|
QUOTED
“Saudi Arabia’s football league is 50 years old and its King’s Cup is closing in on its 70th year; Only Japan has won more than Saudi Arabia’s three AFC Asian Cup titles, while leading club team Al Hilal is the continent’s most successful ever team thanks to its four AFC Champions League triumphs.” Mark Lomas, What does hosting the 2034 World Cup mean for Saudi Arabia? [Al-Arabiya]
|
|
|
|
TOP STORY
Saudi Arabia and its citizens and residents came out for football-themed festivities including fireworks and drone shows that will run through December 14. [more]
|
|
MORE TOP STORYLINES
in arabnews.com: Fireworks illuminated the skies of Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, NEOM, Al-Qassim, and Jubail at 8:34 p.m. on Wednesday, after the official announcement from an online ceremony that was broadcast at a Riyadh event attended by Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal and other officials. The dazzling displays reflected the spirit of unity and excitement surrounding the country’s historic achievement. In celebration, dynamic drone shows are to captivate audiences in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and Abha. The football-themed festivities, which run until Dec. 14, invite citizens and residents to showcase their national pride by wearing football jerseys and sharing their moments on social media using the hashtag #Saudi2034.
|
in com.sa: The Crown Prince will be the chairman of the Board of Directors of the commission, of which the members include Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal; Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif; Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah; Minister of State and Member of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs Mohammed Al-Sheikh; Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid Al-Hogail; Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan; Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha; Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi; Minister of Transport and Logistics Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser; Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb; Minister of Health Eng. Fahd Al-Jalajel; Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Development Bodies Support Center Eng. Ibrahim Al-Sultan; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh; Governor of the Public Investment Fund Yasir Al-Rumayyan; Advisor to the Royal Court Dr. Fahad Toonsi; Advisor to the Royal Court Abdulaziz Tarabzouni; and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal.
|
Via Matt Slater in nytimes.com: He has also made it clear he thinks sport will play a big part in this process, saying he wants to create a domestic sporting industry that contributes more than 2.5 per cent to the economy, and he has acknowledged that being more active is the best way to tackle Saudi Arabia’s alarming obesity and diabetes problems. Being more active applies to girls and women, too, so he has already lifted the restrictions on sport for girls in schools and encouraged investment in women’s professional sport. Yes, of course, this is coming from the lowest of bases — it was not happening at all only a few years ago — but it is also undeniably progress. When I add all this up, I come to the conclusion that if we truly believe sport brings people together and can impact changes that other governmental levers cannot — and I do believe that — might Saudi Arabia actually be a good choice for a World Cup?
|
|
|
|
|
|
MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
|
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia has finalised an arrangement for securing a shariah-compliant revolving credit facility worth $2.5 billion, the...[By Enas Alashray and Ahmed Tolba via reuters.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Dakar Rally drivers and riders recount Stage 2 of the event, where competitors took two days to traverse nearly 1000 km....[via youtube.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund plans to raise $7 billion from its first murabaha credit facility, as the fund diversifies its funding...[By Aarti Nagraj via thenationalnews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia raised $12 billion from global debt markets in a three-part bond sale, attracting strong investor...[By Rachna Uppal and Enas Alashray via reuters.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the provisions of the “Use of Security Surveillance Cameras” law prohibit the transfer or publication of security surveillance camera...[via arabnews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Among the venues announced Tuesday for the 24-team regional competition were the 70,000-capacity King Fahd Sports City Stadium and King Saud University Stadium, both in...[via france24.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
That the Gulf’s various sovereign wealth funds have become some of the most dominant players in global dealmaking has rarely been in...[By Matthew Martin via bloomberg.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia’s water sector witnessed significant shifts in 2023, with a 31 percent increase in desalinated seawater production, now comprising 50 percent of the country’s...[via azernews.az]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia will need estimated funding of SAR139 billion ($37.02 billion) in 2025 to cover the potential budget deficit. Finance minister Mohammed Al Jadaan has approved...[By Pramod Kumar via agbi.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Coffee Company has launched its second annual Saudi Sip of Excellence Competition in partnership with the global nonprofit Alliance for Coffee Excellence. Designed...[By April Hawksworth via gcrmag.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia, one of the largest bond issuers in emerging markets last year, has started 2025 with a funding spree as the country fuels its...[By Abeer Abu Omar and Matthew Martin via yahoo.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport and Riyadh King Khalid International Airport each posted record passenger traffic in 2024, reflecting the continuing strong performance of aviation...[By Dermot Davitt via moodiedavittreport.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The world’s top crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, has raised the price of its crude loading for Asia in February by more than expected...[By Tsvetana Paraskova via oilprice.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) have announced that the first mandatory phase of the...[By Aayushya Ranjan via techafricanews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
In a move that has both bemused and intrigued the global beverage industry, Saudi Arabia has launched Milaf Cola, a fizzy drink made from dates....[via youtube.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
WWE, in partnership with The General Entertainment Authority (GEA), on behalf of HE Turki Alalshikh, announced that the 39th annual Royal Rumble will be held in January...[via wwe.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The Secretary reaffirmed U.S. support for...[via state.gov]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bashar al-Assad confided in almost no one about his plans to flee Syria as his reign collapsed....[By Samia Nakhoul, Maya Gebeily, Parisa Hafezi and Suleiman Al-Khalidi via reuters.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
For nearly 14 years, Bashar al-Assad's regime pursued a maniacal campaign of brutality against its own people, in order to suppress opposition through terror and...[By Charles Lister via mei.edu]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
The al-Assad family’s regime has fallen after 54 years of power. In a two-week long offensive, Syrian rebels swept across the country, capturing Damascus and,...[By Anna Fleck via statista.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that he discussed the imperative of Palestinian militant...[By Simon Lewis via reuters.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
There is a striking similarity between the situation President Reagan faced in 1982 and the state of the Middle East today. There are three valuable lessons...[By Joshua Yaphe via americanmind.org]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
