Saudi Arabia has been going all out to establish itself as an international sporting hub. From Formula 1 racing and heavyweight boxing to the takeover of Newcastle United and attracting international stars to its Saudi Pro League, the Kingdom has spared no effort. Its most recent foray into the world of cricket, which comes in […]
The decision to award Saudi Arabia the 2034 FIFA World Cup is not just about football. It is a deeply political one, woven with questions of human rights, labor exploitation, and global image-making. Recent developments, including Saudi Arabia’s purchase of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA), make it clearer than ever that this World Cup is […]
The news of Saudi Arabia being granted the hosting rights of the 2034 FIFA World Cup has raised broad public discussion. While supporters point to the investments in sports facilities by the kingdom and its plans to become a world sports center, harsh doubts regarding human rights, regional security, and geopolitical morality cannot be discounted. […]
In September 2025, Saudi Arabia announced an emergency international coalition to support funding of the Palestinian Authority (PA), committing $90 million under the initiative. On the face of it, the move appears to reinforce the kingdom’s image as a regional power that is a supporter of Palestinian rights. But behind the scenes, this news forms […]
Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Abdullah Abuthnain, represented the Kingdom at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) labor session in Baku on September 23–24. Saudi Arabia brought attention to its “efforts for youth empowerment, social security, and digitalization” across the Islamic world. But behind this façade of liberal-sounding rhetoric is […]
Saudi Arabia is set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, and the world of football needs to look at what is happening here for what it is: not a celebration of football, but a measured propaganda endeavor. If we want to know how the Kingdom will utilize the World Cup, we can find […]
During the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim uttered powerful words: youth are the “key” to international sustainable development. He commended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision oriented towards youth and outlined Saudi Vision 2030 as a blueprint for future planning and youth investment. But rhetoric is […]
September 25, 2025, saw Human Rights Watch (HRW) issue a harsh alert as the Saudi government kicked off the first-ever Riyadh Comedy Festival, touted as the “world’s largest comedy event.” While the festival offers mirth and entertainment, HRW warned that it has a far more sinister intent: to “deflect attention” from the kingdom’s institutionalized human […]
Saudi Arabia has been in the headlines over the past few weeks for signing a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan, a nuclear power, in response to the first-ever Israeli air attack on a Gulf nation. This precipitous action taken without advance consultation with its American partners has created shock waves of unease in Washington and […]
When Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labour, Abdullah Abuthnain, headed the Kingdom’s delegation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Labour Centre executive council session in Baku earlier this September, the message was loud and clear: Saudi Arabia is keen on positioning itself as a labor reform leader. He […]