“Through careful inspection and evaluation of a 25-kilogram sample from each contender over a one-month period, the jury will select 12 winners from the participating cities. The prizes for the top three positions in each city are: SAR 25,000 (US$6,657) for first place, SAR 15,000 (US$3994) for second place, and SAR 10,000 (US$2663) for third place.” Saudi Coffee Company and Alliance for Coffee Excellence launch Sip of Excellence Competition [Global Coffee Report]
“For me, it is an honour that the league is growing and many star players are coming to make the league even better and more competitive. To be the first one — let’s say a star — to come here is an honour, but what I’m looking forward to is the next five to 10 years of the league still improving. Not only the first teams, but also the academies.” Cristiano Ronaldo Talks Life In Saudi Arabia, Growth Of Saudi Pro League [Sports Illustrated]
“The money side is good but if you look at the standard of the league and the players of the league, it’s probably among the top five leagues. I didn’t just do it for the money. I did it for the experience of living abroad, to better my career. If I can establish myself in this league, I can establish myself anywhere around the world.” Brad Young, 21-year-old footballer who joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Orobah in September, More young footballers interested in Middle East move ahead of Saudi Arabia World Cup [Sky News]
“The intensifying US-China rivalry will make accessing both tech ecosystems increasingly difficult, impacting supply chains, intellectual property and talent flows.” Mohammed Soliman, director for strategic technologies and cybersecurity at the Middle East Institute, China-US tech tensions threaten GCC telecom strategy [Arabian Gulf Business Insight]
“According to data released by the General Authority for Statistics, labor force participation across Saudis and non-Saudis reached 66.6 percent during the third quarter, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 0.2 percentage points and a quarterly rise of 0.4 percentage points.” Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate hits 3.7%: GASTAT [Arab News]
“Known for its dates and fruit, the central Saudi province of Hail is now stepping into the seafood scene with the launch of the Middle East’s largest salmon production center, backed by the Saudi Environment, Water, and Agriculture Ministry. Once fully operational, the center will produce 10,000 tons of salmon per year, helping to cut into Saudi Arabia’s current annual imports of 23,000 tons.” Mohammed Sergie, Saudi Arabia launches largest regional salmon production center [Semafor]
“The dictionary documents both the tangible and intangible heritage associated with camels. This guide will serve as a treasure trove of knowledge for future generations.” Abdullah Al-Vashmi, Secretary General, The King Salman Academy of Arabic Language, Saudi Arabia publishes camel vocabulary guide [Azer News]
“The Saudi Ministry of Interior announced that the number of unified digital identities issued through its electronic platform Absher has exceeded 28 million. These identities enable users to access the ministry’s services through its platforms: Absher Individuals, Absher Business, and Absher Government. Moreover, users can interact with over 500 government and private entities via the unified national access portal “Nafath.”” Saudi Arabia’s Absher Platform Reaches 28 Million Digital Identities Milestone [ID Techware]
“Currently, China refines 68% of the world’s nickel, 40% of copper, 59% of lithium, and 73% of cobalt, and is continuing to expand its mining operations.” Visualizing China’s Cobalt Supply Dominance by 2030 [Visual Capitalist]
