Saudi Arabia’s first alcohol store has opened in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, accessible to non-Muslim diplomats. While it only affects a select group, it’s a big change for the highly conservative Muslim kingdom, where alcohol has been banned since 1952 after a Saudi prince murdered a British diplomat in a drunken rage. … Read more
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks with workers while visiting CS Wind, the largest wind tower manufacturer in the world, in Pueblo, Colorado, U.S., November 29, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything … Read more
A Saudi doctor saw his fortune close in on $12 billion on Thursday as shares of his healthcare firm rebounded, returning him to the ranks of the Middle East’s wealthiest private individuals. Shares in Sulaiman Al Habib’s eponymous company have surged 30% since hitting a one-year low in October. That’s made Al Habib — who … Read more
A customer visits a supermarket in San Mateo, California, on Dec. 12, 2023. Li Jianguo | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what … Read more
Spirits on display in a UK bar in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Matthew Horwood | Getty Images News | Getty Images Saudi Arabia has opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC. The news, which has not been officially confirmed by the Saudi government, marks a major … Read more
Al HUDAYDAH, YEMEN – JULY 17: Yemen’s replacement oil tanker Nautica floats over its arrival to Al Hudaydah port in the Red Sea on July 17, 2023 in Hudaydah, Yemen. The United Nations handed over the replacement vessel Nautica to the Sana’a government to transfer the crude oil from the deteriorating supertanker to prevent a … Read more
Ronnie O’Sullivan poses with the trophy after winning against Judd Trump on day 7 of the 2024 Spreadex World Grand Prix at Morningside Arena on January 21, 2024 in Leicester, England. Tai Chengzhe | Visual China Group | Getty Images Saudi Arabia will hold its first major invitational snooker event in March as the kingdom … Read more
Jordan Henderson acknowledges the crowd after the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Ettifaq and Damak at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on Sept. 2, 2023 in Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Francois Nel | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images England international Jordan Henderson abruptly ended his playing time in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, dealing a … Read more
Democrats in the House of Representatives are discussing asking President Joe Biden for the resignation of Brett McGurk, his deeply controversial Middle East adviser, according to a Democratic lawmaker and a senior congressional aide. Led by progressives who see McGurk as driving a counterproductive Middle East policy with an unacceptable human rights toll, the effort … Read more
The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. International arrivals to the region grew in the fourth quarter of 2023 — mainly owing to an increase in visitors to Saudi Arabia — to a level that matched 2019 numbers, according to the travel data company ForwardKeys. But it’s a far cry … Read more
