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  • Blinken says Israel and Saudi ties are ‘ready to go,’ urges Trump to accept Biden plan for Gaza

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia is ready to go, but requires following through on ending the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and a commitment to a pathway to a Palestinian state. Blinken, speaking at the Atlantic Council, said negotiations to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could happen in the next few hours or next few days, a first, critical step in the plan the Biden administration has laid out to capitalize on major power balances shifting in the Middle East.

  • KAUST’s lithium-extraction breakthrough could propel Saudi Arabia’s battery industry

    Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a groundbreaking technology that could place Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global lithium production. The new method, detailed in the journal Science, enables the direct extraction of lithium from oilfield brine and seawater – a game-changer for an industry reliant on costly and resource-intensive mining. Lithium is essential for the batteries used in electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones, but extracting it from low-concentration sources like brine has been economically unfeasible until now. The KAUST method was tested on a pilot scale 100,000 times larger than typical lab experiments and proved cost-competitive with traditional mining techniques. The implications for global supply are vast. Brine and seawater contain over 10,000 times more lithium than conventional reserves. By tapping into these sources, global lithium resources could surge from 22 million tons to more than 230 billion tons.

  • Saudi Arabia and Italy Sign Energy Cooperation Deal

    Italy and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement in the energy sector, with an emphasis on renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture, Italian Energy and Environment Minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, said while on a visit to Riyadh. Italy’s minister signed the agreement with Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh. The five-year cooperation agreement includes boosting bilateral cooperation in hydrogen production, renewables, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The new cooperation deal will focus on clean energy and clean tech, including low-carbon hydrogen and green ammonia, according to the Italian government.

  • Saudi Arabia grants exploratory rights to six mining sites

    The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has allocated mineral exploration rights for six mining sites with a combined size of 890 sq km, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The combined cost of the concessions was SAR126 million ($33.6 million), and companies are obliged to spend an additional SAR9 million to develop communities near the sites. The largest concession, Jabal Baydan (244 sq km), which is in the Hijaz Mountains and thought to contain copper, gold, zinc, silver and lead, was granted to the Canadian company Power Nickel.

  • Saudi Arabia, Japan Discuss 2026 Asian Games, Para Games in Nagoya

    Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) chief executive and secretary-general Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Baeshen met with Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Matsumoto Hisashi in Riyadh on Monday. The meeting, held at SOPC headquarters, discussed developments in Japan's preparations for hosting the 20th Asian Games and the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya city in 2026. The officials also conferred about ways to facilitate the participation of the Saudi sports delegation in the games. Saudi-Japanese sports collaboration has intensified following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between SOPC and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) on the sidelines of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics last August.

  • Saudi minister: Over 18.5 million pilgrims performed Hajj and Umrah in 2024

    Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, said Monday that more than 18.5 million pilgrims from outside the Kingdom performed Hajj and Umrah in 2024. He highlighted recent advancements, particularly in enhancing visits to al-Rawdah al-Sharifah at the Prophet’s Mosque. By upgrading the workforce, streamlining the online booking process, and implementing a professional crowd management system, the number of visitors increased from 4 million in 2022 to over 13 million in 2024. The minister also unveiled an upgraded version of the “Nusuk” app, now offering 100 additional services designed to provide an integrated pilgrimage experience.

  • Glimpses of Saudi history: Past times in the northern region have left footprints on the landscape

    Among them is the Hail province, located in the north of Najd and famous for its monuments, especially in Jubbah and Shuwaymis. Hussain Al-Khalifah, a Saudi archeologist with more than 30 years of experience, spoke to Arab News about some of the area’s hidden gems. “There are mountains called Al-Raat and Al-Manjor. These two sites contain the oldest rock art ever immortalized on rocks … wonderful images of animals and lions (carved),” he said. “These two mountains are registered by UNESCO as a rock art site. It is somehow a form of continuous rock art, starting from Shuwaymis moving to Jubbah and ending at Al-Tawil mountain in Jouf.”

  • Saudi Arabia allocates $2.66 billion to launch Standard Incentives Program for industrial growth

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the allocation of SR10 billion ($2.66 billion) to activate the Standard Incentives Program for the industrial sector. The initiative, approved by the Council of Ministers last month, aims to drive industrial investments, foster sustainable growth, and enhance Saudi Arabia’s global competitiveness. Funding is split between the construction and production phases, ensuring long-term sustainability. The programme’s first phase targets transformative chemical industries, automotive manufacturing, and machinery and equipment, with additional sectors to follow in 2025.

  • Over 250 Portuguese companies prepare to enter Saudi market

    Over 250 Portuguese companies, which aspire to make investments in Saudi Arabia, participated in a specialized training program to equip them for market entry. Saudi financial and legal experts made presentations during the program that included two intensive workshops, organized by the Saudi-Portuguese Business Council, at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, in Lisbon, capital of Portugal. This step is part of the council's endeavors to support the relocation of global companies' regional headquarters to the Kingdom. It involves highlighting the business environment and market entry strategies and introducing the companies to investment opportunities and incentives in the Kingdom.

  • Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal announces reconstruction of Beirut’s Four Seasons

    Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal announced Tuesday that his company would reconstruct Beirut’s Four Seasons Hotel and reopen it by the end of next year, citing the election of a new president and a “new era for Lebanon.” Lebanese lawmakers elected Joseph Aoun as president last week. They designated Nawaf Salam to be prime minister and to form a new government this week, marking the first time a government will be led free of Syrian or Iranian hegemony in decades. “On the occasion of a new era for Lebanon, and under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph Aoun, I am pleased to announce that the Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut, which Kingdom Holding Co. built, will be entirely reconstructed and refurbished by Kingdom Beirut S.A.L and will reopen to the public in Q1 2026.” Prince Alwaleed said in a statement.