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  • Saudi Arabia Shifts from Participation to Hosting: Sustained Global Scientific Engagement Since 2011

    This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia transitions from the ranks of participants to hosts and organizers of international scientific competitions. Riyadh, the capital city, is set to host the 2024 International Chemistry Olympiad from July 21st for ten days. The Olympiad will involve more than 340 students, 200 volunteers, and 400 university professors and chemistry teachers from 90 countries. This makes it an opportunity for scientific exchange, partnerships, and a chance to discover Saudi Arabia through its capital, Riyadh, and witness its scientific, economic, and cultural renaissance, which has qualified it to become a leading destination in various fields.

  • Saudi Arabia Announces Carbon Capture And Utilization Challenge For Startups

    Saudi Arabia appears to be doubling down on carbon capture as part of its plans to create a circular economy. Last week the country’s Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) and Ministry of Energy (MoEnergy) unveiled the Carbon Capture and Utilization Challenge. The challenge invites startups from across the globe to present innovative approaches to reduce carbon emissions through sustainable system transformations. This includes advancements in carbon capture technologies, novel applications for carbon utilization, and industrial integration.

  • Al-Hilal SFC named Saudi Arabia’s strongest football club brand as nation bolsters financial commitment to the sport

    Al-Hilal SFC is Saudi Arabia’s strongest football club brand with a brand strength index (BSI) score of 74.6, and an equivalent AA+ rating, according to new data from Brand Finance. Al-Hilal's strategic investments, including the signings of Neymar, Ruben Neves, and Milinković-Savić, have solidified the club’s dominance in the Saudi Pro League and reinforced its status as a top football brand in the region.

  • Saudi Arabia to Host Arab Geographical Names Experts Conference

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), will host the 10th Arab Geographical Names Experts Conference in Jeddah on November 10-12. The theme for the event is "Strengthening Arab Relations and Ties in Geographical Names." This hosting is part of GEOSA's efforts in the field of geographical names. It oversees the Kingdom's surveying, geospatial information, and imaging sectors and chairs the National Committee for Geographical Names, which includes 21 government agencies.

  • Saudi Arabia’s Economic Strategy is a Double-Edged Sword for OPEC Stability

    Since the announcement of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has faced substantial fiscal challenges. With oil prices no longer at their 2022 highs, the kingdom's reliance on petrodollars is more precarious. The IMF estimates that Saudi Arabia's fiscal breakeven oil price is near $100 per barrel, but current market prices fall short, complicating the funding of its large-scale diversification projects.

  • Green Hydrogen: Air travel could go renewable as future fuel investment skyrockets in UAE, Saudi Arabia

    With massive intent and investment, Middle Eastern countries, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are in pole position to reap the benefits as green hydrogen inches closer to becoming the preferred fuel of the future. Last week, a study undertaken by Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology, said that almost all air travel within a 1200-kilometre radius could be made with hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2045. The Chalmers project is also working on a heat exchanger, which will enhance this range even further.

  • Border Traffic: How Syria Uses Captagon to Gain Leverage Over Saudi Arabia

    Since 2011, the Gulf region has seen a significant escalation in the scale and sophistication of drug trafficking. There has been a particular increase in the supply of Captagon, a codrug of amphetamine and theophylline, whose consumption threatens social peace. However, the issue extends beyond organized crime to affect politics. The Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies have leveraged Captagon trafficking as a means of exerting pressure on the Gulf states, notably Saudi Arabia, to reintegrate Syria into the Arab world and secure concessions that would allow the regime to reinforce its position after thirteen years of conflict.

  • E-commerce in Saudi Arabia sees 17.47 percent surge with 40,697 new records in Q2 2024

    The issuance of existing commercial records for e-commerce in Saudi Arabia recorded a growth of 17.47 percent by the end of the second quarter of 2024, new data showed. According to the Q2 2024 Business Sector Bulletin issued by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce, during this period, 40,697 e-commerce records were issued, compared to 34,645 in the same period of 2023.

  • Yemen’s Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia with aerial footage of key airports

    The media of the military wing of Yemen’s Houthi rebels published a video on Sunday showing aerial drone footage and coordinates of important and prominent airports and ports in Saudi Arabia. The video, titled "Just try it", contained images of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Fahd International Airport in Damman as well as the ports in Ras Tanura, Jizan and Jeddah.

  • A new esports tournament in Saudi Arabia promises to be a game-changer – but it’s also caused division in the industry

    The Esports World Cup (EWC) – which began on July 3 – has brought together professional gamers, publishers and fans from across the world for an eight-week competitive gaming bonanza. Its record-breaking prize pool of more than $60 million has raised eyebrows and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation which is organizing the event, told CNN Sport that the spectacle will help unite the industry.