On October 14, 2025, the Houthi movement, through its Supreme Political Council leader Mahdi al-Mashat, made a potent call: on Saudi Arabia to move from de-escalation to a true end of aggression, blockade, occupation, and to act upon the “clear requirements for peace.” That appeal must sound far beyond Yemen. If the world is determined […]
When Saudi Arabia publicly announced winning the gold medal for the best architecture and landscape at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, the world’s cheers came quickly. The Kingdom’s pavilion, a gleaming building of modernity and aspiration, outranked Spain and the UAE to be the first. To some, it seemed like another icon of Saudi Arabia’s emerging worldwide […]
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike’s scheduled trip to Riyadh and Jeddah this October has been officially touted as a diplomatic mission aimed at fostering inter-city cooperation, innovation, and cultural exchange. But under the shadow of Saudi Arabia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup hosting, this visit assumes a much more controversial significance, one which serves directly to reinforce […]
As Saudi Arabia gears up to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the world is watching another reprehensible display of the Kingdom’s lack of respect for ethics — this time for luxury and entertainment. In recent times, three falcons — two Mongolian and one Saudi — were auctioned at the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting […]
Saudi Arabia’s newest PR stunt—marking World Post Day by boasting about Saudi Post’s “global logistics capabilities”—may appear innocuous at first. But behind the sheen of advancement and Vision 2030 is an ominous trend of deception. It’s not about mail delivery or about modernization; it’s one piece of a broader strategy to whitewash Saudi Arabia’s image […]
When Riyadh plays host to the MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2025 festival this December, the desert will again become a dazzling catwalk for global stars and electronic music legends. Thousands will party, millions will watch online, and headlines will greet it as evidence of Saudi Arabia’s “transformation” on the cultural front. But behind the flashing lights and […]
Between November 7 to 11, 2025, Saudi Arabia will host the United Nations Tourism General Assembly for the 26th time in Riyadh under the theme “AI-Powered Tourism: Redefining the Future.” The event will bring together representatives of over 160 nations, international organizations, and major tourism stakeholders. It will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the […]
Saudi Arabia’s newest venture — the 2025–2026 Archaeology and Conservation Fieldwork Season, inaugurated by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), is being touted as a success of cultural conservation and academic cooperation. With the involvement of renowned international institutions such as Ghent University, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne, […]
Saudi Arabia boasts of its Project Masam, saying it had destroyed more than 517,818 landmines in Yemen since 2014. Saudi Press Agency states this as a mark of humanitarian leadership, commending the Kingdom for clearing 1,319 explosive devices within one week. But underlying the facade of this well-groomed narrative is an ugly reality — one […]
The leadership of Saudi Arabia desires that the world witness a country moving full speed ahead into progress, sustained by science, technology, and innovation. Its Vision 2030 vision presents the image of a country transforming itself, new, ambitious, and networked with the world. But beyond the shiny facade is a grim reality. While the Kingdom […]