Under its new monarch, Saudi Arabia appears to be moving to improve relations with Turkey and Qatar and soften its stance against the Muslim Brotherhood with the aim of weakening Iran. The shift could lead to pressure on its ally Egypt to reconcile with them as well. The pressure, however,[…]
German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel was set to appeal for the release of liberal blogger Raif Badawi at a meeting with the Saudi Arabian King Salman on Sunday. Badawi was sentenced last year to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for allegedly insulting Islam. The first of the lashings[…]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fiery speech this week before the U.S. Congress, in which he argued against an emerging nuclear deal with Iran, has received tacit support from an unlikely quarter — Saudi Arabia. The oil-rich Sunni kingdom views Shiite Iran as a regional rival that is perhaps even[…]
In a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia, President Barack Obama led a parade of American dignitaries to the ultraconservative desert kingdom Tuesday to pay respects after King Abdullah’s death and take measure of the new monarch. Obama’s presence here underscored the key role Saudi Arabia plays in U.S. foreign policy[…]
President Barack Obama will lead a delegation of lawmakers, senior U.S. officials and two former secretaries of state to Saudi Arabia Tuesday to pay respects to the royal family following King Abdullah’s death. Obama was cutting short the final day of his visit to India to make the trip to Riyadh,[…]
Saudi Arabia’s new king, Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, is a veteran of the country’s top leadership, versed in diplomacy from nearly 50 years as the governor of the capital Riyadh and known as a mediator of disputes within the sprawling royal family. Salman, 79, had increasingly taken on the[…]
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who maintained strong relations with the West and joined in the fight against terrorism, has died and his brother Salman has become king. The king, whose age was believed to be 91, will be laid to rest after the noon prayer on Friday in[…]
Saudi Arabian authorities on Friday postponed a scheduled flogging of liberal blogger Raif Badawi on medical grounds, a rights advocacy group said, in a case that has triggered an international outcry. Amnesty International said Badawi was removed from his jail cell in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah early[…]
Saudi Arabia’s ailing King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, 91, has been admitted to hospital for “medical checks,” the royal court has said. The king, whose age and frequent hospitalisation have raised concerns about the future leadership of the key oil producing country, was admitted to the King Abdulaziz Medical City in[…]
With the beginning of the first umrah season in the new year, a large influx of mu’tamireen has resulted in the Saudi Embassy imposing a quota of 150 visas per company per day. Local mu’tamireen alerted VOC News of setbacks with their visas this week. South African Travel and Hajj[…]
WhatsApp us 