Episode 95! Following several weeks of amazing special guests on the program (with many more to come in the weeks and months ahead) the hosts fly solo this week and discuss some of the biggest storylines and topics on Saudi Arabia this week. First, the hosts discuss Richard's one big thing this week, the Islamic new year. Muslims around the world observe and celebrate the Islamic New Year, also called the Hijri New Year, which marks the beginning of a new lunar Hijri year. The Islamic year is several days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, so its first day changes every year. Then the hosts discuss Lucien's one big thing, a global heat wave that has areas of the Middle East breaking records. On July 16, 2023, Persian Gulf International Airport in Iran reported a heat index of 152°F (66.7°C). In Riyadh this week, high temps are hovering around 115 degrees or so, which is about 46 degrees celsius. The hosts conclude the program as always with six top storylines on Saudi Arabia to get you up to speed heading into the weekend. 

7:47 - Richard's one big thing this week is a discussion of the Islamic new year. Muslims around the world observe and celebrate the Islamic New Year, also called the Hijri New Year, which marks the beginning of a new lunar Hijri year. The Islamic year is several days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, so its first day changes every year.

15:45 - Lucien's one big thing, a global heat wave that has areas of the Middle East breaking records. On July 16, 2023, Persian Gulf International Airport in Iran reported a heat index of 152°F (66.7°C). In Riyadh this week, high temps are hovering around 115 degrees or so, which is about 46 degrees celsius.

27:06 - Yallah! Six top storylines on Saudi Arabia to get you up to date heading into the weekend. 

•Saudi Arabia was the most active country for contract awards in a recent MEED survey for 2022. 

•Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to buy Turkish drones in the biggest defence contract in Turkey's history as President Tayyip Erdogan reaped the benefits of his diplomatic push to repair ties with Gulf powers and help Ankara's struggling economy. 

•Saudi Arabia was considered the 28th best country to live in as an expat and the United States ranked 30th, according to the Expat Insider 2023.

•The Japanese premier, Fumio Kishida, kicked off his Gulf tour over the weekend with a stop in Saudi Arabia.

•An official from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed to Al-Monitor that work has begun on a land bridge project connecting the country to Saudi Arabia, and that it will operate even if diplomatic ties between the two countries are not officially normalized.

•Saudi Arabia was announced as the host of the 2027 Pan Arab Games at the conclusion of this year’s  multi-sport event in Algeria.