DAVOS, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 21, 2026--
The Saudi delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 today observed a series of announcements aimed at addressing urgent global challenges.
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Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026, bringing together global leaders, scientists, and investors to drive solutions for the protection and recovery of coral reef ecosystems.
The summit will address key challenges and policy and regulatory gaps, develop science-based solutions, and advance sustainable financing and investment mechanisms to scale coral reef protection and recovery.
Building on the call for constructive dialogue in an era of fragmentation, His Excellency Ahmed A. Alkhateeb, Minister of Tourism, said: “Tourism brings peace at a time when it’s needed – connecting people and encouraging dialogue. Tourism growth is good for peace, it’s good for people, good for youth, and good for women.”
On the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a global hub for AI, His Excellency Abdullah A. Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, commented: “Saudi Vision 2030 was about economic diversification and empowering youth. Fast forward to today and we've achieved 56% non-oil contribution to GDP, and in terms of talent and youth, our tech force has increased dramatically.”
Earlier in the day, HUMAIN and the National Infrastructure Fund (“Infra”) announced a Strategic Financing Framework Agreement of up to $1.2 billion to support the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. The agreement outlines non-binding financing terms for HUMAIN’s development of up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI data center capacity.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 Presidency also launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions’ Council. This high-level coalition brings together CEOs, sustainability leaders, investors, and policymakers to accelerate land restoration, combat land degradation, and strengthen drought resilience.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM), in collaboration with WEF, announced the Lighthouse Operating System, a country-level framework designed to accelerate manufacturing transformation. Developed in partnership with WEF’s Advanced Manufacturing and Production Centre (AMPC), this initiative aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, build robust non-oil industries, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics.
MIM and WEF announced a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum, which took place the week before the WEF Annual Meeting. The agreement runs until September 2027 and aims to unify efforts to strengthen partnerships around critical minerals required for energy and other technologies, contributing to the assurance of resilient, sustainable, and responsible mineral supplies aligned with industrial objectives and the energy transition. According to the agreement, the initiative will be overseen by a joint executive committee comprising representatives from the ministry and WEF.
*Source:AETOSWire
Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America, announced at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting that Saudi Arabia will host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in 2026 (Photo: AETOSWire)
NEW YORK (AP) — The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two top prospects to the Brewers.
Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams.
Peralta gives the Mets a frontline starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a disappointing 2025 season. The move came hours after the Mets formally introduced free agent addition Bo Bichette at Citi Field, and one night after they obtained talented center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.
Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He earned his second All-Star selection after getting his first nod in 2021.
The 29-year-old Peralta hasn't been on the injured list since 2022, when the right-hander was sidelined by a strained lat and later elbow inflammation. He's set to make $8 million this season and can become a free agent following the World Series. He is the latest former Brewers player acquired by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23.
Myers, 27, was 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA as a rookie in 2024 before going 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 22 appearances last year as Milwaukee won its third consecutive division title and advanced to the NL Championship Series.
Peralta's departure marks the third straight offseason in which the cost-conscious Brewers have traded a star pitcher entering the final year of his contract.
Two years ago, they dealt 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to Baltimore for infielder Joey Ortiz and left-hander DL Hall. Ortiz was Milwaukee’s starting third baseman in 2024 and moved over to shortstop last year, while Hall has gone 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 33 appearances over the past two seasons.
Last winter, the Brewers sent two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to the New York Yankees for left-hander Nestor Cortes and third baseman Caleb Durbin, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting during his debut season in Milwaukee.
“These decisions are always tough," Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. "We loved having Freddy Peralta here and everything he meant to this franchise. I just had an emotional call with him. He means a lot to us and he’s always going to be part of our Brewers family. Same thing goes for Tobias Myers.”
Burnes and Williams both spent just one season with the teams that acquired them from Milwaukee before signing elsewhere in free agency. Burnes agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract with Arizona before the 2025 season, and Williams signed a $51 million, three-year deal with the Mets last month.
Although the Brewers won’t have Peralta to lead their rotation, they do bring back two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff, who accepted the team's $22,025,000 qualifying offer to stay in Milwaukee. Woodruff went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA last year after returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for all of 2024.
The Brewers also should get a full season from flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski as they chase a fourth straight NL Central crown. Misiorowski got called up last June and went 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 innings, earning an All-Star Game selection as a rookie.
AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
FILE - Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta walks to the dugout after the top of the fifth inning in Game 2 of baseball's National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oct. 14, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
David Stearns, President of Baseball Operations for the New York Mets, speaks during an introductory press conference for Bo Bichette, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
