The year is 1975, and Saudi Arabia is witnessing an economic boom like no other in its history. In a small garage in Jeddah, on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, two brothers work relentlessly to get their new business venture off the ground: An English-language newspaper.
Some time before, brothers Hisham and Muhammad Hafiz, amid a multitude of pilgrims from across the globe on a pilgrimage to Makkah, realized that a publication in English for these international visitors was an exciting media opportunity.
They began to put in place procedures for this new operation, and on April 20, 1975 they carried bundles of their new paper, sold them to the public and distributed them to supermarkets, grocery outlets and corner stores. Arab News was born.
The brothers could have scarcely imagined that one day the words of their beloved tabloid would be read on the other side of the globe, seconds after a mouse click from an editor in downtown Jeddah.
Today, Arab News is no longer just eight pages or solely focused on covering Saudi Arabia. It has numerous bureaus and staff worldwide, and with its 24-hour digital operation it has a loyal following locally and internationally.
Much has changed since the first Arab News website launched at the turn of the century. Back then, news outlets were desperately trying to understand how the Internet would impact the industry. Publications worldwide saw readers cancel their print subscriptions and opt for free online news sources, forcing many of them out of business.
At Arab News, we now know clearly that failure to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape means harsh consequences. Though technologies and mediums may change, the fundamentals remain. Readers want content that means something to them. They want stories that are told well and add something to their lives. This aspect of the industry will never change.
The paper’s website has also developed over the years, with new features and sections seeking to give a broader choice to readers. Traditionally, news stories would be published on the site after a laborious process to make it print-ready. That has changed.
News waits for no one, and the online operation has shifted to reflect this. Stories are prepared by editors who work for the reader, regardless of where the story ends up — either on dead trees or digital pixels — and will almost certainly be published first online.
Journalists, editors, graphic designers, photographers and digital specialists all collaborate to tell the best story. The digital wing is now indispensable to accomplishing this mission. Breaking news can only be done online. User-generated content is infinitely easier to receive and publish using social channels. And crowdsourcing is a natural fit for digital platforms. So an evolving news space requires the right adjustments.
Arab News is constantly adapting to the needs of its readership, so it was crucial to enhance the offering on social media. Readers more often than not start their interaction with stories on these sites. The Arab News brand has received a strong response from fans on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, where it is on the cusp of welcoming its 5 millionth fan.
Arab News continues to invest in the things that matter most: Content, staff and its digital future. For a publication that seeks to analyze and explain an interesting and at times complicated region, this is welcome news for its readers.
To this day, Arab News remains the pride of its parent company, the Saudi Research and Marketing Group — one of the largest media companies in the Middle East — as it sits alongside well-known Arabic publications including Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Eqtisadiah and Sayidaty in the company’s roster of brands. Whatever the next 42 years hold for the popular Arab News, its steady and determined evolution would have made the founders proud.
Blazing a new trail on the digital landscape
Blazing a new trail on the digital landscape
Saudi Fashion Commission, French luxury giant to award sustainable startups
- Finalists will undergo mentorship and workshops to refine their key performance indicators and pitching skills
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission and France-based luxury conglomerate Kering have announced a competition to discover and support innovative startups making a meaningful impact on sustainability within the fashion industry.
The initiative, Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia, will foster circular innovation, focusing on key themes such as customer engagement, the circular economy, and water protection.
The application process is now open to startups based in or expanding into Saudi Arabia. By December, 20 finalists will be shortlisted to participate in a boot camp in Riyadh.
Finalists will undergo mentorship and workshops to refine their key performance indicators and pitching skills, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The top 10 proposals will move to the jury evaluation phase, judged on innovation, sustainability, and commercial potential.
The competition will culminate in an awards ceremony in January in Riyadh, where the top three winners will be announced.
The winners will receive a 10-day mentorship trip to Paris with Kering’s sustainability teams and the opportunity to showcase their innovations at the ChangeNow Summit 2025.
The launch follows a strategic memorandum of understanding between the commission and Kering, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s broader vision to promote sustainable practices in the fashion sector.
CEO of the commission Burak Çakmak said: “This initiative reflects our commitment to driving innovation and building a sustainable future for fashion in Saudi Arabia.”
Kering’s chief sustainability officer, Marie-Claire Daveu, added: “Through this partnership, we aim to inspire the next generation and foster impactful change in the Saudi fashion ecosystem.”
The collaboration highlights Saudi Arabia’s dedication to creating a sustainable and innovative fashion industry aligned with global standards.
Saudi project clears 614 Houthi mines in Yemen
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 614 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included three anti-personnel mines, 36 anti-tank mines, 574 unexploded ordnances and one explosive device, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 469,576 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.
Kingdom launches new framework to standardize digital services
- The initiative aims to unify platform designs, ensuring a seamless and consistent digital user experience
- The event gathered dignitaries, digital transformation leaders from public and private sectors, and key stakeholders
RIYADH: The Digital Government Authority has launched the Platform Code, a national framework for designing and developing government platform interfaces in Saudi Arabia.
Unveiled during an event in Riyadh, the initiative aims to unify platform designs, ensuring a seamless and consistent digital user experience.
The event gathered dignitaries, digital transformation leaders from public and private sectors, and key stakeholders.
Ahmed Al-Suwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, said that the Platform Code aligns with local and global digital standards.
He described it as a critical step toward comprehensive digital transformation, enhancing compliance, and fostering efficient and impactful services aligned with Saudi Arabia’s strategic digital goals.
The Platform Code, an open-source design system, integrates coding frameworks, design tools, and community guidelines, enabling rapid development of unified user experiences. It allows designers and developers to address specific needs using pre-built assets.
The authority also unveiled the Saudi Digital Strategy, focused on growing the digital economy and expanding opportunities for public and private sector products.
Other initiatives included the Digital Transformation Ambassador program, fostering an integrated digital community, and the Scene Program, promoting holistic user experiences locally and globally through advanced frameworks and tools.
Committed to advancing digital governance, the authority aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in innovative digital services.
It leverages cutting-edge technologies like AI and emerging tech while offering consultancy programs and fostering leadership in digital transformation.
These efforts contribute to Vision 2030’s goals of enhanced service quality and economic growth.
KSrelief distributes shelter kits in Afghanistan and Somalia
RIYADH: Hundreds of shelter kits have been distributed to people in Afghanistan and Somalia by Saudi aid agency KSrelief, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Over the weekend, 200 kits were handed out as part of a project to help Afghan returnees from Pakistan and those affected by floods.
The project will provide 4,882 in total containing tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other essential supplies to almost 30,000 people in need across 13 Afghan provinces.
In Somalia, 1,000 shelter kits, 1,000 clothing parcels, and 80 tents were given to displaced people in the Banadir region, benefitting 6,000 people.
KSrelief distributes aid to most needy in Lebanon, Chad and Syria
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered more aid to those most in need in Lebanon, Chad and Syria, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
In Chari-Baguirmi, Chad, the agency delivered 1,600 food parcels that benefitted 9,600 people. A further 333 food aid parcels and 333 hygiene kits were distributed in the Idlib region of Syria to help 1,998 individuals from 333 families who were affected by last year’s devastating earthquake.
And in Lebanon, winter clothing vouchers were given to 300 orphans and people with special needs in Akkar governorate. These will help them buy clothing for the forthcoming winter.
