Saudi newspapers highlighted in their editorials today a number of issues at local, regional and international levels. All newspapers spread the news of the sad demise of the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu-Dhabi yesterday. The papers also reported the telephone calls that took place between the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and the UAE leadership on one hand and the royal instructions that an absent desease prayer be performed on the soul of late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed at the Grand mosque in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the Prophet's mosque in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah on the other as well as the suspension of sports activities in the Kingdom for three days, a gesture of mourning to share painful feelings with the leadership, government and people of the UAE on the occasion. The papers also published the news of the Kingdom collecting an unprecedented number of prizes at ISEF in Georgia, USA, during an international contest that lasted from 7 to 13 May, 2022. Highlighting the political scenario on the eve of general elections in Lebanon, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported in its editorial that no sure results, positive or negative, can be seen without the leverage and impact of Iran-backed Hizbollah of Lebanon. The paper cited recent history as showing the ability of the sectarian political party of Hisbollah to either control the government of Beirut or turn it crippled for months and years. Since Hizbollah has not changed its clothes and despite losing some of its former political image in Lebanon, it is very difficult to predict a new Lebanon following the forthcoming elections, the paper said. The paper also cited a package of circumstances which mar the political situation on the eve of general elections in Lebanon leading to a general belief that no major changes would be seen since the elections are held amid a weak State, international ambiguity, national strife, Iranian influence, sectarian struggle and a popular awareness that going to ballot is no more than a waste of time in a country based on sectarian sharing and political inheritance. In its editorial titled 'aggressive and innovative investments', Al-Eqtisadiya (the economist) said two major crises have affected the world economy over the last two years or so: spread of coronavirus pandemic and the recent Russian-Ukraine conflict. The paper said the vensure capital investments have increased on annual baes in the first quarter of this year by 7 percent, recording $144 billion, through 8835 deals despite a quarter-based recess of 19 percent. The paper said that this kind of investments have hiked in different parts of the world, increasing by 65% in Saudi Arabia in the first half of last year through pumping more money in Saudi developing enterprises, due to the support of the Kingdom's vision 2030 on one hand and the funding initiatives for small and medium enterprises on the other. Startup companies in the Saudi economy have gained more than 35 percent of the total funding in the region, the paper said, adding that such aggressive support is lacking in traditional economies. The paper narrated the history of aggressive and venture investments which goes back to 1964 in the United States, citing that its share out of the $144 b. was 49 percent, Asia 25% and Europe, coming third with 19 %. It deserves mentioning that developing companies in more stable markets achieve gains regardless of their market value, the paper said, adding that giant funding which pump more than $100 million for a single deal have decreased by 30 percent compared to the last quarter of last year, paving the way for smaller enterprises to come from behind and get good funding. The paper concluded that the scene will be ready this year to receive more funding regardless of the value of a single deal, providing the new economy with more presence in the market, particularly those who enjoy sustainability and certainity.
