Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco’s award of $10 billion worth of contracts on its giant Jafurah project has finally fired the starting gun to develop what is thought to be the world’s biggest shale gas field outside of the US. Having battled with America’s shale oil producers for market share over the last …

Saudi Arabia confirmed its first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant coming from a north African country, state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday. SPA, quoting a statement from the kingdom’s health ministry, said authorities had isolated the person and people who were in contact with them. It is the …

Saudi Arabia announced that it was opening the consular section in its embassy in the Afghani capital of Kabul as of Tuesday to provide consular services to Afghani citizens, state news agency (SPA) reported. In August, Saudi evacuated all of its diplomats from the embassy in Kabul after the Taliban …

Saudi Arabia on Monday will chair the third government forum to discuss the challenges of combating human trafficking in the Middle East. The two-day forum will be held virtually under the theme “National and international coordination on combating trafficking in persons in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.” The forum …

Long-term deposits made by Saudi Arabia at the Central Bank of Egypt went down by $2.2 billion in the twelve months to the end of June 2021, totalling $5.3 billion. The bank’s latest report on Egypt’s external position also revealed deposits placed by the UAE and Kuwait in the central …

The Saudi Steel Pipe Company has won orders worth SR52.4 million ($13.96 million) to supply steel pipes for oil and gas to Uruguay-based Tenaris Global Services. The supply contract will run for three months, the company said in a bourse filing.  The impact of the deal will reflect in the …

French President Emmanuel Macron will go on an official trip to the Gulf region, visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar between Dec. 3 and 4, the Elysee presidential office said on Friday. France maintains strong relations with the Gulf States, in economic and cultural terms, but also in terms of security.  …

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries on Monday signed a joint cooperation agreement with Alfaisal University in Riyadh to develop the sector’s human capital in the Kingdom. The agreement aims to align some academic programs, graduation projects and short courses with the needs of the military and defense industries sector. …

A breakthrough deal was signed on Sunday to reverse the military takeover in Sudan, nearly a month after the country’s top general ousted the prime minister. Saudi Arabia praised the agreement, saying the Kingdom “affirms the steadfastness and continuity of its position in support of everything that would achieve peace …

The woman who was engaged to marry Jamal Khashoggi has asked singer Justin Bieber to cancel his scheduled Dec. 5 The woman who was engaged to marry Jamal Khashoggi has asked singer Justin Bieber to cancel his scheduled December 5 performance in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city Jeddah, urging him to …

The Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis in Yemen had on Friday said it destroyed three drones launched towards southern Saudi Arabia and a fourth over Yemen. It said the group “failed to launch two ballistic missiles” and they fell inside Yemen. Saudi Aramco, the state oil firm, said that it …

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Friday that he will soon call a cabinet session, saying that the situation in the country is “very difficult and the people should not have to deal with more crises.” His remarks came after protesters stormed the Ministry of Health building in Beirut …

A group of U.S. senators are opposing the Biden administration’s first major arms sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over Riyadh’s involvement in the conflict in Yemen, three senators announced on Thursday. A joint resolution of disapproval to block a proposed $650 million in U.S. arms sales to the …

Airstrikes took out a secret hideout in Yemen housing experts belonging to the Iran Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah, the Arab coalition said on Thursday. The capital, Sanaa, as well as locations in the governorates of Dhamar, Saada, and Al-Jawf were hit in a wide-ranging coalition operation to weaken the Iran-backed …

OXAGON, the industrial city of NEOM announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will be “a blueprint of the blue economy” that will rest on marine industry, NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr told Arab News on Tuesday, adding that its facilities will cut the ship-to-factory time to a day at most. He said …

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday urged all parties to overcome the problems in Lebanon so that the Lebanese people do not have to “pay the price of regional bargains.” Çavuşoğlu stated in a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib that “we feel sad over …

President Michel Aoun on Monday said “efforts are underway to address the situation that erupted between Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a number of Gulf countries.” He added that the efforts are based on “Lebanon’s keenness to establish the best relations with the brotherly Arab countries, especially KSA …

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has urged the Lebanese political class to put an end to Hizbullah’s “hegemony.” Bin Farhan affirmed that KSA is not willing to communicate with the Lebanese government “for the time being.” He added that the political class should take the necessary …

Yemen’s warring sides clashed south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah late on Saturday, after Iranian-backed Houthi fighters moved into territory ceded by forces allied to a Saudi-led coalition, military sources and witnesses said. Yemeni forces backed by the United Arab Emirates had on Friday announced they were …

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met Saturday with US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs Yael Lambert to review strategic ties linking both countries, state agency SPA reported. They discussed regional and international issues of common interest, with strengthening security and stability in the Middle …

Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar filed legislation on Friday seeking to block the sale of $650 million air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, the first major arms sale to the kingdom during President Joe Biden’s administration. Omar said she filed the measure, known as a joint resolution of disapproval, because of …

Yemeni forces under a Saudi-led coalition said on Friday they had withdrawn from around the main Red Sea port of Hodeidah held by their foes the Houthis to help deter the Iran-aligned group’s advances in other parts of Yemen. A joint statement by United Arab Emirates-backed forces, including the Giants …

Information Minister George Kordahi announced Friday that he would consider resigning if Saudi Arabia offers Lebanon “guarantees” on reversing the measures it has taken since the eruption of the diplomatic row related to his remarks on the Yemen war. “I’m not clinging to any ministerial post and I don’t want …

Saudi Arabia approved the granting of citizenship to foreign nationals with specialized skills in a number of professions on Thursday. The royal decree allows certain high-skilled professionals working in specialized areas within the legal, medical, scientific, cultural, sport and technical fields to obtain Saudi citizenship. The move comes in line …

The Hezbollah leader rejected calls for the resignation of a Lebanese minister who sparked a diplomatic rift with Riyadh by criticising its military intervention in Yemen, underlining the slim chances of the crisis easing any time soon. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, also said Saudi Arabia faced …

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday said he does not want to “escalate” things in the diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia but stressed that Lebanon should reject “submission and humiliation.” “Saudi Arabia stirred the latest crisis with Lebanon and we want things to calm down,” Nasrallah said in a …

Top representatives of the oil producer group OPEC defended a future role for fossil fuels at the U.N. climate conference https://www.reuters.com/business/cop on Wednesday, arguing the world can slash greenhouse gas emissions without swearing off oil and gas. The arguments clashed with the efforts of the summit’s British hosts to secure …

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen said on Wednesday its troops were redeploying in line with its strategy to support Yemeni forces, but were not withdrawing. Yemeni security sources told Reuters the Saudi military had withdrawn from a major military base in Burayqah district in the southern …

The Saudi energy minister hit out on Wednesday at “lies” and “fabrications” over the Kingdom’s stance at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow. After a speech in which he strongly defended Saudi Arabia’s track record in combating global warming, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman was asked about “serious allegations” that …

The Arab League Monday backed the resignation of Lebanon’s information minister whose comments on the Yemen war sparked a damaging diplomatic row with Gulf States. “From the very beginning, the resignation could have defused the crisis,” the League’s assistant secretary general, Hossam Zaki, told a news conference in Beirut. “We …

Discussions with Lebanon about its rift with Gulf states are going in “the right directon,” the assistant secretary-general of the Arab League said in televised remarks on Monday. A delegation from the Arab League is visiting Beirut to try and address the crisis that broke out following a minister’s critical …

The U.S. State Department approved its first major arms sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under U.S. President Joe Biden with the sale of 280 air-to-air missiles valued at up to $650 million, the Pentagon said on Thursday. While Saudi Arabia is an important partner in the Middle East, …

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Thursday he had agreed with President Michel Aoun on a “roadmap” to solve a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia, according to a Lebanese presidency post on Twitter. He did not give details. Lebanon is facing its worst rift yet with oil-rich Gulf Arab …

The United States has called on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies to restore relations with Lebanon, saying the struggling nation needed international support. “Our position is that diplomatic channels should remain open if we are to seek to improve the humanitarian conditions of the Lebanese people,” State Department spokesman …

Saudi Arabia and Russia are more confident higher oil prices will not elicit a fast response from the U.S. shale industry, OPEC+ sources said, reflecting a desire to rebuild revenue and supporting the case against raising OPEC+ output more quickly. The two countries lead the OPEC+ group of the Organization …

Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib met Wednesday with President Michel Aoun in Baabda, hours after Saudi newspaper Okaz published controversial statements attributed to the minister about the already tense relation with Saudi Arabia. “What happened over the past days must stop at the extent of putting the common Arab interest …

Expecting a possible siege, pro-government forces in central Yemen are preparing to defend Marib city, their last northern stronghold, against advancing Houthi fighters bent on taking full control of one of Yemen’s key energy-producing regions. Should Marib governorate fall to the Houthis it would deal a blow to the military …

The Royal Saudi Air Force continued a joint air-missile combat exercise at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, the Saudi Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The RSAF participated in the exercise along with the counterparts from a number of countries. “The exercise is one of the largest and longest-running maneuvers …

Bahrain on Tuesday urged its citizens in Lebanon to immediately leave the country amid a row between Beirut and Arab Gulf states over a Lebanese minister’s remarks on the Yemen war. The foreign ministry “urged all citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately, following the tense situation there, which calls for …

Yemen’s Houthis on Sunday put up posters in support of a Lebanese minister whose criticism of the Saudi-led war in Yemen sparked a diplomatic row between Lebanon and Gulf states. Saudi Arabia has expelled Lebanon’s envoy and recalled its ambassador from Beirut, with Bahrain and Kuwait following suit. The UAE …

The minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, on Sunday received the French senate member, Nathalie Goulet, the Saudi Press Agency reported. During their meeting in Riyadh, they reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them.  They also discussed regional and international developments …

Riyadh has given Lebanon a two-day ultimatum to address the diplomatic crisis or else it will sever ties with Lebanon, media reports said on Monday. “It has been understood that the sacking or resignation of Information Minister George Kordahi would return the relation to the phase that preceded his remarks, …

Prime Minister Najib Miqati received Monday a dose of European and American support, on the sideline of Glasgow U.N. climate summit, al-Jadeed television said. American and European leaders, however, urged Miqati “to preserve stability and to adhere to the government’s program.” They also stressed the necessity of addressing the repercussions …

King Salman has approved a Saudi policy to conduct the National Autism Spectrum Disorder survey. Secretary-General of the Saudi Health Council Dr. Nahar bin Mazki Al-Azmi said that King Salman’s approval of the decisions proposed by the Saudi Health Council demonstrated the Kingdom’s interest in the health sector and harnessing …