Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia admitted on Saturday that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, saying he died during a “brawl”, an explanation that President Donald Trump called credible but drew scepticism from top US lawmakers. Riyadh announced the arrest of 18 Saudis in …
Read More »Trump takes US inconsistency on human rights to new heights
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States has never been especially consistent in raising human rights, but President Donald Trump’s administration, with its kid-glove treatment of Saudi Arabia, has sent a message clearer than ever before — allies need not worry about criticism. Since journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared …
Read More »Putin says US bears some responsibility for Khashoggi disappearance
Sochi, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said the US bears a “certain responsibility” for the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, adding that there is not enough evidence that Riyadh is behind his disappearance. “As far as I know, the journalist that disappeared lived in …
Read More »King steps in as Riyadh defends itself in Khashoggi case
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Saudi King Salman has begun weighing in to try to defuse the growing crisis over missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as the kingdom goes on the offensive triggering a fierce online media campaign. In a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday, …
Read More »Erdogan, Saudi king discuss case of missing journalist: Turkish presidency
Ankara, Turkey | AFP | Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman on Sunday discussed the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi in their first telephone talks on the controversy, both sides said. Erdogan and Salman discussed “the issue of shedding light on the case of Jamal Khashoggi” …
Read More »Saudi Arabia vows retaliation if punished over missing critic
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | Saudi Arabia warned Sunday it would retaliate against any sanctions imposed on the oil-rich kingdom over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as the Riyadh stock market plunged on growing investor jitters. From tech tycoons to media giants, a host of Western companies …
Read More »Saudis suspend World Cup referee over bribery
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | The Saudi Football Federation have banned referee Fahad al-Mirdasi for life over bribery and urged FIFA to remove him from the pool of referees for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Mirdasi was suspended after admitting offering to take a bribe to influence the …
Read More »Saudi Arabia announces Thursday start for Ramadan
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | The Islamic holy month of Ramadan will begin Thursday in Saudi Arabia, the land of the religion’s two holiest sites, authorities said. “The first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan falls on Thursday corresponding to May 17, 2018,” the Royal Court said …
Read More »Saudi to supply oil to fuel-starved Sudan: minister
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Saudi Arabia will supply Sudan with millions of tonnes of oil for the next five years to help it tackle a growing energy crisis, the African country’s oil minister said Monday. Sudan has been hit with an acute fuel crisis for weeks now, sending black …
Read More »Israel’s Netanyahu to discuss Iran deal with Pompeo
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and Tehran’s “growing aggression” when he meets visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later Sunday. Pompeo, sworn in only on Thursday, met Saudi leaders on Sunday as part of his first …
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