Startup of the Week: LUI.V: Helping you stand out from the crowd in style

Luai Al-Shareef
Updated 09 July 2019
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Startup of the Week: LUI.V: Helping you stand out from the crowd in style

Ever wanted to stand out from the crowd? Saudi sunglasses brand LUI.V wants to help you achieve just that. 

Each pair of LUI.V sunglasses is a limited-edition piece, making your look more unique.

The sunglasses store was established in May by Saudi human resources student Luai Al-Shareef.

“LUI.V is an abbreviation for Luai Vision: Luai being my name, and vision to show that we are specialized in glasses,” he told Arab News.

The idea of opening his own store began when he started studying business.

“For the past two years, I have been considering starting a business. I generated a lot of ideas, but there was always one obstacle: How can I reach a supplier?

“When I knew how to contact suppliers around the world, I started to think about what business I should start with. I pay attention to my community and which items are trending in the markets. I found that glasses had more demand so I decided to start a sunglasses shop.

“I researched the market and found lots of stores, so I started thinking about how I could be different to all of them. I decided to target a small part of the market: Luxury. Providing luxury sunglasses with unique styles is our niche.”

Al-Shareef and his team designed the logo to look unique and fancy at the same time, with high-quality frames and lenses.

“We want to make our customers feel unique and special when they wear LUI.V sunglasses,” he said.

Keep up with LUI.V on Instagram @luiv.glasses. Orders can be placed on their account, with free delivery in Jeddah.


Saudi Cabinet condemns ‘blatant’ Iranian aggression; affirms Kingdom’s right to respond to threats

Updated 04 March 2026
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Saudi Cabinet condemns ‘blatant’ Iranian aggression; affirms Kingdom’s right to respond to threats

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has warned it reserves the “full right” to respond to Iranian aggression following a series of “blatant and cowardly” strikes targeting the capital and the Eastern Province.

The warning came during a late-night Cabinet session on Tuesday, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman via videoconference, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

During the session, the Cabinet “reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s full solidarity with the brotherly countries whose territories were subjected to blatant Iranian aggression”, signaling a united front against regional threats.

The session followed a dramatic escalation of hostilities, including a direct drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh. 

Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, confirmed that while air defenses intercepted multiple threats, the embassy compound sustained a “limited fire and minor material damage.”

General Al-Malki further announced that Saudi forces successfully intercepted and destroyed eight additional drones targeting the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Tuesday morning.

In a sharp rebuke of the embassy strike, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) cited a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

“The repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior... will push the region toward further escalation,” the Ministry stated, underscoring that these provocations occurred despite Riyadh’s explicit policy of not allowing its airspace or territory to be used as a launchpad for strikes against Iran.

Global condemnation and solidarity

The Cabinet expressed deep appreciation for the wave of international support as world leaders condemned Tehran’s “indiscriminate” behavior.

In a joint show of force, the US and GCC member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) along with Jordan stood united, labeling the strikes a “dangerous escalation” and reaffirming a collective right to self-defense.

Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and India. — including Prime Minister Narendra Modi — voiced strong solidarity with the Kingdom. The UK government confirmed its forces are engaged in “defensive actions” to maintain regional stability.

Amid the heightened military tension, the Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom’s hospitality efforts for GCC citizens currently stranded at Saudi airports due to regional airspace closures. The crown prince reaffirmed that the state would mobilize all capabilities to support brotherly nations in any measures they take to restore regional peace and stability.