Saudi Arabia, through its General Authority for Statistics, has won the bid to host the UN World Data Forum 2026 in Riyadh, following a majority vote from the High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In more somber news, the body of eight-year-old Narin Guran, missing for 19 days, was found in a river in Diyarbakir, Turkiye, leading to the detention of 21 individuals, including her uncle, and public calls for justice.

Moving to international relations, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a partial halt of arms sales to Israel, a decision that will be discussed further during his upcoming visit to the US to talk with President Joe Biden about the Middle East and Ukraine.

On the economic front, Indonesia and the Gulf Cooperation Council have started their first round of negotiations for a free trade agreement in Jakarta, aiming to finalize the deal within 24 months to cover trade in goods, services, and other critical sectors.

In business news, Saudi telecom company Mobily has entered into a significant six-year partnership with Red Bull MOBILE, expecting to see positive financial impacts from Q4 2025, as it continues to expand its market reach under CEO Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran's leadership.

Lastly, the Saudi Tadawul Index dropped 0.97% amid Bawan Co.'s major stake acquisition in Petronash Global Limited and Mayar Holding Co.'s application for a SR500 million convertible sukuk, reflecting the dynamic shifts in the financial market.