Regional
Saudi’s new airline Riyadh Air debuts livery at Paris air show
Saudi Arabian start-up Riyadh Air has displayed its livery for the first time in public at this week’s Paris air show.
Presented on a static display, on a Boeing 787-9, this was the first glimpse of the Saudi government’s newest airline which will take to the skies in 2025.
Saudi unveiled Riyadh Air in March and said it aims to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030 – rivaling other Middle East giants including Emirates and Qatar.
The airline has already placed a commitment for up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Alongside its 787 commitment, the airline is also working on a major narrowbody aircraft order which Riyadh Air chief executive Tony Douglas said will be finalized in the not too distant future.
It has been speculated the order could be announced either at this week’s show or the Dubai air show in November.
Emirates, Qatar and recently Turkish airlines are now leading in the movement of passengers who intend to travel between Asia, Europe, Africa and North America, and their home airports are more than connecting flights with beaches, amusement parks, first-class shops and luxury hotels. The countries also offer the possibility of Easy Access to flight gates and have become tourist destinations.
Saudi Arabia has its existing Saudi Airlines but with Riyadh Airlines it hopes to increase revenue substantially.
Riyadh Airlines is not expected to replace Saudi Airlines in any way but will continue to focus on transporting Hajj pilgrims.
The new airline will be based out of King Salman International Airport which will reportedly be able to handle 120 million passengers a year by 2030 – 30% more than the current capacity of Dubai airport.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad on Friday on his first official visit to Pakistan, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Geo News reported.
He was received by Prime Minister Sharif and senior officials, with his aircraft escorted by Pakistan Air Force jets upon entering Pakistani airspace. The UAE president is accompanied by a high-level delegation.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visit aims to review bilateral relations and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that the country will continue developing missiles over the next five years, following visits to major munitions enterprises in the last quarter of 2025, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
Kim said the country’s missile and shell production sector is “of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrence,” according to KCNA.
The report said Kim ratified draft documents on the modernization of key munitions enterprises, which will be submitted to a major ruling party congress expected to be held in early 2026. The congress is set to outline North Korea’s development plan for the next five years.
KCNA’s report follows Thursday’s disclosure that Kim oversaw the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter, widely seen as a potential successor, as well as the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles.
Turkish authorities have detained 115 suspected Daesh members they said were planning to carry out attacks on Christmas and New Year celebrations in the country, the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.
Istanbul Police obtained information that Daesh members had planned attacks in Turkey, against non-Muslims in particular, during Christmas and New Year celebrations, the prosecutor’s office posted on X, Reuters reported.
The police raided 124 places in Istanbul, capturing 115 of the 137 suspects they were seeking, the statement said. Several pistols and ammunition were seized, it said.
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