MUST-READS

• GCC states witnessing skewed population growth trends

  The GCC countries are witnessing many developments in a number of sectors, especially in the population sector, which is growing significantly and leaving many contradictions in the Gulf society. According to the figures of the GCC Statistical Centre, in the month of July 2022, the total population of the GCC countries reached 57.3 million people, constituting 0.7 per cent of the total world population of 7.8 billion people at the time. The increase in the population of the GCC countries during the past three years was 1.3 million people. It is expected that 90 per cent of the GCC population will live in cities by 2050, while all GCC countries seek to build more housing units to accommodate them over the next four decades. However, today there are thousands of young Gulf citizens on their way to work in various economic sectors adopted by the Gulf governments in order to reduce the number of expatriate workers and to adjust the current percentages in the total and percentages of the population.

• New Orleans car attacker had Islamic State group flag, was a US military veteran

  The man who drove a truck into a crowd of New Year's Eve revellers in New Orleans early on Wednesday morning was a US citizen named Shamsud-Din Jabbar and was carrying the flag of the Islamic State (IS) group, the FBI said. "An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations," the FBI said in a statement, using another acronym for the IS group.

• The new scramble for the Middle East
  The conflict between Israel and Iran and the fall of Assad are directly related. On the eve of Hamas’s barbaric attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, Iran was in a position of relative strength. Through political alliances and a network of militias known as the ‘axis of resistance’ (including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and assorted Shia groups in Iraq), it exerted considerable power throughout the region. And nowhere more so than in Syria, where Iranian proxies, with help from Russia, were effectively propping up Assad’s dictatorship. Hamas’s attack on Israel changed everything. It ignited a conflict that has ultimately destroyed the balance of power in the region. Over the past 15 months, Israel has decimated Iran’s militias. It has crushed Hamas in Gaza, crippled Hezbollah in Lebanon and carried out air strikes and assassinations in Iraq and even Iran itself. The Israeli pounding of Iran’s proxy forces has not only impacted Tehran – it has also undermined those dependent on Iranian support for their very survival, such as Assad’s Syrian regime.

• 2024 a year of unthinkable events that turned Middle East upside down

  The unthinkable in the troubled Middle East happened in 2024, with a major geopolitical shift after the stunning collapse of the Syrian regime at the hands of Islamist rebels. And Iran lost its foothold in the region, as did its most powerful military arm, Lebanon's Hezbollah. It was also a year of human tragedies in Gaza amid Israel's continued military offensive that killed nearly 45,000 people, including 17,000 children, and displaced 1.9 million, while 11,000 are thought to be buried under the rubble.

• 2024 Year in Review: The events that testified to Saudi Arabia’s transformation

  In 1924, Riyadh was a small oasis town, covering less than one square kilometer and home to no more than 30,000 people. One hundred years ago, the motor car had yet to displace the camel as the primary form of transport and the future capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was still contained within the defensive walls that had encircled it for 200 years. Today, Riyadh is a vast metropolis, the largest city on the Arabian Peninsula. Ever expanding, the capital is currently spread over 1,500 square kilometers and has a population close to eight million, largely reliant on the car.

• How UAE is Beating Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria in Surging Tourism Growth Across the Middle East

  But what truly sets the UAE apart isn’t just its attractions—it’s how the country consistently reinvents itself. While Saudi Arabia is still developing its Vision 2030, Qatar focuses on luxury, and Oman specializes in eco-tourism, the UAE delivers a fully realized tourism ecosystem. Progressive visa policies, safety, state-of-the-art airports, and year-round events make the UAE not just a destination but an experience tailored to global tastes.

• 7 government employees among 13 arrested after dismantling of 2 drug trafficking networks

  The Saudi security authorities have busted two criminal networks involved in drug smuggling and trafficking in the Riyadh and Jazan regions. A total of 13 gang members were arrested and they included seven government employees and six foreigners, according to an official source at the Ministry of Interior. The arrested people included two employees of the Ministry of Defense, one employee of the Ministry of Interior and four employees of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, in addition to three Yemeni and Syrian residents each. They were referred to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal measures, the source said.

• Saudi Aramco cuts January 2025 LPG prices

  Saudi Aramco has reduced the official selling prices for propane and butane for January 2025. According to an official statement on Tuesday, the price of propane was lowered by $10 per tonne, while butane saw a $15 per tonne reduction compared to the previous month. Propane and butane are both types of liquefied petroleum gas, commonly used for heating, vehicle fuel, and as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry. These products have distinct boiling points, making them suitable for different applications.

• Saudi Arabia seeks to buy 100 Turkish fighter jets
  Saudi Arabia is seeking to buy 100 Kaan fighter jets from Turkiye as part of its Vision 2030 plan, Turkish newspaper Milliyet has reported. The fifth-generation Kaan fighter jet was developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), and can perform air-to-air combat missions, as well as conduct precision air to ground strikes at supersonic speeds. The head of the Turkish Defence Industries Directorate, Haluk Gorgun, met with Saudi Assistant Defence Minister Khalid Bin Hussein Al-Bayari last week, along with the Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, Turki Bin Bandar Al-Saud. The meeting was in Istanbul.

• Who are Saudi Arabia’s most promising athletes for 2025?

  After a memorable 2024 for many of Saudi Arabia’s athletes, attention is now turning to the new year and the talented young sportsmen and women who could enjoy a breakout 2025. From football to swimming, MMA to motorsport – Al Arabiya English highlights the Kingdom’s most promising athletes for 2025.

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