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  • How Will Saudi Arabia Respond to Trump’s $1 Trillion Demand?: Video

    US President Donald Trump’s push for $1 trillion of investments from Saudi Arabia is “completely unrealistic,” according to Karen Young, a senior research scholar at Columbia University. But, the kingdom might make promises of defense purchases and service contracts over a long period, she told Jennifer Zabasajja on Bloomberg TV’s Horizons Middle East and Africa.

  • Saudi Arabia approves Matternet drone delivery system

    Matternet has been approved by The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to operate its M2 drone within the region. The approval, which Matternet says is a first for the country, was granted by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) after the agency determined that the M2’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certification issued by the United States met GACA airworthiness standards. Matternet’s M2 drone delivery system achieved FAA Type Certification in September 2022. Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet, said the Middle East is a promising region for drone delivery. “Riyadh will have autonomous drone delivery as a new layer of city infrastructure, enabling ultra-fast, cost-efficient, zero-emissions delivery for its businesses and residents.” Matternet first entered the Middle East market in 2021 through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health to provide city-wide medical delivery.

  • ‘Things are really changing for them’: Why explorer known as ‘Indiana Jones for girls’ is walking across Saudi Arabia

    She’s been described as the “Indiana Jones for girls,” and after becoming the first woman to walk the full length of the Draa River in Morocco, UK explorer Alice Morrison is embarking on a new challenge — walking across Saudi Arabia. Accompanied by camels and local guides, Morrison will traverse through deserts and mountains during the 2,500-kilometer journey, which will take around five months in total. “It’s a massive adventure,” Morrison, who has been walking around 25 kilometers (15 miles) a day, tells CNN Travel via Zoom. “I seek challenge, knowledge and connection. And I think you get all of those doing what I do.” Morrison, who speaks fluent Arabic, concedes that she isn’t necessarily a typical explorer, and was actually working as a CEO of a media development company up until 2011.

  • Decarbonizing Saudi Arabia Energy and Industrial Sectors: Assessment of Carbon Capture Cost

    Saudi Arabia has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. However, the economic implications of deploying CCUS within the Kingdom remain insufficiently explored. This work provides updated estimates of CO₂ emissions across key sectors in Saudi Arabia, including electricity, petrochemicals, refineries, cement, steel, ammonia production, and desalination, based on 2022 data.

  • Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal says contract with Neymar has been terminated by mutual consent

    Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal said Monday it reached an agreement with striker Neymar to terminate his contract by mutual consent. Neither side confirmed details of the termination after the 32-year-old Brazilian, once hailed as one of the world’s best players, played only seven matches for the club, with only one goal and two assists. Despite being sidelined since October 2023 due to an ACL injury, former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar was part of the squad that won last season’s Saudi league. Their deal was due to expire after Al-Hilal’s participation in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup, which will be played between June 15 and July 13 in the United States.

  • Saudi Arabia opens up holy cities to foreign property investors

    Saudi Arabia’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that foreigners will be allowed to invest in companies that own real estate in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The CMA said the decision would “stimulate investment” and “enhance the attractiveness and efficiency of the capital market”. It added that the reform would help the economy by “attracting foreign capital and providing the necessary liquidity for current and future projects” in Mecca and Medina. The change in the law makes it easier for non-Saudis to invest in the real estate market of the two holy cities. At present they are forbidden by law from buying property in the holy cities, although it is possible to lease property for a maximum of 99 years.

  • Saudi Arabia raises local workforce quotas across key sectors

    Saudi professionals in dentistry, pharmacy, accounting, and technical engineering will soon see expanded job opportunities as the Kingdom rolls out new Saudization targets under its Vision 2030 plan. The HRSD, in collaboration with health, commerce, and housing authorities, is now focused on localizing 269 professions. The initiative builds on earlier measures, such as increasing Saudization rates in radiology to 65 percent, medical laboratories to 70 percent, and physiotherapy and therapeutic nutrition to 80 percent last October. Effective July 27, community pharmacies and medical complexes will be required to achieve a 35 percent Saudization rate, hospitals 65 percent, and other pharmacy-related businesses 55 percent, according to a Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announcement. These rules will apply to companies employing five or more pharmacy professionals.

  • Saudi Arabia invests over $500bln in developing environmentally friendly tourist destinations: minister

    Al-Khateeb highlighted the remarkable achievements of Saudi Arabia's tourism sector and its dedication to environmental sustainability under the framework of Vision 2030. He cited projects such as AlUla and The Red Sea, showcasing how sustainability is integrated at every stage, from design to implementation. He also referred to the Saudi Green Initiative and Green Riyadh launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, reaffirming the Kingdom's commitment to planting millions of trees by 2030

  • Saudi Arabia must punch its weight on global stage: minister

    "We are a key player in the world, the world economy, and we need to punch at our weight", Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. "We need to make sure that emerging economies and low income countries' voice is heard," al-Jadaan said. "This is why we are really protecting, in every possible way, their interests in these multilateral institutions," he said, stressing that emerging economies were "becoming actually larger than advanced economies in total population and size of economy." "Collectively, they need to be represented in the table."

  • Saudi Arabia to Host Regular World Economic Forum Global Meeting

    Building on the success of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting held in Riyadh in April 2024, this new development solidifies Saudi Arabia’s position as a central player in shaping the global agenda. The Kingdom’s bold leadership and determination to foster global dialogues between developed and developing economies and drive inclusive global growth make it an ideal host to address complex global challenges with the WEF community. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host a regular high-level World Economic Forum (WEF) global meeting in Riyadh, with the first slated for the Spring of 2026, it was announced today. The announcement was made today by His Excellency Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, and Børge Brende, World Economic Forum President, on the final day of the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.