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  • CR7 ‘set to extend’ his Saudi deal with an eye-watering pay rise

    According to reports from Saudi Arabian outlet Al Khabar, which have seen been corroborated by Sky Sports and journalist Ben Jacobs, Ronaldo could put pen to paper on a new deal in the Kingdom very soon. The 39-year-old is currently one of the highest-paid athletes in the world and is being offered a pay rise worth over £3m-per-week, plus several performance-related bonuses. The deal would see Ronaldo extend his playing days into 2026 with the veteran attacker looking to be in contention to play for Portugal in the North and Central American World Cup.

  • Commentary: Biden could have had the best presidential record – Gaza destroyed it

    US President Joe Biden may be on the brink of finally securing a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, but his atrocious mishandling of that devastating conflict will leave a terrible and lasting bloodstain splattered over the record of what might have otherwise been one of the great presidencies of recent decades. It’s a tragedy, an outrage and a shame that will linger over US foreign policy for many years to come. Mr Biden presided over a remarkable string of domestic legislative achievements, with just a tiny majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in his first two years. It was arguably the finest domestic record since Lyndon B Johnson in the early 1960s. This ground-breaking legislation addressed climate change, health care, pandemic relief, industrial policy and many more crucial issues.

  • Google Pay to launch in Saudi Arabia in 2025

    The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has partnered with Google to introduce Google Pay in Saudi Arabia during 2025 via the national payment system mada. Google Pay will offer users a secure and seamless way to make purchases in stores, on apps, and online. It will also allow users to conveniently add and manage their cards through Google Wallet, ensuring enhanced convenience and safety.

  • Saudi PIF-backed Avilease to be ‘opportunistic’ about possible plane orders

    The CEO of fast-growing aircraft lessor AviLease on Wednesday said he expects Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab and Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab to get their supply issues under control in the next four years and said he will be opportunistic about possible aircraft orders. AviLease , backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), plans to increase its balance sheet from around $8 billion to around $20 billion by 2030, through acquisitions of rivals, buying individual planes and "potentially" doing large orders, Chief Executive Ted O'Byrne said.

  • Saudi Arabia hopes Gaza ceasefire ends ‘Israeli aggression’

    Saudi Arabia hailed the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday, calling for the end of “Israeli aggression” in Gaza following 15 months of conflict. “The Kingdom stresses the need to adhere to the agreement and stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It called for “the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the (Gaza) Strip and all other Palestinian and Arab territories and the return of the displaced to their areas.”

  • Saudi mining company Ma’aden reveals ‘promising’ gold and copper discoveries

    Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) said on Wednesday that it has discovered “promising” deposits of gold and copper in the kingdom. Ma'aden, the biggest mining company in the Arab world, discovered gold and copper intercepts at Wadi Al Jaww and Shayban in the Arabian Shield region, it said. Multiple intercepts of recoverable gold and copper grades were found in the exploration areas of the Shayban EL at Blocks 6 and 7. The results indicate “wide intersections of gold mineralisation at Wadi Al Jaww, and gold and copper mineralisation at Jabal Shayban”, it said. New drilling results from Ma’aden’s flagship Mansourah-Massarah mine also showed strong gold mineralisation.

  • Why Did a Major Saudi Industrial Group Suddenly Leave Iran?

    Savola Group, the largest Saudi investor in Iran and a dominant player in its cooking oil market, has sold all its assets in the country. Valued at approximately 705 million Saudi riyals ($188 million), the company has also exited Iran’s stock market. Savola Group was founded in January 1979, a month before the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, with a capital of 40 million Saudi riyals. It began by producing vegetable oils in Saudi Arabia and quickly grew into one of the leading food industry giants in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, supplying edible oils, sugar, bread, dried nuts, frozen food, spices, dates and confectioneries. In addition to production, Savola is active in retail, owning the largest grocery chain in the region, Panda Retail Company. By 2024, the Savola had increased its capital by 112%, ranking 9th among Saudi Arabia's top 100 companies and 2nd in the industrial sector.

  • Saudi Arabia to scale up lithium expansion as it diversifies from oil

    Saudi Arabia has announced a new joint venture (JV) between Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, and state-owned mining company Ma’aden, marking a significant step in its push to dominate critical minerals. The partnership aims to extract lithium— an essential component in electric vehicle (EV) and electronic devices — from high-concentration deposits while exploring cost-effective direct extraction technologies. Commercial lithium production is expected to commence by 2027, the companies said. Demand for transition minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel is surging globally. Aramco forecasts a 20-fold increase in domestic lithium demand between 2024 and 2030, sufficient to support 500,000 EV batteries and 110 gigawatts of renewable energy sources.

  • Gaza ceasefire deal prompts hopes of end to war between Israel and Hamas

    The ceasefire will go into effect on Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced during a press conference in Doha. "It gives us great pleasure... to announce the success of the joint mediation efforts and the fact that the two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal on the prisoner and the hostage swap and announce a ceasefire in the hopes of reaching a permanent ceasefire between the two sides, as well as allowing the access of large quantities of relief aid to the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip," Al Thani said. Qatar, alongside Egypt and the United States, helped negotiate the agreement with Israel, with the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump joining efforts to apply pressure on the Israelis.

  • The future of grain supply and food security in Saudi Arabia

    Anis Alam, a key player in Saudi Arabia’s grain supply sector, gives an exclusive interview to Miller Magazine, outlining the country’s changing food security strategies. In this in-depth conversation, he discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the grain industry, how Saudi Arabia is adapting to global trends, and the critical steps being taken to ensure sustainable supply chains for the future. Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role in the grain markets of the Middle East due to its strategic position as a key importer and distributor of essential agricultural commodities. With its growing population and limited arable land and water resources, the country is heavily reliant on grain imports to meet its food and feed needs. As a result, grain trade has become a central element of Saudi Arabia’s food security strategy.