The 966

1:28 - Will Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel soon? 

Richard’s one big thing this week is what people are talking about in Saudi foreign policy this week: “normalization.”

Are Saudi Arabia and Israel in fact close to normalizing relations? 

The hosts discuss the gap that currently exists between Israel and Saudi Arabia and why there’s a lot in the way between the two countries preventing a further warming of ties. 

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13:04 - A new study by KPMG surveys the opinions and insights of Saudi women in family businesses in the Kingdom. 

Lucien’s one big thing is this study, with features valuable and unique insights into the viewpoints of Saudi women in family businesses in the Kingdom. 

While many studies have examined the changing business roles of women over time, “few discuss the role of women specifically in family businesses,” KPMG writes, as it shares insights gathered from interviewing women business leaders working in family businesses across Saudi Arabia, “all of whom generously agreed to openly discuss and share their challenges, opportunities, and successes while working in their family business.” 

“We shaped the insights we gathered into four themes that emerged during our interviews; The role of women in family business, Leadership styles, Sustainability and succession, and Unique opportunities and mandatory legislation that affects women’s opportunities within business. In the first theme, The role of women in family business, we looked at the differences and challenges associated with women’s varying roles within their families and businesses. We also explore the gender differences that women face in relation to treatment and opportunities within the family business as well as the role mentors—both male and female—play in advancing women within family businesses,” KPMG said. 

The full study is worth a read, and is available here:

https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/sa/pdf/2022/the-power-of-women-in-family-business.pdf

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19:21 - The 966 talks with Jack Fowler, director at the global management consulting firm YCP Solidiance and co-author of a new report on Saudi Arabia’s construction industry, 'Partnering for Success in Saudi Arabia Construction.'

The report highlights Key Drivers for Saudi Arabia's Development as well as challenges, risks, and opportunities of doing business in Saudi Arabia. 

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1:08:44 - Yallah! Six top storylines on Saudi Arabia this week to get you up to date heading into the weekend.

•Saudi Arabia’s parallel market Nomu outshines TASI with 209% market cap growth

Saudi Arabia’s parallel market's Nomu capped index took investors by surprise as its market value grew at a faster rate than the main market's TASI during the first quarter of 2022, according to a report in Arab News. Nomu’s market capitalization rose 209 percent on the year to SR38.5 billion ($10.3 billion) from SR12.5 billion ($3.3 billion) in the year-ago period, according to statistics by the Capital Market Authority. However, the market cap of the main market, which captures the performance of 215 firms listed on the Saudi exchange, increased at a slower rate of 24 percent to SR11.96 trillion ($3.19 billion).

•Saudi women graduates outnumber men in job-training programs

Female Saudi graduates have significantly outnumbered Saudi men in the national on-the-job training program launched by the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf), according to a report in The National. Hadaf said 74 percent of 61,000 participants – who have benefited from Tamheer, a three to six-month on-the-job training scheme for Saudi graduates, since its launch in 2017 – were female. Most of the participants were from Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province. The number of women with jobs in Saudi Arabia has nearly doubled in the last five years and now stands at more than 35 per cent of the workforce.

•Saudi Arabian Edition of ‘The Office’ in the Works

According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, BBC Studios, which owns the format rights, and MBC Studios, the production arm of Saudi-owned Middle East satellite giant MBC, have unveiled Al Maktab, the first Arabic-language version of the long-running and award-winning comedy series. The 20-part series will broadcast on MBC’s TV channels, and via its streaming platform Shahid VIP, later this year.

•Starbucks KSA opens first all-Saudi female operated store
Alshaya Starbucks KSA has launched its first all-Saudi female operated Drive-Thru store in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia as part of its ongoing commitment to creating more work opportunities for Saudi women in line with the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, according to a report in Trade Arabia. The new all-female Drive-Thru only store located on the Coast Road is a significant step towards increasing its women workforce to 30% by the end of 2022, with plans to launch many more Drive-Thru stores over the coming years in Saudi Arabia, said Starbucks KSA.

•Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah port tops 2021 CPPI index, 2 Saudi ports rise up in rank

According to a report in Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah port topped the 2021 edition of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Islamic Port also featured strongly in eighth place overall and King Abdulaziz Port placed at 14th. “CPPI is a comparable index of global container port performance intended to serve as a reference point for key stakeholders in the global economy… The ranking is based on time vessels needed to spend in port to complete workloads over the course of 2021, a year that saw unprecedented port congestion and disruption to global supply chains,” according to the World Bank.

•Greece, Saudi Arabia Eye Fiber Optic Data Cable to Link Europe With Asia

Greece and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday on the main terms to set up a joint venture to lay a fiber optic data cable that will link Europe with Asia, Greek sources said on Tuesday according to a report in US News. The "East to Med data Corridor", an undersea and land data cable, will be developed by MENA HUB, owned by Saudi Arabia's STC and Greek telecoms and satellite applications company TTSA.

2:32 - Saudi Arabia's big week at Davos
Richard's one big thing this week is Saudi Arabia's presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week and how Saudi Arabia is stepping into the limelight with a strong economic start to 2022. Saudi Arabia has one of the few good stories to tell at the WEF in a world struggling to deal with the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and worldwide challenges with inflation.
Saudi Arabia, represented by a host of top-level ministers, pitched itself as well-positioned to use its strategic relationships and hydrocarbon resources to stabilize volatile energy markets and advance economic recovery.

7:02 - A warming of U.S.-Saudi ties?
Lucien's one big thing this week is a flurry of diplomatic activity between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia indicates the relationship is bouncing back from a low point reached in early 2022. Axios reports the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are working together on the transfer of two islands, the Tiran and Sanafir islands, from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in discussions that involve Israel and may lead, ultimately, to normalized relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Simultaneously, three GOP congressmen were in Saudi Arabia visiting directly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while top Biden officials were also in the Kingdom to work toward a host of issues on which Saudi Arabia and the United States can agree, paving the way for a potential visit by President Biden to Saudi Arabia in June.

20:08 - Chris Johnson, Managing Attorney at the law firm Johnson & Pump, joins The 966 from Riyadh
The 966 hosts welcome back Saudi-based attorney Chris Johnson, Managing Attorney at the law firm Johnson & Pump in association with Al Sharif Law Firm, to discuss Saudi Arabia’s new personal data privacy law, the Kingdom’s new investment law, and the Private Sector Participation program and how it fits in with Vision 2030 goals. Johnson, who also produces a weekly newsletter on Saudi Arabia that the hosts highly recommend, joins The 966 from his offices in Riyadh.

1:14:00 - Yallah! Six top storylines in Saudi Arabia this week to get you up to date headed into the weekend.

•Saudi official rules out changing laws to introduce alcohol
Assistant Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed ruled out the option to change laws in Saudi Arabia to introduce alcohol in the Kingdom, according to the Saudi Gazette. Asked, in a panel session about Saudi Arabia at the World Economic Forum, on the possibility of offering alcohol in new destination such as NEOM. “Saudi Arabia has been very transparent on where it stands on everything, we were very clear and we even heard it from our head of state on where we stand on serving alcohol,” Princess Haifa said. “The short answer is that we’re going to continue with our current laws.” The official pointed out that the Kingdom “is doing very well” when it comes to attracting tourists and opening the country for visitors from around the world. She added: “We have been out outperforming globally in tourism with what we currently have to offer today.”Princess Haifa concluded her answer by saying: “There’s a lot to go around without introducing anything new.”

•U.S. negotiating deal among Saudis, Israelis and Egyptians
Axios reports the Biden administration has been quietly mediating among Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt on negotiations to finalize the transfer of two strategic islands in the Red Sea from Egyptian to Saudi sovereignty, five U.S. and Israeli sources told Axios. If an arrangement is reached, it would be a significant foreign policy achievement for the Biden administration in the Middle East.

•Taxation, inflated prices cut the prevalence of smokers in Saudi by a third: Report
According to the The Tobacconomics Cigarette Tax Scorecard (2nd edition) report which examined country-by-country data between 2014 and 2020 on the prevalence of smokers and anti-tobacco measures in place, Saudi Arabia was among the highest-rated countries in the world in terms of its rating improvements between during that span. In 2014, Saudi Arabia had ranked 0.75 out of five – but by 2020 now ranks 3.75 out of five, due to measures implemented in recent years.

•Saudi Arabia’s largest theater chain launches Muvi Studios
Saudi Arabia’s leading theater operator Muvi Cinemas launched Muvi Studios on Monday, according to Arab News, and appointed Saudi film industry pioneer Faisal Baltyuor as its CEO. Muvi Studios will focus on developing both Saudi and Egyptian films for the Saudi public, concentrating on films for the big screen. Since its launch in February 2019, Muvi Cinemas has expanded to 22 locations across the Kingdom, operating 205 screens.

•Al-Jadaan: Saudi Arabia will ‘ultimately’ consider cutting VAT
Saudi Arabia will “ultimately” consider cutting the rate of value-added tax (VAT), which was increased to 15 percent from five percent in 2020, Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan said on Tuesday, according to a Saudi Gazette report. The VAT rate was tripled then to shore up finances hit by low oil prices, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit global demand. Al-Jadaan expected that the Kingdom would witness 7.4 percent growth in 2022. He also expected that inflation in the country to be around 2.1-2.3 percent by the end of the year. The minister reaffirmed the Kingdom’s determination to continue its reforms vigorously.

•Saudi Arabia to build luxury yacht club
According to superyachtnews.com, John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC, Amaala and the Red Sea Project said, “We anticipate that Amaala will become an international hub for luxury yachting. The yacht club required a world-class design, influenced by the surrounding natural elements and Arabic heritage, and underpinned by our commitment to sustainability.” The first phase of the yacht club includes eight resorts offering approximately 1,200 hotel rooms, scheduled for completion in 2024. Members of this ultra-luxury yacht club and their guests will be able to get from their boats directly to the private sky-lounge via a lift that can be accessed from the water’s edge. 

1:16 - Richard's one big thing this week - What’s next for the UAE as Mohamed bin Zayed takes the reins?
The UAE’s de facto leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan was elected president of the Gulf Arab state by a federal supreme council, following the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
MbZ, as he is known, is 61. He had already been in power for years in a period when Sheikh Khalifa suffered bouts of illness, including a stroke in 2014.

The hosts discuss the rise of MBZ, the importance of Sheikh Khalifa, and what's to come for the UAE in the months and years to come...

7:46 - Lucien's one big thing this week is the Saudi PIF's new company, the Saudi Coffee Company, and why the announcement is especially interesting in its ambition for the nascent coffee sector.
The PIF is starting the new coffee company which will "provide support to the national coffee industry through the entire supply chain, from bean to cup."
It will also play a key role in developing production in the southern Jazan region, home to the Coffee Arabica, it said.
The Saudi Coffee Company plans over the next 10 years to invest nearly 1.2 billion Saudi riyals ($320m) in the national coffee industry, with the goal of boosting the country’s production from 300 tonnes per year to 2,500 tonnes per year.
The company also aims to establish a dedicated academy to train local talent, entrepreneurs, coffee plantation owners and farmers as part of PIF’s focus on creating opportunities for small businesses and start-ups.

15:56 - Yallah 🐪 Six top storylines this week to get you up to date headed into the weekend...

•Saudi production capacity to reach 13.3 mil-13.4 mil b/d by 2026-27
Saudi Arabia's crude production capacity is poised to reach 13.3 million-13.4 million b/d by end-2026 or early 2027 as it looks to ramp up work at the Neutral Zone fields with Kuwait, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said May 16. The kingdom currently has the capacity to pump more than 12 million b/d of crude.

•How expats can apply for Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency visa in three simple steps
Eligible expats can now apply for Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency Visa in three simple steps through its newly announced Unified National Platform for Visas.
Chaired by the kingdom’s Prime Minister King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi Cabinet revealed a slew of new regulations on Tuesday, May 17, including the organisation of a Premium Residency Centre and the Unified National Platform for Visas, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

•Saudi ministry mulls two-day weekend for all private-sector workers
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has said that it is studying the prospects of amending the Labor Law article related to working hours to increase the weekly off to two days for all workers in the private sector, according to the Saudi Gazette.

•100 religious leaders gather in Saudi Arabia for ground-breaking conference
The Muslim World League (MWL) has completed the Forum on Common Values among Religious Followers event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 11 to 12 May 2022. The Forum, for the first time in history, convened within Saudi Arabia Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist religious leaders alongside Islamic leaders to explore shared values and a common global vision for interfaith cooperation. Approximately 100 religious leaders attended the first of its kind conference, including over 15 Rabbis.

•Saudi students win 6 prizes in US science contest
Saudi students picked up six prizes at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia, equaling their record haul for the 16th year in a row. Arab News reports that the ISEF 2022 saw the participation of pre-college students from over 80 countries in the biggest competition showcasing innovation in scientific research and advancement.

•Climate Change in the Middle East and North Africa: Hosting Negotiations and Catalyzing Action
In March, Dubai hosted the first Middle East and North Africa Climate Week, a United Nations event aimed at strengthening discussions about climate change and climate action among a wide range of regional stakeholders. Regional climate weeks are a new engagement mechanism encouraged by the 2021 Glasgow Climate Pact to accelerate regional collaboration. So, it was noteworthy that the Middle East and North Africa held the first regional event, given the region’s recent transformation from an obstructionist negotiation bloc to a group of countries with ambitious climate goals.

2:20 - Richard's one big thing is a discussion on carbon capture including a recent huge investment by Aramco into the space.

12:35 - There’s a lot going on in Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector...
This week, there were two events in the region: A major aviation summit in Riyadh, called the Future Aviation Forum, and a tourism and travel event in Dubai, the Arabian Travel Market. Both created significant news in the sector...

27:38 - The U.S. State Department's Joshua Yaphe joins The 966 to discuss his book, "Saudi Arabia and Iraq as Friends and Enemies: Borders, Tribes and a Shared History." Yaphe is a foreign affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State; responsible for research and analysis of political, economic, security and social affairs related to the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

1:29:00 - Yallah! Six top storylines on Saudi Arabia to get you up to speed heading into the weekend.

•Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector continued to see “robust growth” in April, Reuters reports, citing the headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) which stood at 55.7 for the month. A PMI reading over 50 indicates growth or expansion.
The growth fell slightly from 56.8 in March “as fears over inflation began to weigh on demand,” the report added, bringing the PMI to a three month low “as companies sharply raised selling charges to pass on higher input costs,” Bloomberg reports.

•Oil prices are surging, will that derail reforms in oil-exporting Middle East?
A recent piece in hellenicshippingnews.com wonders, “In March, Iraq’s oil exports were worth just over $11 billion (€10.5 billion), the most the country has earned for oil in a month since 1972. Obviously, Iraq can afford to pay all of its bills this month, and the next. But what does this mean for reforms planned before these price rises? Is there even any point to them anymore?
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister blames lack of investment for the recent surge in fuel prices…The prince, speaking at an aviation summit in Riyadh, said the world needed to look at energy security, sustainability and affordability as a whole.

•Lionel Messi arrives in Jeddah after being unveiled as Saudi Arabia’s new tourism ambassador
Global soccer story Lionel Messi is Saudi Arabia’s newest tourism ambassador, according to a report in Arab News. In a message posted on Twitter, Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb wrote: “I am pleased to welcome Lionel Messi to Saudi Arabia. We are excited for you to explore the treasure of the Red Sea, the Jeddah Season and our ancient history. This is not his first visit to the Kingdom and it will not be the last.”
Messi arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, accompanied by a group of friends.

•Saudi Arabia plans $32bn investment in mining and minerals sector
Saudi Arabia is looking to invest up to 32 billion in the mining and minerals sector, according to reports. Some of the projects considered for investment include a $4bn steel plate factory and a $2bn EV battery metals plant. As part of the plan, the country intends to support the development of nine mining projects for midstream minerals and metals that aim to support the exportation of mineral products.

•Saudi Space Commission, NASA Explore Space Cooperation
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Commission Eng. Abdullah Amer Al-Sawaha held a meeting with Pamela Melroy, the Deputy Administrator to discuss opportunities for strategic cooperation in the development of the space sector, as well as investment in future joint projects to achieve mutual economic and strategic goals. This meeting was a part of a tour which included visits to American institutions and companies working in the space sector, with the goal of enhancing the Commission’s efforts in developing the sector and cooperating with various international space and technology organizations.

•PGA Tour won't allow players to compete in Saudi-backed Super League next month: Reports
According to The Athletic, the PGA Tour has denied its players the ability to play in the first event of the Saudi-backed golf Super League next month in London, according to multiple reports. Members who requested permission to compete were denied on Tuesday, per Golfweek, who was first to break the news. The event, taking place from June 9 to 11 at the Centurion Club, is the opening tournament of the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

1:00 - Building a Hydrogen Sector: Can the US help Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia seeks to become a global supplier of hydrogen and create a home-grown industry. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia should (and already are) working together to help Saudi Arabia realize this goal and to help power the energy transition.

9:50 - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Scholarship Program has a new name and a new, refreshed mandate.
The refreshed scholarship program will send 70,000 Saudi students abroad to top-ranked universities and training institutes by 2030.

They’ll go to not just any schools but to 200 approved foreign institutions….

Eligible students will be streamed into one of four paths under the new strategy – the Pioneers Path, the Research & Development Path, the Providers Path, and the Promising Path.
The hosts discuss these changes within the context of the decades-long history of the program, King Abdullah's legacy, and why the new program makes sense for a changing Saudi Arabia.

20:36 - The venerable Dr. Jon Alterman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) thinktank in Washington joins The 966 to talk about a changing global order and the Middle East's role in it.
The hosts ask Jon about his work to-date, including building the fascinating and informative podcast series for CSIS, Babel: Translating the Middle East, which is available anywhere you get your podcasts. They also discuss Yemen, U.S.-Saudi diplomacy and the relationship, China's role in the region, and so much more.

Jon is an expert in the region. He holds the Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and is Director, Middle East Program at CSIS; received his PhD from Harvard University, and worked for the State Department. His very latest among many accomplishments is the recent Podcast mini-series, Babel: Translating the Middle East, which The 966 hosts enthusiastically recommend. For the concluding episode in that series, Jon interviews U.S. Envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, about the status of the fragile peace in the country and whats at stake there.

1:23:24 - Yallah! Six top storylines in Saudi Arabia to get you up to date heading into the weekend.
•Saudi Arabia launches the Tawakkalna Services app in a tech-forward leap for Saudi Arabia and its e-government focus...
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has launched a new app, Tawakkalna Services, to help improve the quality of life in the Kingdom, according to a report in Arab News. It provides 140 services that cover health, education, transport, Islamic and public services, and entertainment through 40 strategic partnerships. These include rendering a driving license, insurance documentation, passport inquiries and requests, a digital wallet approved by government agencies, charitable donations, data correction, and information verification.

•US removes Saudi Arabia from intellectual property protection concern list, a big win for the Kingdom...
According to a report in Arab News, The Office of the United States Trade Representative has taken the Kingdom off its Priority Watch List in its annual Special 301 Report, after Saudi Arabia tightened up its IP enforcement procedures.

•Video asking Saudis not to offer census takers coffee sparks pride in hospitality
A public service advert from Saudi Arabian authorities asking residents not to invite census takers into their homes for coffee is proving a hit with the public, according to a report in The National. The video, released by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics, has been viewed almost 800,000 times since its release earlier this week. The Saudi census starts on May 10, the first since 2010. Before that, the official census took place in 2004, 1992 and 1974. Authorities are expecting to record a big increase in the population. The 2010 census recorded a population of 27,136,977, while a preliminary estimate in mid-2020 was just over 35,000,000.

•Number of Saudi universities rises to 22 in UK Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings
The number of the Saudi universities jumped to 22 universities in the UK Times Higher Education (THE)’s Impact Rankings in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2022, Zawya reports. Three Saudi universities were included in 2019; increasing to 5 universities in 2020. In 2021, the number was increased to 12 universities, and it reached 22 universities this year.

•Cash-strapped Pakistan gets $8 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia, a significant lifeline...
According to the Economic Times, during the recent visit of Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide Pakistan with a "sizeable package" of around USD 8 billion to help the cash-starved country bolster dwindling forex reserves and revive its ailing economy. It was also agreed that the existing deposits of USD 3 billion would be rolled over for an extended period of up to June 2023, according to an official.

•Diriyah in Saudi Arabia will be home to Armani Hotels & Resorts’ first Saudi Arabian outpost
Giorgio Armani has decided to open a new hotel—the company’s third in the world in the city of Diriyah, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and located near the Saudi capital of Riyadh. According to Architectural Digest, overlooking Diriyah’s luxury shopping and hospitality district, the hotel will include approximately 70 luxuriously appointed suites plus two restaurants and a spa with a swimming pool, which offers a variety of wellness and relaxation experiences.

Dr. Mohammed Alhajji is director of the Behavioral Insights & Nudge Unit at the Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia since November 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he develops and implements. He also is co-founder of SaudiGenome, an innovative social entrepreneurship startup in Saudi Arabia to provide genetic testing at low costs with the goal of reducing prevalence of hereditary diseases in the nation.

0:38 - Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's first visit to Saudi Arabia in years represents a thaw in Saudi-Turkey relations that hit a low point four years ago.
Erdogan hopes the visit will herald a new era of relations after intense efforts to repair strained ties following the aftermath of the Jamal Khashoggi murder in Istanbul in 2018. Before the visit, in a policy reversal, Turkey halted and transferred its own trial of the Saudi suspects in the killing of Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia.
According to Reuters, Erdogan met with King Salman in an official ceremony in the al-Salam palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, attended the ceremony before having a one-on-one meeting with Erdogan.
The hosts take stock of the shift in the relations between two important countries in the region with a range of important aligned interests. 

12:52 -President Biden's pick to be US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia is Michael Ratney, a career diplomat. Ratney is currently serving as the acting deputy director of the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI). He was recently the chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Jerusalem, and previously served as the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Qatar as well as the acting deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Israel and Palestinian Affairs. The veteran diplomat was US special envoy for Syria and served in Mexico City, Baghdad, Beirut, Casablanca and Bridgetown. The post has been vacant since John Abizaid left in January 2021.

Historically, but not always, US ambassadors to Saudi Arabia have been political appointees with deep military ties, like General Abizaid. Ratney is the first foreign-service officer to be in line for the post since Charles Freeman in 1989. 

23:19 - Dr. Fatimah Alhamlan from King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) and founder of Rofaida, a Women’s Health Organization, joins The 966.
Dr. Alhamlan joins to talk about her life's journey that took her as a young woman from Medina to becoming an American-educated PHD researcher, Eisenhower fellow, and now as a leader at Saudi Arabia's top globally-ranked hospital.
Dr. Alhamlan also discussed the importance of the Saudi scholarship program for students to study abroad, formerly known as the King Abdullah Scholarship, as well as women's empowerment and health issues, and the challenges in creating awareness in Saudi Arabia of key medical and health issues.

1:20:00 - Yallah! A discussion of 6 top storylines in Saudi Arabia to get you up to date before the weekend.
•Saudi Arabia is targeting a tenfold increase in international airline passengers transiting the kingdom by the end of the decade as it looks to triple annual passenger traffic, an official told Reuters.

•Saudi Arabia, a major investor in Lucid, has agreed to buy up to 100,000 Lucid EVs over the next 10 years. The deal is for at least 50,000 vehicles over that time, with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance having an option to purchase up to 50,000 more, according to a report in CNBC.

•According to a report by Stephen Kalin in the Wall Street Journal, "Saudi princes have sold more than $600 million worth of real estate, yachts and artwork in the U.S. and Europe since the kingdom’s de facto ruler tightened the purse strings of the ultrawealthy ruling family.
The transactions represent a radical change of fortune for senior princes who funneled windfalls from oil booms in the 1970s and 1980s into some of the world’s most exclusive markets."

•The recently announced Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City has appointed David Henry as the chief executive officer of the City, according to a report in Arab News.
An industry veteran with over four decades of experience in property development, David has been leading the team responsible for developing the City from the beginning of the project towards the goal of establishing it as a premier ecosystem for youth, and a global center for incubating innovative, educational, and creative enterprises.

•Saudi Arabia’s new investment law is expected to increase international business by 50 percent, Arab News reports, as it treats both local and foreign investment equally, removing any commercial advantage previously extended to Saudi companies, said Sovereign Saudi Arabia.
“By legally enforcing the principle of competitive neutrality to public and private investors, this removes any previous commercial barriers to entry,” said Paul Arnold, managing director of Sovereign Saudi Arabia.

•Saudi Arabia has initiated a program for cloud seeding, a weather modification technique, in three regions as part of a plan seeking to increase annual rainfall in the kingdom by 10 to 20 per cent, according to Gulf News.

1:43 - Prince Turki al-Faisal's recent op-ed in Arab News is a must-read.

The hosts discuss this piece, 'America should laugh with the Kingdom, not scowl’, and why it brilliantly captures outdated American attitudes about Saudi Arabia as a growing nation with strong, deep ties to the United States.

"While many challenges face us in the post-corona era, I am amused by the brouhaha in the US media about a Saudi TV comedy sketch that took the mickey out of President Joe Biden. Commentators and pundits have taken umbrage, saying it was insulting, that it showed the Kingdom was not a friend of the US, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was getting back at Biden for the president’s refusal to meet him and his release of the CIA document about the Khashoggi killing, that it was an insult to the American people, and so on; truly an amazing reaction....It shows how thin skinned American media is, notwithstanding how that media has treated our leadership, our people and our faith..."

“I say to American media…Laugh at the humor. We have withstood jibes at us from American media and politicians; it is only fair that you withstand our comedic jibes at you. Let us laugh together, not scowl at each other.”

NB: As mentioned in the segment, here's a link to the full, unedited interview that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave to The Atlantic.

14:00 - Saudi Arabia's successful war on terrorism financing - one of the top areas of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States - is continuing forward with new, tougher rules on online donations.

New rules from the Saudi government have been put in place to make it harder for charities in Saudi Arabia to become donators to extremists causes both inside and outside of the Kingdom. The Saudi Public Prosecution has banned the establishment of private websites to collect donations for charitable work outside the kingdom in an effort to stop funds being sent to terror groups, the Saudi Okaz newspaper reported, relayed by Middle East Monitor…A statement issued by the government body explained that the punishment for anyone who is proven to have committed a cybercrime by creating websites for terrorist organizations will be up to ten years in jail and a fine of up to five million riyals ($1.3 million).

The Public Prosecution affirmed that donations can only be made through "official authorities concerned with receiving charitable, relief and international humanitarian donations."

22:05 - Yallah! Saudi in a minute -- The 966 segment with 6 top storylines to get you up to date heading into the weekend....

•According to a report this week in Arabnews: Saudi Arabia’s Film Commission has licensed 56 theaters in 20 cities so far since its launch in April 2018. In those theaters, 1,144 films were shown, including 22 Saudi films. The number of ticket sales amounted to 30,860,956 for films in 22 languages from 38 countries.

•Saudi Arabia’s stock market is the 6th hottest globally in 2022, according to Bloomberg data. As of this week, in April 2022, The TASI is up 22% this year in dollar terms. Optimism for the Saudi economy in 2022 continues to grow on the back of higher oil prices and a Kingdom well-positioned to grow in the post-pandemic year.

•After a seven-month hiatus, senior Iranian and Saudi security officials are expected to resume their dialogue in Iraq later this week, Amwaj.media has learned. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an informed Arab source has suggested that a fifth round of talks will be held on Apr. 21, “attended by representatives appointed by the highest leadership of the two countries.”

•Cementing Saudi Arabia’s status as a serious art powerhouse on the world stage, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation has announced its inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale, according to a report in Vogue Middle East. “Honoring the richness of the Kingdom’s creative heritage, while championing innovation and fresh ideas, the biennale will explore spirituality in the aesthetic realm and a diversity of artistic expressions. It will also provide new dialogues and insights by inviting international artists from around the world.”

•Yahoo via Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia is hosting an international competition which is broadcast on official state TV during Ramadan that features competitors – using their voice alone - reciting the Holy Quran or delivering the Islamic call to prayer. More than 40,000 contestants from 80 countries have participated and, after several stages, 36 candidates from Britain, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey have reached the finals. The total prize value is $3.2m. The first-place winner in the category of reciting the Holy Quran receives $1.3 million, while the first-place winner in the category of delivering the call to prayer receives $533,000. The remaining prize money is divided among six other contestants.

•BeachSoccer.com reports that the Saudi Arabia national beach soccer team, under the supervision of their head coach, Brazilian Joga Zlokovic, underwent an intensive eight-day training camp at the King Faisal Sports City in Jazan. A total of 15 players took part in the training and, as the camp took place during Ramadan, the team sessions were held in the middle of the night, from 1am until 3am. The first edition of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup, which took place in Saudi Arabia back in 2019, was the first official competition of the Saudi national team, and they beat China and UAE to finish third.

1:17 - Saudi Arabia made interesting headway in four different foreign policy areas this week. Significant developments in Saudi Arabia’s relationships with and interests in Iran, Lebanon, Turkey and Yemen. The 966 kicks off by talking about each of these for Richard's one big thing this week. 

9:19 - The U.S. Navy's new multinational task force will deploy to the waters around Yemen and in the Red Sea to help protect Saudi Arabia and ensure the security of trading routes in the critical waterways.
Lucien's one big thing this week is the significance of the new task force and timing of the announcement. that on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said that the task force would ensure a force presence and deterrent posture in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and Gulf of Aden, according to reports.
The waters around Yemen are a key passageway for oil and global trade, and vessels have in the past been targeted by the Houthis and other nefarious forces.
The new task force is the fourth under the CMF command, joining three others - CTF 150 (Maritime Security Operations outside the Arabian Gulf), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), and CTF 152 (Maritime Security Operations inside the Arabian Gulf).
The task force would ensure a force presence and deterrent posture of the coast of Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
When asked about the air raids from Yemen on U.S. partners Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Cooper said the task force would impact the Houthi’s ability to obtain the weaponry needed for such attacks, saying, "we’ll be able to do it more vibrantly and more directly than we do today,” Cooper added.

16:24 - The 966 talks with Afshin Molavi, author, thought leader, and emerging markets expert. Afshin is Senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and founder and editor of the Emerging World newsletter (eworld.substack.com).
The hosts talk with Afshin about his recent piece, 'Putin's Bomb and the Global Shrapnel' which examines the international ramifications of the Russian war into Ukraine, including the impact on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.
The piece talks about the various ways in which - Beyond the immediate human impact of the death and destruction in Ukraine..."there is the feel of tectonic plates crunching, of certainties crumbling, of history spinning a new web that will entangle us all."

1:17:00 - Yallah! Six top storylines in Saudi Arabia this week to get you up to date before the weekend.
•On Saturday the Hajj Ministry announced that it "has authorized one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the hajj this year." According to The National pilgrims traveling from overseas are expected to constitute 85% of the total number. In 2020 and 2021 Saudi authorities significantly reduced the number of pilgrims allowed in order to combat the spread of Coronavirus. In 2020, only 1,000 pilgrims were permitted to participate. In 2021 the number was 60,000.

•Citigroup is back in Saudi Arabia, per the WSJ. The third-biggest U.S. bank has again found favor in the kingdom as one of the foreign lenders helping the Kingdom modernize its economy. “They paid their dues,” said a senior Saudi official. “They were in the penalty box long enough. They’re back in the game.”

•According to a report in The Telegraph, two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson, along with European Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter as well as five-time tour winner Kevin Na are among those expected to join the $225 million rival. The final details are still being confirmed, according to LIV Golf, per the report, but the plan is to announce some of the players who are planning to join in the weeks ahead.

•An average of 54% of survey respondents from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said they believe cryptocurrency should be used as currency. Still, a significant proportion of the respective countries’ respondents believe certain obstacles are stopping cryptocurrencies from going mainstream, according to a report in bitcoin.com.

•According to a report in Bloomberg, Uber’s woes continue in Saudi Arabia. Wait times for cars have soared since the government enforced a rule last year that all drivers must be Saudis. While that’s part of a broad push to create jobs for citizens, it ruled out the millions of foreign migrants in the country.

•Saudi Arabia’s Industrial Production Index, also known as IPI, grew by 22.3 percent in February compared to the same month of 2021. This was the highest year-on-year growth rate during the last three years, the General Authority for Statistics added, according to Arab News. IPI’s positive growth for the tenth month in a row is attributed to higher production in the three sub-sectors; mining and quarrying, manufacturing and electricity and gas supply.

0:38 - Richard's One Big Thing This Week is NEOM's roadshow event in New York City on Tuesday, which he attended - and said was a success. Executives attending on behalf of the futuristic mega-city and development on the Kingdom's Red Sea coast were enthusiastic about NEOM and what's to come...

12:27 - Lucien's One Big Thing This Week is a Saudi UAV company that is hoping to become an exporter of drones in the coming years. Saudi Arabia’s INTRA Defense Technologies CEO Abdulsalam Ghamdi said in an interview with Asharq Alawsat that his company's Samoom medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV will soon be manufactured in the Kingdom for export, in line with the Kingdom's stated goal of localizing 50 percent of government military spending as part of its wider Vision 2030.

18:07 - Phillip Cornell, senior fellow, Global Energy Center at the Atlantic Council, and Principal for Energy and Sustainability at the Economist Impact joins The 966 to talk about the global energy transition, green hydrogen, and so much more.

1:06:17 - Yallah! Six top storylines to get you up to speed on Saudi Arabia heading into the weekend:

•Saudi Arabian Oil Co. joins Rice Carbon Hub research initiative...
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company, also known as Aramco, recently joined Rice University’s Carbon Hub research initiative, a program that focuses on the development of sustainable uses of hydrocarbons to further the energy transition. First launched in 2019, the program supports a zero-emission future in which hydrogen energy and advanced carbon materials are produced together from hydrocarbons in a sustainable and efficient manner. Aramco has joined this initiative with a five-year sponsorship commitment and brings $10 million worth of funding for it.

•Flat6Labs, SVC launch $40 million startup Seed fund in Saudi Arabia...
Saudi Venture Capital (SVC), one of the most prominent venture investment ecosystem development companies in KSA, has signed a new investment agreement with Flat6Labs, the leading seed and early-stage venture capital firm in the MENA region, to introduce the “Startup Seed Fund”. The fund aims to support startups with growth potential and provide more than 20 Saudi startups annually with seed capital over the next three years, in addition to a number of other benefits.

•Eight qualified bidders for Khnaiguiyah...
The National reported on Monday that the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced 8 qualified bidders for the Khnaigiuyah mine site. Qualified bidders have been given two months to complete and submit their proposals. The Saudi Geological Survey has confirmed the site's considerable geological potential of more than 25 million tonnes of zinc and copper, both of which are critical minerals for the global energy transition.

•Saudi Arabia records zero COVID-19 death for first time in two years...
The Saudi Gazette reported that on Tuesday this week Saudi Arabia did not record any deaths due to coronavirus infection during the past 24 hours, for the first time in more than two years.

•Big PIF spend to push Saudi construction market to pre-Covid levels
Buoyed by the resurgence of the industry post-pandemic, Saudi Arabia’s awarded construction contracts surged to SR142 billion ($38 billion) in 2021 with Q4 alone registering SR70.2 billion, the highest in nearly six years, reported Arab News. The kingdom has seen an uptick in contract awards over five consecutive quarters.

•Saudi Arabia buys 625,000 tons of wheat from Americas, Europe, and Australia
SAGO said it made the purchase at an average price of $422.47 a ton. That was up sharply from $365.14 a ton c&f paid in SAGO’s previous wheat tender in December. Traders say Saudi Arabia is among importing countries hit by disruption to Ukrainian and Russian grain exports and surging prices of wheat and other commodities.