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  • US Air Force Partners with Saudi Arabia to Train Chiefs

    A mobile training team of U.S. Airmen assigned to Air Forces Central (AFCENT) led the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in completing its inaugural Chief Leadership Course (CLC) Jan. 23, 2025 at a training center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). “This course is one of many efforts placing emphasis on the professional development of their enlisted force,” said Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Wiener, AFCENT command chief. The 17-day course was led by a team of two U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant instructors with support from 9th Air Force. The curriculum was modeled after the USAF’s own CLC, and incorporated lessons from the First Sergeants’ Academy and Noncommissioned Officer Academies. The material was then tailored to meet RSAF needs.

  • MENA private equity hits $27.6bn as Saudi Arabia leads growth

    Saudi Arabia overtook the UAE in 2023, accounting for 41 percent of transactions, driven by Vision 2030 and increased sovereign wealth fund activity. Together, both markets made up 68 percent of regional private equity transactions, with the UAE securing $13.5bn in deal value and Saudi Arabia $11bn. In 2024, Saudi Arabia contributed more than half of total private equity investment. Private equity activity peaked at 97 deals in 2022 before declining in 2023 and 2024. Deal volume fell 24 percent last year as investors adjusted to rising interest rates and weaker debt markets. While global private equity rebounded in 2024, MENA investors remained cautious, prioritizing strategic growth investments over leveraged buyouts.

  • New Saudi Doctrine of “Positive Neutrality” Pays Off

    Since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine three years ago as of February 24, the Saudi crown prince has found himself under enormous pressure from both Washington and Moscow to take a side in everything from votes at the United Nations to the battlefield inside Ukraine. In the former, Saudi Arabia supported resolutions in the General Assembly in 2022 and 2023 condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, demanding withdrawal of its troops and upholding the principle of territorial integrity.  But Saudi Arabia abstained in a similar resolution February 24, while the United States joined Russia for the first time in opposing it. At the same time, MBS has refused to follow the United States in imposing economic and financial sanctions on Russia, or isolating it diplomatically, to pressure Putin into suing for peace. From almost the start of the Ukraine war, MBS began crafting a role of mediator for himself. His first phone calls offering his services to Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky date back to March 3, 2022, just a week after its onset. Since then, he has held multiple meetings or phone calls with both leaders. At first, the main issue was about exchanges of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war, which the crown prince helped to arrange on several occasions. One in September 2022 included two American POWs fighting on the Ukrainian side.

  • Saudi Arabia’s PIF Eyes Stake in Leonardo’s Aerostructures Division

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is reportedly in preliminary discussions to acquire a stake in the aerostructures unit of Leonardo SpA, Italy’s prominent aerospace and defence company. This potential investment aligns with PIF’s strategic objective to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy by expanding its footprint in the global aerospace sector. The aerostructures division of Leonardo is responsible for the design and manufacturing of critical components for both civil and military aircraft. By investing in this unit, PIF aims to bolster its domestic aerospace capabilities and foster technological advancements within the Kingdom. This move is consistent with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which seeks to reduce the nation’s reliance on oil revenues by developing high-tech industries.

  • Ramadan 2025: Saudi Arabia calls on Muslims to sight crescent moon on Feb. 28

    Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on Muslims to sight the crescent moon of Ramadan on the evening of Friday, February 28. The date corresponds with the 29th of Shaaban 1446 in the Islamic Hijri calendar. “The Supreme Court requests that anyone who sees it (the moon) with the naked eye or through binoculars informs the nearest court and registers their testimony, or contacts the nearest center to assist them in reaching the nearest court,” the authority said in its statement. If the moon is spotted on Friday evening after the Maghrib, or sunset, prayer, then Ramadan will commence on March 1. However, if the crescent moon is not spotted, then the holy month will begin on March 2.

  • UFC, WWE owners ‘close’ to Saudi Arabia deal for new boxing league; report $2.8B in TKO revenue for 2024

    TKO, the parent company of the UFC and WWE, is nearing an agreement with the Saudi Arabian public wealth fund to create a new boxing league, TKO Group Holdings COO Mark Shapiro told investors on Wednesday’s earnings call. “Everybody knows we're in talks with the Saudis, but to give you a little more color, I will tell you that we are close on an agreement with the Saudis on the creation of a boxing league where we, TKO, would be the producer, the promoter and responsible for all day-to-day operations of the venture, whereby we would receive a fee of $10 million-plus,” Shapiro said during the question-and-answer portion of the call. Shapiro stressed TKO will not be putting any capital into the project and will not be absorbing any added financial risk. That will fall on the Saudi Arabia Public Investment fund, though Shapiro did say TKO will stand to earn equity in the venture over a five-year period, depending on certain benchmarks.

  • Saudi health ministry urges meningitis vaccine for Umrah

    Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has highlighted the necessity of receiving the meningitis vaccine for those intending to perform Umrah during Ramadan. It is part of efforts to enhance preventive health measures and limit the spread of infectious diseases, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency on Monday. The ministry urged the importance of getting vaccinated at least 10 days before traveling for Umrah to ensure the required immunity is achieved. It said that people vaccinated within the past five years do not need a booster dose, as the vaccine remains effective throughout this period.

  • Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector achieves record 128 million passengers in 2024

    According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector reached a new milestone in 2024, recording over 128 million passengers. The figure represents a 15% increase from 2023 and a 25% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels, confirming the kingdom’s continued expansion as a leading global aviation hub. Of the 128 million travellers, 59 million were on domestic flights, while 69 million travelled internationally. According to British travel data provider OAG, the Jeddah-Riyadh domestic route recorded the largest increase in seat capacity globally, while the Cairo-Jeddah route ranked as the second busiest international route worldwide. The number of flights across Saudi airports reached 905,000 in 2024, reflecting an 11% increase compared to the previous year.

  • Saudi Arabia sets Guinness World Record for largest Ardah performance during Founding Day festivities

    Saudi Arabia has clinched a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest performance of the traditional Saudi Ardah. The event, staged on Sunday at Al Adl Plaza in Riyadh, drew more than 50,000 people and concluded four days of Founding Day celebrations starting from February 20 to 23. The Ardah — one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive cultural expressions — featured 633 performers in synchronized drumming and dancing, claiming the record for the biggest gathering of its kind. The performance was the centerpiece of Saudi Arabia’s commemoration of its Founding Day, an annual occasion celebrated on February 22 to honor the early origins of the Saudi state.

  • Saudi Arabia announces new rules for use of Riyal symbol

    The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has unveiled eight new rules governing the use of the Saudi riyal (SAR) symbol, following official approval from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz. According to SAMA guidelines, the symbol must be positioned to the left of numerical values with a space between them. The rules specify that the symbol must maintain proper proportions, align with the surrounding text direction, and contrast with background colours for visibility. The term ‘Riyal’ traces back to 1346 AH during King Abdulaziz’s reign, marking the introduction of the Kingdom’s unified currency. A royal committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Media, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organisation developed the symbol through multiple phases.