United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday strongly condemned airstrikes on a wedding in Yemen that killed dozens of people, including children, and called for an investigation. Yemen’s Huthi rebels have blamed the Saudi-led coalition for the attack on the wedding in northern Hajjah …
Read More »Saudi women’s fitness centre shut over ‘indecent’ video
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi sports authorities shut down a female fitness centre in Riyadh Friday over a contentious promotional video that appeared to show a woman in figure-hugging workout attire. “We are not going to tolerate this,” Saudi sports authority chief Turki al-Sheikh tweeted as he ordered …
Read More »Cinema makes return to Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia hosted its first public film screening in over 35 years on Friday, two days after US movie giant AMC unveiled the kingdom’s debut theatre in Riyadh. Clutching prized tickets for the sold-out showing of Hollywood blockbuster action film “Black Panther”, men …
Read More »US to update Saudi Arabia artillery for record $1.31 billion
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States on Thursday approved a contract to sell Saudi Arabia 180 self-propelled artillery systems for $1.31 billion, in the latest stage of perhaps the world’s biggest arms deal. When US President Donald Trump visited Riyadh last year he boasted that the desert …
Read More »Macron urged to pressure Saudi prince over Yemen war
Paris, France | AFP | Ten international rights groups called on French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday to pressure Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over his country’s bombing campaign in Yemen. Macron is expected to host Prince Mohammed for a three-day trip to France starting Sunday, the latest stop in …
Read More »Israel PM eyes Mumbai flights after Saudi opens airspace
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he hopes to slash flight times between Tel Aviv and India’s financial capital Mumbai, days after Air India ran the first scheduled Israel-bound service to cross Saudi airspace. The flight from New Delhi landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion …
Read More »Public smiles, private problems as Saudi prince visits White House
Washington, United States | AFP | Saudi Arabia’s crown prince received an effusive welcome at the White House Tuesday from US President Donald Trump, who hailed a “great friendship” with the kingdom — but made no public mention of the sticking points in the burgeoning alliance. In front of the cameras, …
Read More »Saudi warns it will pursue nuclear weapons if Iran does
Washington, United States | AFP | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, Riyadh will follow suit — just days before he arrives in Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump. “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but …
Read More »Saudi king establishes anti-graft prosecution units
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi King Salman has ordered specialised anti-corruption units to be established in the public prosecutor’s office, the government said Sunday, several weeks after a sweeping anti-graft purge of the kingdom’s elite. The move was intended to “increase effectiveness” and accelerate the process of combating corruption, …
Read More »US to upgrade Qatar air ops center despite Gulf crisis
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States has approved a request from Qatar to upgrade the emirate’s air force operations center, officials said Thursday, despite the Gulf diplomatic crisis. Qatar has fallen out with fellow US allies in the Gulf, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Araba …
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