Culture AWSN predicts soaring Saudi Arabia demand for women’s sports apparel All Women’s Sports Network, a television network founded by Hollywood actor Whoopi Goldberg at the end of 2024, is expected to launch in Saudi Arabia later this month. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia advances gas ambitions as $100B Jafurah plant comes online The Finance Ministry reported that initial output at the massive Jafurah gas field has begun, with a capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day. Saudi Arabia
Yemen's STC separatists advance in Hadramout as UAE-Saudi rift grows The fighting between the UAE-backed southern separatists and Saudi-aligned tribal forces, nominal allies against the Houthis, has raised concerns about the division of Yemen. Yemen
Newsletter: City Pulse Riyadh Winter at Tantora returns to AlUla Also this week: Desert dining in AlUla, Camel Festival turns 10 and art from Jeddah to Tashkent By Rebecca Anne Proctor In Dubai, reporting on culture
Analysis US-Gulf critical minerals ties grow in bid to weaken China’s grip on industry By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis South Korea’s $15B jet offer expands UAE's options as US moves to sell Saudis F-35s By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Saudi Arabia, Canada reestablish business council as ties warm Saudi Arabia and Canada resumed diplomatic relations last year following a row over Ottawa’s criticism of the treatment of women in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Key players want out of Saudi soccer league: reports The Saudi Pro League landed several top stars last year with lucrative deals, but now some players may be looking to leave the kingdom. Legacy: Gulf
Will Saudi Arabia see mining gold rush in 2024? The kingdom plans to take advantage of the growing demand for critical minerals to power the green transition. Saudi Arabia
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur reps Saudi fitness brand Kayanee at Australian Open Jabeur has expressed support for Saudi investment in tennis in the past as the kingdom seeks to boost its sports holdings. Tunisia
Germany reverses, to greenlight Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia Germany stopped selling arms to Saudi Arabia following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018, but has since come under increasing pressure to allow the sale of the jets to the Gulf country. Saudi Arabia
Why has Iran Air abandoned plans to relaunch Saudi Arabia flights despite detente? The Iran Air flights to Saudi Arabia were intended to transport pilgrims to Jeddah and were scheduled to take off from Tehran, Mashhad and Isfahan on Wednesday. Iran
Saudi PIF invested $31.6B in 2023, record in global sovereign wealth funds The PIF is estimated to have nearly $800 billion in assets and wants to become the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund by 2030. Saudi Arabia
With confidence at all-time high, can China emerge as Mideast peace broker? China is riding a wave of support since its Iran-Saudi agreement, but experts say the Palestinian-Israeli brokerage is a different matter. Israel
Saudi mining firm Ma’aden announces gold discovery Saudi Arabia seeks to boost its mining sector, including via investment at home and abroad. Legacy: Gulf
What does Saudi Arabia's CICA membership mean for its Asia pivot? The kingdom’s achievement of observer status in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia follows similar moves with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. Legacy: Gulf
Analysis 2023 in review: The year Saudi Arabia became sports superpower The kingdom has been laying the groundwork to become a sporting leader for decades, but this year marked a turning point as investment ramped up. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power signs $4B green hydrogen deal in Egypt The second phase of the project could produce 2 million metric tons per year, the statement said, without providing details on the timeline. Egypt