MUST-READS

• Nature’s Palette: Mohammad Alfaraj’s Art Captures the Spirit of Al-Ahsa

  Saudi filmmaker, storyteller, and installation artist Mohammad Alfaraj hails from the agricultural and industrial city of Al-Ahsa, a place that has shaped his creative practice both physically and conceptually. Mohammad’s artwork, often featuring fables with human and nonhuman characters, draws on local and regional histories to explore everyday life and environmental issues as well as to reflect on Saudi natural history. His multidisciplinary practice relies on found materials, such as palm fronds, sand, and dates, in a nod to the environmental pillars of his hometown.

• Setting the Stage: The Vital Role of Private Art Institutions in Saudi Arabia

  Yet amid the present moment of grandiose state patronage that has led to a renaissance of sorts across the kingdom, at times the role of private art institutions has been overlooked. Prior to the present massive government investment in culture, these institutions – independent players such as Edge of Arabia, Athr, Hafez Gallery, and Art Jameel – played a vital role in the development of the Saudi art scene during a time when the state was largely not present in Saudi cultural enterprise.

• “I live for this, this is why I play football” – Inter assist hero Benjamin Pavard revels in Riyadh success

  The EA Sports FC Supercup final between Inter and Napoli at a sold-out Al Awwal Park was settled by a dramatic late winner from Lautaro Martinez

• The real reason the Saudi government is investing in sports. Hint: It’s not to impress you.

  If Americans persist in seeing Saudi sports investments primarily as “sportswashing,” they will be scoring own goals. The Saudis will not end their investments in this sector or in many other sectors of the US economy, such as the 60 percent stake it holds in Lucid Motors or its significant investments in Activision Blizzard and Uber. Instead, US-Saudi tensions will cause rifts among athletes, sponsors, and fans, and may preclude cooperation that could be a win-win.

• Saudi Arabia sports push embraces snooker, with a golden ball

  Saudi Arabia will hold its first major invitational snooker event in March as the kingdom continues to make sizable investments into a growing number of sports. The “Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker” will take place between March 4 to March 6 at Boulevard Arena in the capital of Riyadh. The inaugural event will feature some of the world’s top snooker players, including Ronnie O’Sullivan — widely recognized as one of the most talented players in the sport’s history — 2019 world champion Judd Trump and 2023 world champion Luca Brecel.

• The real reason the Saudi government is investing in sports. Hint: It’s not to impress you.

  Understanding the changes occurring in Saudi Arabia is critical for US policymakers and American companies, especially since more big Saudi sports investments are likely around the corner and Riyadh is part of a changing “middle power” geopolitical landscape. The negotiations around the PGA/LIV merger passed a December 31, 2023 deadline but are continuing, with reports that US investors may join the new entity.

• Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has rebranded as Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh

  Mandarin Oriental has opened its first property in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has rebranded as Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh. The hotel features refreshed interiors and enhanced spa and wellness treatments. Tihany Design led the redesign of the guestrooms, suites, a ground floor lobby, level on meeting rooms and three atriums. The north building now offers multiple new room and suite categories. The hotel offers nine dining destinations, a gym, a 16-meter swimming pool with waterfalls, steam baths and Finnish-style saunas.

• IBM inaugurates regional Saudi headquarters in Riyadh

  Global technology and cloud giant IBM has inaugurated its regional headquarters in Riyadh, as part of its mission to accelerate digital transformation in Saudi Arabia’s business landscape and society. Having received a formal nod to establish its regional headquarters last year, IBM and the Ministry of Investment have now formally celebrated the milestone at a joint signing ceremony.

• Almosafer becomes inaugural travel partner of Riyadh Air, CEO reveals

  Saudi ravel company Almosafer has become the inaugural partner of the Kingdom’s new flag carrier, Riyadh Air, according to a senior executive. Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the second Saudi Tourism Forum in Riyadh, the CEO of Almosafer – which is part of Seera Group – Muzzammil Ahussain noted that the companies will work together to merge their technologies. The integration aims to ensure that Riyadh Air’s content will be available for customers on the company’s platform.

• Saudi news: Aramco’s new VC money, a new Saudi doc on Netflix, Nadal + Saudi tennis, and more

  6 top storylines on Saudi Arabia: •The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 15–19. •Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has allocated an additional $4 billion to its global venture capital arm, Aramco Ventures. •Analysts at real estate firm Savills KSA told Arabian Business that apartment rents in Riyadh surged by as much as 23 percent in northern neighborhoods last year. •Aramco Digital and Intel plans to establish Saudi Arabia’s first Open RAN (radio access network) development center •Konoz, an initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Media’s Center for Government Communication, launched "Horizon", a new documentary documenting the Kingdom’s rich biodiversity and natural resources. •Rafael Nadal's role in helping to grow tennis in the Gulf is set to increase significantly after the Spanish great was appointed ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).

• 10 of 24453 results<< 1 … 316 317 318 … 2,446 >>