On 16 September 2025, Saudi Arabia officially embraced a United Nations Commission of Inquiry report charging Israel with genocide in Gaza. The statement, made by the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom, stated that the report “clearly shows the crimes and violations of the Palestinian people.” It called for global action, the implementation of UN resolutions, […]
On September 15, 2025, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, as well as the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, formally lifted a three-month prohibition on working outdoors during the hottest part of the day, from noon to 3 p.m. The prohibition, from June 15 to September 15, was supposedly aimed […]
The negative shutdown of the Arar border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Iraq has uncovered again the frailty, incompetence, and deep inconsistencies of Saudi rule. Iraqi pilgrims numbering in the thousands were detained for more than 24 hours when Saudi authorities halted buses carrying contraband liquor and drugs dressed in deplorable disguises: Captagon pills hidden […]
On September 10, 2025, the Bright Star 2025 military drill concluded at Egypt’s Mohamed Naguib Military Base. For two weeks, 40 nations participated in one of the largest and most sophisticated joint exercises in the region. Tanks rolled, marines stormed beaches, paratroopers unfurled national flags, and Saudi Arabia placed itself in the spotlight with a […]
On September 10, 2025, the Bright Star 2025 military drill concluded at Egypt’s Mohamed Naguib Military Base. For two weeks, 40 nations participated in one of the largest and Sportswashing sophisticated joint exercises in the region. Tanks rolled, marines stormed beaches, paratroopers unfurled national flags, and Saudi Arabia placed itself in the spotlight with a strong […]
The FIFA World Cup is the planet’s largest sporting event, designed to be an affirmation of unity, diversity, and the love of football. However, awarding the 2034 FIFA World Cup to Saudi Arabia undermines these principles. Saudi Arabia is leveraging the tournament as a means of sportswashing, trying to cover up its endemic human rights […]
Saudi Arabia has made the headlines again, not for reform, advance, or leadership in global sport, but for cheating on the very foundation of its economic model: oil. On 9 September 2025, Riyadh cut the price of its benchmark Arab Light crude for Asia by slashing the premium to $2.20 per barrel over the Dubai/Oman […]
A recent Financial Times cover story highlighted local Saudi Arabian success stories—baker chains such as Dopamine, mango farms in Jazan—and presented them as proof that Vision 2030 is paying off. Entrepreneurs, the report continues, now enjoy immediate permits, digital platforms, and better logistics. For many viewers, this is the sign that Saudi Arabia is modernizing […]
Saudi Arabia has been actively attempting the last couple of years to become a world sports and entertainment hub, actively bidding on high-profile international sports events. One such bid is for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Kingdom’s recent track record on implementing public health, governing industry, and protecting human safety, however, puts legitimate doubts […]
Saudi Arabia tends to advertise its affluent cultural heritage, combining centuries-old traditions with contemporary ways of life. A good example is the “sabi”, a ceremony seven days after the birth of a child. This ceremony includes prayer for the good health of the newborn, symbolic rituals such as shaving the baby, sharing food with neighbors, […]