Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Houthis military spokesperson, Yahya Saria, said that Houthis downed a tornado warplane belonging to “enemy forces” in Al-Jawf, the group’s Al-Masirah TV cited him as saying on Friday. The spokesman said the warplane was downed with an advanced air-to-ground missile. There was no immediate information if any crew were …

The ‘Breathe’ event in Riyadh last week has attracted my attention. This event sought to break the barrier of fear, raise the quality of behaviour, and discover the various capabilities of knowledge and innovation. It also sought to raise the quality of life through exercise, meditation and breathing. By Lina …

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Thursday denied media reports of a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid speculation about normalizing ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel. “There is no meeting planned between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan …

The coronavirus crisis, which has already battered oil prices, threatens to further undercut Gulf economies battling a downturn and struggling to wean themselves from a decades-old energy addiction. The six Gulf states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates — count China as their main trading …

Riyadh – The initiative launched in 2017 by the Environmental Green Horizons Society to transform one mosque in Riyadh into a sustainable building surrounded by greenery has become a success story. In a relatively short period five mosques were transformed, a new public park was established outside the city and …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday Gulf Arab states — some of the world’s richest countries — could see their financial wealth depleted in the next 15 years amid lower hydrocarbon revenues if they don’t step up fiscal reforms. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – whose net …

Saudi Aramco has seen an increase in attempted cyber attacks since the final quarter of 2019, which the company has so far successfully countered, the state oil giant’s chief information security officer told Reuters on Thursday. “Overall there is definitely an increase in the attempts of (cyber) attacks, and we …

China has achieved “positive” results in its prevention and control efforts in fighting the new coronavirus, President Xi Jinping told Saudi Arabia’s King Salman by telephone, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported. The two discussed “efforts to combat and control the novel coronavirus epidemic”, the report said. China has declared …

Saudi Arabia has barred an Iranian delegation from an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Jeddah on Monday where U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan will be discussed, the Iranian foreign ministry said. Saudi authorities have not issued visas for the Iranian participants, ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi …

An audio recording purporting to be from the Islamist militant group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility on Sunday for a fatal shooting in December at a U.S. naval base in Pensacola, Florida, but provided no evidence. “We congratulate our Muslim nation and embrace the operation of …

A Japanese destroyer left for the Gulf of Oman on Sunday amid simmering Middle East tension to guard sea lanes that supply nearly all the oil that powers the world’s third-biggest economy. “Thousands of Japanese ships ply those waters every year including vessels carrying nine tenths of our oil. It …

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement said on Wednesday it targeted facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco in Jizan on the Red Sea in response to “escalating air strikes” but there was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabian authorities. State oil giant Aramco declined to comment on the report. Houthi military spokesman Yahya …

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman reassured the Kingdom’s commitment to the Palestinian issue and Palestinian rights, in a phone call with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, the Saudi state news agency reported early on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump proposed on Tuesday the creation of a Palestinian state with a capital in …

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Israelis were not welcome to visit the kingdom after Israel decreed that Israeli citizens could visit Saudi Arabia under certain circumstances, CNN reported on Monday. “Our policy is fixed. We do not have relations with the state of Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit …

EU antitrust regulators will decide by Feb. 27 whether to clear state energy firm Saudi Aramco’s $69.1 billion acquisition of world number four petrochemicals group Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), a European Commission filing showed. Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, announced the deal to buy a 70% stake in …

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud said on Monday the kingdom was closely monitoring developments in global oil markets resulting from “gloomy expectations” over the impact of the new coronavirus on the Chinese and global economy and oil market fundamentals. Prince Abdulaziz said he was confident the …

Israel on Sunday announced that it would permit Israeli citizens to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time, under certain conditions that include Israeli entrepreneurs seeking investments, in a signal of warming ties. Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, after consulting the country’s security establishment, issued a statement saying that …

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said on Friday he will move to compel America’s intelligence chief to release information about the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi if the administration does not produce a report on the killing before the end of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Wyden …

American business executives should still do business with Saudi Arabia, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday after a report on the kingdom’s possible involvement in the hacking of Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos’ phone. Asked if U.S. chief executives should still be inclined to do …

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said he welcomes the reappointment of Alexander Novak as Russia’s energy minister adding it was important for Saudi and Russian cooperation within the OPEC+ group. “I’m so happy his term was extended,” he told Reuters after meeting Kirill Dmitriev, the head of …

Two UN officials will report on Wednesday that there is enough evidence suggesting that Saudi Arabia had hacked Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos’ phone and both the kingdom and the United States should investigate, a person familiar with the matter said. The United Nations’ officials plan a public statement asserting …

Polish oil refiner PKN Orlen, said on Tuesday it would increase monthly crude oil purchases from Saudi Aramco to 400,000 from 300,000 tonnes as part of its efforts to diversify supply. Poland’s biggest oil refiner, which buys most of its oil from Russia via pipeline, has been receiving oil from …

The Pentagon announced on Friday new restrictions on international military students’ access to guns on U.S. bases, as well as other measures, after a Saudi officer killed three U.S. sailors at a Florida naval base last month. “Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. …

France has deployed a radar system on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia to beef up its ally’s defenses after missile attacks on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure in September, French officials said. Paris has blamed Iran for carrying out the drone and missile attack, which crippled the world’s biggest oil …

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday Moscow has been urging Gulf countries to consider a common security mechanism for the region. “We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms … starting with confidence building measures and inviting each other to military exercises,” …

Saudi Arabia’s Industrialization and Energy Services Company (TAQA) announced today the signing of an agreement with AlMansoori Petroleum Services (AMPS). The announcement was made at the opening of this year’s International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), taking place for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The agreement establishes …

Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should work together to de-escalate the tense situation in the Gulf, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on Monday, relaying comments by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The official said Japan’s strong relationship with both the United States and Iran enabled it …

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister said the kingdom has taken all precautions to ensure the safety of oil facilities after recent strikes in Iraq. “We have taken every precaution that can be taken,” he told reporters when asked whether the kingdom had raised oil security after recent U.S. and Iran strikes …

The United States is committed to regional political stability, a US State Department official underscored on Sunday. Francis Fannon, Assistant Secretary at the US State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources, said that following his visit to the UAE last January, he is visiting the country again to “underscore the United …

More than a dozen Saudi servicemen who are training at U.S. military bases will be expelled from the United States in the aftermath of a Pentagon review prompted by the deadly Dec. 6 shooting by a Saudi Air Force officer at an American naval base in Florida, CNN reported on …

State-owned oil company Saudi Aramco said on Sunday it has exercised its “greenshoe option” to sell an additional 450 million shares, raising the size of its initial public offering (IPO) to a record $29.4 billion. Aramco initially raised a then-record $25.6 billion in its IPO in December by selling 3 …

Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry has issued a request for qualifications from companies looking to taking part in the third round of its national renewable energy program, the state news agency SPA said on Thursday. The third round includes four solar photovoltaic projects with a combined generation capacity of 1,200 MW, …

Yemen’s Houthi group did not launch an attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities in September, according to a confidential report by U.N. sanctions monitors seen by Reuters on Wednesday, bolstering a U.S. accusation that Iran was responsible. The United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for the Sept. …

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, said in a tweet on Tuesday he met U.S. Secretary of defense Mark Esper and discussed mutual challenges faced by both countries. He also emphasized the importance of both countries’ ongoing military cooperation as it serves regional and international security. The …

The cost of insuring against a potential debt default by Saudi Arabia has soared by a sixth since Friday’s killing by a U.S. drone of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, bearing the brunt of a broader reaction in Middle Eastern markets. Conventional spreads on five-year Saudi credit default swaps (CDS) were …

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi discussed the situation in his country and in the wider region with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday, his office said. “Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi received a phone call from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in …

Saudi Arabia condemns “the recent Turkish escalation in Libya” and the Turkish parliament’s approval of a troop deployment to Libya, and considers it a violation of U.N. Security Council decisions, the foreign ministry said in a statement on the state news agency SPA. The statement added that “the kingdom affirms …

Southern separatists in Yemen have pulled out of committees implementing a November agreement to end a power struggle in the south that had opened a new front in the country’s multifaceted war. The pact was reached after more than a month of indirect talks in Saudi Arabia. Under the deal, …

Two Saudi men shot dead last week in the eastern city of Dammam were driving a car loaded with explosives and were planning an “imminent terrorist operation”, the SPA state news agency said on Sunday, citing security forces. The two were found with explosive paste in the car, SPA said. …

The Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday six “sensitive” places in Saudi Arabia and three in the United Arab Emirates are on a list of military targets, suggesting the group remains prepared to fight on despite informal talks about a truce in Yemen’s war. The priority targets were said to be …

Saudi Arabia signed a deal with the local unit of U.S. weapons maker Raytheon on Saturday to localize maintenance of its Patriot missile defense system, as part of efforts to boost Saudi’s defense industries and its broader economy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman plans to diversify the kingdom away from …

Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri (FCT.MI) won a contract worth approximately $1.3 billion from the U.S. Navy to build four ships for Saudi Arabia, it said on Friday. The order is part of a multi-billion contract awarded to a consortium led by defense group Lockheed Martin – which includes Fincantieri’s unit …

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on Wednesday a new project at the Dorra offshore gas field would start soon, Saudi newspaper Eqtisadiah reported. Prince Abdulaziz made the comments at the Khafji oil field complex in Saudi Arabia, a day after signing a deal with Kuwait that ended …

Saudi security forces killed two “terrorists” on Wednesday after a shooting in a residential neighborhood in the eastern city of Dammam, state television al-Ekhbariya reported. “Two wanted terrorists were killed after exchanging fire with security forces,” al-Ekhbariya TV said, without giving further details. Calm was restored to the residential neighborhood …