Podcast appearances and mentions of Al Arabiya

Last Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that the President is not authorized to impose tariffs, affirming that Congress alone has the power to tax. Entrepreneur and pastor Mark Franco joins Russell, Mike, and Clarissa to discuss the future of tariffs. Then, President Trump suggests that he would launch a strike on Iran if they do not back down from their nuclear weapons program. Jonathan Schanzer stops by to share about Iranian protests and possible regime change. Finally, President Trump's annual State of the Union address lasted a record breaking 1 hour and 48 minutes. Mike, Clarissa and Harvest Prude recap the highlights. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: Trump's SOTU Heralded a Revival. The Data Is Mixed. - Harvest Prude ABOUT THE GUESTS: Mark Franco is the president and CEO at MXD Process, a company that oversees the manufacturing and supply of industrial process equipment, and serves as the managing partner at Soterra Capital. Prior to that, he was the principal at Franconia Enterprises and president at Unified Manufacturing and Design, LLC. Mark is a pastor at Sojourn Community Church. Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and he is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury. Schanzer has appeared on CNN, Fox News, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera. Harvest Prude is Christianity Today's national political correspondent and a congressional reporter based in Washington, DC. She is a former reporter for The Dispatch and World, having served there as political reporter for their Washington bureau. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For review:1. Iran and the United States continued to slide rapidly toward military conflict at the weekend, as hopes faded for a diplomatic solution. Israel and Iran's Gulf neighbors now consider a conflict to be more likely than a settlement.2. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it struck three Hezbollah command centers belonging to the terror group's missile force in the Baalbek area, in eastern Lebanon's Beqaa Valley.3. Officers from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have effectively taken charge of Hezbollah in anticipation of a war with the US and Israel, Saudi outlet Al-Arabiya reported Saturday, as Lebanese officials were said to assail the possibility of their country getting dragged into battle.The IRGC officers, some of whom recently arrived in Lebanon from Iran, are tasked with rebuilding Hezbollah's military capabilities.4. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Friday that his terror organization is open to international peacekeeping forces in Gaza, but rejected any interference in the territory's “internal affairs.”5. Estonia has started public procurement of 600 modular bunkers as part of a joint push by the Baltic states to secure their border with Russia and Belarus.6. Germany does not want to pursue nuclear weapons of its own, but is interested in incorporating French and British atomic bombs in a deterrence arrangement reminiscent of NATO's U.S.-based nuclear umbrella, according to Chancellor Friedrich Merz.7. France-Germany-Spain FCAS 6th Generation Fighter Dead.8. Shipbuilder Austal Defence Australia has been selected to build 8 x Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels for the Australian military under an approximately $4 billion Australian dollar ($2.82 billion) contract, the company announced today.

Nyheter och fördjupning från Sverige och världen. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Rättelse: I tidigare nyhetssändningar om den upptrappade situationen kring Iran och president Donald Trump refererade vi till iransk tv. Rätt ska vara att ljudet som fanns med i inslaget kom från den arabiska tv kanalen Al-Arabiya.

Nyheter och fördjupning från Sverige och världen. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Rättelse: I tidigare nyhetssändningar om den upptrappade situationen kring Iran och president Donald Trump refererade vi till iransk tv. Rätt ska vara att ljudet som fanns med i inslaget kom från den arabiska tv kanalen Al-Arabiya.

This week, protests continued against the Iranian government with the death count rising to more than 3,000, according to Iranian health officials. Jonathan Schanzer joins Mike, Russell, and Clarissa to discuss why this is such an important moment for the Iranian people and for peace in the Middle East. On Sunday, the Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell released a video responding to grand jury subpoenas regarding renovation costs for federal buildings. Charlie Sykes explains the backdrop of the DOJ's investigation and what this could mean for the economy. Then, Christine Emba stops by for a discussion about Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, which has begun granting a large number of user requests to undress images posted by other people.  REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: -Updates on X's policies regarding Grok's image generation. ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and he is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury. Schanzer has appeared on CNN, Fox News, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera. Charles J. Sykes is a political commentator who hosted a conservative talk show in Wisconsin for 23 years. He was the former editor-in-chief of The Bulwark, and is currently an MSNBC contributor. Sykes has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Salon, USA Today, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and has appeared on the Today Show, ABC, NBC, Fox News, CNN, PBS, and the BBC. Christine Emba is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where her work focuses on gender and sexuality, feminism, masculinity, youth culture, and social norms. She is concurrently a contributing writer at The New York Times, and previously was a staff writer at The Atlantic, a columnist and editor at The Washington Post. She is the author of Rethinking Sex: A Provocation.  GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gudrun Harrer in conversation with Barak Ravid, Ebtesam El-Ketbi, Abdulaziz SagerFROM HOPE TO UNCERTAINTY - FIVE YEARS AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND FOUR ARAB STATES Five years ago, in September 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, the agreement that established normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel. They were later joined by Morocco and Sudan (the latter never implementing the agreement). The cultural, economic and security cooperation between the Abraham Accord signatories progressed, and in 2023 the US administration of President Joe Biden increased efforts to complete the project of his predecessor Donald Trump by bringing Saudi Arabia into the pact.The 7th October 2023 brutal Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent massive Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip with its heavy toll on innocent Palestinian civilians completely changed the political environment of Israeli Arab cooperation. The Abraham Accords have proved resilient but are in difficult waters, even more so since Israel recently, on September 9th, attacked a target in Qatar – which is not a member of Abraham Accords, but, together with the US and Egypt, a mediator between Hamas und Israel. The Unites Arab Emirates drew a “red line” over a possible annexation of the West Bank by Israel. The escalation not only questions Arab Israeli relations and, in concrete terms, the future of the Abraham Accords. Also the foundation of trust between the United States and its reliable Arab partners on the Gulf seemed to be shaken.A panel of distinguished experts from the region will address the question if the Abraham Accords are in acute danger or already a stable part of a new irreversible security architecture in the Middle East and North Africa. If this is the case, can they be not only maintained but expanded, geographically and thematically? What are the requirements for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to join? Is Israel – which seems to have switched from policies of national security to the goal of regional dominance – still interested in the development of the Accords? Is the European Union, as it seems, really confined to a role of passive onlooker although directly affected by all events in the MENA region? Barak Ravid, Israeli journalist who serves as a political analyst for CNN and reporter for Axios and Channel 12 News (online)Ebtesam El-Ketbi, political scientist who founded and presides over The Emirates Policy Center think tankAbdulaziz Sager, Founder and Chair of the Gulf Research Center, a global think tank based in Saudi Arabia, expert on Gulf politics and strategic issues, author and editor of numerous publications, frequent contributor to major international media channels such as Al Arabiya, the BBC, CNN, and France 24Gudrun Harrer, Senior Editor, Der Standard; Lecturer in Modern History and Politics of the Middle East at the University of Vienna and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

This week, Hamas increased violence against Palestinians in response to the Israel-Gaza ceasefire. Jonathan Schanzer from Foundation for Defense of Democracies joins to discuss the feasibility of Hamas disarming according to the peace plan. Then, Kevin Stansbury, CEO of a rural hospital in Colorado, stops by to talk about how the government shutdown is exposing the challenges to and importance of healthcare in rural America. Finally, Jen Wilkin joins Russell, Mike, and Clarissa to talk about a New York Times piece that links American wedding traditions to unhealthy Christian purity culture.  REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -What Medicaid Cuts Would Do To My Rural Hospital - Kevin Stansbury -How Purity Culture Still Haunts the Bridal Aisle - Gina Ryder GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and he is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury. Schanzer has appeared on CNN, Fox News, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera. Kevin Stansbury serves as the CEO at Lincoln Health in Hugo, Colorado. With more than 35 years in healthcare, primarily in community hospitals, Kevin's work has taken him across the globe in a variety of roles. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Colorado Hospital Association Board of Trustees as immediate past-chair. He has also served on a variety of state and national task forces supporting the cause of rural health. Mr. Stansbury is a founding member of the Eastern Plains Health Consortium.  Jen Wilkin is an author and Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas. She has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. An advocate for Bible literacy, her passion is to see others become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

APAC stocks were predominantly higher following the tech rebound stateside, where the S&P 500 and NDX notched fresh record levels.Participants were encouraged by an agreement on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal, and with Chinese traders returning from the National Day Golden Week holiday.Israel's Channel 14 reported the Israel-Hamas ceasefire will come into effect today at 12:00 noon (10:00BST/05:00EDT), according to Al Arabiya.FOMC Minutes stated participants judged that a cautious approach to future policy was warranted, while a majority of participants emphasised upside risk to their outlooks for inflation – no notable reaction seen in markets on the release.China's government announced export controls on rare earth materials.Looking ahead, highlights include German Trade Balance (Aug), Atlanta Fed GDP, New Zealand Manufacturing PMI, (Suspended: US Jobless Claims (4 Oct w/e), Wholesale Sales (Aug), ECB Minutes (Sep), Eurogroup Meeting, Banxico Minutes, Speakers including BoE's Mann, ECB's Lane, BoC's Rogers, Fed Chair Powell, Bowman, Barr & Kashkari, Supply from US, Earnings from Delta Air & PepsiCoRead the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

For review:1. President Trump Announces Ceasefire & Hostage Agreement between Israel & Hamas.Deal to be Signed Thursday in Egypt.Hostage Release to Begin Saturday.President Trump to Visit the Region this Weekend.2. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty tells the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya that “additional Arab countries will sign peace agreements with Israel if the war in Gaza comes to an end.”3. The German budget committee approved a long-planned order of advanced Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, greenlighting the €3.75 billion ($4.36 billion) procurement of 20 additional aircraft, designed to the Tranche 5 standard.4. Spain is reportedly considering acquiring Turkey's incoming fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets after shelving plans to purchase US-made F-35s.5. Bangladesh's top air force officer, announced last month that his country's interim government had given an in-principle approval for the purchase of “multirole combat and attack aircraft”.Though not specified, there is a strong likelihood it will be the J-10CE fighter from China.6. The US Department of War is expected to decide as soon as this week which US company will assemble the US Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth aircraft.According to Reuters- Boeing and Northrop Grumman competing for the contract.

Selon la chaîne Al-Arabiya, Israël et la Syrie auraient trouvé un terrain d’entente sur près de 80 % des points discutés lors d’une rencontre secrète à Paris. Si elle se confirme, cette percée marquerait un tournant après plus d’une décennie de gel diplomatique.Quelles seraient les implications régionales de cette ouverture ?Analyse avec Dr Jacques Neriah, ancien conseiller diplomatique d’Yitzhak Rabin et expert du Moyen-Orient.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dive into the intricacies of Iranian Nuclear Power with Kenneth Katzman. Find out more about whether Iran has nuclear bombs, what Russia's role is and whether Russia even plays a role, what Iran's strategic motivations could be, the implications and consequences of the US and Israel's military actions, whether there are Iranian opposition groups, and more!Dr. Katzman is a Senior Advisor at the Soufan Group and a Senior Fellow at the Soufan Center, positions he assumed after retiring in late 2022 from his longtime position as a Senior Middle East Analyst at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). He is also a Senior Research Advisor at the Global Insights Group's Strategic Analysis and Situational Awareness Group. During his CRS career specialising on Iran, U.S. sanctions on Iran, the Arab Gulf states, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran-backed regional armed groups, Katzman provided analysis and advice to members of Congress through tailored reports and briefings. On about a dozen occasions, he has testified before various Committees and Subcommittees of Congress. He also participated in numerous congressional delegations to the region at the Member and staff level. During 1996 and again during July 2001 - March 2002, he was assigned to the majority staff of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to work on Middle East issues, organizing hearings and helping to draft legislation such as the Iran Sanctions Act (1996).As a well-known expert on the region, Dr. Katzman has delivered numerous presentations and briefings at conferences and meetings in Washington as well as throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia. In 1998, he wrote expert working papers on the ballistic missile capabilities of Iran and Iraq for the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States ("Rumsfeld Commission"). In late 1999, and again in 2010, the Atlantic Council published his detailed monographs on U.S. sanctions on Iran. During his CRS career and since retiring, Katzman has been quoted frequently on the region and appeared in many regional media, including Al Jazeera, Al Hurra, Al Arabiya, Asharq News, Al Arabiy, and Al Ghad TV. He has authored articles for organizations including The Atlantic Council, the Gulf International Forum, the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, and the Arab Center D.C. He has served on several think-tank working groups and been a consultant to several corporations.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter. The International Risk Podcast – Reducing risk by increasing knowledge.Follow us on LinkedIn and Subscribe for all our updatesTell us what you liked!

Al Arabiya televizyonu, İsrail ile Hamas'ın Trump'ın Orta Doğu Özel Temsilcisi Steve Witkoff'un esir takası ve Gazze Şeridi'nde geçici ateşkese varılması için sunduğu son öneriyi kabul ettiğini iddia etti. ABD Başkanı Trump'ın, esir takası ve geçici ateşkes anlaşmasını duyurması bekleniyor. Detayları Anadolu Ajansı Orta Doğu Haberleri Müdürü Turgut Alp Boyraz ile konuşacağız.

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of New Balance.

Abortion pill. Israel and Iran. Hasan Piker. Find us on YouTube. In this episode of The Bulletin, Russell, Mike, and Clarissa discuss the current abortion-pill court case with CT's political correspondent. Then, Jonathan Schanzer joins the show to talk about this week's clashes between Israel and Iran. Finally, Russell, Mike and Clarissa discuss Twitch streamer and influencer Hasan Piker who offers a mash-up of hot topics and politics. What do people love about him? GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack Find us on YouTube Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Harvest Prude is CT's national political correspondent and a congressional reporter based in Washington, DC. She is a former reporter for The Dispatch and World, having served there as political reporter for their Washington bureau.  Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the work of the organization's experts and scholars. He is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury. Schanzer has written hundreds of articles, monographs, and chapters for edited volumes on the Middle East, including Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine. He has appeared on Fox News, CNN, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today hosted and moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Egypt will continue to rely on a flexible exchange rate regime as a first line of defense against global shocks, central bank Deputy Governor Ramy Aboul Naga said. Aboul Naga signaled that the central bank will cut interest rates when it's convinced inflation won't pick up again.The EGP continued to weaken against the USD in trading yesterday, slipping to fresh lows and ending the day at a selling price of around EGP 51.44-51.47 at public and private banks, marking the second consecutive day of an exodus of foreign investors from the local debt market.Egypt and France inked a strategic partnership agreement that will focus on areas including railway industry localization, technical and vocational training, AI, cybersecurity, and green hydrogen, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.Thailand's Hi-Tech Apparel began construction on its USD 20 mn sportswear factory in the Qantara West Industrial Zone. The factory will have an annual production capacity of 6 million garments, which will be exported to markets including those in the Americas and Europe. It is expected to kick off production early next year.Energy giant Chevron will start surveying operations for the east Mediterranean seabed the upcoming summer, in preparation for the gas pipeline connecting the two countries, according to a statement from the Cypriot government.Net foreign reserves rose to USD 47.8 bn at the end of March 2025, marking a USD 363 mn increase from February, according to data from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE).Egypt's population growth dropped to historic low in 1Q 2025, coming in at 1.3%, down from 1.4% during the same period last year and 1.6% for the quarter in 2023, according to a statement from the Health Ministry.Egypt signed nine financing agreements with the French Development Agency (AFD), totaling EUR262.3 million, as loans and grants, according to the Middle East News Agency.Hossam Heiba, Chair of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, said that ambitious targets have been set for the coming years, including attracting USD60 billion in foreign direct investment, raising the value of exports to USD145 billion, and working to achieve a private sector contribution of up to 65% of total investments by 2030.Foreign investors' net sales of treasuries in the secondary market amounted to approximately EGP26.34 billion, equivalent to c.USD511 million, since the beginning of this week, according to data from the Egyptian Stock Exchange.Egypt has reached an agreement with Germany to lease the gasification vessel "Energius Power" to receive liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments for a period of five years, at USD80 million annually. The vessel's capacity is 500 million cubic feet of gas per day, and it is expected to arrive at the Sokhna port by next June.Al Arabiya revealed new details about Egypt's negotiations with foreign oil companies regarding the proposed increase in the purchase price of natural gas. A government official explained that the purchase price will rise from approximately USD2.7 per million British thermal units to more than USD4, and more than USD8 in deep offshore concession areas.EFID's general assembly approved distributing cash dividends of EGP1.14/share for FY24, to be distributed on two equal installments. This implies a payout ratio of 49% and dividend yield of 4.2%PHAR stated in an EGX release that the subscription coverage of the IPO second stage is 1.28x. The Company added that the allocation for subscribing shareholders in the second phase will be approximately 75.30%. HRHO is currently preparing 7 Gulf IPOs, 2 IPOs in Egypt and around 10 M&A transactions.

Hosted by Riz Khan. Original link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy0cqXCoclk&t=12s _______________________________________ If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on Twitter, please visit my bio at https://twitter.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on March 15, 2025 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1822: https://youtu.be/lt6x4eeZlN8 _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.  _______________________________________

Hosted by Riz Khan. Original link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwGXDUxbpSQ&t=60s _______________________________________ If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on Twitter, please visit my bio at https://twitter.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on March 13, 2025 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1820: https://youtu.be/uYfE8uwIgn0 _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.  _______________________________________

The Madbouly government is aiming to transfer the administration of all state-owned companies to the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (SFE) in order to boost their returns, Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib said.Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk shared the details of the government's social protection package of wage and pension hikes and support to Egypt's most vulnerable. Some measures will take effect starting the new fiscal year in July and others will be implemented between March and July.The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is expected to reach an agreement with the Egyptian government on its privatization plan for the management of 11 airports by mid-March, the Civil Aviation Minister said. Egypt's government debt declined to 77.4% of GDP by the end of 2024, down from 78.2% in September, marking its lowest level since March 2020, according to data from the Institute of International Finance seen by Al Arabiya.Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Al Sabah will visit soon to announce new joint investment projects, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said.Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib is expected to finalize a trade agreement with Morocco today to resolve an export standoff that has left 150 Egyptian containers, loaded with ceramics, food products, and insulation materials, stranded at Moroccan ports for two weeks.ETEL reported 4Q24 results. Net profit came in at EGP1.46 billion in 4Q24 (-43% YoY, -31% QoQ), bringing 2024 attributable net profit to EGP10.1 billion (-13.8% YoY). ETEL is currently trading at 2025f P/E of 5.3x.EFIH reported solid 4Q24 results. Net attributable profit recorded EGP382 million (+247% YoY, -39.4% QoQ). In 2024, net attributable profit stood at EGP1.77 billion (+41.2% YoY).  EFIH BoD proposed a cash dividend distribution of EGP0.173/share for 2H24, implying a DY of 1% and a DPO of 39.5% (out of 2H24 net attributable profit). Additionally, BoD proposed distributing 1 bonus share for each 2 original shares (a rate of 0.5 share for each original share), financed from internal sources. EFIH is currently trading at 2025f P/E of 17.3x.FWRY announced strategic investments worth EGP80 million in three prominent Egyptian technology companies, which are Dirac Systems, Virtual CFO, and Code Zone, acquiring equity stakes of 51.0%, 56.6%, and 51.0%, respectively. CNFN 4Q24 bottom line post minority recorded EGP247 million compared (+11% q/q, -3% y/y). The Group's FY24 bottom line post minority recorded EGP657.7 million compared to EGP692.2 million in FY23 (-5.0% y/y). The company is trading at multiples of 1.1x P/B25 and 5.3x P/E25.CNFN's CEO, Said Zater has stepped down as managing director and is starting a new role as the Group's board advisor.SWDY has been awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for a combined cycle power plant in Hungary, by MVM Matra Energia, a subsidiary of Hungarian Electric Company. Chemical Industries Holding decided not to offer Delta Fertilizers to a strategic investor, despite interest from five local and Gulf firms, according to local media. PHDC approved establishing a subsidiary in Abu Dhabi.

The new social protection package will be announced “within days,” Prime Minister said. The package of minimum wage hikes and pension increases will come into effect starting the next fiscal year. Net foreign reserves inched up to USD47.3 billion at the end of January 2025, marking a USD156 million increase from December.Net foreign assets in Egypt's banking sector reached USD5.23 billion in December, down 12.2% from USD5.96 billion in November. The decline was driven by a widening deficit in the net foreign assets of commercial banks, which widened to USD6.4 billion in December, compared to USD5.8 billion in November.Energy giant BP has made a fresh discovery off the North Coast in its King Mariout offshore concession, with initial reports suggesting the site could yield both gas and oil. Cabinet approved five concession agreements that will see no less than USD225.3 million invested to drill at least 40 wells in areas including the Eastern and Western Deserts.US energy giant ExxonMobil is reportedly planning to dig two new exploratory wells in its Cairo and Masry offshore concessions in 1Q26, with an initial investment of USD240 million, an unnamed government official said.Egypt is reportedly planning to increase crude oil production by 18% y-o-y by the end of the current fiscal year, an unnamed government official told Al Arabiya. Demand for gold bars and coins in Egypt fell 21% y-o-y in 2024, hitting 24 tons, according to the World Gold Council's gold demand trend report for last year.The government is looking to see exports growing at an annual rate of 15-20% to achieve a trade surplus before 2030, Madbouly said, pointing to agriculture exports, which hit a record USD10.6 billion last year.The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) the Finance Ministry inked a cooperation agreement that will see them set up a EUR10 million fund — dubbed the Egypt Account — to finance feasibility studies and advisory services for projects being set up under the public-private partnership model.The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank, signed Egypt's work plan for 2025, under which it will provide USD100 million in funds to support private sector projects in the country.The World Bank is preparing for the second phase of Egypt's budget support program to be paid during this year, after the completion of the first phase in the middle of last year, worth USD500 million, according to the World Bank's regional director, adding that the total value of the program is USD3 billion, as part of a package to support Egypt announced by the World Bank in March 2024 worth USD6 billion, half of which is allocated to support the general budget and the other half to support the private sector.CIEB 4Q24 consolidated bottom line recorded EGP1,944 million (+4% q/q, +44% y/y), bringing FY24 bottom line to EGP8,030 million (+55% y/y, and perfectly in line with Al Ahly Pharos estimate of EGP8,039 million). CIEB is currently trading at P/E25 of 3.1x (based on bottom line post minority and appropriations) and P/B25 of 0.9x. SWDY opened a EGP2 billion cable factory at its subsidiary Elsewedy Industrial Development's Industrial zone in the Tenth of Ramadan. The factory will have a production capacity of 4 million km of fiber-optic cables and 200k km of copper communication cables.EGCH decided to hold an auction to sell unutilized land plots in Aswan with total area of around 35k sqm. According to AMIC, auto sales increased by 24.6% YoY and 19.7% MoM to reach 13k vehicles in December. EGTS's court date for the 20.0 million sqm third phase Sahl Hasheesh land plot lawsuit is postponed to 4 March 2025.

Con la visita inédita Damasco de los cancilleres de Francia y Alemania, el nuevo poder de facto en Siria cierra una semana de intensa actividad diplomática en la que estrechó de manera oficial los vínculos con Arabia Saudita, pero también dejó claro que mantendrá relaciones con Irán y Rusia. Atrapada en medio de las tensiones entre Israel e Irán, con la dramática situacion de Gaza al frente y bajo la presión de Turquía por tener en casa a los kurdos apoyados por Estados Unidos, la Siria post Assad le apuesta a la neutralidad en política exterior.Entrevistado por Radio Francia Internacional, Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán, profesor de Estudios Árabes e Islámicos de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, analiza la postura regional que defiende la coalición rebelde liderada por el grupo islamista Hayat Tahrar Al Sam (HTS) en el gobierno de Damasco  desde hace un mes.      RFI: ¿Cuál es la estrategia que subyace al discurso de neutralidad promovido por el líder rebelde Ahmed al Sharaa y quien dirige a Siria tras derrocar a Bashar al Assad?Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán: No se puede entender la nueva relación de Arabia Saudíta con Siria sin tener en cuenta el marco geoestratégico y, sobre todo, la postura de Estados Unidos. Desde el primer momento, Washington ha mostrado una actitud conciliadora y de expectativas que llevóֶ a sus aliados en la zona, empezando por Arabia Saudí, a superar en principio algunas de sus primeras objeciones, entre ellas el supuesto nivel de relación que podría haber entre estos nuevos grupos que dirigen Siria y la formación de los Hermanos Musulmanes que, como se sabe, es archienemiga de Arabia Saudí. La coalición que gobierna a Siria, por definición, no es miembro de los Hermanos Musulmanes. Pero existía ese temor.Creo que Arabia Saudí ha superado su postura inicial y quiere mantener a Siria fuera del eje de apoyo a Irán. Desde el punto de vista estadounidense, también interesa evitar cualquier tipo de acercamiento de Siria hacia Irán. Es muy habitual en la política regional, cuando hay un cambio de equilibrios en las alianzas, intentar atraer al nuevo elemento hacia una alianza más proclive a los intereses saudíes.Con Dios y con el diabloRFI: La prevención y la acción de Riad no evitó, sin embargo, que Ahmed al Sharaa dijera -justamente frente a la cadena saudí Al Arabiya-  que Siria no puede dejar de tener relaciones con Irán porque es un país muy importante en la región. ¿Hasta dónde puede el nuevo poder sirio lestar con dios y con el diablo, sea cualquiera de los dos, el dios y el diablo?Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán: Claro, eso es lo difícil de diferenciar. En realidad, lo que quiere Ahmed al Sharaa es evitar cualquier tipo de enfrentamiento directo, tanto con potencias regionales como internacionales. Recordemos que los dos pilares básicos del régimen de los Asad hasta diciembre pasado eran Rusia e Irán. Y de una forma inteligente, Sharaa ha tratado de dar a entender a ambos -a Teherán y Moscú- que no va contra ellos.Lo que intenta este nuevo gobierno es dar a entender  que Siria no es un problema ni una amenaza para nadie. Han intentado decírselo a los israelíes, se lo han dicho a los estadounidenses, a Turquía, por supuesto. Y quieren hacer lo mismo con Irán y con Rusia.El problema, como usted bien dice, es que hay muchos intereses contrapuestos y entrelazados y no sabemos muy bien hasta qué punto esta visión de neutralidad positiva de Siria se podrá mantener teniendo en cuenta la situación dramática en Gaza y la continua tensión entre Israel e Irán. Y Siria está precisamente en medio de los dos. Es un equilibrio muy difícil, pero desde luego van por esa línea y veremos cuánto tiempo dura.La espina kurdaRFI: Supongo cada uno de los actores regionales, de acuerdo a sus intereses, pedirá la no neutralidad de Siria en el momento actual.Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán: Creo que Estados Unidos Rusia y Turquía y, sobre todo, Irán - que es la parte que más ha salido perdiendo con este cambio de gobierno-  pedirán que no haya ninguna tendencia de Damasco hacia un lado u otro.El primer gran expediente que ha de resolver ahora es la cuestión kurda por lo que corresponde a Turquía. Esa será la primera gran prueba porque los turcos parecen decididos a acabar con una presencia militar robusta en el bando kurdo y con la dependencia supuesta, según Ankara, que tienen los rebeldes kurdos o la entidad autónoma de Rojava con respecto al PKK y los que Turquía considera secesionistas kurdos en sus regiones. El gran problema aquí es que las fuerzas de defensa kurdas y las milicias kurdas tienen un apoyo directo de parte de Estados Unidos, condicionado a la lucha contra los grupos radicales islamistas.RFI:  En ese sentido, Ahmad al Sahara propone que estos rebeldes kurdos del noroeste apoyados por Estados Unidos, se integren al nuevo ejército sirio. ¿Es una jugada inteligente para calmar a Turquía o no?Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán: No creo que vaya a tener mucho resultado puesto que las propias milicias kurdas no son muy receptivas a este tipo de propuestas. Habría que ver quién comanda esos batallones, brigadas o divisiones y qué tipo de despliegue tienen. Y esto no está nada claro.Tampoco creo que Turquía se contente con algo que no sea medidas concretas. Ankara ya ha hablado de que se vayan los representantes de las milicias kurdas turcas y de que no haya ningún tipo de relación con el PKK ni con cualquier otro tipo de formación kurda que opere en Turquía. Y también está intentando evitar que estas milicias se expandan más allá de lo que son enclaves kurdos fácilmente controlables.Por eso digo que es el gran asunto espinoso, el primero de los varios que tiene que resolver el nuevo gobierno sirio. Y veremos cómo van las negociaciones a tres bandas con Ankara, con Estados Unidos y con las propias milicias kurdas. Desde luego está habiendo combates. Sabemos que hay enfrentamientos en la zona del noreste, entre divisiones armadas partidarias del gobierno y grupos kurdos.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Arab Affairs reporter Gianluca Pacchiani and reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's show. Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa spoke on Al Arabiya and gave a glimpse of his plans for the country, including divulging that holding elections in Syria could take up to four years and that drafting a new constitution could take up to three years. Pacchiani weighs in. For the past week and more, swaths of Israelis from many parts of the country have found themselves seeking shelter in the middle of the night as the Houthis continue their campaign of projectiles, vowing to continue their attacks on Israel “until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted.” We hear when they rose to power — and how? Sweden-based Yemeni activist Luai Ahmed, 31, has become something of a celebrity in Israel and he comes by it genetically, it seems: After fleeing Sanaa in 2014, Ahmed, who is openly gay, received refugee status in Sweden and later acquired Swedish citizenship. But his family still lives between Yemen and Egypt, and his mother, Amal Basha, is one of the most prominent women’s rights advocates in Yemen. We hear about Ahmed. Surkes has done a deep dive into Israeli international aid organizations and has discovered that their funding has dried up for two main reasons: antisemitism -- people don't want to give to a Zionist body -- and patriotism -- funders prefer to donate to a group doing work inside Israel proper. She explains why. The Energy Ministry has identified geological formations capable of holding 10 million tons of carbon dioxide a year and kickstarting a carbon storage industry worth an annual estimated NIS 1 billion ($275 million). Surkes is cautiously optimistic. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Syrian leader: New elections could take up to 4 years, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will be dissolved ‘Houthis are simply insane’: In Tel Aviv, Yemeni activist explains current conflict Energy Ministry: Geological formations could store 10 million tons of CO₂ annually Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Syria's new leader and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) chief Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) receives Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (Andriy Sybiga) in Damascus on December 30, 2024. (Bakr Alkasem / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trois semaines après la chute du président Bachar el-Assad, Ahmed al-Charaa, le nouvel homme fort de la Syrie, connu sous le nom de Abou Mohammed al-Joulani, a déclaré dans un entretien accordé à la chaîne télévisée Al-Arabiya, que l'organisation d'élections pourrait prendre jusqu'à quatre ans et que les forces kurdes seraient intégrées à l'armée syrienne. Cette chute a constitué un coup dur pour Moscou, qui était, avec l'Iran, le principal allié de l'ex-président syrien. Analyse de Thomas Pierret, chargé de recherche à l'Institut de recherches et d'études sur le monde arabe et musulman et spécialiste de la Syrie. À lire aussiSyrie: pour Ahmed al-Charaa, la tenue d'élections pourrait prendre jusqu'à quatre ans

The EU approved the disbursement of an EUR 1 bn macro-financial assistance package. The package marks the first phase of a EUR 5 bn set of concessional loans running through 2027, which comes as part of a wider EUR 7.4 bn package from the EU announced in March.The China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) is interested in working with the Madbouly government on its airport development plans, namely the development of Cairo International Airport.The average yield on six-month t-bills jumped to a fresh high of 31.21% during the central bank's latest EGP t-bills auction on Thursday.Transactions of foreigner investors in the local debt market turned into net purchases amounting to about EGP21.3 billion, equivalent to USD418.3 million, during the past week.IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozak stated that discussions of the fourth review of Egypt's economic reform program are still going on virtually, with the aim of reaching an agreement on policies and reforms that can support the completion of the review.State-owned pharma manufacturer HoldiPharma is gearing up to list stakes ranging between 25-30% in subsidiaries Chemical Industries Development (CID) and Misr Pharma on the EGX. Government sources estimated that raising mobile bill prices would achieve an increase in tax revenues ranging between EGP5-6 billion.A delegation of Bavarian business leaders will visit Egypt in January to explore green hydrogen investments, German ambassador to Egypt Jürgen Schulz told Al Arabiya. Another delegation of investors from Saxony is scheduled to visit in April with an eye on the energy and infrastructure sectors.The Bank of England and the Bank of Japan kept their interest rates unchanged on Thursday, with a cautious stance for 2025. GBCO's new manufacturing plant in Sadat city is expected to begin operations in 1H25.Cheiron Energy is looking to expand its energy portfolio in Egypt, targeting new concessions and ramping up exploration to boost production, CEO Alan Linn said.Saudi Arabia's Alqahtani Holding is in talks with the Oil Ministry to explore joint investments in petroleum, gas, and petrochemical projects. The General Petroleum Company (GPC) has resumed production of its GPY field, following years of inactivity. The field is expected to produce some 1.5 million barrels of oil in the coming three years.

The Supreme Constitutional Court ruled on Saturday that the 7% flat rate in the Old Rental Law for residential properties is unconstitutional and called on the Egyptian parliament to amend the law.The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time, this time by 25 bps, bringing them to 4.5%-4.75%.The Oil Ministry launched the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Company, which will invest USD530 million to develop production facilities and integrate the facility with other petroleum companies in Alexandria governorate. US multinational conglomerate Honeywell has finished its feasibility study with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development for SAF production in Egypt, according to a statement from the Ministry.Emirati oil and gas giant Dana Gas is waiting for USD24 million out of a total USD59 million of outstanding dues owed by the government to be paid before it launches a USD100 million project to develop production, the company said.Tourist footfall is expected to reach a record high of 15.3 million in 2024, increasing 5% YoY, according to a statement from the Tourism Ministry. An unnamed Chinese company is looking to set up a USD360 million tire factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) in partnership with the state-owned Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI). Austrian wood panels manufacturer Kronospan wants to partner with Nag Hamady Fiberboard Company to set up a 150k sqm production line in the Egyptian company's existing factory to produce MDF, according to a statement by the Industry Ministry. Egypt is committed to repaying loans worth USD3 billion to Gulf banks in November. Egypt will repay some USD1.3 billion in USD-denominated bonds today for debt issued in 2016, according to Al Arabiya, citing unnamed sources. The Shalatin Mineral Resources Company, affiliated with the Ministry of Petroleum, aims to deliver gold to the CBE amounting to a ton by the end of this year 2024.ISPH reported positive 3Q24 results: Bottom line amounted to EGP185 million, up 49.8% QoQ and 3.4x YoY. 9M24 bottom line came in at EGP407 million, up 1.3x YoY. ISPH is trading at 2025 multiples of EV/EBITDA of 3.0x and P/E of 9.8x.EBRD gave its initial approval to a USD120 million equity bridge loan to Obelisk Solar — a special purpose vehicle owned by Norway's Scatec — to fund part of Scatec's 1-GW solar power plant in Nagaa Hammadi to power EGAL's industrial complex with 2 GW of green energy.Ministry of Electricity set the feed-in tariff for solar panels using the battery energy storage system at USD0.023/kWh for privately-owned solar panels and USD0.014/kWh for state-owned solar panels. CCAP's subsidiary, Egyptian Refining Company (ERC), plans to repay USD200 million of its outstanding USD742 million debt by December, company head Mohamed Saad stated. EFID announced the signing of a toll manufacturing agreement in the biscuit business with Misr Food Additives (MIFAD). Phillip Morris increased the prices of its tobacco products for the the third time this year, raising prices by EGP5 across its offerings in the local market.

Campaign updates and China. Find us on Youtube. The presidential campaign has hit the swing states in full force. We welcome Mike Murphy, who spent many years as a campaign manager, to talk about what's happening on the road. Then, Jonathan Schanzer joins us to consider China's recent military posturing and its powerful axis of adversaries.    GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Email us with your favorite segment from today's show at podcasts@christianitytoday.com. Follow the show in your podcast app of choice. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. Leave a comment in Spotify with your feedback on the discussion—we may even respond! ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Mike Murphy is one of the Republican Party's most successful political media consultants, having handled strategy and advertising for more than 26 successful gubernatorial and senatorial campaigns. He served as a top campaign messaging and political strategist for Sen. John McCain's historic Straight Talk Express Presidential campaign in 2000, and also for successful gubernatorial candidates Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tommy Thompson, and John Engler. In 2020 he served as a key strategist for Republican Voters Against Trump. He currently cohosts the popular weekly politics podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod, which boasts over 14 million downloads to date.  Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he oversees the work of the organization's experts and scholars. He is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury, where he played an integral role in the designation of numerous terrorist financiers. Schanzer has written hundreds of articles, monographs, and chapters for edited volumes on the Middle East. His book, Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine, is still the only book on the market that analyzes the ongoing Palestinian civil war. Schanzer testifies often before Congress and publishes widely in the American and international media. He has appeared on Fox News, CNN, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Prime Minister confirmed that the government is currently reviewing the timeline and reforms put forward by the Fund, pointing to the direct impact that the war on Gaza and the subsequent decline in Suez Canal revenues has had on state revenues as justification for the review.The Prime Minister said that the foreign exchange flows and the state's needs and obligations are proceeding regularly and smoothly, and there is no delay with regard to production requirements, raw materials, and basic needs, and there are no delayed requests in the banks, denying the government's intention for another floatation of the exchange rate.The first phase of the government's plan to bring private investors to develop, manage, and operate Egyptian airports will offer up five airports, unnamed sources told press. The sources named the airports as Cairo International Airport, Sphinx International Airport, El Alamein International Airport, Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, and Hurghada International Airport. The government also plans to hand over management of Luxor and Aswan airports to private sector operators in subsequent phases. Home appliance giant LG plans to add a new USD150 million refrigerator production line to its Tenth of Ramadan factory. The new production line is in the preparation phase.Turkish pump manufacturer Turbosan is mulling setting up a factory in Egypt as part of a larger effort to increase its presence in the local market, according to a Housing Ministry statement.Egyptian and Libyan businesses agreed to set up a comprehensive industrial complex leveraging Egyptian raw materials to serve as a trade corridor to Algeria, Tunisia, and other African markets, set up permanent “Made in Egypt” exhibitions in Tripoli and Benghazi, and to look into potential Egyptian investments in Libya's tourism sector — Libya is setting up a tourism project on its coastline.The World Bank announced a schedule for Egypt's external debt repayments during the current fiscal year, which includes paying obligations worth USD60.8 billion in the period from July 2024 to June 2025. Eni is set to resume drilling at the Zohr gas field in December of this year, with the arrival of a rig to drill two new wells, Oil Minister Karim Badawi said yesterday. US oil producer Apache has been awarded four exploration blocks in the Western Desert, the Oil Minister announced. BP will be expediting the drilling of the second well at the Raven natural gas field, the Oil Minister said, adding that the additional production capacity is set to come online by January 2025.The Oil Ministry targets signing 15 new oil and gas exploration agreements during the coming year with minimum investments of USD748.5 million.United Bank shares will be temporarily listed on the bourse starting today, after which the company will have six months to meet listing requirements and obtain regulatory approvals ahead of its planned IPO set to take place before the end of 1Q25.HRHO launched SEP educational platform in Saudi Arabia with a capital of USD300 million.COMI CEO Hisham Ezz El Arab plans to leave his post at the bank within the next 2-3 years, he told Al Arabiya, adding that he is currently mentoring three employees, with one expected to take over after his departure.Government agencies can now grant contractors working on public projects up to a six-month extension on their implementation timelines, according to a circular issued by the Cabinet. State-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) signed four separate MoUs with SWDY's Elsewedy Industrial Development, ESRS, Ades Holding, and a consortium of Hassan Allam Holding and Infinity Power aimed at ramping up oil and natural gas exploration alongside production and field development, according to a Cabinet statement.

The House of Representatives preliminary approved government-drafted amendments to the law regulating how the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (SFE) operates.  The MPs approved a presidential decree approving increasing our subscription to the IMF by 50% — which will be worth some USD1.4 bn and EGP48 bn.The MPs also approved a USD15 mn USAID grant to help us fight climate change.Investment Minister said that a new investment incentive package will be announced within a week. Efforts to split the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company from the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company are still ongoing. AMEA Power to launch its USD800 mn Ras Ghareb wind farm in March 2025. Chairman of the Egyptian Stock Exchange said that the number of new investors in the stock exchange has increased since the beginning of this year, by 18% to 20%.NTRA inked USD450 mn worth of agreements granting 5G service licenses to Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, and e& Egypt. Mobile operators will kick off trial operations in three months and officially launch 5G services within six months. ETEL inked 15-year agreements, worth a combined USD75 mn, renewing their licenses for previous generations without receiving new frequencies.TAQA sent a release to EGX denying signing any cooperation agreement for the development of Ras El Hekma project.Several fertilizer manufacturers are reportedly looking to offload stakes to foreign investors in an effort to secure the needed FX to carry out expansion plans.Oil prices rose to their highest levels since August, settling at USD80.93/bbl, as violence intensified and speculation over Israel's retaliation with strikes on Iranian oil facilities continues, the Financial Times reports.Suez's USD1.8 billion coal and diesel production complex should be complete by mid-2025, according to an unnamed government official speaking to Al Arabiya. The government has extended its ban on sugar exports for an additional six months, exempting only surplus quantities beyond local market needs.OCDI launched its commercial project, EDNC, in Eastown in East Cairo which will house a Nobu restaurant, set to open in early 2025, and a Nobu hotel.CNFN targets 25% growth in financing portfolio over the next year with a focus on the quality of the customer in terms of high solvency.HRHO aims to reach EGP12 billion in leasing and factoring portfolios by the end of the year.NBFI' assets recorded EGP275.8 billion by 2023 year-end. Consumer finance companies' return on assets decline to 4.4% in 2023.

The Egyptian Stock Exchange is conducting a joint study with the GAFI to expand investment and tax incentives for listing and offering companies on the EGX.The Egyptian 5-year CDS rate fell during Tuesday's trading to 5.9%, compared to 6.365% in last Monday.The Suez Canal Economic Zone wants to set up a USD60 mn data center with a capacity of 5-7 MW in partnership with the private sector. A government source said that it remains unclear whether or not the blackouts will be returning as the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company is yet to receive a decision from the cabinet. The source pointed to a notable dip in energy consumption, and the government securing the needed LNG supplies to keep the lights on.Private equity firm SPE Capital plans to allocate 25-33% of its USD 350 mn SPE PEF III to Egyptian investments. The company plans to acquire stakes in 2-3 local companies, with an eye on export industries, financial services, and logistics. The fund should reach second close before the end of the year.Al Arabiya platform said that Egypt has formed an advisory council for economic development.Egypt's non-petroleum merchandise exports recorded about USD26.229 billion during the first eight months of the current year, an increase of USD2 billion, compared to the same period last year.The government has began taking the necessary steps to offer additional shares of EGCH (Kima) and EGAL on the EGX. The government announced a study to offer Delta Fertilizers shares on EGX. We updated our FV of CLHO to EGP9.00/share and maintained our OW recommendation. CLHO is currently trading at FY24 P/E of 13.2x.The EBRD is considering providing a EUR25 million guarantee to QNBE, with the aim of supporting its loan portfolio for SMEs, which is scheduled to be approved on October 22.An investment consortium that includes several companies, financial institutions, and banks, most notably Redcon Properties and SAUD, plans to establish a real estate investment fund in Egypt with an initial size exceeding one billion Egyptian pounds.RAYA's Aman Consumer Finance issued EGP1.29 bn in securitized bonds. 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that he has directed Saudi's Public Investment Fund (PIF) to pump USD 5 bn in investments into Egypt as part of the “first phase” of a larger program of investment.The Agreement on Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments between the two countries will be put into effect in two months or less after both sides sort out the necessary legislative and regulatory issues.A new package of tax incentives for SMEs are soon to be released as part of the government's new tax reform package. The government is reconsidering its decision to sell the Siemens-built Beni Suef power plant, unnamed government sources told Al Arabiya. Saudi energy player ACWA Power is considering investing USD1.5 bn in a new project in Egypt, the company's vice chairman, Raad Al Saady, said.Egypt's wheat imports increased 30% y-o-y in 1H 2024 to USD2.3 bn.The number of taxpayers with the Egyptian Tax Authority increased during 8M2024 by 105% compared to the same period last year.We published our 2Q24 Cement Wrap Up report yesterday; we upgraded our FV for ARCC to EGP17.80/share with Overweight recommendation, we upgraded our FV for MBSC to EGP53.30/share with Overweight recommendation, and we upgraded our FV for MCQE to EGP26.00/share with Equalweight recommendation. EGAL is in serious talks with the German company Achenbach over its potential investment and funding of EGAL's aluminum foil production line with estimated investments of USD100 million. MCQE to distribute EGP0.5/share for FY23 over two equal installments, as previously approved by the general assembly. Record date is 25 September 2024. Distribution date of first installment is 30 September 2024. Distribution date of second installment is 28 November 2024. The Industry Ministry is looking into contracting local and foreign private players to take over the management and operation of three industrial zones.Hisham Ezz Al Arab appointed as CIB's CEO and board member, taking over from Hussein Abaza, who took a three-year stint at Banque du Caire as its CEO, taking over from Tarek Fayed. While Neveen Sabbour will replace Ezz Al Arab as non-executive chairman. The FRA has updated the regulations that govern mergers and acquisitions of NBFIs in a move aimed at enhancing competitiveness and streamlining the approval process, according to a statement.  CICH will introduce a cash incentive scheme for employees, executive board members, and its subsidiaries after its board greenlit the move in principle. The scheme will allocate 3% of the company's fair value for the FY ending in 2025 and will be paid in EGP after 31 December 2025.Majid Al Futtaim has announced a strategic partnership with HRHO's consumer finance arm, ValU, to launch a gift card procurement service to provide flexible payment solutions.City Lab is set to finalize its acquisition of Cairo Clinical Labs, with the two sides agreeing to ink the final agreement tomorrow, City Labs said in an EGX disclosure. Egyptian Drug Holding Company received five offers from investment banks to manage the public offering of Chemical Industries Development Company-CID and Misr Pharma on the EGX.  Fertilizers exports declined by 20% YoY during 1H24 to USD1.085 billion, from USD1.358 billion in 1H23.According to local media, CIRA is close to completing the latest issuance of future rights securitization bonds worth EGP500 million early next month.

The 16:9 PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SCREENFEED – DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT Dubai, Qatar and more recently Saudi Arabia have developed a reputation in digital signage for bankrolling projects that seem mainly focused on sizzle and scale. But there's a lot more going on in the region than work that's just about Wow Factor. It's a busy, high opportunity part of the world for companies delivering big visual display projects, but also one that presents a lot of challenges in how things work - everything from regulations and timelines to cultural differences. I've got to know a Dubai-based company called Blue Rhine Industries through its strategy director, Nita Odedra, who I first met at an ISE conference. I'd already been impressed by how the integrator actually produces useful marketing - tight, explanatory videos that do the job of explaining what was done and why. It seems sensible, but is remarkably rare in this sector. I see a LOT of it, so I know. Nita and I had a great chat about the company's roots as a traditional sign company, and how and why it expanded into digital. We spend a lot of time talking about what's happening in the region, what customers want, and how business is done. If your own company is thinking the Gulf region presents a lot of opportunity for expansion, that is indeed true. But like a lot of things, it looks easier that it appears. Local knowledge and experience are invaluable. Subscribe from wherever you pick up new podcasts. TRANSCRIPT Thank you for joining me. For those people who don't know Blue Rhine Industries, can you give me a rundown of what the company does?  Nita Odedra: Yeah. So we're a digital signage system integrator headquartered in Dubai, in the UAE, and we are working across the entire GCC on various projects. That includes additional screens, software, and interactive solutions, across a range of industries. That's us in a nutshell.  What are the roots of the company?  Nita Odedra: So we formed in 2006 by a gentleman called John V. Joseph, who still runs the company now, and he started the company as a static signage fabricator. So very humble beginnings where we were fabricators for static signs and shop signs. So it could be a Starbucks sign or a Cartier sign. Then inside the retail stores, it would be the category signage, light boxes, and menu boards in F&B, and that's how we started the business.  And you went to digital, was it because there was an opportunity or it was one of those things where you looked at it and realized, okay, we have to go this way? Nita Odedra: Yeah, it was the latter. It was that we identified that there was a shift happening, in retail, in F&B. So where we felt this the most was the quick-serve restaurants where they were changing their traditional lightbox menu boards to LCD screens, and that was a big business for us, lightboxes, menu boards, keeping those menu boards updated. So at that point, we realized that there was a shift happening and we were going to start losing the lightbox kind of offering that we had we formed a relationship and exclusivity with Phillips Professional Panels, Professional Displays at the time, and we were their exclusive distributor here in the UAE for a number of years and that's where the digital signage business began.  And what does that represent for Blue Rhine now? Is it like a big part of their business or like a sideline?  Nita Odedra: More than half the business now is digital signage or some type of static signage, which incorporates digital signage into it. So we have fully dedicated teams. It's like the business is almost split into two and digital signage is where we're seeing the most growth.  I suspect the two are complimentary still in that if you come across a job that involves something more than hanging a screen on a wall, there are a lot of solutions providers that don't really have the expertise on the engineering side, don't have the man lifts or any of these things to do the more aggressive or complicated work. Nita Odedra: Absolutely. So that's really our differentiator in the market here is that because the company grew from being a fabricator. So we have four factories. We have facilities for large steel structures, both indoor and outdoor large totems. So we're doing canopies for gas stations as part of our static business, which allows us to be able to do those large unipoles for the out-of-home media agencies, for example, down the highway.  So the ability to manage that whole project from technical drawings on steel structures and, the housing and all that type of stuff, all the way through to fabricating in our facility, installing it in-house, having the digital signage arm of the business, the software, the content, we're able to provide that full end to end solution and that means that when we're doing these installations, especially indoor environments, where we're doing the secondary structure, every millimeter counts when it comes to that perfection of LED screens, for example, and having that beautiful screen housing structure, that's all done by us. Lord knows we've seen around the world, large format display projects that have been done by companies who probably don't know what they are doing because things fall over or fall on people and everything else.  Nita Odedra: Yeah, we've seen that recently, but, we've got in-house engineers. We've got those project managers in-house. We've got guys doing BIM in-house as well.  So we have that technical capability all the way from the drawings. Then we've got the fabrication facility with skilled workers. We have multiple HSC kinds of offices that are going on-site. Most recently we did quite a complex project, from beginning to end, which was the Dubai Mall Aquarium, which was a long installation. That was six months. Because it's a fully operational mall, we had a very short window at night time to go in to put all the access equipment up and work. we had to take out the existing screen, which was an OLED LG display, and then replace that with the infrared screen that we put in and that took six months and we're very proud of that installation because we had zero HSC violations over six months and our team just did a fantastic job there.  Is that an anomaly or is that kind of the work you do?  Nita Odedra: That's very much the kind of work we do. So it is these large screens, it is custom fabrication. It will be complex sites. So we're doing one at the moment, which is a very large outdoor screen on the corner of a building, which is also still in construction. So this is very typical, especially when we're looking at those large format screens.  Those are jobs that don't come along that often, even in your region. A lot of companies would rely more on the, use a term I use quite a bit, meat and potatoes kind of work where it's conventional flat panel LCDs for menu displays. Nita Odedra: So here the market is a little bit different because we've got so many projects, new developments, they're trying to do things differently. We've got cylinder LCDs, we've got pillars being clad, etc. But yeah, you're right there. Our bread and butter and the fast-moving business that keeps the lights on is the retail business. That is the LED screens, the LCD video walls, and interactive displays in retail environments.  When we get those orders in, they turn around pretty quickly, within a couple of months, the payments are pretty good on those because you're delivering in a shorter time frame, and on the larger projects, that's where, sometimes we can get our money stuck, projects get delayed. An example would be Abu Dhabi Airport, Terminal A, where that project was delayed over a couple of years and we had that stock ready, and then COVID came, the project got delayed, and that became from what should have been two years became five years. You just have to sit on that stuff.  Nita Odedra: You're sitting on it or you install it and then the airport's still not open. You've got a screen up there that's not ready for any content yet. But it's just the way it is, especially in this region, projects sometimes do get delayed and we just have to be prepared for that when we're resourcing the company and now we're at over 750 people, almost 800 across the region. So it's managing those resources and making sure that the installation or the fabrication that we're aligned internally on manages everything.  So from a distance, I look at the GCC region and I see these mega projects being announced and I always wonder how many of them are actually going to be built and how long does it take?  Nita Odedra: So these are ambitious projects, right? So we're looking at projects in NEOM, like The Line, we've got several projects in and around Medina, and they are very ambitious when you look at them on paper. They are happening, but some of them are being scaled back. So you may have heard Neom The Line that was scaled back from, hundreds of kilometers down to just a couple of kilometers.  But it's still one of the largest building projects in the world, even at that scale-down size, right? Nita Odedra: Absolutely, and we are seeing that these projects are now coming to life. So things that were announced, what, five years ago, probably like 2018 when they set the 2030 vision for Saudi Arabia specifically. A lot of those projects are now happening, the hotels are opening, the resorts are opening, so we look at places like the Red Sea Development, which has luxury resorts. It's going to be a tourist destination. They're already accepting guests there now. They've got Qadir, which is picking up pace. We've got King Salman Park, which will be the largest urban park in the world. When you're in the city, work is happening and it's happening at a very fast pace. Who is largely funding these? Are you in a better position to see them actually happen if they're coming through a big fund like PIF in Saudi Arabia?  Nita Odedra: Yeah. So a lot of the work that we're doing and the projects, they are being funded by the government, by the public investment funds. So those are the ones that are picking up speed, but of course, other private companies are coming up with their developments and they're turning the round very fast. There are out-of-home media agencies that are doing phenomenally well. They're companies like Al Arabiya who are sweeping up these new developments for their network. Is it very competitive in your region? I'm familiar with three or four companies who do what you guys do, different routes, and everything else. But I suspect because of the money that's going into the region, there's all kinds of other companies in the region and in Europe and even in North America are looking at it and thinking we need to be there. Nita Odedra: There is competition. There are system integrators, smaller ones that we're having to compete with quite aggressively in the retail space, but where we're different is we've been in this game a lot longer. So perhaps we've lost some clients in retail for a year or two, they've experimented with perhaps other system integrators. Some have been successful, some when it comes to those retail projects, a little bit more complex where, the fabrication element comes back in again, experienced project management that comes back in again, HSC, when these elements are not supported by a competitor, they end up coming back to us and we're able to maintain that retail business. But absolutely in retail, we have a lot of competition. But there is a lot of work here. There are lots of malls still opening, whether that's the UAE or in Saudi, where there's a huge number of malls opening up, there is business there.  Does it feel at all like a bubble?  Nita Odedra: It feels like a bubble when I look at politics internationally and how we don't have that here and we're a little bit in a little happy bubble here. So yeah, it does feel like it sometimes. And it's easy to forget that this region is an anomaly. We are a region where there are a lot of ambitious projects with speed happening. There is work. There's a very positive attitude towards these projects that are being developed. There's a very positive attitude towards the hosting of sporting events in the region. People are excited about it. They welcome it. It's something new, right?  So it can feel like a bit of a bubble sometimes when we have so much regional excitement that, perhaps globally, it's not the same landscape.  Yeah, you mentioned shopping malls going up, and I've been to Dubai, it's been a number of years, but I thought even at that time, okay, there's enough shopping malls here now. But they just keep coming.  Nita Odedra: I'm shocked as well. So every time there's a new mall, I was like, surely they're not gonna be busy, and then you go, and they're packed. This is low season right now. So the school holidays started last week and we don't get much tourism in the summer, but the mall was absolutely packed. It's very much a small culture here. We don't have historical high streets or historical villages. Everything is new. Everything's flashy and people want to go to the mall. That's the only place that they can go to for F&B, for entertainment, picking up their groceries, and doing their usual high street shop. There's a practical reason behind that too, just that it's, so crazy hot there that malls are air-conditioned. So the dwell time, I gather, is not measured in minutes and hours.  Nita Odedra: Yeah, it is not unusual to be in the mall for six to seven hours. You'd perhaps do two meals there, watch a movie, go shopping, and then leave after doing your grocery shop. So it's high dwell times.  It's incredibly hot here. So I even have friends who go to the mall In the summer, just to get their step count in. So they'll go, grab a coffee, do their step count, pop in, run some errands, whether it's dry cleaning, or whatever it is that they've got to do, but they'll do that step count inside the mall, as opposed to a park, or the town pavements. Does that make it a better media environment?  Nita Odedra: Absolutely, So for the out-of-home media agencies, they've got a good captive audience there. It's all indoor. So I think it works really well for the media networks and or the out of their media agencies.  We've chatted a few times in the past. I'm always curious about the impact of the wow factor on Projects over there and how important it is  Nita Odedra: culturally, I think we've got a bit of history here with Dubai because it's been established a little bit longer in terms of these, ambitious developments, but they want to be the biggest and the best, whether it's building the tallest building in the world, the Burj Al Arab, the largest mall in the world, maybe the busiest mall, the busiest airport terminals. They do have this pride in trying to put developments out there that are new, and ambitious. Something that is the largest, and what that means is sometimes it comes with a bit of flash and you've got all bells, all whistles installations for screens. Dubai Mall is an example where I think that's the largest indoor screen in Dubai Mall and you'll have other ones coming up in the next couple of years trying to beat that I'm sure. Now, as somebody whose role involves strategy. I suspect it's a bit of a delicate dance for you in that you're hearing about these ambitions of being the biggest, the best, and so on and you have to sit there and think, monetarily, that could be great for us, but strategy-wise, I'm not sure that's the right move. Nita Odedra: Exactly. So we have to be really careful about which projects we take, how many projects we take, and when we take on new partners and new product lines. When we dive first, we're adding more software with, we're providing content now. So we've got to be really careful about what our strengths are and stay true to who we are. We get asked all the time to do things that are, outside of our scope, but we really have to say no, scale it back, and just stick to our objectives, our strategy as a business, the direction we want to go in, and that's very much customer experiences, passenger experiences. So we're one of the verticals that we're, growing at quite a fast pace is transport. So airports. There are a number of domestic airport openings in Saudi, we've got new airports opening in Dubai and, across the region. So that's an area that we strategically know that we can take on large projects, we're capable and we're going to see good business.  Airports, I talk about a lot as being, if you want to see the state-of-the-art and digital signage, look at a refurbished or newly built airport because it just covers the waterfront in terms of digital out-of-home, conventional signage, wayfinding, everything.  Nita Odedra: An airport is a perfect example of where you could probably take somebody for a site visit and show them every single type of installation for a digital screen possible and software and integration. Airports are the perfect vertical for us to really penetrate and all our complete offerings can be in an airport because we're taking our experience within malls for travel retail. We're taking our experience from mixed-use developments, and all our experience from all the other verticals can now be applied within transport and airports specifically. Yeah, I'm curious if you work with the large engineering and architecture companies, like, all the way up to Populous who I think is involved in the Qiddiya project.  Nita Odedra: So we work very often from concept all the way through to delivery, and that would mean the contractors, the architects, the cost consultants, the design consultants, these are all stakeholders that are involved quite early on in the conversations and remain in those conversations almost through to delivery.  What about on the services side? Obviously you're doing the front end, you're, deploying, you're, designing, fabricating everything else. Are you doing ongoing aftercare? And you mentioned content before?  Nita Odedra: Yeah. So services are part of the complete solution, right? So we've got to offer the AMC afterward, and that can be anything from servicing the screens to maintaining them in this region. You've got LEDs outdoors and they need to be maintained, and cleaned of dust. That's very much part of the AMC. There's remote content management where we're providing content management solutions for retailers and that's for outside of the region as well. So retail operators who are not just in the GCC, but all the way through to Malaysia, Europe, travel retailers who are in Norway. So managing their content from Dubai, and then, more recently providing the content creation piece as well. So that's where we will have partners. We've got our preferred content partners who are delivering fantastic work globally, and we're transparent with our clients as well that, this is our partner, but we're offering the complete solution under our canopy.  You're managing screens in Norway from Dubai?  Nita Odedra: Yeah, we're managing the content for screens in Norway, all the way through to Malaysia, and Indonesia, I think even in London, so it's becoming global now. So even though we're delivering work within the Middle East region and our direct offices and fabrication facilities, warehouses are all in the GCC, so those are the Gulf countries, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi, and UAE. We are also in Egypt. We're delivering into North Africa and the wider Middle East area.  Do you have a preferred list or go to a set of partners on the display hardware and software side, or do you take it project by project?  Nita Odedra: Yeah, that's a great question, actually. So as I spoke about earlier we started this journey with Philips Professional Displays that was for a short period of time when we were starting out. We then realized that distribution wasn't for us. We want to be a system integrator. We were shooting ourselves in the foot there. So that was handed over to another business within our group of companies. So our owner has a trading division. So that was handed over to them and they are now the distributor. And we fully threw ourselves into being a system integrator where we were able to develop relationships with a number of different vendors and partners, and we remain agnostic. So it's dependent on the project. What is right for that project? And yes, there'll be periods of time where sometimes we're getting great pricing from Samsung and we'll deliver a number of Samsung LCD screens, and then LG. The next day that changes and that's very much price driven if I'm honest Based on the availability of the screens then when it comes to the LED screens, that's far more complex and that is a problem based on the project and the requirements, and that can be very different from project to project. We have a fantastic Head of Digital, Neeraj Vyas, who's been with us since the beginning, been with us for over 11 years now, and he is in China almost every month going and doing that quality control, really getting into the details of the screen, and he's the one very often who will spec out which, the hardware we're going to use for those big projects. Do you find that the customers or the specifiers, if they're an engineering firm or an architecture firm, do they know what they need and what they want to use? Or are they saying, yeah, we want to use COB here, or it needs to be this pitch or whatever, or are they relying on you?  Nita Odedra: Yeah. So that does happen. They are informed and there are lots of great resources available for them to have a vague idea of what they want. But just yesterday I was on a call with our head of tech and a design firm where they loosely knew what they wanted and what they needed. But when we were drilling down into the requirements and the structure of these screens where they're going, and is it facing daylight? Is it not? We then realized that there was a support that they needed and some guidance on the specification of the screen.  So there was one specific screen that they mentioned, and we said, actually we have used that screen in an outdoor environment. We probably wouldn't recommend it for X, Y, or Z reasons. They understood the reasons. Because we're also the fabricator and we've got all this experience in indoor outdoor environments in this regio, we know the ventilation we know how to design those structures with ventilation, what type of provisions have to be made so we're able to get in quite early with these guys and educate them guide them on considerations that they may not have made  The heat in your region obviously tough on humans, and I know that any display technology company has to worry about getting that heat out of the enclosure or whatever, but do you really have to think about it there? Nita Odedra: Yes. We really do have to think about it. There are the manufacturers there who are saying, of course, that it will withstand heat to 50-60 degrees, even beyond some of them, but having done this for over 12 years.  But having installation throughout, the peak summer period for testing. We do have to make provisions for ventilation, for AC, for cooling. These are all provisions that we do have to make for outdoor screens, especially the LCD screens, mainly the outdoor LCD screens here, but for LED screens, of course, we still have to account for ventilation. Yeah. With them, you have to worry about blowing off all the dust and everything, and the sand that gets in.  Nita Odedra: Exactly. maintaining those, making sure that the sand, making sure the structure as well isn't capturing all that kind of dust floating around. So yeah, even simple things like, when you've got touch screens inside malls and stuff and the IR frame back in the days, there's dust captures in there or sensors. These are all things that we have to consider quite early.  I first got an idea of your company on LinkedIn by seeing a video that I believe was for the Dubai Mall, the project you were talking about before and what struck me is, Oh my God, there's an integrator who actually gets marketing.  Nita Odedra: Funnily, the John who I spoke about earlier, my boss, his background is marketing. So I think his degree was in marketing. So he's very passionate about our marketing. He's very hands-on and I'm getting WhatsApp messages in the night saying, let's try this. Let's do something different, and he's the gentleman probably on the video that you saw, and we're a bunch of passionate people. We've all been in the company for a while. He's been there since the beginning. over 17 years, I've been there for almost eight, or nine years now. So we were passionate about the business. We've grown with the business. We've seen the business grow and we're so excited about these projects that we're delivering. We're excited about what's happening in the region, not just for us, but we love to talk about other things that are happening in the region as well. So yeah, I think, we're doing the marketing justice and he's great on camera as well.  Yeah, I mentioned that just because I so often see reports about projects and I'm lucky if they even provide decent photos. So to come across videos that explain this is what we did, this is what we use, this is where it is, this is how it works without overwhelming you with Euro disco music or whatever, just the facts, it was almost stunning. Oh my God, somebody got it.  Nita Odedra: Yeah. So he really came up with a decision very early on, probably about six years ago, seven years ago, actually, that everything needs to be video content. He wasn't even happy with just images. He was like people are digesting content in videos and this was like the days, early days of, videos being on Instagram or LinkedIn. So we started churning out a lot more videos, to begin with, which were just the videos of the projects, and then that evolved to us giving kind of explainers, educating the audience and just making them short and snappy. We're making more data-driven decisions on the type of marketing we're doing, where are we getting the most engagement? What are people enjoying? What are they engaging with and sharing? And it seems to be that the ones where we're explaining in a very short space of time, like you said, within 30 seconds, get straight to the point. “This is a pixel pitch, 1.2, the size of it. What have we delivered? How did we do it?” And just get straight to it. That's what people want to know. They want to see the screen. They want to know how you did it and what did you do? Keep it simple.  Yeah, we were collectively on a panel a couple of months ago now in Munich at the Digital Signage Summit, and it was about doing business in your region and what I asked the group was how easy or hard it is because it is different, right?  You can't just drop your company into this region and expect to start getting the business rolling in.  Nita Odedra: Yeah, we've got 17 years of experience, but still monthly, there are new regulations. There are new challenges, whether that's employing locals. So in Saudi, we've got Saudinization where a set quota has to be local employees. Resourcing regionally as well can be a challenge, just licensing and all that paperwork for us still is a challenge. So I know how daunting it is for system integrators, and vendors trying to enter into this region and there are certain cultural sensitivities that we've got to keep in mind, there are a lot of different cultures working together as well.  So the culture here is very different from European culture and American culture, even more so. There's that consideration to have as well when you're entering into the market. But I would say to anybody that wants to enter into this market, partner up with somebody, to begin with, find the opportunities, find some local partners, get started, have your hand held a bit before you make any decisions, and jump straight into the deep end.  Now, for a company that's from Europe or from North America or elsewhere, looking at going into that region and saying, okay, I agree, let's partner. They're probably going to be intimidated that this partner may result in us losing the larger business because now we have a partner instead of doing this solo.  Nita Odedra: Yeah, I do personally believe that there's enough in the piece of the pie for everybody, especially in this region. But, we look at long-term partnerships. So we're quite selective with who we work with and how we work with them, and we do believe in honest, transparent partnerships. We will make sure that we've got contracts in place to protect them more than we even. So if they have, because we are looking long term, if they've brought a client, they've got a client who is from the US or Europe and they're looking to support them here regionally and they need a partner. We'll ring fence that client. We'll put contracts in place, it's a ring fence for them. It's only them. We won't touch them directly and just make sure everything's covered legally for them and honor that as well, so making sure that even from the top down, you've got that commitment. So we always make sure on all of our partnerships that from right at the top of management, I'm getting them in conversations with those partners and getting that commitment on what we will be delivering on, and also not creating any exclusivity either too early. Sometimes getting exclusive with a partner straight away and it's not good for them. It's not good for us, to allow them the flexibility to go out to other system integrators. They don't have to work exclusively with us.  And just finally, on the cultural side, I would say the common perception is it's very different over there and challenging to work in and everything else, but in talking with you and speaking with other people who work in the region, they've said, yeah, it's different, but it's perhaps not what you think. It's not as challenging and things have relaxed, particularly in areas like Saudi quite a bit.  Nita Odedra: I've seen a shift here. So I've been in the Middle East now for almost 10 years, and I'm originally from the UK. I'm just outside of London. I worked in London and across Europe and America in terms of my territories. So I'm familiar with the European market, familiar with the North American market, and the way of working.  There is a different culture and pace here, but the projects are happening at such a speed that things do materialize. They do happen quite quickly. So it's not that much of a culture shock. You've just got to be prepared, the professionalism, should we say, is different. It's there, but it's just different. All right. Leave me hanging on that one.  Nita Odedra: Timelines, deadlines, all that kind of stuff. Those get pushed back a lot in this region, adhering to timelines. So most of our projects that get delayed, get delayed by the client side, approvals for drawings, client.  One of the biggest challenges we have is site conditions. They'll push for us to have, I don't know, let's just say 300 outdoor interactive kiosks ready. They'll pay a premium just to have them turned around faster because they're not willing to wait nine months. They want them delivered in four months, and then there's no data or power, and we're sitting on 300-plus outdoor kiosks and charging them for the storage, and that is not uncommon.  Interesting. Great to catch up with you. We see each other here and there at trade shows, but we're obviously many hours apart. So it's not a routine thing.  Nita Odedra: Thank you for taking the time out, it's been a great conversation and I look forward to seeing you hopefully at ISE. Absolutely.  Nita Odedra: Thank you.

O líder da ala política do Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh (foto), foi eliminado em Teerã na manhã desta quarta-feira, 31 de julho. A morte foi primeiro relatada pela Press TV, do Irã, e pelo canal saudita Al-Arabiya.O Hamas e a Guarda Revolucionária do Irã, braço das Forças Armadas iranianas, confirmaram a notícia.Apoie o jornalismo Vigilante: 10% de desconto para audiência do  Meio-Dia em Brasília.  https://bit.ly/meiodiaoa  Acompanhe O Antagonista no canal do WhatsApp.  Boletins diários, conteúdos exclusivos em vídeo e muito mais.   https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2S...   Ouça O Antagonista | Crusoé quando quiser nos principais aplicativos de podcast.  Leia mais em www.oantagonista.com.br | www.crusoe.com.br  

O líder da ala política do Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, foi eliminado em Teerã na manhã desta quarta-feira, 31 de julho. A morte foi primeiro relatada pela Press TV, do Irã, e pelo canal saudita Al-Arabiya.O Hamas e a Guarda Revolucionária do Irã, braço das Forças Armadas iranianas, confirmaram a notícia.Apoie o jornalismo Vigilante: 10% de desconto para audiência do  Meio-Dia em Brasília.  https://bit.ly/meiodiaoa  Acompanhe O Antagonista no canal do WhatsApp.  Boletins diários, conteúdos exclusivos em vídeo e muito mais.   https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2S...   Ouça O Antagonista | Crusoé quando quiser nos principais aplicativos de podcast.  Leia mais em www.oantagonista.com.br | www.crusoe.com.br 

For review:1. Houthi forces strike cargo ship with two anti-ship cruise missiles in Gulf of Aden.US CENTCOM statement: “Both missiles struck MV Verbena, a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned, Polish-operated bulk cargo carrier."2.  Hezbollah Rocket Assault in Response to IDF Targeted Strike on high-level commander.3. Report from Saudi Arabian news outlets (Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath): Senior Hezbollah official killed in Southern Lebanon missile strike.4. US - Ukraine Security Agreement provides for long-term cooperation on building up Ukraine's current defenses, its future forces and its defense industry.5. Germany Sends Patriot Missiles to Ukraine. Three x Patriot systems  are operational in Ukraine: two donated by Germany and one by the US.6. Ukraine Main Directorate of Intelligence  Chief (Kyrylo Budanov): The Russian Armed Forces have moved its S-500 air defense system to occupied Crimea.7. White House releases statement concerning the HASC FY25 NDAA. 8.  Mobile Artillery Showcased at Eurosatory '2024 in Paris- featuring at least 10 artillery systems.    

Hello everyone. Today's guest is one of the region's most prominent sports journalists. She and I met years ago while I was working in public relations, managing the communications for Yas Marina Circuit for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Reem was working as a journalist with Sport 360. Since that time, Reem's career has flourished. She is a sports writer, columnist and video journalist for UAE's The National and Saudi Arabia's Arab News, a tennis contributor to CNN and Eurosport, a contributor to wire agency AFP, as well as other outlets including The Guardian US, BBC News, Dubai Eye 103.8, Al Arabiya, and Wimbledon.com. She regularly interviews some of the world's and region's most famous athletes and travels the world to cover a range of sports stories, not just tennis as she clarifies in our chat. Most recently, Reem became the host and concept creator of the podcast Abtal, a series dedicated to Arab athletes and their journeys to the Paris 2024 Olympics - linked below. In our chat, we discuss:

A Fun and hilarious episode of your Millennial Media Offensive awaits! From Iranian Helicopters falling out of the sky to Slovakia and Georgia being rubber stamp clones. Joementia Biden is having a good time promising the moon to blacks, while seemingly having an episode while denouncing the ICC warrants. Lindsay Graham is calmer, while Senator Kennedy has a bit of a potty mouth. If you can listen to this entire episode without laughing, you haven’t got a heart!   Special Thanks to Rob H. for the winning art!   Fiat Fun Coupon Donors: Sam S. of Bourblandia Wiirdo, Offensively wiird!   This weeks boosters: KattyKit Boolysteed Dame Trailchicken MakeHeroism JonMcPain Jasper89   Shownotes Ep 121   Gaza             Lindsey Graham on Al Arabiya     Congo             NBC Rundown   Information Warfare             Mayorkas @ Economic Club of Washington, D.C.   Biden             Commencement at Morehouse             Biden at NAACP                         Fixed It   Economy             Brian Will, Will Restaurant Group on CNBC   FDIC             John Kennedy on Lawfirm Report                           Emmer on Bills                         SAB 121

A Fun and hilarious episode of your Millennial Media Offensive awaits! From Iranian Helicopters falling out of the sky to Slovakia and Georgia being rubber stamp clones. Joementia Biden is having a good time promising the moon to blacks, while seemingly having an episode while denouncing the ICC warrants. Lindsay Graham is calmer, while Senator Kennedy has a bit of a potty mouth. If you can listen to this entire episode without laughing, you haven’t got a heart!   Special Thanks to Rob H. for the winning art!   Fiat Fun Coupon Donors: Sam S. of Bourblandia Wiirdo, Offensively wiird!   This weeks boosters: KattyKit Boolysteed Dame Trailchicken MakeHeroism JonMcPain Jasper89   Shownotes Ep 121   Gaza             Lindsey Graham on Al Arabiya     Congo             NBC Rundown   Information Warfare             Mayorkas @ Economic Club of Washington, D.C.   Biden             Commencement at Morehouse             Biden at NAACP                         Fixed It   Economy             Brian Will, Will Restaurant Group on CNBC   FDIC             John Kennedy on Lawfirm Report                           Emmer on Bills                         SAB 121

We explore how young people have made meaningful careers and lasting change working in the public interest with Sam Simon, editor of “Choosing the Public Interest: Essays From the First Public Interest Research Group” and Lisa Frank, Vice President and D.C. Director at The Public Interest Network and also Executive Director in the Washington Legislative Office at Environment America. Plus, the indomitable Chris Hedges stops by to report on his interviews with college students protesting the genocide in Gaza, which he chronicled in a Substack piece titled “The Nation's Conscience.”Sam Simon is an author, playwright, and attorney who co-founded the Public Interest Research Group with Ralph and the other Nader's Raiders in 1970. He compiled and edited the new book Choosing the Public Interest: Essays From the First Public Interest Research Group.This is something that every one of these themes have and that this movement has had—that the consumer, the user, the student, the pensioner have equal voice in our systems to help create the systems that are intended to benefit them, and not leave that power in the hands of corporate entities and profit-making enterprises. And that idea needs to continue to exist. And I'm glad that the Public Interest Network and PIRGS still thrive on many campuses.Sam SimonWhat I want to come out of this book is that average kids from average backgrounds ended up doing amazing things with their entire lives, because of the opportunity and the vision that they could do that.Sam SimonLisa Frank is Vice President and D.C. Director at The Public Interest Network. She is also Executive Director in the Washington Legislative Office at Environment America, where she directs strategy and staff for federal campaigns. Ms. Frank has won millions of dollars in investments in walking, biking and transit, and has helped develop strategic campaigns to protect America's oceans, forests and public lands from drilling, logging and road-building.The particular types of problems we're focused on at [PIRG] are ones that really have been created in a sense by our success as a country in growing. We're the wealthiest country the world has ever seen. We figured out how to grow more than enough food than we can eat, we produce more than enough clothing than we can wear, certainly more than enough plastic…And all of this abundance is leading to new types of problems…The problems that have either come about because of the progress we've made as a society and now we've got the ability to tackle them, or problems where—clean energy is an example—where there are problems that we newly have the ability to solve.Lisa FrankYou have Congress that passed these five laws that are being violated, with the result of huge death and destruction overseas— and not just in Gaza, but places like Iraq and Libya in the past. And they're talking about students trespassing at their own university, and nonviolent protests? The problem starts in Congress. They're the funders, the enablers, the surrenderers of their constitutional rights of oversight and war-making powers.Ralph NaderChris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, who spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He is the host of The Chris Hedges Report, and he is a prolific author— his latest book is The Greatest Evil Is War.[Students] understand the nature of settler colonial regimes. The expansion or inclusion of students from wider backgrounds than were traditionally there at places like Princeton…has really added a depth and expanded the understanding within the university. So they see what's happening in Gaza, and they draw—rightly— connections to what we did to Native Americans, what the British did in India, what the British did in Kenya, what the French did in Algeria, and of course, they are correct.Chris Hedges[Students] have defied, quite courageously, the administrations of their universities, who are—kind of like the political class—bought and paid for by the Israel lobby, and in particular wealthy donors and the Democratic Party. And that is why these universities have responded to these nonviolent protests the way they have, with such overwhelming and draconian use of force.Chris HedgesIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 5/15/241. The New Republic reports the Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against Scott Sheffield, former CEO of oil and gas giant Pioneer Resources alleging that “voluminous evidence” suggests Sheffield “collaborated with fellow U.S. producers and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in order to keep crude oil prices ‘artificially' high.” As Matt Stoller explains in his newsletter, “after a bitter price war from 2014-2016, [American oil producers] got tired of competing on price with…the OPEC oil cartel, and at some point from 2017-2021, decided to join the cartel and cut supply to the market. This action had the [e]ffect of raising oil prices, costing oil consumers something on the order of $200 billion a year.” Stoller claims that this price-fixing scheme between the OPEC cartel and the American oil oligopoly caused 27% of all inflation-related price increases in 2021. Progressive lawmakers such as Senator Bernie Sanders who tried to raise the alarm about what he dubbed “greedflation” were dismissed at the time, but like so many times before, have been vindicated by the simple fact that American corporate greed always exceeds expectations.2. Tal Mitnick and Sofia Orr, the two Israeli teenagers conscientiously objecting to being drafted into Israel's campaign of terror in Gaza, have sent a letter to President Biden excoriating him for his unconditional support of the Netanyahu regime, per the Intercept. The two heroic peaceniks write “Your unconditional support for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's policy of destruction, since the war began, has brought our society to the normalization of carnage and to the trivialization of human lives…It is American diplomatic and material support that prolonged this war for so long. You are responsible for this, alongside our leaders. But while they're interested in prolonging the war for political reasons, you have the power to make it stop.” These kids wrote this letter before reporting for their latest round of prison sentences, which have reached unprecedented lengths. As the article notes, “The refuseniks are not alone in their opposition, nor in the treatment they face. Throughout the war, Israelis have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to protest the war and Netanyahu's government. This past week, Israeli police arrested and beat protesters and hostage family members calling for an end to the war, just the latest example of Israelis being punished for voicing dissent or sympathy with the people of Gaza.”3. Al Jazeera reports yet another Biden Administration official has made public his resignation over the genocide in Gaza. Army Major Harrison Mann, who resigned in November, posted a letter Monday wherein he expressed “incredible shame and guilt” over the United States' “unqualified support” for Israel's war. Explaining why he waited so long to come forward with the reasoning behind his resignation, Mann wrote “I was afraid. Afraid of violating our professional norms. Afraid of disappointing officers I respect. Afraid you would feel betrayed. I'm sure some of you will feel that way reading this,” yet he noted “At some point – whatever the justification – you're either advancing a policy that enables the mass starvation of children, or you're not.”4. At long last, Egypt has announced its intention to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, Al Arabiya reports. In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said this decision comes on the heels of the “worsening severity and scope of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip,” likely referring to the terror bombing campaign in Rafah, which the United States had previously identified as a “Red Line” in terms of material support. Egypt has faced international embarrassment over its soft line towards its militaristic neighbor and alleged mistreatment of Palestinian refugees trying to flee into Egypt. The country has also “called on the UN Security Council and countries of influence to take actions to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and halt military operations in Rafah, according to the statement.”5. On Wednesday, May 8th, the State Department report on whether Israel has violated U.S. international law was due to Congress. Instead, it was delayed. As POLITICO reported “The State Department has been working for months on the report, which will issue a determination on whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law since the war in Gaza began. If so, the U.S. would be expected to stop sending Israel military assistance.” When the report was finally released, it stated “it is ‘reasonable to assess' that US weapons have been used by Israeli forces in Gaza in ways that are ‘inconsistent' with international humanitarian law,” but the report stopped short of officially saying Israel violated the law, per CNN. The report goes on to say that investigations into potential violations are ongoing but the US “‘does not have complete information to verify' whether the US weapons ‘were specifically used' in alleged violations of international humanitarian law.” This equivocation in the face of genocide – using American weapons — will leave an ineradicable black mark on the already spotty human rights record of the U.S. State Department.6. Students for Justice in Palestine at Columbia University reports “Columbia…is under federal investigation for anti-Palestinian discrimination and harassment.” According to the group, Palestine Legal is representing four Palestinian students and the group itself. Senior attorney for Palestine Legal Radikah Sainath said in a statement “The law is clear— if universities do not cease their racist crackdowns against Palestinians and their supporters, they will risk losing federal funding.”7. On May 8th, the D.C. Metro Police Department cleared the protest encampment at the George Washington University, using pepper spray and brute force. According to the Associated Press, the police arrested 33 protesters. The AP quoted Moataz Salim, a Palestinian student at GW with family in Gaza, who said the authorities merely “destroyed a beautiful community space that was all about love.” He went on to say “Less than 10 hours ago, I was pepper sprayed and assaulted by police…And why? Because we decided to pitch some tents, hold community activities and learn from each other. We built something incredible. We built something game-changing.” The police broke up the encampment in the wee hours of the morning, just before D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was slated to appear before hostile Republican lawmakers in Congress, leading many to believe she acted when and how she did out of sheer cowardice and political expediency. After the encampment was cleared, the hearing was canceled. Undeterred, these courageous students have continued to protest their institution's support of Israel's criminal war and per the American University Eagle, have now set up a second encampment. We urge Mayor Bowser not to bow to pressure from bloodthirsty Congressional Republicans a second time.8. The Seattle Times reports “The FAA has opened an investigation into Boeing's 787 Dreamliner after the company disclosed that employees in South Carolina falsified inspection records.” As the paper notes, “This is the latest in a long litany of lapses at Boeing that have come to light under the intense scrutiny of the company's quality oversight since a passenger cabin panel blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.” That is to say nothing of the safety lapses leading to the Lion Air and Ethiopia Airlines crashes in 2019, that resulted in the deaths of all aboard both flights. Incredibly, “This new 787 quality concern is unrelated to the 787 fuselage gaps described as unsafe in an April congressional hearing by Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour.” As these critical safety failures and lies continue to come to light, the only question remaining is when is enough enough?9. Bloomberg labor reporter Josh Eidelson reports “The US government [has] raised concerns with Germany about alleged union-busting in Alabama by Mercedes, an unusual move that escalates scrutiny on its handling of the high-stakes union vote.” Mercedes is facing a momentous union election at its Alabama plant, led by the United Autoworkers, fresh off of unionizing the first ever foreign-owned auto plant in the country. Eidelson goes on to say that members of the European Commission have raised the matter with Mercedes as well, raising the heat on the company as the election kicks off. Among other union busting tactics, Labor Notes reports Mercedes has tried enlisting a pastor to tell workers via text “Here in Alabama, community is important, and family is everything. We believe it's important to keep work separate. But there's no denying, a union would have an impact beyond the walls of our plant.”10. Finally, the Chicago Sun-Times is out with a story on the success of Illinois' experiment with ending cash bail for pre-trial detention. As the article puts it, “Despite all the anguish over the Pretrial Fairness Act, [Cook County Judge Charles] Beach says he has been struck by how proceedings have significantly changed for the better in his courtroom. ‘I think we've come a very long way in the right direction…Things are working well.'” This piece describes how “Under the old system of cash bail, Beach — a supervising judge in the pretrial division — was often tasked with setting a dollar figure a person would have to post before being released, a decision that could force a family to skip the rent to post a bond. It was a process that could seem arbitrary, depending on the judge, the time of day and where in the state the hearing was held.” Beach himself goes on to say “There's a sense in the courtroom that taking money out of the equation has leveled the playing field.” The success of this reform should be taken very seriously by other states, particularly New York where Democrats have sought to roll back the state's attempts at ending cash bail following pressure from conservatives. Turns out, it works.This has been Francesco DeSantis. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Jamie Angus is the former director of the BBC World Service and the former editor of 'Today' and 'Newsnight' who now works in the Middle East. We discuss Ofcom's oversight of broadcasters, the consequences of previous World Service cuts, and the impact of new ones. We also explore long-term solutions to the issue of its funding, which is under review by a parliamentary committee. “I think it's clear that GB News are operating under a slightly different model to public broadcasters.” “Al Arabiya ourselves have launched our own FM radio services. And we've additionally picked up some of the BBC's medium wave hours, which they no longer use, so our radio services are broadcast regionally. We've also hired a number of ex BBC Arabic radio staff.”To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month: www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one off payment please use our crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's podcast Armin Navabi, David Bernstein & Mike Burke discuss homophobia in relation to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, "pink washing", the future of the two state solution (or lack thereof) and the role that religion plays in how different cultures conceive of power and weakness.Podcast Notes:  Armin Navabi,  “Queers for Palestine” and the Death of Irony — Queer Majority Female Saudi anchor on Al Arabiya confronts Hamas leader Khaled Mashal on his group's terrorism in Israel - Hamas Leader Abroad Rejects Accusations of Transgressions against Civilians on October 7 Attack - YouTube

 On this special episode of The One Way Ticket Show, Host Steven Shalowitz sat down with Dr. Jonathan Schanzer to provide perspective on the barbaric invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists on Saturday 7 October 2023.   The interview is from Steven's conversation with Dr. Schanzer on the Jewish National Fund USA podcast, IsraelCast.   Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at FDD, where he oversees the work of the organization's experts and scholars. He is also on the leadership team of FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power, a project on the use of financial and economic power as a tool of statecraft. Jonathan previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he played an integral role in the designation of numerous terrorist financiers. He has held previous think tank research positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum.   Jonathan has written hundreds of articles on the Middle East, along with more than a dozen monographs and chapters for edited volumes. His new book, Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War (FDD Press 2021), challenges and corrects some of the wildly inaccurate news reported during the conflict. It is the first book published on the war. His three other books have made unique contributions to the field. State of Failure: Yasser Arafat, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Unmaking of the Palestinian State (Palgrave Macmillan 2013) argues the main roadblock to Palestinian statehood is the Palestinian Authority's political dysfunction and mismanagement. Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine (Palgrave Macmillan 2008) is still the only book on the market that analyzes the ongoing Palestinian civil war. Al-Qaeda's Armies: Middle East Affiliate Groups and the Next Generation of Terror (Washington Institute for Near East Policy 2004) was the first to explore the al-Qaeda franchises of the Middle East.  Jonathan testifies often before Congress and publishes widely in the American and international media. He has appeared on American television channels such as Fox News and CNN, and Arabic language television channels such as Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera.   A sought-after public speaker, Jonathan has traveled widely throughout the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories.   Jonathan has studied Middle East history in four countries. He earned his PhD from King's College London, where he wrote his dissertation on the U.S. Congress and its efforts to combat terrorism in the 20th century. He speaks Arabic and Hebrew.  

L'émission 28 Minutes du 23/09/2023 Le samedi, Renaud Dély décrypte l'actualité avec un regard international, en compagnie de nos clubistes : Annika Joeres – correspondante de l'hebdomadaire allemand « Die Zeit », Zyad Limam – directeur et rédacteur en chef d'« Afrique Magazine », Jon Henley – correspondant Europe pour le quotidien britannique « The Guardian » et le dessinateur de presse Nicolas Vadot. Le monde a-t-il abandonné les Arméniens ? C'est un tournant historique. Après plus de trente ans de conflit, l'Azerbaïdjan a fait plier les autorités autoproclamées du Haut-Karabakh. Mercredi 20 septembre, un accord de cessez-le-feu a été signé, mettant fin à l'offensive lancée la veille par les forces de Bakou sur l'enclave disputée. Selon ce document, les responsables séparatistes acceptent de déposer les armes et d'entamer des négociations sur la réintégration de ce territoire à l'Azerbaïdjan. Mais cette capitulation marque un abandon du peuple arménien, majoritairement présent dans cette enclave : d'abord par les Russes qui ont renoncé à jouer les intermédiaires entre Bakou et Erevan, puis par les Occidentaux, dont les déclarations de solidarité n'ont jamais mené à une aide concrète. Qui peut réellement les soutenir ? Le roi Charles III en visite en France. Après trois jours, la visite d'État du roi Charles III d'Angleterre en France s'est achevée vendredi soir. Le monarque britannique avait appelé à « revigorer » l'amitié entre les deux pays, après des années de tensions liées au Brexit, mais son accueil a divisé. Certains s'indignent des moyens mis en œuvre et notamment du dîner fastueux à Versailles, à l'heure de l'inflation. D'autres soulignent l'importance du dialogue entre nos deux pays, et la nécessité d'assumer notre rang de grande nation. Que penser de cette visite ?  Valérie Brochard nous donne des nouvelles de nos très chers voisins européens : ce week-end, direction l'Allemagne où la célèbre marque automobile Volkswagen a décidé de fermer son site industriel de Dresde. Face à d'importantes difficultés, le constructeur entend faire dix milliards d'euros d'économies. Jean-Mathieu Pernin zappe sur la chaîne d'information en continu saoudienne Al-Arabiya qui ne cesse de parler de l'immense foule venue accueillir la superstar du football, Cristiano Ronaldo, arrivé avec son club Al Nassr pour disputer un match en Iran. Au-delà du sport, cette rencontre face à l'équipe de Persépolis symbolise le rapprochement entre l'Arabie Saoudite et l'Iran, concrétisé en mars dernier par un accord. Ce week-end, Olivier Boucreux décerne le titre d'employé de la semaine à Ramzan Kadyrov. L'autocrate tchétchène sanguinaire – polygame assumé, homophobe et adoubé par Vladimir Poutine – était annoncé mort par les Ukrainiens mais a ressuscité à la télévision. Jackpot pour les pirates ! Alix Van Pée nous parle d'une cyberattaque qui a créé la panique au sein de deux casinos de Las Vegas, obligeant les patrons à payer une rançon de quinze millions de dollars aux hackers.  Plonger dans la foule tokyoïte, manger un soba sur le pouce, emprunter les chemins de traverse souterrains… June Fujiwara nous fait découvrir Tokyo à travers ses souvenirs d'enfance et ses rituels lorsqu'elle est de retour au Japon. Passionnée par la France, l'autrice vit à Paris depuis une vingtaine d'années mais partage sa « japonitude » dans des bouquins et sur Instagram. Les sons, les odeurs, les paysages : dans « La parfaite Tokyoïte », June Fujiwara dévoile une ville secrète et intime, avec l'attachement et le recul d'une Japonaise partie vivre à l'étranger. On vous emmène ! Enfin, ne manquez pas la une hexagonale de la semaine et la question très intéressante de David Castello-Lopes.  28 Minutes est le magazine d'actualité d'ARTE, présenté par Elisabeth Quin du lundi au jeudi à 20h05. Renaud Dély est aux commandes de l'émission le vendredi et le samedi. Ce podcast est coproduit par KM et ARTE Radio. Enregistrement : 23 septembre 2023 - Présentation : Renaud Dély - Production : KM, ARTE Radio

From nothing to so much, from grass to grace, from facing your fears to extinguishing your worries, this is often the story of champions, those who have come to understand and appreciate their purpose here on earth, not minding the circumstances they find themselves, they take advantage of what the providence of purpose has given riding on the gift of life to fulfilling that God-given purpose.For such people, when faced with adversities or challenges, they don't give in to the suggestions of defeat, and they don't respond from a disadvantaged position; instead, they see all of these as an opportunity to confront these challenges, questioning the status quo by standing on the premise provided by the situation and having a view that is somewhat different from the norm, more like a panoramic view. These individuals often come through with answers and solutions to societal challenges, eventually lighting up our world.The Story of Carole Nakhle fits into this narrative in every way. Dr. Carole Nakhle is an international authority on global energy issues, particularly in policy, finance, market development, governance, energy taxes, and fiscal regimes, as well as geopolitics. With a unique breadth of experience spanning different stakeholders in the energy industry all around the world, Dr. Nakhle has worked with major energy companies (Eni and Statoil) at the executive level, governments, and policymakers (including Special Parliamentary Advisor in the UK), international organizations, academic institutions, and specialized think tanks on a global scale. She is active on the Governing Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute and is a Member of its Audit and Finance Committee. She is also a Member of the Advisory Boards of the Middle East Institute and the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines. She is a Lead Energy Expert with the Geopolitical Intelligence Services in Liechtenstein and Associate Fellow at Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Beirut. She has appeared on Africa News, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Asharq, BBC, Bloomberg, CGTN, CNBC, CNN, DW News, France 24, and Sky News, among others. She has also been quoted in leading publications, such as Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, and interviewed by international magazines, including Marie Claire.She has published two widely acclaimed books: Petroleum Taxation: Sharing the Wealth and Out of the Energy Labyrinth (co-authored with Lord David Howell, former Secretary of State for Energy in the UK). Dr. Nakhle has worked on projects in many countries, collaborating closely with host governments, ministries, parliaments, the private sector, and civic society. She has also been on exploratory visits to the Arctic (organized by the Norwegian Government) and the North Sea.She is fluent in Arabic, English, and French. In 2017, she gave evidence to the International Relations Committee at the UK Parliament on oil markets, the transformation of power in the Middle East, and implications for UK policy.]On this episode of the Word café podcast, I am delighted to host Dr. Carole Nakhle to share her story and experience within the energy sector.Support the showYou can support this show via the link below;https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718587/supporters/new

Jamie Angus left the BBC last July after a stellar career involving editing the Today programme and Newsnight. He later became director of the World Service, running the teams which produce news in 42 languages to a weekly audience of 500 million around the world. Now he's chief operating officer at Al Arabiya news channel in the United Arab Emirates and is moving into the space left by the axing of BBC Arabic radio. We discuss cuts in the World Service and news, impartiality, the future funding of the BBC and the Gary Lineker affair. "If you look at some of the things he's tweeted even since this row - they seem pretty close to the line, if not over the line to me - and I'm not quite sure how this is going to get resolved in the longer term." Support the podcast by subscribing hereFind all our podcasts here @grvlx001@BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fadia Al Taweel, a Jordanian journalist of Palestinian origin, lives in the UAE. She is a global ambassador for the Zahra Breast Cancer Society, she won the best media for the Diafa Festival 2017. She has presented many programs on Al-Arabiya and MBC channels, and she is still presenting programs, among the most prominent of which is the program “Good morning, Arabs” and “Kalam Nawaem” on MBC 1. She was awarded the title of best talk show host and was named the MBC board. She worked in the field of school management and won many awards inside and outside the Kingdom, as well as an honor from the First Lady. Laura Bush, wife of former US President George W. Bush, as the most powerful woman in the Gulf and the bravest woman in the world. #hikmatwehbi #fadiaaltaweel #podcast #arabicpodcast #hikmatwehbipodcast #wstudioحكمت_وهبي# حكمت_وهبي_بودكاست# بودكاست# فاديا_الطويل#

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in an interview with the TV channel Al Arabiya that Pakistan had learnt its lesson, having fought three wars with India, and now wanted peace. In this week's #NationalInterest, ThePrint Editor-In-Chief Shekhar Gupta explains three things that Pakistanis need: Strategic breathing space, financial generosity and most of all, relevance. Brought to you by  @KiaInd  ----more----Read this week's National Interest here: https://theprint.in/national-interest/shehbaz-sharif-is-talking-peace-india-must-keep-mum-leave-pak-to-pak/1326389/----more----Read National Interest, 'leave Af to Pak' here: https://theprint.in/opinion/why-india-should-get-out-and-leave-af-to-pak/147786/

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, a native New Yorker who grew up playing baseball with Irish and neighborhood kids in Rockaway, Queens,. is Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading global Jewish human rights organization. 
 Rabbi Cooper has been a longtime activist for Jewish and human rights causes on five continents. In 1977, he came to Los Angeles to help Rabbi Marvin Hier found the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Together with Rabbi Hier, Rabbi Cooper regularly meets with world leaders, including Pope Francis, presidents, and foreign ministers to defend the rights of the Jewish people, combat terrorism and promote multi-faith relations worldwide. Rabbi Cooper is an acknowledged expert on online hate and terrorism and has helped produce and present the SWC's renowned traveling exhibitions at the Vatican, the UN, Knesset, US Congress, Tokyo, New Delhi, and Buenos Aires. He is a founder of the Global Forum on Anti-Semitism, and Newsweek ranked Rabbis Cooper and Hier as #8 among the 50 most influential rabbis in America. Rabbi Cooper has worked extensively with Arab leaders in the Gulf States and witnessed the historic UAE/Bahrain/Israel Abraham Accords ceremony at the White House. In 2022, Rabbi Cooper was appointed Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom which tracks violations of religious freedom around the world. 
Rabbi Cooper co-authored with Rev. Johnnie Moore, The Next Jihad, based on their interviews in Nigeria with scores of Christian survivors of deadly Islamist terrorist attacks. His op-eds appear in major US and Israeli outlets, in Asia and in the Arab News and Al-Arabiya. Rabbi Cooper is a recipient of Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Community Service Leadership Memorial Award, a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University and the Orthodox Union's National Leadership Award. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-aidan-byrne0/support

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. ***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***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. ***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 growthSaudi 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 programsFemale 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 WorksAccording 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 storeAlshaya 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 rankAccording 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 AsiaGreece 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.

European bourses are firmer, extending on overnight futures performance, shrugging off a downbeat APAC handover amid COVID concerns.Stateside, futures are contained/marginally softer ahead of a quiet schedule and after a mixed close on Friday; NQ, -0.3%, modestly lags amid yield action.Russian Kremlin said face-to-face talks in Turkey with Ukraine are unlikely to commence on Monday, may start on Tuesday.AAPL intends to make ~20% less iPhone SE's next quarter than was originally planned, via Nikkei; while TSLA is seeking a stock split.DXY surpasses 99.00 while JPY lags amid BoJ JBG intervention, core-debt pulls back with curves flatter or more inverted pre-supply.WTI and Brent are clipped amid COVID measures from China and progress on the JCPOA; currently, off lows of USD 108.28/bbl and USD 115.32/bbl respectively.Looking ahead, highlights include the ASEAN summit, US Auctions & a speech from BoE Governor Bailey.As of 11:15BST/06:15EDTLOOKING AHEADASEAN summit, US Auctions & a speech from BoE Governor Bailey.Click here for the Week Ahead preview.GEOPOLITICSRUSSIA-UKRAINENEGOTIATIONS/TALKSUkrainian President Zelensky said he would like an all for all prisoner exchange with Russia and that they have handed over a list to Russia. Zelensky added that they will not sit down for talks with Russia if discussions are about "demilitarisation and some kind of denazification". Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to discuss neutrality and non-nuclear status if backed by security guarantees, while he added that a deal is only possible with a troop withdrawal and that he wants a compromise with Russia regarding Donbass.Ukrainian Interior Ministry Advisor says he expects no major breakthrough at peace discussions.Turkish President Erdogan told Russian President Putin in a call that there needs to be a quick ceasefire with Ukraine and that they need to improve the humanitarian situation in the region, while it was also reported that the next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.Senior Turkish official says that talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators will begin in Istanbul later today. However, the Russian Kremlin said talks are unlikely to commence on Monday, may start on Tuesday. No substantial achievements/breakthroughs in talks, no progress re. a potential Putin-Zelensky meeting.Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov says President Putin never refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky, but since meetings must be well prepared, a (presidential) meeting to exchange views at this time would be counter-productive.Ukraine's Deputy PM says that no humanitarian corridors will be opened today as intelligence suggested potential Russian provocations on corridor routes.OTHER OFFICIALSUS President Biden said NATO is a defensive alliance and it has never sought Russia's demise and that “swift and punishing” costs are the only things that will influence Russia to change course. Biden added that US forces are in Europe to defend NATO allies, not to engage with Russian forces and stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power, although Biden later said that he was not calling for a regime change in Russia.White House official said President Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia and the US envoy to NATO also commented that the US does not have a policy of regime change in Russia. In relevant news, a Kremlin spokesman responded that it is not for US President Biden to decide and said the President of Russia is elected by Russians.German Chancellor Scholz said a regime change in Russia is not NATO's goal. Furthermore, Scholz said that Germany is considering purchasing a missile shield.US Secretary of State Blinken said Israeli efforts to mediate on Ukraine-Russia are important and closely coordinated with the US.DEFENCE/MILITARYRussia launched 70 missiles on targets in Ukraine on Saturday which was the largest daily amount since the war began, although reports added only 8 of the 70 missiles reached the target, according to Pravda with most shot down by Ukrainian defence.UK Ministry of Defence said Russia is maintaining a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast and effectively isolating Ukraine from maritime trade, while it noted that Russian naval forces are continuing their sporadic missile strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. UK Defence Ministry also said Russia is stepping up attempts to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east, advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south, according to Bloomberg.US is to provide an additional USD 100mln in civilian security assistance to Ukraine, according to the State Department.Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister said that Russian forces are regrouping but not able to advance anywhere within Ukraine, via Reuters. Subsequently, reports suggest that Russia is attacking to the east and northwest of Kyiv, trying to take key roads and settlements, according to a war reporter based in UkraineENERGY/ECONOMIC SANCTIONSUS is to sanction companies providing technology for Russian military and intelligence services, according to a WSJ report late on Friday.Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki said the government cannot confiscate foreign central banks' reserves parked with the BoJ under current laws, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said they will revise FX control laws swiftly to strengthen sanctions against Russia and hope to submit a bill at the current parliamentary session.Russian Kremlin says President Putin has instructed the CBR and Gazprom to use the RUB in gas sale transactions to unfriendly nations by March 31st, via AJA Breaking.OTHERIranian Foreign Minister said that France, Germany and UK agree on the text and that the US ‘accepts' it must address some remaining issues, while he also stated that a deal hinges on the US removing the IRGC from the terror list, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, Iran's Foreign Minister said Tehran welcomes normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia and is determined to expand cooperation with Syria, according to state TV.EU's Borrell said a nuclear agreement with Iran is very close.US Special Envoy for Iran Malley said he can't be confident that a deal is imminent and said they also thought they were close a few months ago.US Secretary of State Blinken said a return to the JCPOA is the best way to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box and that US commitment to the principle of Iran never acquiring a nuclear weapon is unwavering, while he added the US will continue to stand up to Iran if it threatens the US and its allies.Israeli PM Bennett said that he hopes the US will heed calls against the delisting of the IRGC from its terrorism blacklist, while Israel's Foreign Minister said Israel and the US will continue working together to prevent a nuclear Iran.Two police officers were killed and four people were injured during a shooting attack in Israel's Hadera, which ISIS claimed responsibility for.North Korean leader Kim said North Korea will keep developing formidable striking capabilities and their self-defence force cannot be bartered nor be bought according to KCNA, while it was separately reported that North Korea is to accelerate the restoration of its demolished nuclear test site, according to South Korea press.EUROPEAN TRADEEQUITIESEuropean bourses are firmer, extending on the pre-open futures performance, shrugging off a downbeat APAC handover amid COVID concerns.Sectors are primarily in the green though Tech and Energy names lag amid Apple and crude benchmark action, respectively.Stateside, futures are contained/marginally softer ahead of a quiet schedule and after a mixed close on Friday; NQ, -0.3%, modestly lags amid yield action.Apple (AAPL) intends to make ~20% less iPhone SE's next quarter than was originally planned, via Nikkei; reducing iPhone and AirPods output amid Ukraine war uncertainty. -1.8% in pre-marketTesla (TSLA) is to ask shareholders to vote on more shares for a stock split, according to Bloomberg. +3.6% in pre-marketClick here for more detail.FXBoJ intervenes to curb JGB yield but waves green light to further Yen weakness, USD/JPY breaches barriers from 123.50 all the way up through 125.00 before easing back.DXY tops 99.000 and mid-March high to expose Y-T-D peak as US Treasuries continue to sink and the curve flattens or inverts.Aussie maintains momentum on commodity related grounds, while Kiwi is hampered by less hawkish RBNZ outlook from Westpac; AUD/USD approaches 0.7550, NZD/USD hovers under 0.6950 and AUD/NZD tests 1.0850.Euro underpinned by EUR/JPY cross demand, EUR/USD recovers from sub-1.0950 to get close to 1.1000 at best.Loonie and Nokkie undermined by hefty retreat in WTI and Brent, USD/CAD circa 1.2485 and EUR/NOK around 9.4700.Franc softer after SNB President repeats that nominal value is not the same as real and inflation differentials are impacting moves, USD/CHF circa 0.9350 and EUR/CHF above 1.0250.SNB Chairman Jordan said Swiss inflation is high for Switzerland but low in international comparison, while they will make policy adjustments to keep inflation under control if needed and consider the inflation difference between Switzerland and other countries when deciding on currency interventions. SNB Chairman Jordan added that the nominal value of CHF is different to its real value and businesses can cope with a stronger nominal CHF due to higher inflation abroad. Furthermore, he added that CHF remains highly valued and that they are ready to intervene to prevent it from becoming too strong, while parity with EUR is symbolic but not economically important and they look at all currencies and inflation differences not just at the euro.Japanese Former currency diplomat Sakakibara (aka Mr Yen) says that the current weak JPY benefits the Japanese economy but further advances beyond 130 vs. the USD would cause issues, via Reuters.Click here for more detail.Notable FX Expiries, NY Cut:USD/CAD: 1.2545-55 (1.0BN), 1.2650 (336M)Click here for more detail.FIXED INCOMEBonds buckle again as the bear trend continuesCurves flatter or more inverted amidst a front-loaded and shorter-dated supply scheduleJGBs hold up a bit better as BoJ offers to buy unlimited amounts in defence of its YCT through to month/fy-endClick here for more detail.COMMODITIESWTI and Brent are clipped amid COVID measures from China and progress on the JCPOA; currently, off lows of USD 108.28/bbl and USD 115.32/bbl respectively.Saudi-led coalition said it began an operation to neutralise the targeting of oil facilities with the goal to protect global energy sources from hostile attacks and ensure supply chains, while it carried out airstrikes against sources of threats in Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah, according to Al Arabiya.SGH Macro Advisers noted on Friday that Russia is in active talks with Asian partners about the possibility of sending further oil supplies to the Asian market, while SGH Macro understands that China will import at least 10mln tons of Russian oil on top of its original import plan for this year and Beijing sources said the price that Russia offered is equivalent to about USD 70/bbl which is to be settled directly in CNY and RUB.Qatar's Foreign Minister said the conflict in Ukraine and its geopolitical ramifications, is spurring some countries to explore new ways of pricing oil outside of the dollar, according to CNBC.UAE Energy Minister says everyone is saying to raise production, but financial institutions are hesitant to finance many oil/gas projects globally.US, UK and Japanese banks are considering jointly extending USD 1bln in loans to Kuwait Petroleum Corp to help in increasing oil production, according to Nikkei.Spot gold/silver are hampered amid broader price action and as other havens, particularly JPY and core-debt, experience marked weakness.Click here for more detail.NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINESUK PM Johnson is expected to hold discussions with senior cabinet ministers this week regarding plans to address rising bills and bolster the country's energy security, according to The Observer.UK Chancellor Sunak is considering proposals for a new council tax rebate after his Spring statement failed to ease panic in Downing Street regarding the spiralling cost of living crisis, according to Sunday Times.German Chancellor Scholz said the ruling coalition has an agreement on debt brake and tax hikes, while he added that all parties will stick with them.ECB President Lagarde said euro area growth could be as low as 2.4% this year in a severe scenario due to the war and that inflation is expected to decrease and settle at levels around the 2% target in 2024 in all their scenarios, while she also commented that they stand ready to revise the schedule for net asset purchases in terms of size and duration.NOTABLE US HEADLINES:White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 and last saw President Biden in a socially-distanced meeting on Saturday, but added that the President is not considered a close contact.Click here for the US Early Morning NoteCRYPTOExxon is reportedly utilising excess natural gas to mine Bitcoin.Florida Governor DeSantis said the state should allow businesses to pay tax in crypto.UK is to disclose cryptocurrency regulations proposals in the coming weeks, according to CNBC.APAC TRADEEQUITIESAPAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and this week's various risk events, while higher yields and a lockdown in Shanghai contributed to the headwinds for risk sentiment.ASX 200 shrugged off weak business confidence and was kept afloat by strength in mining stocks and financials.Nikkei 225 is set to snap its 9-day win streak and tested the 28,000 level to the downside.Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp. were mixed with early weakness in the mainland amid a two-stage lockdown in Shanghai after asymptomatic cases in the city rose to a record high and with data also showing a slowdown in Industrial Profits for February YTD. However, the PBoC's liquidity boost eventually helped stem some of the losses in China, while the Hong Kong benchmark recovered into the green with advances led by Meituan Dianping and Sinopec post-earnings.NOTABLE APAC HEADLINESPBoC injected CNY 150bln via 7-day reverse repos with the rate at 2.10% for a CNY 120bln net injection.PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 6.3732 vs exp. 6.3719 (prev. 6.3739)Shanghai announced a four-day lockdown of its financial district and nine other areas, in which it is to lockdown each half of the city in turns for mass COVID testing beginning on Monday after the city reported a new record high of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.US FCC designated China Telecom Corp and China Mobile International USA as a threat to national security.BoJ offered to buy an unlimited amount of 5yr-10yr JGBs at a fixed rate of 25bps although no one took up the central bank's offer for unlimited 5yr-10yr JGBs. BoJ said it made the offer in light of recent moves in long-term rates and that they need to guide 10yr yield around 0%, while it later announced a second similar operation.BoJ is to conduct bond buying operations for consecutive days; March 29th to 31st, to conduct unlimited fixed-rate purchase operations for 10yr JGBs at a yield of 0.25%.DATA RECAPChinese Industrial Profits YTD YY (Feb) 5.0% (Prev. 34.3%)Australian NAB Quarterly Business Confidence (Q1) 9 (Prev. 18, Rev. 14)

APAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and following the Shanghai lockdown announcement.The next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.US President Biden stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power; White House official later said Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia.European equity futures are indicative of a slightly higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.2% after the cash market closed higher by 0.1% on Friday.DXY climbed back above 99.0, EUR/USD is back on a 1.09 handle, USD/JPY rose above 123.00.Looking ahead, highlights include ASEAN summit, US 2yr and 5yr supply, Speech from BoE Governor Bailey.US TRADEUS stocks finished mixed on Friday with trade choppy as yields surged on hawkish Fed calls.S&P 500 +0.5% at 4,542, Nasdaq 100 -0.1% at 14,754 , Dow Jones +0.4% at 34,861, Russell 2000 +0.1% at 2,077.NOTABLE US HEADLINESWhite House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tested positive for COVID-19 and last saw President Biden in a socially-distanced meeting on Saturday, but added that the President is not considered a close contact.GEOPOLITICSRUSSIA-UKRAINENEGOTIATIONS/TALKSUkrainian President Zelensky said he would like an all for all prisoner exchange with Russia and that they have handed over a list to Russia. Zelensky added that they will not sit down for talks with Russia if discussions are about "demilitarisation and some kind of denazification". Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to discuss neutrality and non-nuclear status if backed by security guarantees, while he added that a deal is only possible with a troop withdrawal and that he wants a compromise with Russia regarding Donbass.Turkish President Erdogan told Russian President Putin in a call that there needs to be a quick ceasefire with Ukraine and that they need to improve the humanitarian situation in the region, while it was also reported that the next round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held in Turkey on March 28th-30th.US President Biden said NATO is a defensive alliance and it has never sought Russia's demise and that “swift and punishing” costs are the only things that will influence Russia to change course. Biden added that US forces are in Europe to defend NATO allies, not to engage with Russian forces and stated that Russian President Putin cannot remain in power, although Biden later said that he was not calling for a regime change in Russia.White House official said President Biden was not calling for a change of regime in Russia and the US envoy to NATO also commented that the US does not have a policy of regime change in Russia. In relevant news, a Kremlin spokesman responded that it is not for US President Biden to decide and said the President of Russia is elected by Russians.German Chancellor Scholz said a regime change in Russia is not NATO's goal. Furthermore, Scholz said that Germany is considering purchasing a missile shield.US Secretary of State Blinken said Israeli efforts to mediate on Ukraine-Russia are important and closely coordinated with the US.DEFENCE/MILITARYRussia launched 70 missiles on targets in Ukraine on Saturday which was the largest daily amount since the war began, although reports added only 8 of the 70 missiles reached the target, according to Pravda with most shot down by Ukrainian defence.UK Ministry of Defence said Russia is maintaining a distant blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast and effectively isolating Ukraine from maritime trade, while it noted that Russian naval forces are continuing their sporadic missile strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. UK Defence Ministry also said Russia is stepping up attempts to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east, advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south, according to Bloomberg.US is to provide an additional USD 100mln in civilian security assistance to Ukraine, according to the State Department.ENERGY/ECONOMIC SANCTIONSUS is to sanction companies providing technology for Russian military and intelligence services, according to a WSJ report late on Friday.Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki said the government cannot confiscate foreign central banks' reserves parked with the BoJ under current laws, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said they will revise FX control laws swiftly to strengthen sanctions against Russia and hope to submit a bill at the current parliamentary session.OTHERIranian Foreign Minister said that France, Germany and UK agree on the text and that the US ‘accepts' it must address some remaining issues, while he also stated that a deal hinges on the US removing the IRGC from the terror list, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, Iran's Foreign Minister said Tehran welcomes normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia and is determined to expand cooperation with Syria, according to state TV.EU's Borrell said a nuclear agreement with Iran is very close.US Special Envoy for Iran Malley said he can't be confident that a deal is imminent and said they also thought they were close a few months ago.US Secretary of State Blinken said a return to the JCPOA is the best way to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box and that US commitment to the principle of Iran never acquiring a nuclear weapon is unwavering, while he added the US will continue to stand up to Iran if it threatens the US and its allies.Israeli PM Bennett said that he hopes the US will heed calls against the delisting of the IRGC from its terrorism blacklist, while Israel's Foreign Minister said Israel and the US will continue working together to prevent a nuclear Iran.Two police officers were killed and four people were injured during a shooting attack in Israel's Hadera, which ISIS claimed responsibility for.North Korean leader Kim said North Korea will keep developing formidable striking capabilities and their self-defence force cannot be bartered nor be bought according to KCNA, while it was separately reported that North Korea is to accelerate the restoration of its demolished nuclear test site, according to South Korea press.APAC TRADEEQUITIESAPAC stocks traded mostly lower with the region cautious heading into month-end and this week's various risk events, while higher yields and a lockdown in Shanghai contributed to the headwinds for risk sentiment.ASX 200 shrugged off weak business confidence and was kept afloat by strength in mining stocks and financials.Nikkei 225 is set to snap its 9-day win streak and tested the 28,000 level to the downside.Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp. were mixed with early weakness in the mainland amid a two-stage lockdown in Shanghai after asymptomatic cases in the city rose to a record high and with data also showing a slowdown in Industrial Profits for February YTD. However, the PBoC's liquidity boost eventually helped stem some of the losses in China, while the Hong Kong benchmark recovered into the green with advances led by Meituan Dianping and Sinopec post-earnings.US equity futures were subdued overnight with price action rangebound at the start of a risk-packed week.European equity futures are indicative of a slightly higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.2% after the cash market closed higher by 0.1% on Friday.FXDXY climbed back above the 99.00 level amid the cautious risk tone and the recent hawkish Fed calls.EUR/USD retreated further beneath 1.1000 but eventually found a floor around 1.0950.GBP/USD remained weak with the government expected to consider proposals to address higher costs of living.USD/JPY rose above 123.00 after the BoJ intervened to protect its yield cap.Antipodeans were mixed with underperformance in NZD/USD after Westpac noted that financial markets seem to be overpricing the extent of RBNZ rate hikes during the next couple of years.SNB Chairman Jordan said Swiss inflation is high for Switzerland but low in international comparison, while they will make policy adjustments to keep inflation under control if needed and consider the inflation difference between Switzerland and other countries when deciding on currency interventions. SNB Chairman Jordan added that the nominal value of CHF is different to its real value and businesses can cope with a stronger nominal CHF due to higher inflation abroad. Furthermore, he added that CHF remains highly valued and that they are ready to intervene to prevent it from becoming too strong, while parity with EUR is symbolic but not economically important and they look at all currencies and inflation differences not just at the euro.FIXED INCOME10yr USTs were subdued on hawkish Fed calls, while the 5yr/30yr yield curve inverted for the first time since 2006.Bunds prodded Friday's lows and fell below 158.00.10yr JGBs were lacklustre as the 10yr yield approached the BoJ's yield cap which prompted the BoJ to step in with an offer to buy an unlimited amount of JGBs at a yield of 0.25%, although no one took up the central bank on its offer, while the 10yr yield later reached 0.25% which prompted the BoJ to announce a second special operation for today.COMMODITIESWTI and Brent futures were pressured at the open amid a lockdown in Shanghai and as reports suggested an Iranian nuclear deal is close with Iran's Foreign Minister stating that France, Germany and the UK agreed on the text.US Baker Hughes Rig Count (w/e Mar 25th): Oil +7 at 531, Nat Gas unch. at 137, and Total +7 at 670US officials are considering another US SPR release but nothing has been decided yet, while it could be more than the 30mln bbls released earlier in the month, according to a Reuters source.Saudi-led coalition said it began an operation to neutralise the targeting of oil facilities with the goal to protect global energy sources from hostile attacks and ensure supply chains, while it carried out airstrikes against sources of threats in Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah, according to Al Arabiya.SGH Macro Advisers noted on Friday that Russia is in active talks with Asian partners about the possibility of sending further oil supplies to the Asian market, while SGH Macro understands that China will import at least 10mln tons of Russian oil on top of its original import plan for this year and Beijing sources said the price that Russia offered is equivalent to about USD 70/bbl which is to be settled directly in CNY and RUB.Qatar's Foreign Minister said the conflict in Ukraine and its geopolitical ramifications, is spurring some countries to explore new ways of pricing oil outside of the dollar, according to CNBC.US, UK and Japanese banks are considering jointly extending USD 1bln in loans to Kuwait Petroleum Corp to help in increasing oil production, according to Nikkei.Spot gold marginally declined with the precious metal subdued by a firmer greenback.Copper was subdued amid the cautious risk tone.CRYPTOBitcoin took a breather overnight after it gained throughout the weekend and briefly pared all its YTD losses.Exxon is reportedly utilising excess natural gas to mine Bitcoin.Florida Governor DeSantis said the state should allow businesses to pay tax in crypto.UK is to disclose cryptocurrency regulations proposals in the coming weeks, according to CNBC.NOTABLE APAC HEADLINESPBoC injected CNY 150bln via 7-day reverse repos with the rate at 2.10% for a CNY 120bln net injection.PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 6.3732 vs exp. 6.3719 (prev. 6.3739)Shanghai announced a four-day lockdown of its financial district and nine other areas, in which it is to lockdown each half of the city by turns for mass COVID testing beginning on Monday after the city reported a new record high of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.US FCC designated China Telecom Corp and China Mobile International USA as a threat to national security.BoJ offered to buy an unlimited amount of 5yr-10yr JGBs at a fixed rate of 25bps although no one took up the central bank's offer for unlimited 5yr-10yr JGBs. BoJ said it made the offer in light of recent moves in long-term rates and that they need to guide 10yr yield around 0%, while it later announced a second similar operation.DATA RECAPChinese Industrial Profits YTD YY (Feb) 5.0% (Prev. 34.3%)Australian NAB Quarterly Business Confidence (Q1) 9 (Prev. 18, Rev. 14)EUROPENOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINESUK PM Johnson is expected to hold discussions with senior cabinet ministers this week regarding plans to address rising bills and bolster the country's energy security, according to The Observer.UK Chancellor Sunak is considering proposals for a new council tax rebate after his Spring statement failed to ease panic in Downing Street regarding the spiralling cost of living crisis, according to Sunday Times.German Chancellor Scholz said the ruling coalition has an agreement on debt brake and tax hikes, while he added that all parties will stick with them.ECB President Lagarde said euro area growth could be as low as 2.4% this year in a severe scenario due to the war and that inflation is expected to decrease and settle at levels around the 2% target in 2024 in all their scenarios, while she also commented that they stand ready to revise the schedule for net asset purchases in terms of size and duration.

David Lowe is an established composer, arranger and producer working primarily in television, radio, branding, idents and commercials, both in the UK and internationally. He has created music for a wide range of programmes including news, current affairs, factual, wildlife and entertainment shows. He has also composed for National Radio and special events, such as the London 2012 Olympic Games.David's music fronts some of the most popular shows on British TV today - BBC News, as well as The One Show, Countryfile, Panorama and Grand Designs. Internationally he has created brand identities for Bloomberg TV USA, Euronews France, CCTV China, Al Arabiya, Abu Dhabi TV, NDTV India and TV2 Norway.He's composed extensively for advertising, including the themes for Santander Bank, HSBC, British Airways and Barclays.He is well known for his hit single "Would You...?" which was a top 3 hit. The follow up single 'Straight...to Number One was chosen by Apple to launch the iTunes site in the USA, where every track on the follow Touch and Go album has been used in films, television and/or commercials.David has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Staffordshire and Birmingham City Universities and is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters (BASCA). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.