Author: Mahdeehassan

RIYADH: Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi minister of energy and minister of industry and mineral resources, has met in Riyadh Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the minister of foreign affairs of Kuwait, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The ministers reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in energy, industry and mineral resources, as well as joint efforts to strengthen energy security and ensure stable supplies. They also discussed the latest developments in the region and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, in support of the shared interests of Saudi Arabia and…

RIYADH: South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung condemned Houthi attacks targeting civilian facilities in the Kingdom during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday. The two leaders also discussed Saudi-South Korean relations and ways to further develop them across various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.  In a separate call with the crown prince, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also condemned hostile Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, affirming Spain’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia. Prince Mohammed and Sanchez discussed relations between their countries and ways to strengthen them across various fields, SPA said.  The crown…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to attend the 2026 UN Water Conference. The event, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, will take place from Dec. 8 to 10 in Abu Dhabi. The invitation, from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, was received on the crown prince’s behalf by the deputy foreign minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, during a meeting in Riyadh with Matar Salem Al-Dhaheri, the UAE’s ambassador to the Kingdom. The officials also reviewed bilateral relations and discussed issues of mutual interest, the Saudi…

RIYADH: One person was injured after two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi militia in Yemen toward Riyadh were shot down by Saudi Arabia’s air defenses on Thursday. The missiles were “intercepted and destroyed,” the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said on Thursday evening. Saudi Arabia’s civil defense said one person in the Saudi capital received minor injuries and a house and vehicle were damaged. The civil defense earlier issued warnings for Riyadh, Najran and Al-Kharj, before announcing the danger had passed about 20 minutes later. The strikes are the latest attempt by the Iran-backed Houthis to launch missiles…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Yemen discussed efforts to support the Yemeni government amid escalating Houthi attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure, as renewed fighting worsened the country’s humanitarian crisis. During a phone call on Thursday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Yemeni counterpart, Afrah Al-Zouba, discussed continued Houthi attacks and efforts to restore security and stability while alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people. They reviewed the latest developments in Yemen and ways to strengthen the government’s ability to carry out its responsibilities and protect civilians, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Fighting has intensified between the Iran-backed…

NEW YORK CITY: Attacks by the Yemen-based Houthis on airports and other civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia raise the question of possible war crimes, the UN’s top human rights official told Arab News, as he also condemned the detention of dozens of UN staff in Yemen by the Iran-backed militia. Volker Turk, the UN’s high commissioner for human rights, said that under international humanitarian law, a civilian airport can only be attacked if it is a legitimate military target. “If you start attacking civilians, civilian infrastructure, it does raise questions of war crimes, indeed,” he said during a press briefing…

RIYADH: Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf, the Saudi vice minister of defense, attended the graduation ceremony at the King Abdulaziz Military Academy in Al-Uyaynah on Wednesday. He was representing Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The students had all completed officer qualification courses, including theoretical instruction and practical field exercises, in various branches of the armed forces. The prince posed for photographs with each of the graduates, who also took an oath and were given their rank. He also presented honors to the most outstanding students. The ceremony concluded with the playing of the…

RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on Wednesday discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation with his Kuwaiti and Malaysian counterparts. During a phone call, Prince Khalid and Mohamed Khaled Nordin of Malaysia reviewed regional developments and condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Islamic holy sites, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In a separate phone call, Prince Khalid discussed regional developments and defense cooperation with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two ministers reaffirmed Saudi Arabia and Kuwait’s solidarity in addressing shared security challenges and threats to their…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent separate cables of condolences to Spain’s King Felipe VI after a high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed 68 people.  “We extend our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to your majesty, the families of the deceased, and your friendly people. We wish the injured a speedy recovery and pray that you may be spared any further misfortune,” King Salman said. The crown prince sent a similar message. Earlier on Wednesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan offered his condolences during a phone call with Spanish Foreign Minister…

RIYADH: The president of the Saudi Water Authority inspected several water and infrastructure projects in Riyadh and the Eastern Region on Wednesday. Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Abdul-Karim visited projects aimed at reducing energy consumption and increasing Riyadh’s daily water supply by around 1.2 million cubic meters, in order to see how they are progressing. A key initiative is underway to transmit water through pipes from the Eastern Province to Riyadh, where water storage facilities are being built, to keep pace with urban and population growth. Water infrastructure developed and implemented by Saudi contracting companies has reduced energy consumption by more than 10…