Khalid bin Salman Named Chairman of SAMI Board of Directors

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.
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Khalid bin Salman Named Chairman of SAMI Board of Directors

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.

The Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), a key enterprise under the Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced on Wednesday a restructuring of its Board of Directors.

Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman was named as Chairman of the board.

The board includes Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef, Chairman of the General Authority for Civil Aviation Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, Assistant Minister of Defense Eng. Talal Al-Otaibi, Dr. Khalid Al-Biyari, Yasir Al-Salman, Eng. Omar Al-Madhi, and Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Suqair.

SAMI CEO Walid bin Abdulmajeed Abu Khalid hailed the efforts of the previous board which managed to lead it to become one of the world’s top 100 specialized defense companies.

SAMI was established in 2018 by the PIF to contribute to achieving the Kingdom's Vision 2030 by localizing 50% of the Kingdom's defense spending.

SAMI has been playing an essential role in developing the capabilities of its defense system and enhancing its self-sufficiency through its growing portfolio of products and services across its business sectors.



Russia’s Inflation Reaches 9.5% This Year, Weekly Data Shows

 Pedestrians walk to an underground passage at Manezhnaya Square decorated for Christmas and the New Year festivities with the Historical Museum and the Kremlin Wall in the background in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP)
Pedestrians walk to an underground passage at Manezhnaya Square decorated for Christmas and the New Year festivities with the Historical Museum and the Kremlin Wall in the background in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP)
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Russia’s Inflation Reaches 9.5% This Year, Weekly Data Shows

 Pedestrians walk to an underground passage at Manezhnaya Square decorated for Christmas and the New Year festivities with the Historical Museum and the Kremlin Wall in the background in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP)
Pedestrians walk to an underground passage at Manezhnaya Square decorated for Christmas and the New Year festivities with the Historical Museum and the Kremlin Wall in the background in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP)

Russia's inflation has reached 9.5% this year, according to new weekly data showing that the consumer price index rose by 0.33% in the week leading up to Dec. 23, the statistical agency Rosstat reported on Wednesday.

This data follows the central bank's unexpected decision last week to maintain its key interest rate at 21%. The regulator said recent tightening has created conditions conducive to reducing inflation towards its target of 4%.

The agency indicated that seasonally volatile prices for fruit and vegetables contributed significantly to the overall increase, with cucumber prices rising by 8.3% and tomato prices by 1.9% in just one week.

Among less seasonally sensitive foods, the price of eggs increased by 1.7%, and frozen fish by 1.4%. The central bank had initially estimated this year's inflation at a maximum of 8.5%.

The central bank's monetary policy department's head Andrei Gangan told the Interfax news agency on Dec. 24 that full-year inflation will be between 9.6% and 9.8%.

Inflationary expectations among households for the coming year also reached 13.9% in December, the highest level since the beginning of the year.

In a report on its inflationary expectations survey, the central bank said respondents were most concerned about rising prices for milk, dairy products, eggs, meat, and fish.

It also said respondents have begun to notice increases in the prices of home appliances and electronic devices.