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, […]
Saudi Arabia has courted international attention for decades by commissioning giant events and grand development projects and marketing itself as an emerging venue for global sports, tourism, and culture. But behind the glitter exists a dark reality: a series of human rights abuses, suppression of free expression, and political detentions. The arrest of Yemeni reporter […]
Saudi Arabia staged world-famous opera Carmen for the first time at Riyadh’s King Fahad Cultural Center recently, a milestone cooperation with the China National Opera House. The show, as part of the Saudi-China Cultural Year marking 35 years of diplomatic ties, attracted more than 2,500 guests and officials. Global media hailed the performance as a […]
The announcement that Saudi Arabia is to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 ignited the world with controversy. While FIFA maintains the Kingdom will stage a “world-class” tournament, critics point to the country’s dismal human rights record, ongoing repression of freedoms, and bleak ties to transnational drug trafficking networks. Recent reports of Saudi involvement in […]
The FIFA World Cup is not an event—it’s the most-viewed football festival in the globe, which unites billions of supporters worldwide. With such a stature, FIFA owes a moral responsibility to make its host nations reflect integrity, security, and values that move the heart of the game. Based on recent news, it becomes more evident […]