Spectacular lineup revealed for Riyadh Season 2025

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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, revealed a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (Supplied)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, revealed a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (Supplied)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, reveals a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, reveals a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, reveals a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, reveals a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, reveals a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)
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Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, revealed a bold lineup for Riyadh Season 2025 on Sunday. (Supplied)
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Updated 05 October 2025
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Spectacular lineup revealed for Riyadh Season 2025

  • New season — set to begin on Friday, Oct. 10 — would feature an expanded range of entertainment zones
  • There will also be record-breaking sporting events and large-scale cultural celebrations

RIYADH: A bold lineup had been revealed on Sunday for Riyadh Season 2025, with a range events which will reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a key destination for leisure and entertainment.

Announcing the program on Sunday, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, said the new season — set to begin on Friday, Oct. 10 — would feature an expanded range of entertainment zones, record-breaking sporting events and large-scale cultural celebrations.

Among the highlights will be new international zones at Boulevard World offering immersive cultural experiences inspired by Kuwait, South Korea and Indonesia.

The new additions reflect Riyadh Season’s growing global scope and commitment to fostering international cultural exchange.

One of the most highly anticipated new attractions is Beast Land, developed in collaboration with global influencer MrBeast, one of the world’s leading content creators. The zone will include more than 40 retail and dining outlets, adventure gardens and daily competitions.

The zone is expected to be one of the season’s major draws, with MrBeast set to attend the zone’s grand opening.

Riyadh Season 2025 will also host a series of world-class sporting and entertainment events, including the Six Kings Slam Tennis Championship, the Ring IV boxing card, the prestigious Joy Awards and the Jewelry Salon exhibition.

In a historic first, the WWE Royal Rumble will be held in January 2026, marking its debut outside North America and underlining Riyadh’s growing role as a global sporting hub.

On the business front, the Joy Forum on Oct. 16-17 will bring together leading entertainment executives and professionals for high-level discussions, networking and industry partnerships.

Meanwhile, Via Riyadh will host “Ana Arabia,” a cultural celebration dedicated to Arab heritage, creativity and identity which will feature art, music and performances.

Riyadh Season 2025 aligns with the Kingdom’s broader cultural and economic transformation, fostering investment in the entertainment sector and supporting Saudi talent.

The upcoming season places strong emphasis on combining local creativity with global expertise, ensuring visitors experience both international quality and authentic Saudi character.


Saudi researchers develop AI system for camel herders

Updated 14 November 2025
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Saudi researchers develop AI system for camel herders

  • AI-powered drone system can recognize and track camels from the air 
  • Prof. Basem Shihada and his team at KAUST developed the low-cost system

RIYADH: A research team at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has created a low-cost, AI-powered drone system that can recognize and track camels from the air.

The system promises an affordable option for camel herders to continue one of Saudi Arabia’s oldest labors and for scientists to learn more about camel migration patterns and habits, according to a KAUST press release.

Created by Professor Basem Shihada and his labmates, the system uses inexpensive commercial drones and cameras to enable camel herders to track their camels in real time without relying on expensive GPS collars or satellite connections.

The team used a single drone-mounted camera to capture aerial footage of small camel herds in Saudi Arabia, then trained their AI model using machine learning. The model revealed new insights into the animals’ behaviors.

“We found their migration patterns were not random but showed identifiable patterns,” said KAUST scientist Chun Pong Lau, who was also involved in the project.

The release added that camels, especially elders, showed coordinated grazing migration, covering long distances throughout the day, but always returned to their herder by sunset. They also showed high sensitivity to the drone’s sound, which is why the KAUST scientists kept the drone at least 120 meters above the ground.

For centuries, camels have been central to Arabian life by providing transport, food and a cultural link to the desert. Today, they contribute more than SR2 billion ($534 million) annually to the Saudi economy through industries such as food, textiles and tourism.

However, herding remains a challenge, with camels roaming up to 50 km a day across isolated terrain. This mobility often leads to road accidents, overgrazing and loss of livestock.

As a next step, Shihada and his colleagues plan to collect video of larger camel herds of more heterogeneous sizes and colors to train their AI system for higher performance.