Happy Wednesday!☀️

💼 Saudi Arabia has kicked off 2025 🚀 with a $12 billion 💵 bond sale and a $7 billion 💰 PIF loan to fuel its Vision 2030 🏗️ development plans, boosting economic growth and diversification. 🚀 Diriyah Company and Saudi Electricity Company ⚡ have launched key substations in a $181 million deal to power future growth 🌆 Meanwhile, educated and skilled Israelis are emigrating in record numbers 📈 amid rising international scrutiny and IDF soldiers ⚔️ facing war crime arrests.🚨⚖️

Stay updated as we track these major shifts shaping the region and beyond!🌍✨

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Diriyah Company 🚀 Launches Key Substations ⚡ with Saudi Electricity Company in $181M Deal to Power Future Development 🌆

📰 What is it about?

• n a major step toward advancing infrastructure development, Diriyah Company has launched two cutting-edge electricity substations with a combined contract value of SAR 682 million ($181 million). It will be Operated by the Saudi Electricity Company, the substations will power ongoing and future developments across Diriyah and Wadi Safar, key areas in the iconic "City of Earth."

💡 Why it matters?

• Powering Economic and Cultural Transformation.

• Sustainable Urban Development.

• Enhancing Energy Capacity for Growth.

🔜 What’s next?

• Additional projects, including roads, utilities, and public services, will follow to further establish Diriyah as a global destination for culture, tourism, and business.

• New residential and commercial spaces will be developed, attracting businesses and residents, while creating job opportunities and boosting economic activity.

Markets

📚Educated, Skilled Israelis Emigrating in Growing Numbers 📈 Amid Rising IDF ⚔️ War Crime Arrests 🚨⚖️

📰 What is it about?

• More than twice as many Israelis left in 2024 compared to previous years, with 82,700 emigrating, up from 55,400 in 2023 and an average of 36,900 (2018–2022), amid political turmoil and the genocide against Gaza, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, as reported by Bloomberg.

💡 Why it matters?

• Rising Emigration Highlights Domestic Instability

• Legal actions and investigations into alleged war crimes mark a shift toward global accountability, challenging Israel’s impunity and setting precedents for human rights enforcement on an international scale.

• Global Pressure and Changing Diplomatic Dynamics.

🔜 What’s next?

• More countries may follow Brazil, Argentina, and Chile in pursuing legal cases, potentially leading to arrest warrants, travel restrictions, and sanctions against Israeli officials and military personnel.

• International organizations and advocacy groups are likely to intensify efforts for justice and sanctions, while diplomatic pressure could result in broader UN and ICC involvement.

💭Quote of the day:

“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business and your business in your heart.” -Thomas J. Watson, Chairman and CEO of IBM

💼 Saudi Arabia Kicks Off 2025 🚀 with $12B 💵 Bond Sale and $7B 💰 PIF Loan to Power Vision 2030🏗️

📰 What is it about?

• According to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia began 2025 with a $12 billion bond sale and a $7 billion loan from its Public Investment Fund (PIF). It also secured $2.5 billion from foreign banks, including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Credit Agricole, and Dubai Islamic Bank, to support Vision 2030 projects.

💡 Why it matters?

• The funding supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to reduce reliance on oil by investing in futuristic projects like NEOM, electric vehicles, and advanced technologies.

• This highlights the nation’s ability to attract global capital despite fluctuating oil prices.

• The secured funding will fuel large-scale infrastructure developments and preparations for hosting the 2034 Men’s Football World Cup, positioning Saudi Arabia as a global destination for sports, tourism, and technology.

🔜 What’s next?

• Collaboration with international financial institutions and tech companies will be prioritized to bring advanced technologies and expertise into Saudi projects.

🔍In other news…

1. Hotel bookings for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour in Abu Dhabi have skyrocketed by up to 300%, according to EaseMyTrip.

2. A man in a heated argument with the flight attendant, “You support terrorism, you’re antisemitic,” the passenger yells.

3. WWE has just announced that the Royal Rumble will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January 2026 — the first time EVER outside North America!

The Latest from the Smashi Business Studio

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Here’s to a productive week ahead! 💪

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