iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 30/07/2026

Saudi Arabia announces maritime defence coalition as Houthi attacks threaten Red Sea route.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 30/07/2026

📉 Saudi GDP shrank by 4.8% in Q2 as the US-Israeli war on Iran takes its toll on the Arab world’s largest economy.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 25/07/2026

Saudi-led coalition launches strikes against Houthi sites in Hodeida after the Iran-backed rebels target tankers in the Red Sea.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 23/07/2026

Trump says nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia contingent on joining the Abraham Accords, no enrichment.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 23/07/2026

🔺 Oil jumps to $97 after Houthis attack two Saudi oil tankers.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 22/07/2026

⚛️ Saudi Arabia and the US agree landmark nuclear energy pact.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 18/07/2026

🇸🇦 Saudi civil defence issues warnings for threats over al-Kharj and Yanbu as Iran expands attacks across the Gulf. 🇰🇼 Kuwait suffers one of the most intense nights since the conflict began 🇧🇭 Bahrain repeatedly targeted

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 13/07/2026

Yemen’s Houthi rebels accuse Saudi Arabia of striking Sana’a airport and vow to retaliate, threatening to unravel a four-year truce between the kingdom and the Iran-backed group. www.ft.com/content/cf774813-aed0-48…

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 02/07/2026

Counter-point: Arab football commentators like Chaouali are unnecessarily loud and shouty, often try to manufacture drama that sometimes does not exist

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 18/06/2026

Saudi PIF warns that EU regulations are “hurting” international investors and preventing them from injecting more money into Europe.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 11/06/2026

🇸🇦🇱🇧 Saudi Arabia lifts ban on Lebanese imports to help stabilise the fragile state at a critical period as the Salam government struggles to rein in Hizbollah and Israel launches daily strikes on the country.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 04/06/2026

Saudi Arabia’s PIF embarks on leadership overhaul at some of its companies, replacing foreign executives with local talent as the fund tightens spending and shifts focus towards domestic projects ahead of hosting Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 27/05/2026

🕋 30,000 Iranian pilgrims travelled to Saudi Arabia on 131 flights for this year’s Hajj 🔢 That is roughly one-third of the country’s regular quota of 86,000 pilgrims 💵 Iranian officials attributed the shortfall to the war and restrictions caused by US sanctions on fund transfers

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 05/05/2026

🚨 Saudi military spending increases by 26% in Q1 2026 as the kingdom defends itself against Iranian attacks.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 10/04/2026

AI models from Google, OpenAI and Anthropic lost money betting on football matches over a Premier League season.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 03/04/2026

📺 Unclear whether a final decision has been made to air the show. MBC initially announced that the first episode of the series would be released TODAY, but a label on the show’s listing now only says “coming soon”.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 03/04/2026

🚨 My latest: Long-delayed Saudi TV series about diplomats who were held hostage in Iran is being revived as ties between Riyadh and Tehran sour.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 02/04/2026

🔀 Gulf states consider new oil pipelines to avoid Strait of Hormuz as the strategic value of Saudi Arabia’s 1,200km East-West pipeline became clear during this war.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 27/03/2026

❌ Saudi Arabia terminates two major construction contracts for Trojena ski resort.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 26/03/2026

🏎️ Ferrari flies personalised supercars to super-rich Middle East buyers as the war in Iran threatens demand and sea freight is disrupted.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 17/03/2026

New by me and Andrew England: Gulf leaders opposed a strike, but they are now caught between wanting the conflict to end and fear that — if Trump suddenly stops — the war will leave a wounded, emboldened and more hardline Iran.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 10/03/2026

Saudi Aramco is the world’s biggest oil producer and is responsible for about a tenth of global supply. The company’s CEO today warned of “catastrophic consequences” for the world economy if the US-Iran war drags on.

ft.com

Saudi Aramco warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ if Iran war drags on

Oil producer is racing to restore 70% of normal shipments, says CEO

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 06/03/2026

🚨 Qatar’s energy minister warns the war could “bring down the economies of the world”, predicting that all Gulf energy exporters would shut down production within weeks and drive oil to $150 a barrel.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 03/03/2026

🔊 I was on @financialtimes.com News Briefing podcast this morning to talk about the first few days of the US-Iranian conflict in the Gulf www.ft.com/content/68ea...

ft.com

Gulf states caught in the middle of US-Iran conflict

American allies including Saudi Arabia are trying to withstand the Islamic republic’s retaliatory strikes

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 02/03/2026

Israeli intelligence had information about Khamenei’s location from hacked traffic cameras and deeply penetrated mobile phone networks. The Americans had something even more concrete — a human source.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 01/03/2026

Back from paternity leave. What’d I miss?

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 28/01/2026

☎️ Saudi Arabia will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Iran, Crown Prince tells Pezeshkian in telephone call —SPA

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 25/01/2026

🚨 FT scoop — Neom review nears completion: The Line to be redesigned, region to shift focus to “industrial” sectors including AI data centres.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 21/01/2026

🚨 Saudi media steps up attacks on UAE as Gulf rift deepens.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 15/01/2026

Unpacking some old boxes and found these two issues of Newsweek’s Arabic edition from more 20 years ago on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq.

Cover of Newsweek Arabic magazine from 18 March 2003

Cover of Newsweek Arabic magazine from 25 March 2003

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 11/01/2026

🚨 Trump Organization announces golf course and hotel in Diriyah in first collaboration with PIF-owned company.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 11/01/2026

🎢 My latest story: Saudi Arabia opens $1 billion Six Flags theme park in Qiddiya as the kingdom pushes ahead with megaprojects.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 08/01/2026

🚨 Saudi Arabia accuses UAE of smuggling out Yemeni separatist leader.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 07/01/2026

🚨 Saudi Arabia launches new air strikes on southern Yemen as STC leader fails to travel to Riyadh for talks aimed at ending the crisis.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 30/12/2025

🚨 Saudi Arabia launches air strike on Yemen’s Mukalla port, accuses UAE of “pressuring” separatist southern group to conduct military operations on the kingdom’s borders.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 29/12/2025

Saudi complaints over social security benefits lead to arrests and fines: blog.alomran.me/2025/12/29/saudi-co…

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 29/12/2025

Saudi complaints over social security benefits lead to arrests and fines: blog.alomran.me/2025/12/29/saudi-co…

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 25/12/2025

🚨 Saudi Arabia calls moves by Yemen’s STC “unjustified escalation”, urges the group to withdraw forces from seized provinces —foreign ministry statement.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 24/12/2025

“While Saudi’s reinvention has left scars, in the form of budget overruns and scaled-back projects, the country has breezed through its own 2030 target and is set to generate an estimated 57 per cent of economic output from non-oil activities this year.”

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 14/12/2025

Saudi writer Ahmed Abodehman dies at age 76. He was known for his semi-autobiographical novel “La Ceinture”, first published in French by Gallimard in 2000.

Black and white photo of Saudi write Ahmed Abodehman who died 14 December 2025.

Cover of the book “La Ceinture” by Saudi writer Ahmed Abodehman.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 26/11/2025

Saudi Arabia plans expanding access to alcohol with two more liquor stores in Jeddah and Dhahran catering to non-Muslim diplomats and Premium Residency holders.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 19/11/2025

🚨 Saudi AI firm Humain leads $900 million funding round in US video startup Luma AI.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 19/11/2025

🚨 US and Saudi Arabia reach deal for rare earths facility in the kingdom.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 18/11/2025

🚨 Trump says he will approve unprecedented sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during the crown prince visit to the White House today. Other deals covering defence, AI and nuclear energy also on the agenda.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 17/11/2025

Trump’s family business and its Saudi partner Dar Global unveil plan for luxury Maldives resort that uses blockchain technology to attract investment.

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Ahmed Al Omran @alomran.me · 16/11/2025

My latest story: Saudi PIF cuts US equity holdings to $19.4 billion in Q3, down from $23.8 billion in Q2 as the fund exits positions in 9 companies, including Visa and Pinterest.

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