Via Simon Hughes in nytimes.com: While 2023 will be remembered as the year Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Neymar (Al Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad) and Jordan Henderson (Al Ettifaq; he terminated his contract in January and joined Ajax) left Europe for lucrative contracts in the Saudi Pro League, the transfer outlay in 2024 has been less extravagant, with total spending coming in at around $250m (£190m).

Via Billal Rahman in newsweek.com: Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday for his role in the historic U.S.-Russia prisoner swap. American journalist Evan Gershkovich and U.S. marine Paul Wheelan returned home after being freed following the largest prison swap between the U.S. and Russia on August 1. Gershkovich and Whelan were accused of espionage by the Kremlin, a charge they and the U.S. government had consistently denied. Saudi Arabias Crown Prince played an active role in the initial stages of this work. We are very grateful to him, as it resulted in the return of our citizens to the homeland, Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum.

in opec.org: The OPEC+ countries, which previously announced additional voluntary cuts in April and November 2023, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, held a virtual meeting on September 5th, 2024, during which the eight member countries emphasized their collective resolve to ensure full compliance with the voluntary production adjustments. The group includes Iraq and Kazakhstan, who have overproduced since January 2024, but have strongly reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement and to their compensation schedules submitted to the OPEC Secretariat as agreed under the 53rd meeting of the JMMC on April 3rd 2024.

in argaam.com : The move is part of the ongoing efforts to facilitate municipal procedures and services in Saudi cities, aimed at developing the tourism sector and raising the quality of tourism services for citizens, residents and tourists. It will further provide an attractive investment environment for investors and enhance competitiveness in the sector, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Via Nicola Chilton in cntraveler.com: Most of the buildings here date back between 200 and 300 years, when Al-Balad was the main entry point for Muslim travelers arriving by sea on their pilgrimage to Mecca. In recent years the district has hosted Ramadan-related events, the Red Sea International Film Festival, and the Balad Beast EDM festival. Three heritage houses, each more than 100 years old and named for the family that formerly lived in them, have been converted into small boutique hotels, the first of their kind in Al-Balad.

in broadcastprome.com: A Saudi Arabian podcast episode titled Secrets to Thriving Relationships, produced by Thmanyah, has set a new Guinness World Record for the most-viewed podcast episode on YouTube, amassing 110m views. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Joe Rogan’s interview with Elon Musk, which garnered 68m views over five years.

in argaam.com: Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the number of fintech companies in Saudi Arabia reached 224 by the end of Q2 2024, surpassing the Financial Sector Development Programs (FSDP) target of 168 companies for the same period.

Via Pramod Kumar in agbi.com: The Public Investment Fund has raised $2 billion through a combination of sukuk (Islamic bond) and green bond offerings to support its mega-project pipeline. The Saudi wealth fund issued $1.5 billion in three-year sukuk and $500 million in green notes maturing in October 2032, Reuters said, citing a bank document. PIF has tapped into the global bond market for the fourth time this year.

in saudigazette.com: Among the 150 members, 30 are women, with 19 of them serving their first term in the council. This diverse group of newly appointed female members includes distinguished experts such as Dr. Arwa Al Rashid, Dr. Ishraq Rafaei, Dr. Amal Qattan, Dr. Amal Al-Hazani, Dr. Bushra Al-Hamad, and Dr. Taqwa Omar. Their inclusion reflects the growing recognition of womens expertise and leadership potential within the council.

in reuters.com: Israeli protesters took to the streets for a second day on Monday to press the government to reach a deal to return hostages still held by Hamas, after six more captives were found dead in Gaza.

Via John Duerden in apnews.com: Despite a relatively quiet transfer window in Saudi Arabia, the arrival of Ivan Toney and Joao Cancelo shows that the ambitions of the cash-rich Saudi Pro League remain as high as ever, according to league chief executive Omar Mugharbel. August ended with Al-Ahli of Jeddah paying London club Brentford a reported 40 million euros ($44 million) for Toney on Friday, three days after Premier League champion Manchester City sold Cancelo to Riyadh’s Al-Hilal.

Via Nick Vivarelli in variety.com: Variety spoke to Jomana Al-Rashid, who chairs the Red Sea Film Festival International Film Foundation, about nurturing Saudi’s rapidly evolving film scene. For us, it’s about forms of expression and good storytelling, whether it’s indie films or the more commercial films. If you have a good story then that’s something that we are going to support.

Via Christine Burke and Fahad Abuljadayel in bloomberg.com: The updated law — announced in August and due to take effect in 2025 — will also provide equal treatment for foreigners and locals, freedom to manage investments and repatriate funds, and the ability to appeal penalties and violations. Additionally, investors are set to have more flexibility in how they choose to resolve disputes, including by doing so outside the court.

in geo.tv: Saudi Arabia was struck by thunderstorms and flash flooding on most of its Red Sea on Friday with footages on social media showing roads inundated and cars stranded in floodwater, according to The National. The rains are expected to last until Tuesday prompting the directorate to urge the citizens to remain on alert and adhere to safety guidelines issued through media as per the Saudi Gazette.

Via Fahad Abuljadayel and Matthew Martin in yahoo.com: The flour milling company plans to raise as much as $271 million by selling a 30% stake, or about 15.4 million shares, on the local Saudi stock exchange. Institutional investors covered the order book throughout the price range of 62 riyals to 66 riyals ($16.50 to $17.60) per share, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.