MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia sets sights on becoming lacrosse power, with 2028 LA Olympics on horizon

  Having thrown its significant resources into gaining influence in football, golf, boxing and tennis, Saudi Arabia has now set its sights on becoming a power in the world of lacrosse. And officials said they expected to become competitive over the next few years, despite the new head of the game in the desert kingdom admitting “99 per cent of all Saudi people” didn’t know anything about the sport. Ray Porcellato, the new CEO of the Saudi Lacrosse Federation, who began his new role in June, said the biggest hurdle was “getting people to understand what it [lacrosse] is, and the biggest challenge to development was being able to “expose young children” to the game.

• The Transformative Power of Sculptures and Landmarks in Urban Spaces: The Case of AL Khobar, Saudi Arabia

  The Mujassam Wattan competition, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, has been a catalyst for integrating meaningful public art into cities across the Kingdom. By inviting artists and designers to create works inspired by Saudi heritage and aspirations, the initiative fosters cultural expression while enhancing urban spaces. In Alkhobar, the competition resulted in the creation of Alarda and Alkhobar Memory, two sculptures that transformed the city's sea front into a cultural and social hub. These works exemplify how public art can redefine spaces, connect communities, and highlight local identity.

• Saudi Arabia’s $1.5B Solar Thermal Project Powers Green Manufacturing

  Saudi Arabia is making a bold move toward decarbonization and industrial sustainability with the launch of the $1.5 billion Ma'aden I initiative. Spearheaded by GlassPoint in collaboration with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment (MISA) and Ma'aden, this project represents the world’s largest industrial solar thermal endeavor, aiming to transform the aluminum supply chain while bolstering Saudi Vision 2030. The initiative begins with the GlassPoint Ma'aden Technology Showcase (GMTS), introducing groundbreaking advancements in solar-to-heat technology. Key innovations include anticlastic polymer membranes and high-performance Niobium mirrors, which have significantly reduced solar field costs by 30% and thermal storage expenses by 50%. These developments are crucial to achieving cost-effective decarbonization in industrial processes.

• Football presents Saudi Arabia with soft power tool paving the way for World Cup

  A new Netflix series on Saudi football features packed stadiums and top-flight talent, but whether it can curb criticism of Riyadh’s bid to host World Cup 2034 is an open question. The six-episode “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff” began just three weeks before the FIFA Congress is set to formally approve Saudi Arabia, the sole candidate, as host of the quadrennial spectacle. The vote on Wednesday will be a crowning moment for de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s use of sport to amass influence and improve the Gulf kingdom’s global image. Football has been at the heart of that effort, and the Netflix series depicts how the Saudi Pro League has been transformed by the arrival of global stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema, all of whom get ample screen time. The show also seeks to highlight what one commentator describes as Saudi Arabia’s “historic passion for football”, clubs founded nearly a century ago, and rivalries dating back nearly that long.

• Prince Saud bin Talal Launches First Hydrogen-Powered Bus in Saudi Arabia

  Al-Ahsa Governor Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr on Thursday inaugurated the trial of the first hydrogen-powered bus in Saudi Arabia. The bus boasts the ability to travel up to 635 kilometers on a single charge and has a capacity of 45 passengers. It will connect the city of Dammam with Al-Ahsa Governorate, covering a total distance of 359 kilometers daily as part of intercity transportation services operated by SATCO, a licensed company in the southern concession area.

• End of Assad rule will reshape region’s balance of power

  Assad will forever be remembered as the man who violently repressed peaceful protests against his regime in 2011, which led to a civil war. More than half a million people were killed, six million others became refugees. With the help of Russia and Iran, he crushed the rebels, and survived. Russia used its formidable air power while Iran sent military advisors to Syria and Hezbollah, the militia it supports in neighbouring Lebanon, deployed its well-trained fighters. This did not happen this time. His allies, preoccupied with their own affairs, essentially abandoned him. Without their help, his troops were unable - and, in some places, apparently unwilling - to stop the rebels, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

• France targets Saudi PIF’s ‘colossal’ investment power

  During a three-day official state visit focused on boosting business ties, Mr Macron told a Saudi-French business forum in Riyadh that one of his objectives was to convince Saudi Arabia to invest more in France. “We want to partner with you, meaning we want to create jobs here. We want to produce with you,” Mr Macron said. “We want to be partner of your vision and the vision of the Crown Prince [Mohammed bin Salman] for 2030.” Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said France “feels like home” as he stood alongside Mr Macron at the forum, where a flurry of business deals have been announced. They include a consortium between Electricite de France (EDF) and China's SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development to build a 1,000-megawatt solar power plant in Al Masaa and a 400-megawatt plant in Al Hinakiyah. The value of the new contracts was not shared.

• Is corporate sports sponsorship important? Experts say its a ‘powerful’ strategy

  Unlike traditional marketing, which tends to be a one-way street, sports sponsorship allows brands to become an integral part of the experience of sports enthusiasts, fostering a deeper and more dynamic connection. According to a recent market report The sports sponsorship Market grew from $105.47 billion in 2023 to $114.41 billion in 2024. It is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 8.73 percent, reaching $189.54 billion by 2030.  

• Saudi-Iran Rapprochement Signals Shifting Regional Power Dynamics in the Middle East

  Beginning in 2019, the gradual withdrawal of the Saudi-led coalition from its military engagement in Yemen has largely been interpreted as the conclusion to a devastating conflict. However, beneath the surface lies a far more complex geopolitical realignment in the Middle East; a rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran, and the renewal of Pan-Arabism, poses a significant challenge to the established order, including the influence of the United States in the Middle East.  Having stepped back from Yemen, and engaged productively in brokering peace with Iran, Saudi Arabia is signalling that it no longer views Tehran as a direct threat to its southern borders. Moreover, Iran’s reduced support for the Houthis indicates that Tehran is willing to moderate its aggressive posture in exchange for greater regional stability.  

• Beirut strike ‘so powerful it was felt across the city’

  A massive Israeli strike has flattened a residential building in centre of the Lebanese capital Beirut. The eight-storey structure was completely destroyed without warning, as people were sleeping in the capital's densely-populated Basta district, the BBC's Hugo Bachega said.

• 10 of 985 results<< 1 2 3 4 … 99 >>