Saudi Arabia

Trump unveils new sanctions targeting Iran’s national bank

President Donald Trump on Friday shared details of his administration’s newest sanctions on Iran, aimed at targeting the Iran's national bank. The sanctions are linked to Tehran’s alleged involvement in…

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Saudi blogger Raif Badawi goes on hunger strike

Saudi dissident Raif Badawi has started a hunger strike as the conditions of his imprisonment have reportedly worsened. Saudi authorities arrested Badawi on the charge of "insulting Islam" in 2012. Badawi…

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Saudi-led coalition launches operation near Yemeni port city Hodeida

Saudi state media said that the Saudi-led military coalition launched the operation against "remote controlled" boats early Friday near Hodeida. The coalition said the operation destroyed four sites used to assemble the…

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Kuwait oil sector heightens security

Kuwait’s oil sector is on high alert and has raised its security to the highest level as a precautionary measure in the wake of the weekend attack on Saudi Arabia’s…

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US Secretary of State accuses Iran of perpetrating an “act of war” on Saudi’s oil facilities – Saudi presents evidence of Iran’s involvement

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday accused Iran of perpetrating an "act of war" after weekend strikes on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, saying the attack had the "fingerprints…

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Saudi Arabia joins US maritime operation in Persian Gulf

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced its decision to join a US-led maritime security operation in the Persian Gulf days after two of its oil production facilities were targeted in an…

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Oil price recedes on Saudi supply reassurance

Oil prices cooled on Wednesday as Saudi Arabia said the kingdom had fully restored its oil supply following attacks on its crude facilities although caution ahead of an expected U.S.…

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50% of production cut by attack restored – Saudi’s Energy Minister

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister says 50% of the production cut by the attack on its oil processing plant has been restored. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman made the comments Tuesday night…

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Trump says US ‘locked and loaded’ after attack on Saudi oil

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States was “locked and loaded” following a drone attack on a major Saudi Arabian oil facility, which the Trump administration is…

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Oil prices soar after attacks on Saudi facilities

Oil prices hit their highest in four months after two attacks on Saudi Arabian facilities in the weekend knocked out more than 5% of global supply. At the start of…

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Iran dismisses accusations linking it to Saudi’s oil plants attacks – says it is ready for full-fledged conflict

Iran has dismissed US accusations it was behind drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil plants, and warned it is ready for a "full-fledged" war. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi…

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UPDATED: Major Saudi Aramco facility attacked

Drone attacks targeted a major Saudi Aramco processing facility in Buqyaq and oilfield in Khurais in eastern Saudi Arabia Saturday, the Interior Ministry said, sparking a huge fire at one of…

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US-Saudi nuclear power talks likely Monday

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he will meet the new Saudi energy minister on Monday and likely discuss plans the kingdom has to build nuclear reactors. Perry did not…

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New Saudi anti-corruption commission to focus on government employees

The new head of Saudi Arabia's anti-corruption commission said he plans to go after graft by ordinary government employees, following a high-profile campaign two years ago that netted princes, ministers…

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100 killed in Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen – Red Cross/Crescent

More than 100 people have been killed by Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen, the Red Cross has said. Bodies are being recovered from the rubble of a prison in Dhamar in the…

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Marks & Spencer loses Saudi Arabian franchise partnership

Saudi Arabian retailer Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. has pulled out of its franchise partnership with British store group Marks & Spencer and has ended similar agreements with a number of…

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Steps taken to end Saudi ‘guardianship’ system for women, ‘encouraging’ start

Allowing Saudi women to apply for passports and travel without their guardians’ permission is “an encouraging move” towards the “complete abolition of the ‘guardianship’ system,” independent United Nations rights experts…

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1.8 million pilgrims arrive for Hajj Pilgrimage

More than 1.8 million Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia amid final preparations for the most sacred week in the Islamic calendar. Saudi Passport officials said that this year…

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Saudi Arabia to stage world’s richest horse race in 2020 with $20 million prize

Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al-Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, at a launch event in Saratoga, New York, announced that Saudi Arabia will host the world’s richest…

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First day of Hajj confirmed as Aug. 9

The Saudi Supreme Court confirmed Thursday that the crescent moon of Dhu Al-Hijjah had been sighted. Hajj will therefore begin on Friday August 9, pilgrims will spend the day on…

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Saudi Arabia ends restrictions on women traveling alone

Saudi women no longer require a permission from a “male guardian” to travel or obtain a passport, a decree signed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz indicates. According to the document…

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US to send troops to Saudi Arabia

The Pentagon has said US troops are being deployed to Saudi Arabia to defend American interests from "emergent credible threats". The move comes amid heightened tensions with Iran over the…

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Malta issues 1,973 citizenships in 2017 – 464 to Russians, 342 to Saudi Arabians and 195 to British

In 2017, Malta issued 1,973 citizenship. This was stated in a Eurostat publication which shows that these included 464 Russians who qualified for citizenship, the majority through the citizenship investment…

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Understanding Libya’s proxy war

In forty-hours of momentous fighting in Libya’s civil war the forces of the government in Tripoli re-took a strategic city and captured sophisticated anti-tank weapons from the eastern Libyan government…

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Theresa May raises concerns on Khashoggi’s investigation and Yemen conflict

Theresa May has raised concerns about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the humanitarian cost of the conflict in Yemen during a face-to-face meeting with the Saudi crown prince at…

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Yemeni rebels attack Saudi airport

Saudi Arabia says one person has been killed and seven others wounded in an attack by Yemeni rebels on an airport in the kingdom's south. The spokesman of the Saudi-led…

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Court rules that UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful

Britain broke the law by allowing arms sales to Saudi Arabia that might have been used in Yemen’s war, a court ruled, after activists said there was a clear risk…

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The UN states there is credible evidence’ Saudi crown prince liable for Khashoggi killing

A forensic UN report published today states that Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia should be investigated over the murder of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi because…

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New attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport

Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday launched a new attack targeting the Abha airport in southern Saudi Arabia. The news was given by the rebel's Al Masirah TV. There was…

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Saudi Arabia wants maritime protection for tanker traffic in the Gulf

Reuters reports that Saudi Arabia called for swift action to secure Gulf energy supplies, after the United States blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in a vital…

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Saudi intercepts five drones in new airport attack

Saudi forces on Friday intercepted five drones launched by Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels in the second assault on an airport in the kingdom. The drones targeted Abha airport, where a rebel…

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26 injured in cruise missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport

Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels carried out an attack on Saudi Arabia's Abha airport on Wednesday using what has been described as a cruise missile and injured 26 people. Houthi-backed…

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Muslim world prepares for the end of Ramadan

The Saudi Supreme Court has called on all Muslims throughout Saudi Arabia to sight the crescent of the month of Shawwal on Monday evening. This will signal the end…

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Saudi King calls for international community to confront Iran with all means possible

Saudi Arabia's King Salman opened an emergency summit of Arab leaders in Islam's holiest city of Mecca on Friday with a call for the international community to use all means…

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Malaysia to send contaminated plastic waste back to sender

Malaysia will ship 450 metric tons of contaminated plastic waste back to the countries of origin said Yeo Bee Yin today on 28 May. The waste came from Australia, US,…

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Saudi to execute three moderate scholars after Ramadan

Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to execute three moderate Islamic scholars despite the international outrage that followed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Sheikh Salman al Odah, a Muslim preacher…

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Drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s Najran airport

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement launched a drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s Najran airport, the group’s Almasirah TV said early on Wednesday. It said it targeted hangars containing war planes.…

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Saudi Arabia approves permanent residency for expatriates

For the first time Saudi Arabia has introduced a scheme where certain expatriates can obtain permanent residency, allowing them to own real estate and reside with their families without…

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Houthi rebels in Yemen take responsibility for drone attack in Saudi

Houthi rebels in Yemen have taken responsibility for the drone attacks that shut down one of Saudi Arabia's major oil pipelines further ratcheting up Gulf tensions after the mysterious sabotage…

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No increase in Saudi Arabian oil output for now

The Financial Times is reporting that Saudi Arabia will not rapidly ramp up its oil output after the US ended the sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude. This was…

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Saudi Arabia beheads 37 citizens in mass execution

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday beheaded 37 Saudi citizens, most of them minority Shiites, in a mass execution across the country for alleged terrorism-related crimes. It also publicly pinned the executed…

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ISIS takes responsibility for Sunday’s attack in Saudi Arabia

ISIS is claiming that it was behind an attack on Sunday on a Saudi Interior Ministry building in the town of Zulfi. An attack in which all four gunmen…

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Reports of terrorist attack in Saudi capital

The Arab News and Al-Arabiya TV are reporting a terrorist attack in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Four attackers were killed in a failed terrorist attack on an interior ministry building…

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Libya : Saudi Arabia pledges funds to Haftar

Saudi Arabia has promised Haftar millions of dollars to fund his war against Tripoli, The Wall Street Journal said in a report on Friday, commenting that while some countries were…

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Saudi Arabia considering ditching dollar for oil trades

In an exclusive report, Reuters said that Saudi Arabia is threatening to sell its oil in currencies other than the dollar if Washington passes a bill exposing OPEC members to…

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Saudi King Salman to visit Bahrain

Bahrain’s news agency BNA said Saudi Arabia’s King Salman today is expected to visit Bahrain to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments without more giving details. The visit comes a…

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The “Saudi Rapid Intervention Group”, believed to be responsible for Khashoggi’s death asked for bonus

The elite Saudi hit squad believed to be involved in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi reportedly asked the country's Crown Prince for a bonus because they had tortured and…

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Interpol issues Red Notices over Khashoggi killing

Turkish officials revealed that Interpol had issued red notices for 20 people in connection with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. An Interpol red notice informs the police…

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Flight forced to turn back after mother reportedly left baby at airport

A flight had to turn back to Saudi Arabia after a mother reportedly left her baby at the airport. The Independent reports that Kuala Lumpur-bound Saudia flight SV832 set off…

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Khashoggi was most likely burned in an oven at the Saudi diplomatic residence in Istanbul

Khashoggi was likely burned in an oven at the Saudi diplomatic residence in Istanbul A documentary by Al Jazeera Arabic that aired on Sunday alleges that the body of slain…

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EU plans to place Saudi Arabia on a money laundering blacklist blocked

The Financial Times reported that European Union plans to place Saudi Arabia and four US territories on a money laundering blacklist has suffered a humiliating defeat after virtually unanimous opposition…

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Saudi Crown Prince denies reports of plans to buy Manchester United

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman does not plan to buy Manchester United, the kingdom's government has said, while confirming its sovereign wealth fund held sponsorship talks with the English…

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Oil Price climb to 2019 highest level

Brent oil climbed above $65 a barrel to its highest this year as Opec-led supply cuts and this week's announcement of a higher than expected cut by Saudi Arabia encouraged…

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Panama and Saudi Arabia included in 23-country list with serious money laundering and terrorism related risks

The European Commission concluded that 23 countries have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing regimes. This includes 12 countries listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)…

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Britain is leading a group of European countries trying to block EU plan to include countries like Saudi Arabia and Panama on money-laundering blacklist

Britain is leading a group of European Union states who are trying to block an EU plan to include Saudi Arabia and 22 other jurisdictions on a blacklist of countries…

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EU set to add Panama and Saudi Arabia to dirty money black list despite German, French and British resistance

The European Commission is planning to name Saudi Arabia and Panama in a list of high-risk countries that fail to fight money laundering, despite resistance from Germany, France and the…

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Jamal Khashoggi’s murder was planned and carried out by Saudi state officials – UN-led inquiry

Khashoggi was the victim of a "brutal and premeditated killing, planned and perpetrated by officials of the State of Saudi Arabia,” said Agnes Callamard, the UN Special Rapporteur leading the…

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