It’s a mixed bag for Saudi in the foreign press today, with Iran-Israel tensions, AlUla and Esports making the rounds. The Kingdom and the UAE issuing a joint statement calling for maximum “self-restraint” and warning regional players against the “dire consequences” of war earned coverage from Bloomberg. The statement came following a phone call between Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in which the two discussed Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, CNN sees Riyadh’s Esports World Cup (EWC) as a lifeline to the ailingindustry, featuring the “largest prize pool in esports history” — a USD 60 mn jackpot. The event — which is not funded by the Public Investment Fund — will run for eight weeks, starting late June.

Although not everyone is on the same page: Apex Legends — one of the clubs competing in EWC — will reportedly not be altering its inclusive characters and cosmetics to fit the Kingdom’s cultural norms, the game’s developers have told Kotaku after the tournament faced some backlash over it being hosted in the Kingdom.

ALSO WORTH A SKIM-

  • Bloomberg is out with a travel review and extensive critique of Habitas AlUla’s too-good-to-be-true resort in the desert.
  • The Guardian is out with yet another piece on Saudi women’s rights.
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