Lebanon ‘Declaring War’ on Saudi Arabia, Saudi Minister Says
A Saudi minister took Riyadh’s threatening rhetoric against Hezbollah and Lebanon to new heights, accusing the group of engaging in terrorist activities on Saudi soil. Thamer al-Sabhan, the state minister for Gulf affairs, said that the Lebanese government will be treated as “declaring war” on Saudi Arabia because of Hezbollah’s “aggression” against the kingdom and […]
Saudi-led air strike kills 29 Yemenis, decimates market
At least 29 Yemeni civilians have been killed after a Saudi-led air strike “decimated” a busy market in the impoverished north of the country, witnesses and rebel media say. Local residents told Al Jazeera the raid targeted the Alaf market in the northern province of Saada shortly after midnight on Wednesday, killing 29 men and […]
This Is Why Saudi Arabia Is Suddenly Fighting Extremism
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince declared that his country, long linked to terrorism and repression, will eradicate extremism and return to “moderate Islam,” but experts say he is just making his Wahhabist nation safe and open for business. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday that he hoped to move his conservative kingdom into a modern […]
Google Earth reveals hundreds of ancient structures in Saudi Arabia
While Saudi Arabia is often regarded as mostly a barren wasteland, the country holds some of the world’s most impressive archaeological sites. Now, aerial images from Google Earth have revealed almost 400 ancient structures, built between 2,000 and 9,000 years ago. The mysterious gates are located in the western Harrat Khaybar region of the country.
Tillerson Promotes Closer Iraq-Saudi Arabia Links
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday promoted improving ties between Saudi Arabia and Iraq as a way to counter Iran’s growing military assertiveness in the region. Tillerson, participating in the initial meeting of the Saudi Arabia-Iraq Coordination Committee in Riyadh, told Saudi King Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that their improving […]
Snapchat: Woman in Miniskirt Sparks Ire in Saudi Arabia
A woman in Saudi Arabia could face prison after posting a video on social media that showed herself dressed in a mini skirt and a crop top as she walked around in public. The video, posted on Snapchat, struck out against Saudi Arabia’s conservative value system, where the ruling royal family upholds a strict Wahhabist […]
Trump: We will maintain good relations with Qatar
US President Donald Trump is confident of maintaining good relations with Qatar and has ruled out moving the US airbase away from the country despite the political and economic blockade its facing by the Saudi-led group. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar on […]
Saudi-led group: Qatar-US terror deal ‘insufficient’
An agreement between Qatar and the United States to help combat “terrorism financing” is “insufficient”, the four Arab states that imposed a blockade on Doha said in a joint statement on Tuesday. The memorandum of understanding announced in Doha during a visit by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is “the result of pressure and […]
Raif Badawi’s Wife Calls on Crown Prince to End Ordeal
The wife of Saudi writer and blogger Raif Badawi, Haider, has called on the newly-appointed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to “write a new history,” release prisoners of conscience and end her husband’s ordeal, in an exclusive interview with Newsweek. Last week marked five years since Saudi Arabia jailed Badawi for advocating greater freedoms […]
Saudi and the Brotherhood: From friends to foes
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia, along with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, severed diplomatic relations with Qatar , accusing it of supporting ” extremism ” and destabilizing the region. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters during a visit to Paris two days after that Qatar must end its support for the Muslim […]