Women, some without headscarves, drove themselves to a Formula-E car race where thousands of young Saudis and hundreds of international visitors partied into the night at concerts by Enrique Iglesias, The Black Eyed Peas and DJ David Guetta. Continue reading →
{FD} AP Interview: Saudi royal says crown prince is here to stay
A prominent Saudi royal said Saturday that whether or not heads of state gathered in Argentina next week for the Group of 20 summit warmly engage with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he is someone “that they have to deal with.” Continue reading →
{FD} Bahrain votes for new parliament but opposition is absent
Polls opened in Bahrain on Saturday to elect a new parliament, but absent from the ballot is the country’s Shiite-dominated opposition, whose most prominent figures are serving lengthy prison sentences. Continue reading →
{FD} South Korean named Interpol president in blow to Russia
South Korea’s Kim Jong Yang was elected as Interpol’s president on Wednesday, edging out a longtime veteran of Russia’s security services who was strongly opposed by the U.S., Britain and other European nations. Continue reading →
{FD} Amnesty says Saudi activists beaten, tortured in detention
Several activists imprisoned in Saudi Arabia since May, including a number of women who campaigned for the right to drive, have been beaten and tortured during interrogation, Amnesty International said Tuesday. Continue reading →
{FD} Interpol meets to select new president after China’s arrest
Police chiefs from around the world gathered in Dubai on Sunday for Interpol’s general assembly to select a new president after the agency’s former leader was detained in China. Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi prosecutor seeks death penalty in Khashoggi’s killing
Saudi Arabia’s top prosecutor announced Thursday he’s recommended the death penalty for five suspects charged with ordering and carrying out the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi sisters’ tragic end in NY shows perils for runaways
The deaths of two young Saudi sisters, whose bodies washed up along the New York City waterfront last month, have shined a light on the often secretive and risky journeys Saudi women take to flee their homes, both within the kingdom and abroad. Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi FM says global outcry over Khashoggi ‘hysterical’
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat said Saturday that the global outcry and media focus on the killing of a Saudi journalist earlier this month has become “hysterical” as he urged the public to wait for the results of an investigation before ascribing blame t… Continue reading →
{FD} Changing story again, Saudi Arabia says killing was planned
Saudi prosecutors say the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was planned, state-run media reported Thursday, reflecting yet another change in the shifting Saudi Arabian account of what happened to the writer who was killed by Saudi officials in thei… Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi prince to give first speech since Khashoggi’s slaying
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday will give his first speech to an international audience since the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Continue reading →
{FD} ‘Salvator Mundi’ buyer named new Saudi Culture Minister
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a number of royal decrees, including naming a young prince who is close to his son and heir as head of a newly established Culture Ministry early Saturday. Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi arrests activists who campaigned for women’s driving
Rights activists say at least six people who have campaigned for human rights in Saudi Arabia, including four women who pushed for the right to drive, have been detained in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading →
{FD} A look at the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan
Hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world began fasting on Thursday from sunrise to sunset for the month of Ramadan, a time of contemplation, fortitude and intense worship. Continue reading →
{FD} Nuclear deal’s opponents seek tougher stance on Iran
Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran’s other rivals have long wanted to scuttle the nuclear deal, which they see as undermining the strategy they say the world should be taking: a tough, confrontational stance against Tehran’s ambitions in the region. Continue reading →
{FD} IMF: Mideast not growing fast enough to reduce unemployment
The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that nearly a quarter of the Middle East’s youth are unemployed, warning that unless deeper reforms are made, millions of young people entering the labor market each year may not find jobs. Continue reading →
{FD} First Saudi cinema opens with popcorn and ‘Black Panther’
The lights dimmed and the crowd of men and women erupted into applause and hoots as Hollywood’s blockbuster “Black Panther” premiered in Saudi Arabia’s first movie theater. Continue reading →
{FD} First Saudi cinema opens with popcorn and ‘Black Panther”
The lights dimmed and the crowd of men and women erupted into applause and hoots Wednesday evening as Hollywood’s blockbuster “Black Panther” premiered in Saudi Arabia’s first movie theater. Continue reading →
{FD} Saudi coalition announces $1.5 billion in aid for Yemen
Saudi Arabia on Monday announced $1.5 billion in new aid for Yemen, where nearly three years of conflict has devastated the local economy and pushed millions to the brink of famine, causing what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanit… Continue reading →
{FD} A year of historic change in Saudi Arabia, with more to come
Saudi Arabia in 2017 laid the groundwork for momentous change next year, defying its conservative reputation for slow, cautious reforms by announcing plans to let women drive, allow movie theaters to return and to issue tourist visas. Continue reading →
