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QUOTED
“When people cannot grow food, they migrate. This migration often leads to tension and conflict in the receiving areas, creating a cycle of dislocation and violence. This is an issue that touches every aspect of our lives — food security, national security, migration, air quality and biodiversity.” Saudi Arabia’s Climate Envoy and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir, How Saudi Arabia is leveraging artificial intelligence to tackle land degradation [Arab News]
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TOP STORY
Coinciding with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), the fourth edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum with the slogan “By Nature, We Take Initiative” concluded. [more]
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MORE TOP STORYLINES
Via Etan Vlessing, Georg Szalai in hollywoodreporter.com: The Red Sea International Film Festival has officially kicked off its fourth edition as A-listers and international auteurs converged in Jeddah’s old town of Al-Balad in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city for a decidedly glamorous opening ceremony. Emily Blunt, Cynthia Erivo, Eva Longoria, Michelle Yeo, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a flowing blue sky gown and cape, Squid Game breakout Hoyeon, Michelle Rodriguez, Bollywood star Aamir Khan, competition jury president Spike Lee, action stars Will Smith and Vin Diesel, Kareena Kapoor, Saudi actor Khaled Yeslam and Daniel Dae Kim were among the global stars in lavish outfits at the opening gala on Thursday night. The glamorous event saw the stars converge on the main building of the city’s new Culture Square that mixes traditional architecture and modern technology. The site is being touted as “the new home of film” in Jeddah and Saudi Arabia.
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Via Paul Carsten in msn.com: Oil prices pared some gains on Thursday after a source told Reuters OPEC+ has agreed to delay a planned oil output hike until April 2025. The planned delay comes as OPEC+, made up the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus allies including Russia, tries to support prices as it wrestles with weak demand, notably from China, and rising supply outside the producer group. There remains the question of how long the delays could last, with this only the latest in a series. OPEC+ was originally due to begin raising output in October as part of a plan to gradually unwind the groups most recent layer of output curbs of 2.2 million barrels per day.
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Via Shahana Yasmin in independent.co: Saudi Arabia recently launched a rather unusual cola, crafted not from corn syrup or cane sugar but from the nation’s most prized fruit—dates. Named Milaf Cola, the drink was developed by Thurath Al-Madina, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, and launched at the Riyadh Date Festival by the company’s CEO, Bander Al-Qahtani, and the Saudi agriculture minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadley. The cola’s star ingredient are premium dates which are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium, and are revered in the Middle East for their health benefits. Milaf Cola claims it contains no added sugar and is able to harness the superfood’s health benefits, positioning itself as a healthier alternative to conventional sodas without compromising on flavour.
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MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
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Saudi Arabia's national teams who competed in international science and academic contests had tremendous success, winning 107 global awards across 25 events held between September...[via mawhiba.org]
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The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has launched the Next Saudi Generation Program to support and develop Saudi talent in motorsports. The program, conducted in...[via spa.gov]
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Speaking in an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Araghchi said that the newly restored Iranian-Saudi ties have a lot of potential that haven’t been...[via alarabiya.net]
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Milan forward Tammy Abraham has hailed the impact of the support in Riyadh as his side booked their place in the Supercoppa Italiana final. The Englishman...[via yahoo.com]
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The Saudi Arabian group SAVOLA has sold all its assets in Iran for 705 million Saudi riyals (approximately $188 million) and is exiting the country. SAVOLA,...[via iranfocus.com]
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Since Ronaldo's arrival in the SPL, the league has grown leaps and bounds. Players like Karim Benzema, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, and...[By Apratim Banerjee via si.com]
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The Line 3 (Orange Line) covering Madinah Road would connect the east of Riyadh to its west, and extends from Jeddah Road in the west...[via saudigazette.com]
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On the back of the busiest sporting year Saudi Arabia has ever had, punctuated by news of the nation’s successful 2034 FIFA...[By Mark Lomas via alarabiya.net]
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The State Department approves the possible sale of 20 MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes to Saudi Arabia for $78.5 million, according...[via alarabiya.net]
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Prince Faisal reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity while emphasizing efforts to achieve security, stability, and prosperity for the...[via eurasiareview.com]
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The Saudi Ministry of Interior’s Absher Business platform has introduced updated fees for seven services offered to establishments, according to Okaz newspaper. Among the changes,...[via gulfnews.com]
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Rising sea levels driven by the climate crisis will overwhelm many of the world’s biggest oil ports, analysis indicates. Thirteen of the ports with the...[By Damian Carrington via theguardian.com]
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Saudi officials have signed a preliminary deal this week to issue residential mortgage-backed securities, a first for the Gulf. The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC),...[By Valentina Pasquali via agbi.com]
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Government employees were among 145 people arrested in Saudi Arabia over corruption charges last month. The country’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) conducted 1,462 “oversight visits”...[By Gavin Gibbon via agbi.com]
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South Africa’s strong legacy at the Dakar Rally continues in 2025, with more than half of the vehicles at the event in Saudi Arabia being...[via youtube.com]
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Wages for Saudis in the private sector rose by 45 per cent in 2024, as Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development...[By Khitam Al Amir via gulfnews.com]
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Adding another tournament to a busy decade of football events, Saudi Arabia will host the 2026 Gulf Cup. The news was confirmed on the sidelines of...[via insideworldfootball.com]
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Travel and tourism service providers and booking platforms have been ordered by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism to remove unlicensed hospitality facilities from their listings...[By Neil Halligan via agbi.com]
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A coalition of armed opposition factions has gone on the offensive in northern Syria, capturing some 250 cities, towns, and villages and more than doubling...[By Charles Lister via mei.edu]
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Iran will send missiles, drones and more advisers to Syria, a senior Iranian official said on Friday,...[By Maya Gebeily, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Parisa Hafezi via reuters.com]
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Flooding in April 2024 in the UAE, for example, killed five people and cost $1.8-$2.3 billion in property damage, according to Gallagher Re reinsurance brokerage. In...[By Jonathan Gorvett via agbi.com]
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Dubai will reintroduce the 30 percent sales tax on alcohol in January, according to an email sent by a local alcohol distributor to venues in...[By Neil Halligan via agbi.com]
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