Ahmed Al Omran

  • ☎️ Saudi Arabia will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Iran, Crown Prince tells Pezeshkian in telephone call —SPA

  • 🚨 FT scoop — Neom review nears completion: The Line to be redesigned, region to shift focus to “industrial” sectors including AI data centres.

  • 🚨 Saudi media steps up attacks on UAE as Gulf rift deepens.

  • Unpacking some old boxes and found these two issues of Newsweek’s Arabic edition from more 20 years ago on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq.

    Cover of Newsweek Arabic magazine from 18 March 2003Cover of Newsweek Arabic magazine from 25 March 2003

  • 🚨 Trump Organization announces golf course and hotel in Diriyah in first collaboration with PIF-owned company.

  • 🎢 My latest story: Saudi Arabia opens $1 billion Six Flags theme park in Qiddiya as the kingdom pushes ahead with megaprojects.

  • 🚨 Saudi Arabia accuses UAE of smuggling out Yemeni separatist leader.

  • 🚨 Saudi Arabia launches new air strikes on southern Yemen as STC leader fails to travel to Riyadh for talks aimed at ending the crisis.

  • 🚨 Saudi Arabia launches air strike on Yemen’s Mukalla port, accuses UAE of “pressuring” separatist southern group to conduct military operations on the kingdom’s borders.

  • Saudi complaints over social security benefits lead to arrests and fines

    The Saudi General Authority of Media Regulation has taken action against more than 50 people in recent weeks over complaints related to rising cost of living and social security cuts.

    The government says the social safety net remains a “central priority” and that recent amendments to eligibility criteria for social security are meant to ensure the money goes to those who need it the most.

    Human rights groups criticised the arrests and fines, calling them part of “escalating digital crackdowns” where regulation agencies are used as tools to impose censorship. But Saudi media minister Salman al-Dosary, who also chairs the media regulation authority, defended the latest moves and denied that they constitute putting limits on free speech.

    “There will be absolutely no tolerance towards anyone who attempts to use freedom of expression to create chaos in the media or electronic spheres, or use false populist rhetoric to increase their followers count,” he said at a press conference last week.

    Read more in my latest story here.

  • 🚨 Saudi Arabia calls moves by Yemen’s STC “unjustified escalation”, urges the group to withdraw forces from seized provinces —foreign ministry statement.

  • “While Saudi’s reinvention has left scars, in the form of budget overruns and scaled-back projects, the country has breezed through its own 2030 target and is set to generate an estimated 57 per cent of economic output from non-oil activities this year.”

  • Saudi writer Ahmed Abodehman dies at age 76. He was known for his semi-autobiographical novel “La Ceinture”, first published in French by Gallimard in 2000.

    Black and white photo of Saudi write Ahmed Abodehman who died 14 December 2025.Cover of the book “La Ceinture” by Saudi writer Ahmed Abodehman.

  • Saudi Arabia plans expanding access to alcohol with two more liquor stores in Jeddah and Dhahran catering to non-Muslim diplomats and Premium Residency holders.

  • 🚨 Saudi AI firm Humain leads $900 million funding round in US video startup Luma AI.

  • 🚨 US and Saudi Arabia reach deal for rare earths facility in the kingdom.

  • 🚨 Trump says he will approve unprecedented sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during the crown prince visit to the White House today. Other deals covering defence, AI and nuclear energy also on the agenda.

  • 🚨 Saudi royal court confirms that the crown prince has traveled to the US. Talks with Trump to focus on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, statement says.

  • Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner Dar Global unveil plan for luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment.

  • My latest story: Saudi PIF cuts US equity holdings to $19.4 billion in Q3, down from $23.8 billion in Q2 as the fund exits positions in 9 companies, including Visa and Pinterest.

  • Saudi women sign up for belly dancing classes at fitness studios — an activity that many feel compelled to keep secret.

  • Saudi Aramco steps up gas push to power fleets of AI data centres, new industrial hubs and fast-growing cities.

  • FT visual investigation: How the laws of physics and finance hampered The Line of Neom.

  • 🚨 Saudi king appoints Sheikh Salih al-Fawzan as the kingdom’s Grand Mufti —royal decree

  • 🚨 Saudi Arabia in talks with US for defence pact ahead of the crown prince’s visit to the White House next month.

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