Saudi Arabia News

Saudi Hotel Expansion Faces Execution Risks as Giga-Projects Accelerate

Hospitality analysts say strong religious-tourism demand provides a stable base for Saudi Arabia’s hotel sector, while the scale of planned investment in new destinations creates longer-term development and demand risks.

Saudi Aramco Cancels October Crude Allocations to European Refiners After Pipeline Attack

Saudi Aramco has told European customers they will receive no crude allocations for October after drone damage disrupted the East-West Pipeline and exports through the Red Sea route.

Saudi Arabia Condemns Deadly Mosque Attack in Pakistan

The Saudi government condemned a bombing at a mosque in Pakistan that killed at least 16 people, reiterating its opposition to terrorism and expressing solidarity with Pakistan.

Riyadh Technology Summit Generates $857 Million in Investment and Partnerships

The LEAP 2026 technology conference produced hundreds of millions of dollars in announced venture-capital, cybersecurity, cloud and infrastructure investments, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s push to expand its technology sector.

Jeddah Prepares to Host 27th Arabian Gulf Cup

Jeddah will host the Gulf Cup from September 23 to October 6, bringing national teams from across the region to King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium.

Money20/20 Deal Expands Financing Access for Saudi Small Businesses

Monsha’at and STC Bank have agreed to provide up to about $1.33 billion in Shariah-compliant digital financing, increasing access to capital for Saudi small and medium-sized enterprises.

Saudi Arabia Increases US Treasury Holdings by $10.7 Billion

Saudi Arabia increased its holdings of US government debt by $10.7 billion in July, reflecting continued deployment of the Kingdom’s large foreign financial reserves into dollar-denominated assets.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Holds Regional Security Talks With Iran and Pakistan

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has held consultations with regional counterparts as Riyadh seeks to manage escalating tensions and support efforts aimed at restoring stability across the Middle East.

King Fahd International Airport Moves Ahead With Major Expansion Design

Dammam Airports has awarded WSP a design contract covering terminal expansion, access roads, baggage systems and digital passenger services as King Fahd International Airport prepares for higher capacity.

Saudi Arabia Reports Life Expectancy Near 80 Years as Chronic-Disease Mortality Falls

Saudi health authorities say average life expectancy reached 79.9 years in 2025 while deaths associated with non-communicable diseases fell 40%, reflecting improvements under the Kingdom’s health-sector transformation programme.

ZainTECH and AWS Expand Cloud and AI Partnership in Saudi Arabia

ZainTECH has signed a multi-year agreement with Amazon Web Services to accelerate cloud modernisation and artificial-intelligence adoption among Saudi organisations in sectors including government, finance, energy and healthcare.

Tabby Raises $233 Million at $6.5 Billion Valuation

Riyadh-based financial technology company Tabby has secured $233 million in new equity funding as it expands beyond buy-now-pay-later services into broader credit and money-management products in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Expo 2030 Riyadh Signs $853 Million Joint Venture for Expo Village

Expo 2030 Riyadh and Mohammed Al Habib Real Estate have agreed a 3.2 billion riyal joint venture to develop the Expo Village, a residential district designed initially for official participants and later for long-term community use.

Saudi Arabia Attracts $7.1 Billion in Foreign Direct Investment in First Quarter

Foreign direct investment inflows reached 26.6 billion riyals, or about $7.1 billion, in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.4% from a year earlier as the Kingdom continues efforts to expand non-oil investment.

Saudi Arabia Approves New Dammam-Based Low-Cost Airline

An Air Arabia-led consortium has received its operating certificate for a new budget carrier based at King Fahd International Airport, targeting 24 domestic and 57 international destinations and about 10 million passengers annually by 2030.

Saudi-Led Maritime Coalition Moves Toward Operations With 41 Countries

Representatives from 41 countries have met in Jeddah as the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition moves from planning toward operational deployment to protect shipping routes amid heightened regional security threats.

Neom Cuts About $6.85 Billion of Contracts as Development Priorities Shift

Neom has terminated billions of dollars in construction contracts, including packages linked to the Trojena mountain development, as Saudi Arabia places greater emphasis on phased delivery and financial discipline across its largest proj...

Saudi Arabia Reports 110 Million Tonnes of Rare-Earth and Uranium-Bearing Ore in Madinah

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman says exploration in the Madinah region has identified about 110 million tonnes of ore containing heavy rare-earth elements and promising uranium concentrations, strengthening Saudi ambitions in...

Mohammed bin Salman and Sisi Hold Cairo Talks on Regional Security

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo for talks on bilateral ties and regional developments as escalating threats to Red Sea shipping increase pressure for closer coordination.

Saudi Arabia Intercepts Houthi Drone Targeting Mecca as Regional Tensions Escalate

Saudi authorities intercepted a Houthi drone headed toward Mecca amid a wider series of attacks on the Kingdom, intensifying concerns over civilian security and the renewed conflict with the Yemen-based group.

Saudi Oil Exports Rerouted After Attack Shuts East-West Pipeline

Saudi Aramco has redirected crude shipments after an attack forced the closure of the Kingdom’s East-West pipeline, increasing reliance on alternative Gulf export routes as regional conflict threatens energy flows.

US Approves Potential $24.3 Billion Sale of 48 F-35 Fighters to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has approved a possible sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, a package valued at about $24.3 billion that remains subject to the US foreign military sales process.

Saudi Arabia Implements New General Education Framework

Saudi Arabia’s new General Education System strengthens national oversight of schools while expanding the regulated role of private and non-profit providers as the government seeks to improve educational quality and broaden investment in...

PIF Launches Gulf Coast Development Company for Al-Khafji

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has created Gulf Coast Development Company to develop a 20-square-kilometre residential and tourism destination along the Al-Khafji waterfront in the Eastern Province.

Riyadh Expands Residential Land Programme to Ease Housing Pressure

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City has opened the second year of its Real Estate Balance Programme, which aims to release between 10,000 and 40,000 developed residential plots annually at controlled prices to increase housing supply.

Veolia Signs Three Saudi Agreements on Water, Waste and Decarbonisation

French environmental-services group Veolia has signed three agreements in Saudi Arabia covering water technologies and hazardous-waste management, with the partnerships also targeting energy efficiency and lower industrial emissions.

Riyadh Hosts UNESCO Global Forum on Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Saudi Arabia has hosted the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, bringing policymakers, technology experts and other stakeholders together to discuss governance, human rights and responsible AI development.

Saudi Aramco Seeks Mediterranean Fuel Cargoes After Red Sea Energy Disruptions

Saudi Aramco has been seeking diesel and gasoline supplies from Mediterranean and European markets following attacks and disruptions affecting energy infrastructure on the kingdom’s Red Sea coast.

Tabby Raises $233 Million at $6.5 Billion Valuation

Saudi-headquartered financial-technology company Tabby has secured $233 million in fresh equity funding at a $6.5 billion valuation as it expands beyond buy-now-pay-later services into broader consumer finance and money-management products.

Barq Reaches $1.85 Billion Valuation After $329.5 Million Funding Round

Saudi digital-payments company Barq has raised $329.5 million in Series A funding from investors including Noon Investments and Sohar International Bank, lifting its valuation to $1.85 billion after surpassing 15 million users.

Saudi Press