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In the heart of Diriyah’s Jax District — a neighborhood synonymous with creativity and design  — lies Dahma, a cafe and carpentry space that redefines what a coffee shop can be. More than just a place to grab a drink, it is an immersive experience where art, craftsmanship, and coffee converge.

Walking into Dahma feels like stepping into a workshop and a museum. The interior is rich with artisanal details: wooden walls engraved with Arabic calligraphy, vintage carpentry tools displayed like art, and intricately carved doors that showcase the beauty of traditional craftsmanship. Even the seating area — with its leather-woven chairs and greenery — reflects a thoughtful design aesthetic that merges comfort with artistry.

The coffee, meanwhile, is impressive. A flat white costs SR15 ($4) and stands out for its smooth, bold flavor. You may opt for the iced Americano, which is refreshing and well-balanced. While the food menu is limited, with only a few sweets available, the quality of the coffee easily makes up for it. Expanding the menu would certainly enhance the overall experience.

What makes Dahma particularly special is its community. Every weekend the cafe transforms into a gathering place for painters, sculptors, and other creatives. The tables — often covered in paintbrushes, chisels, and tools — become workspaces where art is born while coffee is savored. It is a rare setting where you can sip an espresso while watching a piece of wood being carved or a canvas brought to life.

The name “Dahma” reflects this unique spirit. Inspired by both the deep blackness of coffee and the noble elegance of Arabian horses, it conveys authenticity and refinement — qualities that mirror the cafe’s identity.

While the seating area is somewhat limited and the cafe often feels more like a gallery than a bustling coffeehouse, this intimacy is part of its charm. Facilities such as restrooms and a prayer rug add convenience, making it a comfortable spot to linger.

Dahma is more than just a coffee stop: it is a cultural experience. For those seeking high-quality coffee in an inspiring, museum-like space where creativity flows as freely as the espresso, visiting Dahma is a must.
 

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday declaring that his plan to sell Chinese-owned TikTok’s US operations to US and global investors will address the national security requirements in a 2024 law.
The new US company will be valued at around $14 billion, Vice President JD Vance said, putting a price tag on the popular short video app far below some analyst estimates. Trump on Thursday delayed until January 20 enforcement of the law that bans the app unless its Chinese owners sell it amid efforts to extract TikTok’s US assets from the global platform, line up American and other investors, and win approval from the Chinese government. The publication of the executive order shows Trump is making progress on the sale of TikTok’s US assets, but numerous details need to be fleshed out, including how the US entity will use TikTok’s most important asset, its recommendation algorithm.
“There was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans’ data privacy as required by law,” Vance told reporters at an Oval Office briefing.
Trump’s order says the algorithm will be retrained and monitored by the US company’s security partners, and operation of the algorithm will be under the control of the new joint venture.
Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping has indicated approval of the plans. “I spoke with President Xi,” Trump said. “We had a good talk, I told him what we were doing, and he said go ahead with it.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. TikTok did not immediately comment on Trump’s action.
Trump has credited TikTok, which has 170 million US users, with helping him win reelection last year. Trump has 15 million followers on his personal TikTok account. The White House also launched an official TikTok account last month.
“This is going to be American-operated all the way,” Trump said.
He said that Michael Dell, the founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies; Rupert Murdoch, the chairman emeritus of Fox News owner Fox Corp. and newspaper publisher News Corp, and “probably four or five absolutely world-class investors” would be part of the deal.
The White House did not discuss how it came up with the $14 billion valuation.
TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, currently values itself at more than $330 billion, according to its new employee share buyback plan. TikTok contributes a small percentage of the company’s total revenue.
According to Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, TikTok was estimated to be worth $30 billion to $40 billion without the algorithm as of April 2025.
Alan Rozenshtein, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said the executive order leaves unanswered questions, including whether ByteDance will still control the algorithm. “The problem is that the president has certified the deal, but he has not provided a lot of information on the algorithm,” he said.

Oracle and others to own TikTok in the US
A group of three investors, including Oracle and private-equity firm Silver Lake, will take a roughly 50 percent stake in TikTok US, two sources familiar with the deal said on Thursday.
A group of existing shareholders in ByteDance will hold a roughly 30 percent stake, one of the sources said. Among ByteDance’s current investors are Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic and KKR.
Given intense investor interest in TikTok, the 50 percent stake may still shift, the source noted.
Oracle and Silver Lake did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CNBC reported earlier, citing sources, that Abu Dhabi-based MGX, Oracle and Silver Lake are poised to be the main investors in TikTok US with a combined 45 percent ownership.
MGX did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the CNBC report.
Republican House of Representatives lawmakers said they want to see more details of the deal to ensure it represents a clean break with China. “As the details are finalized, we must ensure this deal protects American users from the influence and surveillance of CCP-aligned groups,” said US Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis and Richard Hudson, all Republicans.
The agreement on TikTok’s US operations includes the appointment by ByteDance of one of seven board members for the new entity, with Americans holding the other six seats, a senior White House official said on Saturday.
ByteDance would hold less than 20 percent in TikTok US to comply with requirements set out in the 2024 law that ordered it shut down by January 2025 if its US assets were not sold by ByteDance.