Saudi Arabia — country in West Asia
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Thursday, October 8, 2026
Saudi Arabia
country in West Asia
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In brief
Saudi Arabia is set to cancel next year’s Joy Awards as budget cuts and the Iran war prompt the kingdom to reassess spending on entertainment and other high-profile projects. The move follows delays or cutbacks to events and developments tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 ambitions.
The Houthis claimed they struck Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and warned airlines against using Saudi airspace, which they said could become a theater of military operations. The threats come amid escalating fighting in Yemen, including Saudi-backed government forces’ reported advances near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and a Houthi claim that it forced Saudi F-15s to withdraw over Taiz.
Saudi air defenses intercepted Houthi missiles and drones aimed at the south, with debris from a missile damaging buildings and vehicles in Khamis Mushait. Authorities reported no casualties; the attacks came amid a broader escalation that included a strike on a power-distribution station in Madinah.
Saudi Arabia has put the $2.5 billion, 46,000-seat NEOM Stadium for the 2034 World Cup on indefinite hold, with MEED Projects listing no completion date.
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