logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
18m 19s

Is Saudi Arabia softening its alcohol ba...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

An alcohol shop for diplomats has opened in Saudi Arabia. It’s a significant move in a country that has banned alcohol for over 70 years.

Some believe in order to transform the tourism economy it is a sign of things to come. In the meantime, Riyadh has become known for making some of the best non-alcohol cocktails in the world.

Is this a small policy change, or does it signal a wider relaxation of the rules? We hear from young Saudis about the generational divide in a country trying to change its image.

(Picture: A bartender prepares a non-alcoholic cocktail in a bar in Riyadh. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

Up next
Jul 10
Business Daily meets: Max Levchin
The fintech entrepreneur tells us about co-founding PayPal, and how an embarrassing personal moment when trying to buy a car, led him to start the buy now, pay later company Affirm.Produced and presented by Leanna Byrne(Image: PayPal Co-Founder & Affirm CEO Max Levchin in 2019. C ... Show More
17m 34s
Jul 9
The impact of 'thirsty' data centres
We're in the US state of Georgia, where huge data centres need water to keep cool. But how is this need for cloud storage and AI capability affecting local residents and the environment?Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez(Image: Georgia resident Beverly Morris l ... Show More
17m 50s
Jul 8
Does university still get you a well-paid job?
Graduates are facing one of the toughest jobs markets in decades. We hear from students in India, the US and UK about whether they feel a university or college degree is worth it as we discuss the cost of attending university around the world and what your job prospects might be ... Show More
17m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
La vigne en Turquie : beaucoup de raisin, peu de vin
Avec 480.000 hectares cultivés, la Turquie possède la cinquième plus grande superficie viticole au monde. Si la plupart des Turcs ne consomment pas d'alcool pour des raisons religieuses, le pays possède une longue tradition viticole, bénéficiant d'un climat idéal pour la viticult ... Show More
19m 30s
Nov 2018
Making Better Cocktails w/ Tom Walker | Ep. 122
Although, there has never been a better time for cocktails than today, there are still way too many bad drinks being sold to unwitting guests. Is this just the way that things are or is there a better way to move forward as an industry? Tune in as we are joined by world-renowned ... Show More
25m 57s
Feb 2016
Saudi Arabia
The UK's ties with Saudi Arabia have come under growing strain in recent months over how to balance human rights concerns with the government's desire to promote a crucial trade and investment relationship. The Arab state sits on more than a quarter of the world's known oil reser ... Show More
27m 45s
Feb 2024
Why living Alcohol-Free unlocks High Performance, with Ruari Fairbairns (One Year No Beer) (E239)
Ruari Fairbairns is the founder of One Year No Beer, an initiative that provides challenges, coaching programmes, courses and support to anyone who's looking to change their relationship with alcohol. OYNB uses cutting-edge behaviour change science, a robust technology platform a ... Show More
45m 19s