About our Saudi Arabia news
Latest news on Saudi Arabia (KSA), covering Saudi Arabian politics, economy, Vision 2030, NEOM, Aramco, oil and OPEC, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), King Salman, Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca and Medina, Hajj and Umrah, Saudi tourism and visas, social reforms and regional relations.
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, which gives the Kingdom a central place in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world. It has more than 35 million residents, including millions of expatriate workers, some of the world's largest oil reserves and the biggest economy in the Arab world. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is the monarch, while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS, serves as prime minister and drives national policy.
Vision 2030, launched in 2016, aims to move the economy beyond oil through tourism, entertainment, mining, technology and investment by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Giga-projects include NEOM, Diriyah, Qiddiya and the Red Sea developments, and Riyadh will host Expo 2030. Some plans, notably parts of NEOM and The Line, have been scaled back or delayed as costs rose. Oil remains central, as Saudi Aramco and OPEC+ production decisions influence global oil prices and the Saudi budget.
Saudi foreign policy balances defence cooperation with the United States, close economic ties with China, a rapprochement with Iran and growing links with Pakistan and Gulf neighbours. Riyadh has said any normalisation with Israel depends on a credible path to Palestinian statehood, while security concerns around Yemen persist. Human rights groups criticise limits on free expression, the use of the death penalty and the treatment of migrant workers. The 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues to shape international debate, while the authorities point to reform and development.
Daily life has changed quickly. Women have been able to drive since 2018, cinemas and concerts have opened, and tourist visas have widened access to the Kingdom. Most Saudis are under 30, and cities from Riyadh and Jeddah to Dammam, Tabuk, Taif, Abha, Jubail, Buraydah and Khamis Mushait are growing fast. The Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages bring well over a million visitors each year, and human interest stories show how Saudis and expatriates experience this fast-changing society.
The first Saudi state was founded at Diriyah in the 18th century, and Abdulaziz Ibn Saud unified the modern Kingdom in 1932. The discovery of oil in 1938 transformed a largely desert economy and led to the creation of Aramco. Today the country balances a conservative Islamic heritage with modernisation, from AlUla and Diriyah's UNESCO-listed sites to new festivals, art and music in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Our ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ feed on Saudi Arabia is constantly updated with the most relevant headlines from reliable sources, giving you a comprehensive and nuanced picture of the Kingdom. Whether you follow geopolitics, oil markets, business, tourism or culture, this feed is your essential source for Saudi Arabia news and Saudi news from across the Kingdom.