🚨 Saudi Arabia launches air strike on Yemen’s Mukalla port, accuses UAE of “pressuring” separatist southern group to conduct military operations on the kingdom’s borders.

Saudi complaints over social security benefits lead to arrests and fines: https://blog.alomran.me/2025/12/29/saudi-complaints-over-social-security.html

Saudi complaints over social security benefits lead to arrests and fines: https://blog.alomran.me/2025/12/29/saudi-complaints-over-social-security.html

🚨 Saudi Arabia calls moves by Yemen’s STC “unjustified escalation”, urges the group to withdraw forces from seized provinces —foreign ministry statement.

“While Saudi’s reinvention has left scars, in the form of budget overruns and scaled-back projects, the country has breezed through its own 2030 target and is set to generate an estimated 57 per cent of economic output from non-oil activities this year.”

Saudi writer Ahmed Abodehman dies at age 76. He was known for his semi-autobiographical novel “La Ceinture”, first published in French by Gallimard in 2000.

Saudi Arabia plans expanding access to alcohol with two more liquor stores in Jeddah and Dhahran catering to non-Muslim diplomats and Premium Residency holders.

🚨 Saudi AI firm Humain leads $900 million funding round in US video startup Luma AI.

🚨 US and Saudi Arabia reach deal for rare earths facility in the kingdom.

🚨 Trump says he will approve unprecedented sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during the crown prince visit to the White House today. Other deals covering defence, AI and nuclear energy also on the agenda.

🚨 Saudi royal court confirms that the crown prince has traveled to the US. Talks with Trump to focus on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, statement says.

Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner Dar Global unveil plan for luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment.

My latest story: Saudi PIF cuts US equity holdings to $19.4 billion in Q3, down from $23.8 billion in Q2 as the fund exits positions in 9 companies, including Visa and Pinterest.

Saudi women sign up for belly dancing classes at fitness studios — an activity that many feel compelled to keep secret.

Saudi Aramco steps up gas push to power fleets of AI data centres, new industrial hubs and fast-growing cities.

FT visual investigation: How the laws of physics and finance hampered The Line of Neom.

🚨 Saudi king appoints Sheikh Salih al-Fawzan as the kingdom’s Grand Mufti —royal decree

🚨 Saudi Arabia in talks with US for defence pact ahead of the crown prince’s visit to the White House next month.

🚨 My latest: Western cultural institutions are re-embracing Saudi Arabia as their quest for fresh funding and expansion aligns with the kingdom’s ambitions to grow its art and culture sectors as part of wider economic diversification plans.

🚨 “The glory days are over”: consultants in Saudi Arabia curb expansion plans as the kingdom reviews its priorities.

In case you missed it >>

🚨 Saudi real estate developer to build $1 billion Trump-branded project in Jeddah.

🚨 My latest: How the Saudi crown prince irreversibly changed the relationship between the state and the kingdom’s religious establishment.

🚨 Saudi Arabia freezes Riyadh rents for 5 years as property costs soar.

🇸🇦 Our latest long read: Can Vision 2030 uplift Saudi Arabia’s rural areas?

🚨 Scoop: Saudi Arabia to shift management of Sindalah island from Neom to Red Sea Global after delayed opening.

PwC culls jobs of 60 partners and 1,500 staff in the Middle East after Saudi clash.

🚨 Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign strategic defence pact.

🔝 This is the most-read story on FT right now >>

🚨 My latest story: Saudi authorities shut down two dozen music “lounges” in recent weeks over violations to public health and hygiene codes, but their existence has been controversial for years as conservatives see them as signs of the rapid decay of morals and social norms.

Google Pay finally launches in Saudi Arabia. China’s Alipay+ expected to arrive next year.

🚨 Qatar calls for “concrete steps” against Israel at Arab-Islamic summit in Doha after the missile strikes.

🇸🇦 New Saudi riyal sign, first revealed in February, has now been officially added to the latest Unicode Standard, Version 17.0.

🚨 Israel launches attack on Hamas in Doha. Qatar condemns “cowardly” targeting of residential buildings.

🚨 My latest story: Saudi small-town brands are going national as economic reforms and SMEs support start to pay off.

🎮 Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group is looking to China and other Asian markets for its next multibillion-dollar deal.

🚨 My latest story: Saudi Arabia’s financial hub finally takes shape as KAFD comes to life.

🇷🇺 Gulf tourists are flocking to Russia as the country deepens its ties with the region after years of western sanctions.

🚨 FT Exclusive: BCG leaders face backlash from lucrative Middle East business over Gaza aid work; CEO town hall meeting to ease tensions appeared to backfire as staff walked out in anger.

🚨 Delays to Saudi Arabia’s snow mountain in Neom’s Trojena put the 2029 Asian Winter Games at risk. Officials discussed approaching S Korea or China about relocating the games and instead holding the subsequent edition in the kingdom four years later.

🚨 BlackRock strikes $11 billion Saudi natural gas deal.

🚨 Saudi Arabia’s PIF writes $8 billion off value of flagship giga-projects.

🚨 Saudi Arabia condemns Israel’s decision to occupy the Gaza Strip and denounces its “persistence in committing crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people.” —Foreign ministry statement

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📈 Saudi GDP up 3.9% in Q2, driven by steady growth of non-oil sector and increased crude output —government flash estimates

📉 Saudi stock market has been one of the worst performing in the world this year. Failure of new listings to match the stellar performance of debuts in 2023 and 2024 is raising doubts about the progress of economic diversification plans.

💧 Saudi utilities giant ACWA Power controls more than a quarter of the desalinated water in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and Bahrain. Now the company looks to bring its desalination tech to Central and East Asia, Africa and Southern Europe.

Saudi Arabia pledges $6 billion of investments in Syria, a show of support after sectarian violence broke out in Sweida last week.

🚨 US tech giant Apple launches direct-to-consumer online sales in Saudi Arabia today. The company is expected to open its first physical store in the kingdom next year.

Saudi Arabia is set to participate in Intervision, the music contest launched by Putin after Russia was banned from Eurovision over the war in Ukraine.