Heavy Rains Cause Major Flooding Across Saudi Arabia

A burst of heavy rain has hit Saudi Arabia, especially affecting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as Jeddah, Jazan, and surrounding regions. Streets turned into rivers, cars and buses got trapped or swept away, and highways flooded, causing major traffic chaos. The National Center for Meteorology issued red alerts for Mecca [...]

Saudi Arabia’s Water Strategy Progress

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s driest countries, with very little rainfall and scarce water in rivers and lakes. Both green water (soil moisture) and blue water (surface water) are extremely limited. Despite this, Saudi Arabia has become a global leader in managing water resources. Between 2020 and 2023, its water management score improved [...]

No Free Speech Or Protests In Saudi Arabia

The right to protest and freedom of speech are highly restricted in Saudi Arabia. The government penalizes those who express dissenting opinions, especially online. An example is the blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for establishing an online forum for political discussion. Although he was released in [...]

Saudi Arabia Uses Executions To Silence Dissent

In 2025, Saudi Arabia carried out a record number of executions, at least 241 by August 5, many without fair trials, according to Human Rights Watch and the Middle East Democracy Center. This includes the execution of journalist Turki al-Jasser on June 14 for allegedly “terrorist” acts, though no evidence was provided. Al-Jasser had exposed [...]

Drug Offenses Fuel Saudi Executions

Saudi Arabia is conducting more executions than in decades, but predominantly of drug smugglers who are associated with Captagon, a synthetic or chemical drug that is widely used in the Middle East. From early 2025, of 217 executions, 144 were drug-related. Captagon is used predominantly by rich young Saudis but distributed by poor immigrant dealers, [...]

Saudi Arabia Uses Travel Bans To Silence Activists

Saudi Arabia is banning many of its citizens, especially activists, from leaving the country in what human rights groups call a cruel way to silence criticism. Women’s rights activists like Loujain al-Hathloul and Maryam al-Otaibi are among those affected, with long travel bans placed on them and sometimes their family members. These bans often follow [...]

Saudi ‘Sleeping Prince’ Dies After 20 Years In Coma

The House of Saud is the royal family that rules Saudi Arabia. It started in the 1700s with Muhammad bin Saud. The country of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Abdulaziz Al Saud. Since then, his sons and grandsons have ruled. The family is very rich and powerful, mainly because of the country’s oil. [...]

Saudi Arabia’s Spike In Drug Executions

Saudi Arabia has executed almost 600 people for drug-related crimes in the past 10 years, with most being foreign nationals from countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Yemen, and Syria. After pausing these executions between 2021 and 2022, the country resumed them at a record pace, 122 were carried out in 2024, and 118 more by [...]

Unsafe Conditions For Migrant Workers In Saudi Arabia

Many migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are dying in preventable workplace accidents, such as falls, electrocution, and heat-related incidents, especially with the growing construction for the 2034 FIFA World Cup and other large projects. Authorities have been criticized for failing to protect workers, investigate deaths properly, or ensure fair and timely compensation to families. In [...]

Saudi Unemployment Hits Record Low Amid Rising Workforce Participation

Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate dropped to a record low of 2.8% in the first quarter of 2025, down 0.7% from the previous quarter and the same time last year. Labor force participation rose to 68.2%, driven by efforts under Vision 2030 to boost jobs and economic growth. Among Saudis, unemployment fell to 6.3%, while participation [...]

Go to Top