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PIF Establishes Badael to Reduce Smoking Prevalence in Saudi Arabia

Badael’s vision is to curb smoking and deliver on PIF’s strategy to improve the quality of life for all
Badael’s vision is to curb smoking and deliver on PIF’s strategy to improve the quality of life for all
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PIF Establishes Badael to Reduce Smoking Prevalence in Saudi Arabia

Badael’s vision is to curb smoking and deliver on PIF’s strategy to improve the quality of life for all
Badael’s vision is to curb smoking and deliver on PIF’s strategy to improve the quality of life for all

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced the establishment of the Badael Company, which aims to reduce the prevalence of smoking and promote a healthier lifestyle in the Kingdom.

The initiative has been launched in the run-up to the World Health Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day on May 31, PIF said in a statement released Thursday.

According to PIF, the initiative is in line with Saudi Arabia’s focus on improving the quality of life for its citizens as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

“The company’s products are expected to help nearly one million people switch from smoking by 2032, representing approximately 25% of all smokers in Saudi Arabia,” said the statement.

This has the potential to deliver direct annual savings of more than SAR6 billion ($1.6 billion) on healthcare expenditure by 2032.

“Badael will also aim to deliver on PIF’s localization mandate by supporting domestic manufacturing, sourcing raw materials, knowledge transfer and development of intellectual property (IP).”

“Badael intends to make its tobacco-free nicotine delivery products available across Saudi Arabia by the end of 2023, with the aim of expanding its reach to regional and international markets in the longer term,” the statement said.

It added that the company’s products will be manufactured in Saudi Arabia, ensuring the highest level of product quality and safety. This move will provide new jobs opportunities through a partnership with the local private sector and world-class global partners.

“Badael’s vision is to curb smoking and deliver on PIF’s strategy to improve the quality of life for all, and is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to diversify the economy, localize manufacturing and drive economic transformation as well as job creation,” the statement added.

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Jill Biden Gets Priciest Gift from a Foreign Leader in 2023 — a $20,000 Diamond

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House as they return to Washington, DC, from Camp David, on January 2, 2025. (Photo by Chris Kleponis / AFP)
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House as they return to Washington, DC, from Camp David, on January 2, 2025. (Photo by Chris Kleponis / AFP)
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Jill Biden Gets Priciest Gift from a Foreign Leader in 2023 — a $20,000 Diamond

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House as they return to Washington, DC, from Camp David, on January 2, 2025. (Photo by Chris Kleponis / AFP)
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House as they return to Washington, DC, from Camp David, on January 2, 2025. (Photo by Chris Kleponis / AFP)

President Joe Biden and his family were given tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to an annual accounting published by the State Department on Thursday, with first lady Jill Biden receiving the single most expensive present: a $20,000 diamond from India’s leader.
The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was easily the most costly gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023, although she also received a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.
The US president himself received a number of expensive presents, including a commemorative photo album valued at $7,100 from South Korea’s recently impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon, a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are typically — but not always — transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays.
The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, said the diamond will be turned over to the archives after they leave office. According to The Associated Press, she did not say what it was being used for.
Ukraine's ambassador, Oksana Markarova, said Friday on Facebook that a Ukrainian designer fashioned the brooch from the remains of a Russian rocket and that the piece was made from inexpensive materials, so its “true value ... lies in its symbolism." The embassy's spokesperson, Halyna Yusypiuk, said US officials provided the assessed value.
Recipients have the option to purchase the gift from the US government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly with high-end items.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewelry, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined.
CIA Director William Burns received a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from an foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces.
Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet, and a ring that were valued together at $65,100.