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  • Red Sea Global brings sustainable aviation fuel to Saudi Arabia in landmark deal

    Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind Saudi regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea and AMAALA, announced a deal to bring Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to the Kingdom for the first time. RSG and daa International, the operator of The Red Sea International Airport (RSI), struck the deal with the airport’s fuel supplier, Arabian Petroleum Supply Company (APSCO), to enable airlines operating at RSI to have the option of refuelling using SAF. As part of its ambition to achieve net zero, RSG’s subsidiary air operator, Fly Red Sea, which provides seaplane transfer, charter and scenic tour services across its destinations, will also refuel its fleet exclusively with fuels that ensure aviation is more sustainable such as SAF and Lower-Carbon Aviation Fuel (LCAF).

  • How Saudi Arabia’s NEOM balances futuristic vision with ancient heritage and rewilding

    On the edge of NEOM stands Jebel Safina, or Ship Rock, a 50-meter-high sandstone and limestone formation that resembles a vessel stranded in the desert. This geological landmark, located near the small town of Bajdah in NEOM, near Tabuk, serves as a testament to the region’s rich historical heritage. A key guardian of the site is Abdulaziz al-Sanousi, a Saudi born just miles away, who is tasked with overseeing the preservation of the region’s rich heritage sites and stories for NEOM Tourism, making places accessible to all while ensuring their ongoing protection. “I’m very proud that the name NEOM is famous,” said al-Sanousi, NEOM’ senior cultural tourism manager. His role embodies NEOM’s dual commitment to preservation and accessibility, ensuring these historical treasures remain safeguarded while being shared with the world.

  • Commentary: What the ‘Trump Gaza’ fantasy is meant to tell to the Arab world

    US President Donald Trump appears to have finally accepted that his scheme to expel all 2.2 million Palestinians permanently from Gaza and have the US turn it into a "riviera" is unworkable. A week ago, Mr Trump was still insisting the Palestinians must be expelled, potentially never to return. However, this weekend he confirmed that Egypt and Jordan had refused to take the Palestinians, and the idea was now merely "a recommendation". But Mr Netanyahu’s plan has become clear during phase one. By continuing to refuse to discuss any alternative Palestinian civic administration he has made a strategic choice to leave Hamas in power. This is effectively a continuation of his traditional divide-and-rule policy towards Palestinians to thwart what the Israeli right fears most: Palestinian statehood. By dividing Palestinians between Islamist control in Gaza and secular nationalist rule by Fatah in the West Bank, the Palestinian movement is crippled and Israel can disingenuously claim it doesn't know who to talk to.

  • Saudi Arabia ranks first globally in government trust and future outlook

    Saudi Arabia ranked as the most trusted government worldwide, with a remarkable 87 percent trust rate, according to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer. This reflects the Kingdom's continued leadership in global trust indicators. This achievement underscores the success of Vision 2030 in strengthening institutional stability and governance, making Saudi Arabia a global benchmark for public trust. Additionally, Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in future outlook, with 69 percent of citizens believing the next generation will be better off. This optimistic perspective starkly contrasts with less than 50 percent in most other countries, showcasing the positive societal impact of Vision 2030 and the nation’s commitment to sustainable development. In addition to maintaining its leading global position, Saudi Arabia outperformed several countries in trust indicators, including the United States with 47 percent, the United Kingdom 43 percent, and Germany 41 percent.

  • Jadwa Investment Awarded Asset Manager of the Year at Saudi Capital Market Forum

    Jadwa Investment, a leading investment management and advisory firm in the Middle East, was awarded Asset Manager of the Year for 2024 as part of the Saudi Capital Market Awards announced at the Saudi Capital Market Forum last week. The award was presented by Eng. Khalid Abdullah Al-Hussan, CEO of Saudi Tadawul Group and Fahad Kordi, President of CFA Society Saudi Arabia, and received by Faisal Al-Rayes, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Asset Management at Jadwa Investment.

  • Commentary: Saudi rise amid a tired Arab world

    Some senior figures in the Saudi royal family have played the role of firefighter- diplomats. A number of such people are still active today. These include Turki al-Faisal, the former ambassador to Washington and long-time Saudi intelligence chief, or Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former ambassador and national security advisor. The two are important figures no doubt. Their interventions proved crucial. But people age and change, and the world moves on. This is not just an up-and-coming country, but one which plans to become a major regional power interacting with other players such as Turkey and Iran. It wants to prove to today’s world that it cannot be ignored. Is there anyone with the right mind who can downplay the importance of the Saudi factor when talking about OPEC? How many countries in the world can raise a trillion dollars when negotiating a deal?

  • Saudi chemicals group SABIC flags cost cuts after worse than expected quarterly loss

    Saudi chemicals giant SABIC plans to cut costs and find new investment opportunities, it said on Wednesday after reporting worse than expected fourth-quarter results against a sectoral backdrop dominated by margin pressures. The chemicals industry has been grappling with weak demand and high input costs, leading to lower prices and squeezed margins. SABIC, one of the world's largest petrochemicals companies, posted a net loss of 1.89 billion riyals ($504 million) for the three months to December 31, against a loss of 1.73 billion riyals a year earlier. Analysts had expected a profit of a little more than 1 billion riyals, LSEG data shows.

  • 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.

  • More than 1,000 Syrians died in airport prison under Assad, report says

    More than 1,000 Syrians died in detention at a military airport on the outskirts of Damascus, killed by execution, torture or maltreatment at a site that was widely feared, according to a report to be published Thursday tracing the deaths to seven suspected grave sites. In the report, shared exclusively with Reuters, the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre said it identified the grave sites by using a combination of witness testimony, satellite imagery and documents photographed at the military airport in the Damascus suburb of Mezzeh after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December.

  • Hamas says it’s ready for more ceasefire talks after releasing hostage remains

    Militant group Hamas said on Thursday it was ready to begin talks on the second phase of a ceasefire in Gaza after several hundred Palestinians were released from Israeli jails overnight in return for the bodies of four Israeli hostages. It was the final exchange of the six-week first phase of a ceasefire in Gaza that came into effect on January 19. Israel said on Thursday morning that three of the hostages whose bodies it had received overnight had been murdered in captivity and the fourth had been killed on the day of the October 2023 Hamas raid into Israel that precipitated the war.