Princess Mashael bint Saud Al Shalan joins The 966, Saudis rush to theaters to See 'Barbie', an update on The Line and more...

The 966

Episode 99! Princess Mashael bint Saud Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, Aeon Strategy, joins The 966 to discuss her work heading one of the leading consultancies in Saudi Arabia in the field of sustainability. Aeon Strategy played a key role in support of the Kingdom's Net-Zero targets under the Saudi Green Initiative and the Circular Carbon Economy Framework. The company aims to lead Saudi Arabia towards a sustainable future by designing and scaling pioneering, science-backed, researched based business and policy solutions that create and sustain equal benefits for the nation’s economy, ecology and society. Before that conversation, the hosts the latest with The Line at Neom in Saudi Arabia, how Saudis are flocking to see 'Barbie', and so much more in the program's concluding 'Yallah' segment.

8:50 - The hosts the latest with The Line at Neom in Saudi Arabia. The Line is ambitious, but that's the point -- and Saudi Arabia is not shying away from building a city that is unlike others in the world. The Line is a smart city under construction in Saudi Arabia in Neom, Tabuk Province. The city is designed to have no cars, streets, or carbon emissions. It will be 170 kilometers (110 miles) long and 200 meters (660 feet) wide. The Line is expected to house 9 million people. The Line is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 project, which aims to create a more sustainable and diverse Saudi Arabia. The government set a completion target for 2025, but experts are skeptical. The project's success depends on factors such as financing and technology. Construction on The Line began in the first quarter of 2021 and is estimated to cost between $100 and $200 billion.

23:47 - Saudis are flocking to see 'Barbie', with many wearing pink. The film has sparked a conversation in Saudi society about its themes and meaning. Saudi Arabia until recently banned movie theaters in the Kingdom, but this month permitted “Barbie” in its cinemas earlier this month and "many moviegoers got into the spirit of things, wearing pink abayas—the long robe overdress traditionally worn in the Arabian Gulf region—and munching pink éclairs," the Wall Street Journal noted.

According to the leading local English language news outlet Arab News, last Thursday, on the opening day in Riyadh, movie goers “descended on cinemas wearing various shades of pink and their funkiest accessories, demonstrating how the popularity of the film has affected local audiences.”

Neighboring Kuwait has banned “Barbie,” while there is heated debate underway in Lebanon on whether to do so.

34:31 - The 966 speaks with Princess Mashael bint Saud Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, Aeon Strategy.

1:34:00 - Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed heading into the weekend...

•Hilton Plans to More Than Quadruple its Presence in Saudi Arabia

•The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), in cooperation with Google Cloud, continues to train 1,000 women

•Saudi Arabia has appointed its first ambassador to the Palestinians

•GoDaddy, the web hosting provider has announced the launch of its .AI domain extension in Saudi Arabia

•Cristiano Ronaldo has yet again left the competition behind as the five-time Ballon D'Or winner was named Instagram's top earner for the third year in a row

•Saudi Arabia Passes Law Requiring USB-C Charging on New iPhones, Androids, and Laptops.