MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia’s Port of Neom expanding to be one of world’s largest

  It's expected to handle 12 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) when completed. For reference, the Port of Los Angeles, known as America's Port, is the busiest container port in the US, handling just over 9 TEUs annually. To make this happen, the port's access channels have been dredged using a zero-discharge dredging technique to minimize environmental impact. Rather than simply dredging the sea floor and dumping the soil back into the ocean elsewhere, all materials are reused for land reclamation or infrastructure projects. When the project began, the access channel was roughly 590 ft (180 m) wide and 39-46 ft (12-14 m) deep. Today, the channel is 1,805 ft (550 m) wide and 62 ft (19 m) deep, allowing for more and larger vessel access.

• Ramadan fasting hours in Saudi Arabia: how they change each year
  As Ramadan progresses through the seasons, fasting hours in Saudi Arabia are gradually shortening each year. This trend will continue until 1454 AH (2032), when Ramadan will fall in December, the month with the shortest daylight hours, according to Dr. Abdullah Al Misnad, former climate professor at Qassim University. This year, fasting hours are relatively uniform across the Kingdom due to Ramadan coinciding with the spring equinox on March 20, when the sun aligns directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal day and night lengths. On the first day of Ramadan, the longest fasting hours were in Ahad Al Masarihah (13 hours, 4 minutes), while Al Qurayyat recorded the shortest (12 hours, 54 minutes). By mid-month, Arar in the north will have the longest fast (13 hours, 19 minutes), while Sabya in the south will have the shortest (12 hours, 15 minutes).

• Commentary: Saudi Arabia’s rise signals decline of Europe’s geopolitical centrality This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2025/03/03/saudi-arabias-rise-signals-decline-of-europes-geopolitical-centrality

  It signals a shift away from Europe’s centrality in diplomacy and fits well with Trump’s broader policy of bilateral, pragmatic diplomacy that prioritizes economic and geopolitical gains. The US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia also indicate Trump’s strategic use of Saudi Arabia to secure swift diplomatic wins, furthering his domestic and international standing. Trump’s choice of Riyadh for the Ukraine peace talks also shows that Saudi Arabia has strategically positioned itself as a neutral intermediary, leveraging its strong relations with global powers including the US, Russia, China and European nations.

• Al-Ittihad and CUE Redefine Fan Engagement with Saudi Arabia’s First CUE Light Show

  Based in Nashville, Tennessee, CUE partners with major organizations across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, and expanded to Europe in 2022, working with renowned clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Partnering with a club of Al-Ittihad’s stature marks a significant milestone for CUE’s growing presence in the Middle East. One of the night’s standout moments was Saudi Arabia’s first-ever CUE-powered smartphone light show, sponsored by ROSHN Group. On the first day of promoting the event, over 8,000 fans downloaded the app by scanning a QR code. By the end of the match, more than 33,000 fans had downloaded it. The synchronized phone lights transformed the stadium into an immersive visual experience, ranking this activation among CUE’s largest fan-driven light shows.

• How Saudi Arabia’s NEOM balances futuristic vision with ancient heritage and rewilding

  On the edge of NEOM stands Jebel Safina, or Ship Rock, a 50-meter-high sandstone and limestone formation that resembles a vessel stranded in the desert. This geological landmark, located near the small town of Bajdah in NEOM, near Tabuk, serves as a testament to the region’s rich historical heritage. A key guardian of the site is Abdulaziz al-Sanousi, a Saudi born just miles away, who is tasked with overseeing the preservation of the region’s rich heritage sites and stories for NEOM Tourism, making places accessible to all while ensuring their ongoing protection. “I’m very proud that the name NEOM is famous,” said al-Sanousi, NEOM’ senior cultural tourism manager. His role embodies NEOM’s dual commitment to preservation and accessibility, ensuring these historical treasures remain safeguarded while being shared with the world.

• Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector achieves record 128 million passengers in 2024

  According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector reached a new milestone in 2024, recording over 128 million passengers. The figure represents a 15% increase from 2023 and a 25% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels, confirming the kingdom’s continued expansion as a leading global aviation hub. Of the 128 million travellers, 59 million were on domestic flights, while 69 million travelled internationally. According to British travel data provider OAG, the Jeddah-Riyadh domestic route recorded the largest increase in seat capacity globally, while the Cairo-Jeddah route ranked as the second busiest international route worldwide. The number of flights across Saudi airports reached 905,000 in 2024, reflecting an 11% increase compared to the previous year.

• Saudi Arabia sets Guinness World Record for largest Ardah performance during Founding Day festivities
  Saudi Arabia has clinched a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest performance of the traditional Saudi Ardah. The event, staged on Sunday at Al Adl Plaza in Riyadh, drew more than 50,000 people and concluded four days of Founding Day celebrations starting from February 20 to 23. The Ardah — one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive cultural expressions — featured 633 performers in synchronized drumming and dancing, claiming the record for the biggest gathering of its kind. The performance was the centerpiece of Saudi Arabia’s commemoration of its Founding Day, an annual occasion celebrated on February 22 to honor the early origins of the Saudi state.

• Saudi Arabia, UK gird to forge strategic minerals alliance

  Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom last month announced the signing of a landmark agreement in the critical minerals sector, marking a pivotal step in addressing global shortages while advancing mutual economic and strategic priorities. The accord, inked at the recent Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, seeks to bolster supply chains, attract foreign investment and unlock new opportunities for British businesses. The collaboration on minerals such as copper, lithium, and nickel aligns closely with Saudi Arabia's strategy to diversify its economy beyond hydrocarbons. It also positions the Kingdom as a global hub for critical minerals trade, placing it at the center of efforts to meet growing global demand. For the UK, the deal is in line with ambitions to secure vital materials for emerging technologies in its industrial sector. Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has emphasized the scale of the opportunity, saying, “The world will require 6T USD in investments over the next decade to meet surging demand for critical minerals, driven by the energy transition and artificial intelligence.”

• Saudi Arabia’s housing market challenged with soaring prices, high borrowing costs

  Saudi Arabia faces growing challenges in its residential real estate market as soaring prices and high borrowing costs cool appetite for home ownership, according to the real estate consultancy Knight Frank. Demand from first-time buyers looking to purchase a home has slipped to 29 percent from 40 percent in 2023, the firm said, citing a survey of more than 1,000 households. Many home buyers believe prices are too high, need more time to save and want more financing options, according to Knight Frank’s 2025 Saudi report. Apartment prices in the capital of Riyadh rose almost 11 percent to the equivalent of about $1,500 per square meter in 2024, according to the research firm. “The crux of the issue is the misalignment between buyer expectations and the current pricing or market realities,” Faisal Durrani, head of Middle East research at Knight Frank, said in an interview in the kingdom.

• Saudi Arabia pledges $500 million to support global polio eradication efforts

  An agreement was signed to help the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and its partners vaccinate 370 million children against polio each year and stop transmission of the virus for good. Funding was initially pledged in April 2024 at the first special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), hosted in Riyadh. “The world is on track to eradicate polio once and for all, and Saudi Arabia is proud to be part of this global initiative,” said Dr. Al Rabeeah. “Saudi Arabia’s contribution will go toward the important work of protecting today’s most vulnerable children so that tomorrow’s generations can live free from this preventable disease.”

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