally, including for consumption and refining purposes, and exporting their own barrels at market rates, boosting their profits."

wsj.com

Despite U.S. objections, the Gulf countries are using the Russian products internally, including for consumption and refining purposes, and exporting their own barrels at market rates, boosting their...

Apr 17

'"Somebody from a developing country said to me, ‘what we get from China is an airport. What we get from the United States is a lecture,’ said Summers."

Summers Warns US Is Getting ‘Lonely’ as Other Powers Band Together

Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers warned of “troubling” signs that the US is losing global influence as other powers align together and win favor among nations not yet aligned.

Fire in Dubai kills 16, injures 9 in apartment building

Apr 17

"A Dubai-based businessman who volunteers with the Indian Consulate on repatriation issues...told the AP that authorities had identified the dead as six Sudanese, four Indians, three Pakistanis, a Cameroonian, an Egyptian and a Jordanian."

apnews.com

A fire has swept through an apartment building in an older neighborhood of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, killing at least 16 people and injuring another nine. The blaze Saturday in the Al Murar...

Silicon Valley VCs tour Middle East in hunt for funding

Apr 16

"'The Four Seasons in Riyadh is basically Palo Alto,' said a partner at one large Silicon Valley venture fund."

ft.com

Liquidity crunch leads investors such as Andreessen Horowitz to sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE

132

Senior U.S. officials meet with MBS in Saudi Arabia in sign of improving relations

Apr 14

"McGurk, Hochstein and Lenderking also met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed the efforts to end the war in Yemen, a White House National Security Council spokesperson told Axios."

axios.com

They are the most senior U.S. officials to visit Saudi Arabia since a crisis erupted between the countries in October.

Apr 14

It's likely that Qatar will become the only Arab country that remains openly against normalization with Syria. “The Syrian people are still displaced, innocent people are in prison,” Qatar's PM said, saying they're sticking to their stance.

After Shunning Assad for Years, the Arab World Is Returning Him to the Fold

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was isolated for years after brutally crushing his country’s Arab Spring uprising. But in most Arab capitals today, the only question is how — not whether — they...

Officials from the GCC, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq will meet in Saudi Arabia today to discuss how they should approach Bashar al-Assad+Syria, attempting to coordinate policy ahead of an Arab League summit next month. Our take on the regional shift is here:

After Shunning Assad for Years, the Arab World Is Returning Him to the Fold

110

"Sen. Lindsey O. Graham...who once promised a 'bipartisan tsunami' against Saudi Arabia in the wake of the 2018 assassination of...Jamal Khashoggi, held what he called a 'very productive' meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday."

washingtonpost.com

Lindsey Graham meets with Saudi crown prince, reversing past criticism

The Republican senator's meeting with Mohammed bin Salman marks a departure from his comments in the wake of the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in which Graham said he would never visit...

Apr 12

“It’s a gathering place,” Mr. Shalodi’s mother, Seham Ghait, 53, said earlier in the day, as she fried cauliflower and potatoes for the maqluba. “I feel at peace there.” By

@RajaAbdulrahim

During Ramadan, Palestinians Picnic in Aqsa Compound to Break Fast

A coveted Middle Eastern rice dish has become a social media star at Al Aqsa Mosque, even as tensions escalate at a site also revered by Jews.

Apr 11

What Do Peace Talks in Yemen Mean for Its 8-Year War? Some say the country is the closest its been in years to a lasting peace. Others worry the conflict is simply entering a new phase.

What Do Peace Talks in Yemen Mean for Its 8-Year War?

The surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, whose rivalry fueled the war, has raised a glimmer of hope for a breakthrough in resolving one of the world’s worst crises.

The Strategic Calculus behind the Saudi-Iranian Agreement

On Saudi/Iran: "Deterrence and containment will remain a core policy for both sides. Diplomatic normalization will certainly help to calm tensions, but it will be insufficient to reverse these trends."

thecairoreview.com

Reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia creates opportunities for cooperation and poses security challenges stemming from opposing objectives, and foreign and domestic spoilers.

"Kuwait named the prime minister’s fourth government in eight months, as the oil-rich OPEC member faces little let-up from political uncertainty and economic malaise."

Kuwait Names New Finance Minister in Latest Cabinet Line-Up

Kuwait named the prime minister’s fourth government in eight months, as the oil-rich OPEC member faces little let-up from political uncertainty and economic malaise.

"Saudi Arabia has spent more than $37 million since 2017 searching for [uranium] deposits but only managed to identify reserves that would be 'severely uneconomic' to mine, the report said."

Saudi Quest to Become a Nuclear Player Is Coming Up Short

Saudi Arabia’s efforts to break into the ranks of global uranium suppliers — and feed a nascent nuclear power program — are coming up short, with exploration investments failing to find any signifi...

“It wasn’t a matter of pricing, or a matter of profit or a matter of income,” the minister said of the 2020 decision. “Rather, it’s a matter of ‘To be or not to be’; who will be the master of this sector?”

Saudi TV Show Offers Glimpse Into 2020 Oil War With Russia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s order to flood oil markets three years ago during a dispute with Russia ultimately gave the kingdom confidence to be more assertive in shaping OPEC+’s...

Apr 6

"U.S. allies have begun to create their distinct Iran policy that might not align with Washington’s own approach.”

Saudi and Iranian Foreign Ministers Meet in China After Thaw

The high-level talks were a sign that the regional rivals were moving ahead with an agreement to re-establish relations, mediated last month by Beijing.

Opinion | With oil production cut, the Saudis send a message to the U.S.

Apr 5

meanwhile, in riyadh

Quote Tweet

Ahmed Al Omran

@ahmed

Apr 5

Trump’s name misspelled as “tramp” in a Saudi newspaper today

"It is tempting to see the oil-production move by MBS, as the Saudi crown prince is known, as a pre-arraignment endorsement of former president Donald Trump." sorry wut??????

washingtonpost.com

The era of U.S. hegemony in the Gulf region is over.

The UAE, the first Mideast country to set a goal to reach net zero by 2050, also has some of the world's highest per-capita CO2 emissions,

@AkshatRathi

writes, as he profiles Sultan Al Jaber, the COP28 president.

A Kingdom Built on Oil Now Controls the World’s Climate Progress

Sultan Al Jaber was selected to lead COP28 — the most important climate summit. He also runs the oil and gas behemoth Adnoc.

Apr 5

"Under high emissions scenarios, most of the region will experience substantial levels of warming by the 2060s, leading to an increase in associated deaths from about two per 100,000 today to about 123 per 100,000 in the period between 2081 and 2100."

Untamed Global Warming Risks Soaring Death Toll in Middle East

Apr 4

"Neumann’s Flow aims to become the community-centric housing version of WeWork, the office real estate firm from which he was ousted as chief executive officer in 2019, following a disastrous public offering attempt." Now eying Saudi market...

Adam Neumann Considers Taking New Startup Flow to Saudi Arabia

Flow, Adam Neumann’s new residential real estate company, is considering launching in Saudi Arabia.

Apr 3

“The nature of Dubai is changing,” said Metin Mitchell, founder of...[an] executive recruitment firm working in the region for decades. “This is becoming a super dynamic economy again, but it’s also becoming more of a Monaco, servicing the...affluent..."

Dubai’s Latest Boom Is Pricing Out the Expats It Once Coveted

An influx of wealthy Russians, crypto millionaires and bankers have pushed up rental prices and raised the barrier to entry.

Apr 2

"OPEC+ announced a surprise oil production cut that will exceed 1 million barrels a day, abandoning previous assurances that it would hold supply steady to maintain a stable market."

OPEC+ Makes Shock Million-Barrel Cut in New Inflation Risk

OPEC+ announced a surprise oil production cut of more than 1 million barrels a day, abandoning previous assurances that it would hold supply steady and posing a new risk for the global economy.

Apr 2

On Saudi demanding economic reforms from Egypt & other aid recipients: "Prince Mohammed has transformed the way that Saudi Arabia uses its financial muscle, chasing higher investment returns & deploying oil revenue for leverage in the Middle East & beyond"

No More Blank Checks: Saudi Arabia Clamps Down on Regional Aid

The kingdom used to send money to poorer countries like Egypt with few strings attached. But it is increasingly leveraging its economic power for influence in the Middle East and beyond.

Apr 1

"The energy ministry said in a statement that the bidding process for two reactors involves 'several technology vendors' and that it expected to receive proposals soon."

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Global Push for Nuclear Power

Despite qualms in Washington, Saudi officials have pressed the United States to help them develop nuclear power. But they are also exploring other options, including China.

"Speaking at a conference in Riyadh in January, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the energy minister, said that plans to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel...were even 'more important' than proposed reactors...."

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Global Push for Nuclear Power

Despite qualms in Washington, Saudi officials have pressed the United States to help them develop nuclear power. But they are also exploring other options, including China.

"Prince Mohammed...believes he has the right to exploit the kingdom’s potentially vast uranium deposits for both energy and export. That would create a new revenue source for the kingdom and could give Saudi Arabia greater geopolitical heft."

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Global Push for Nuclear Power

Despite qualms in Washington, Saudi officials have pressed the United States to help them develop nuclear power. But they are also exploring other options, including China.

Our latest story delves into the history and geopolitics of Saudi Arabia's push for nuclear power. The kingdom's officials prefer American technology, but are willing to look elsewhere if they can't get it:

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Global Push for Nuclear Power

Despite qualms in Washington, Saudi officials have pressed the United States to help them develop nuclear power. But they are also exploring other options, including China.

131

Fascinating anecdote here about a Saudi PhD student who uses ChatGPT to help come up with bedtime stories for his daughter: “Sometimes I ask it to add a value she needs to learn like honesty or being kind to others,” he said.

We Need to Talk (Just as Soon as I Consult ChatGPT)

Faced with challenging situations in parenting, romance or work, some are getting by with a little help from their A.I. friends.

Tolerance as Tourism? Dual Developments in the Arab Gulf

Mar 27

"Through the Abrahamic Family House, the UAE carefully curates the public sightseeing of what counts as true religion, what is tolerable and what is not, and what never reaches open discussion in the first place."

divinity.uchicago.edu

Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers to meet during Ramadan

Mar 27

"Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, have agreed to meet during the month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Monday."

arabnews.com

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, have agreed to meet during the month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency

Mar 27

"Ammar Al Khudairy, the chairman of Credit Suisse Group AG’s largest shareholder, has resigned just days after his comments helped trigger a slump in the stock and bonds that prompted the Swiss government to step in and arrange its takeover."