Good morning, wonderful people. It’s an uncharacteristically slow Sunday on the local front as we kick off the last week of October. Diplomacy and regional developments are the dominating themes both at home and internationally, as Israel struck military targets inside Iran and the US State Department approved missile sales to Saudi Arabia.
HAPPENING TODAY-
#1- The two-day Global PropTech Summit kicks off today at the Movenpick Hotel, Riyadh, expecting over 1k exhibitors and 22k visitors.
#2- The Human Resources and Manpower Expo gets underway in a few hours at the Riyadh International Exhibition and Convention, and will wrap up on Wednesday, 30 October.
WEATHER- Riyadh is looking at a high of 27°C and a low of 23°C today. Over in Jeddah, the temperature will peak at 38°C before dropping to 28°C. Meanwhile, Madinah will see a high of 38°C and a low of 26°C.
HAPPENING THIS WEEK-
The Future Investment Initiative Conference kicks off in the capital city this Tuesday, and runs until Thursday, 31 October. The conference — led by Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir Al Rumayyan — is expected to draw in top brass from the global finance stage, including Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, BlackRok CEO Larry Fink, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, and London Stock Exchange Julia Hoggett, according to Reuters.
WATCH THIS SPACE-
A unified tourist visa proposal for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is expected by year-end, enhancing economic integration and allowing tourists to visit all member states with a single entry visa, GCC Secretary-General Mohamed Al Badawi told Asharq Business.
OIL WATCH-
Oil prices closed last week higher, with North America benchmark West Texas Intermediate near USD 72 per barrel and global benchmark Brent above USD 76, as traders monitored rising tensions in the Middle East, Bloomberg reports. The lack of prospects for cease-fire talks between Iran and Israel have fueled uncertainty, sparking a surge in options trading. Adding to the pressure are fears of potential oversupply next year, driven by increased production from non-OPEC producers.
SPORTS-
Roberto Mancini resigned as head coach of Saudi Arabia’s national football team, according to a statement. The departure of the Italian coach, who was hired in August 2023, came through mutual consensus following Saudi Arabia’s recent home defeat to Japan during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Out with the old, in with the… old? Former manager Hervé Renard was reappointed to lead the Saudi national team, the French coach confirmed on Instagram. Renard The French coach formerly managed the Saudi team between 2019 and 2023, leading a memorable victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup. The story got ink from Reuters, the Associated Press, BBC, and the NYT.
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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-
Israel strikes military targets inside Iran: Israel fighter jets struck western Iran and around Tehran over the weekend, killing four soldiers and causing what Iranian officials termed “limited damage” to military targets as the country sought to play down the magnitude of the strike. The strikes follow Iran’s 1 October ballistic missile attack on Israel.
The strike’s targets included missile factories, border radar systems, and solid fuel mixing facilities critical for ballistic missile production, among others. The strikes notably did not target Iran’s oil infrastructure or nuclear facilities — two areas that would be likely to trigger a strong Iranian response.
War of words: Iran struck a conciliatory tone in its statements following the strikes, emphasizing the overriding importance of securing a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon even as it condemned the raid and affirmed its right to defend itself. As Iran’s domestic media downplayed the attack, the Israeli government remained largely silent, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu banning his ministers from giving interviews in the hours after the strike. (Financial Times | Associated Press | Reuters)
On the other side of the globe, Donald Trump is once again making headlines following his interview with podcast host and MMA commentator Joe Rogan, which saw the former US president struggle to stay on-topic and remain cogent throughout the three-hour conversation. Trump repeated much the same rhetoric he has used throughout his campaign — including suggesting that the US is battling an “enemy from within” and reiterating the false claim that he was the winner of the 2020 US presidential election.
CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
The five-day Jeddah International Motor Show revs up this Tuesday, 29 October, running through Saturday, 2 November. The event will showcase motorcycle and drift shows, sim and kart racing, a lineup of custom-tuned cars, and more.
WWE Raw is coming to Riyadh for the first time ever on 2-3 November, kicking off on the back of the WWE Crown Jewel event the day prior, Turki Alalshikh said in a post on X. You can book your Raw tickets here, and your Crown Jewel tickets here.
The two-day Road Safety and Sustainability Conference and Exhibition will open its doors on Sunday, 3 November, bringing global experts together to discuss technological advancements, AI applications, and sustainability in the transport sector.
The Kingdom will host the Ocean Race final in 2027 in Amaala, one of PIF-owned Red Sea Global’s flagship developments, according to a statement.
