SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • A Gaza family’s journey home to the ruins

    Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in response to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack when Hamas gunmen killed around 1,200 people in border communities and seized about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s assault, with the declared goal of destroying Hamas, levelled swathes of the tiny enclave driving nearly all its inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities. Early in the campaign, Israel ordered civilians to leave the north. Most did so. Those who left were barred from returning until last month’s deal for a ceasefire and hostage release.

  • GAFT Leads Saudi Negotiating Team in GCC-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement Talks

    The delegation consists of nine technical teams covering various sectors, including goods, services, investment, general provisions, e-commerce, intellectual property, government procurement, rules of origin, and economic evaluation. These teams, comprising representatives from approximately 46 government agencies, are tasked with shaping Saudi Arabia's stance in international trade negotiations, formulating proposals, and submitting reports on trade agreements and World Trade Organization (WTO) initiatives.

  • CNN to expand its Middle East presence with new operation in Media City Qatar

    CNN is expanding its footprint in the Middle East through the creation of a new operation in the State of Qatar as part of CNN’s broader strategy to deepen its global and regional content creation capabilities. The presence in Qatar will complement CNN’s existing Middle East programming and newsgathering hubs: the flagship regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi, home to Connect the World with Becky Anderson; Dubai, the base for CNN Arabic; and CNN’s bureaus across the region. The new CNN operation based in Media City Qatar, a leading hub for global media and technology companies that fosters innovation and collaboration in Qatar’s vibrant media landscape, will go live in the second half of 2025. Its focus will be the development of multi-platform content about trending stories driving the global zeitgeist. A team of CNN content creators will be publishing on digital and social platforms and producing an innovative weekly show for CNN International.

  • UAE becomes top global destination for winter tourism: Report

    The UAE has advanced to 18th position globally in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel & Tourism Development Index, whilst maintaining its regional leadership. The nation’s Tourism Strategy 2031 targets AED100 billion in investments and 40 million hotel guests. The World Travel & Tourism Council reports that the UAE received 29.2 million international tourists in 2024, marking a 15.5 percent increase from 2023. The council projects visitor numbers to reach 45.5 million by 2033, WAM said in a statement.

  • Veteran Saudi actor Mohammed Al Towayan passes away

    Mohammed Al Towayan, a leading figure in Saudi television and cinema, has died at the age of 79, the Saudi Ministry of Culture confirmed on Friday. Al Towayan, known for his roles in hit drama series such as Awdat Asweed, Ayal Qariah, and Ghashmshm, played a pivotal role in shaping the Saudi entertainment industry over nearly five decades. His final film, Mandoub Al Layl (The Night Agent), was a major box-office success in Saudi Arabia and was screened internationally. Despite his long-standing presence in television, his transition to cinema marked a significant shift in his career.

  • Saudi sets rules for financial settlement with persons involved in corruption crimes

    Saudi Arabia published six rules for reaching financial settlements with natural or legal persons that have committed corruption crimes, according to the Official Gazette. Under the first rule, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) is responsible for concluding settlement agreements with individuals or entities that voluntarily submit a request, provided that the corruption crime was committed before Nov. 4, 2017, and had not been previously discovered. The settlement agreement must be made according to certain criteria. The individual or entity shall abide by returning or collecting the funds involved in the crime—or the equivalent value—along with any generated proceeds, if any.

  • Only 45 Percent of Americans Know What a Tariff Is

    A survey conducted by market research specialist Ipsos in December 2024 shows that more than half of all polled U.S. adults don't know what a tariff is. Only 45 percent chose the correct answer, which is a form of tax imposed on imports from other countries paid by the importing companies and is at least in part passed on to the consumer. A narrative popularized by President Trump that suggests that the exporting country pays a tax to the importing country was the second most popular option, chosen by 17 percent of respondents.

  • Türkiye in Talks with Saudi Arabia for US$6 Billion Defense Deal. KAAN to Get First Foreign Customer?

    The Turkish Air Force is expected to begin operating the KAAN fighter jet in 2028, with an initial delivery of 20 aircraft from TAI (TUSAS). By 2029, TAI is projected to produce two KAAN fighter jets per month, generating approximately $2.4 billion (RM9.6 billion) in annual revenue. Recently, Defence Security Asia reported that Saudi Arabia is considering a proposal to acquire approximately 100 units of the KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet, which is currently under development in Türkiye. Discussions on the potential acquisition were reportedly held during a recent visit by Saudi Royal Air Force Commander Prince Turki bin Bandar Al Saud to Türkiye. During his visit, Prince Turki met with key Turkish defense companies, including Roketsan, Aselsan, and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the manufacturer of the KAAN fighter jet.

  • What does Neymar’s departure mean for the Saudi league?

    The Brazilian attacker was among the global stars who transferred to Saudi clubs in 2023 when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr and Karim Benzema left Real Madrid for Al-Ittihad. But unlike the latter two, Neymar was injured too often to make much of an impact in the desert kingdom after his 90 million euros ($94 million) transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. He played just seven games before Al-Hilal released him this week by mutual consent. Analysts say his exit is not likely to have a big impact on the Saudi league’s international standing as long as other big names remain. “Neymar’s departure does not damage the brand. If the other stars start leaving then it is different, but that does not look like it’s happening,” said Sasi Kumar, a former Singapore international and founder of Spain-based sports investment company 28 Ventures. “He went there, got injured and the timing was unfortunate. I am sure Hilal and other clubs will go and make more signings, as the ambitions are still there.”

  • Commentary: For Trump, is Gaza merely real estate to be developed?

    It’s hardly surprising that one of US president Donald Trump's initial forays into Middle East policy has been the suggestion – repeated over the weekend – that the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip should be moved to Egypt and/or Jordan. The concept has been met with hosannas from the Israeli ultra-right, whose racist attitudes towards Palestinians are unabashed. While Mr Trump and his officials attempted to clarify it could be either "temporary" or "long term" – Israel has never allowed substantial groups of Palestinians to return to any part of Palestine once they are removed. The idea that Israel would agree to see millions of Palestinians leave "Eretz Israel" and ever allow them to return en masse would require Israeli officials to have a completely different mentality as well as a different relationship with the Palestinians.