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 Saudi Arabia

Americans have long considered Saudi Arabia the one constant in the Arab Middle East. The Saudis banked our oil under their sand, and losing Saudi Arabia would be like losing the Federal Reserve. Even if the Saudi rulers one day did turn anti-American, the argument went, they would never stop pumping oil, because that would mean cutting their own throats. This, at any rate, is the way we looked at the matter before fifteen Saudis and four other terrorists launched their suicide attacks on September 11; before Osama bin Laden suddenly became for the Arab world the most popular Saudi in history; before USA Today reported last summer that nearly four out of five hits on a clandestine al Qaeda Web site came from inside Saudi Arabia; and before a recent report commissioned by the UN Security Council indicated that Saudi Arabia has transferred $500 million to al Qaeda over the past decade.


Five extended families in the Middle East own about 60 percent of the world's oil. The Saud family, which rules Saudi Arabia, controls more than a third of that amount. This is the fulcrum on which the global economy teeters, and the House of Saud knows what the West is only beginning to learn: that it presides over a kingdom dangerously at war with itself. In the air in Riyadh and Jidda is the conviction that oil money has corrupted the ruling family beyond redemption, even as the general population has grown and gotten poorer; that the country's leaders have failed to protect fellow Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere; and that the House of Saud has let Islam be humiliated-- that, in short, the country needs a radical "purification."





"For over sixty years, the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a strong relationship based upon mutual respect and common interests. Diplomatic relations were established in 1933. The U.S. Embassy opened in Jeddah in 1944 and moved to Riyadh in 1984. In addition to the Embassy, the American government maintains consulates in Jeddah and in Dhahran. The United States and Saudi Arabia share a common concern for regional security, oil exports and imports, and sustainable development. Close consultations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have developed on international, economic, and development issues such as the Middle East peace process and shared interests in the Gulf. The U.S. is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is the largest U.S. export market in the Middle East. The United States and Saudi Arabia have a history of technical and educational exchange which has benefited both nations, and the longstanding security relationship continues to be important. As the twenty-first century dawns, the vibrancy of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, based on multifaceted interests in the political, economic, business and humanitarian fields, remains secure. "



usembassy.state.gov
webpage of the American Embassy, Riyadh


Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the Al Saud family without elected representative institutions at the national level and with a 2004 population of approximately 26.7 million of which an estimated 7 million were foreign citizens. On August 1, King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud ascended the throne upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud. As the custodian of Islam's two holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, the government bases its legitimacy in governance according to its interpretation of Islamic law (Shari'a). The Basic Law sets out the system of government, rights of citizens, powers, and duties of the state, and provides that the Koran and the Traditions (Sunna) of the Prophet Muhammad serve as the country's constitution. The government generally maintained effective control over the security forces.

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Saudi Arabia

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updated Tue. June 18, 2024

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Saudi air defences on Sunday intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemeni rebels at the kingdom's southern border city of Najran, which set a farm ablaze, state media said. "Saudi forces were able to intercept (the missile)," the Saudi Press Agency said, citing the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed ...
Netanyahu's false promise on Saudi Arabia? Although King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia clarified the kingdom's position on Jerusalem at the Arab League Summit in Dhahran last week, the final communique was silent on the Gaza Strip, where Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed 32 ...

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Great Britain have set out a new vision of their bilateral relationship, with an ambitious target of achieving $90 billion in trade and investment opportunities in the coming years, said Simon Collis, British ambassador to the Kingdom. A number of other commercial initiatives have ...
A spokesman said: "We are supporting the British families of those who have died and those injured following a serious road traffic accident near the town of Al Khalas, Saudi Arabia." The coach was travelling between Mecca and Medina on Saturday afternoon when it was hit by the tanker, which then ...
Saudi Arabia is rumored to want oil prices at $100 per barrel, but if prices rise that high, it could sow the seeds of the next downturn. Saudi officials want more revenues for their budget and a higher oil price to bolster the valuation of the Aramco IPO. But that short-term thinking could spell trouble not just for ...
by James M. Dorsey. Bangladesh, in a twist of irony, is looking to Saudi Arabia to fund a $ 1 billion plan to build hundreds of mosques and religious centres to counter militant Islam that for much of the past decade traced its roots to ultra-conservative strands of the faith promoted by a multi-billion dollar ...

JEDDAH: As part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, tourist and heritage sites will be developed to encourage visitors from around the world. This is good news for Laura Alho, a travel writer and photographer who is said to be the first person to start promoting Saudi tourism to the outside world. Alho is a Finnish ...
An elite group of movie lovers in the Saudi capital Riyadh got a special treat on Wednesday — a screening of the Hollywood blockbuster Black Panther. The invitation-only event marked the lifting of a ban on cinemas that's lasted more than three decades. It also heralds a new era for Saudi filmmakers, who ...
Riyadh: A major joint military exercise with 24 countries to ensure effective partner-response to emerging threats, as well as to support stability and security in the region, got under way in Jubail, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Termed Gulf Shield-1, the event integrates live fire, coastal defence and ...
JEDDAH: All the world's a stage, wrote Shakespeare — and that is certainly true of Saudi Arabia, where theater life is enjoying a renaissance thanks to the country's social reforms. Theater in the Kingdom is embarking on a leap forward, Bakheet Al-Amri, chairman of the theater committee for the Saudi ...
German software maker SAP expects to generate new business in the Middle East as a result of Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030" plan, a senior executive at the company told CNBC. There is a big push toward cloud computing in Saudi Arabia, according to Luka Mucic, chief financial officer at SAP. "Companies ...
By 1998, Rafsanjani was scooping water from the garden oasis of Fadak, a venerated site for Shia Muslims outside of Medina, becoming the most senior Iranian leader to visit Saudi Arabia since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He was accompanied by his senior national security adviser, Hassan Rouhani, the ...
SAUDI ARABIA'S AIR defences have “intercepted” a ballistic missile fired from rebel-held Yemen at Riyadh, a military spokesman said, adding two others were shot down in southern Saudi Arabia. The announcement came after an AFP journalist witnessed explosions and heard three blasts over the capital ...
An exchange-traded fund that tracks Saudi Arabia's equity market fell on Wednesday, following reports of explosions heard in the country's capital. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF KSA, -1.45% dropped 1.9% and was trading at its lows of the session, although trading was slight, with just over 33,000 ...
Oil futures jumped Wednesday, setting prices for the U.S. benchmark up for their highest finish in more than three years after unconfirmed reports that Saudi Arabia has intercepted a missile over Riyadh. The news appeared to surface shortly after a U.S. government report revealed a bigger-than-expected ...
Arab foreign ministers will convene in Saudi Arabia on Thursday to discuss regional developments, especially recent escalations by Israel, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. “The most pressing [item on the agenda] is the current situation in Palestine, particularly the recent [Israeli] escalations ...
Forty-seven women in Saudi Arabia of various ages came together to participate in the kingdom's first women-only cycling race on Tuesday in the King Abdullah City for Sports in Jeddah. The 10km race was organized by the Saudi General Authority for Sports and was held in coincidence with the ...

The French oil group has signed a preliminary deal with Saudi Aramco to build what the companies described in a statement as a "giant" petrochemical complex in the kingdom. The project will require investment of about $5 billion and will be integrated with an oil refinery that is already operated as a joint ...
Riyadh: Saudi Air Force intercepted on Thursday a missile shot by Al Houthi militia from Yemen towards border city of Jazan, Al Arabiya news reported. Al Houthis in deadly escalation against Saudi Arabia. The Saudi forces have dealt with 104 ballistic missiles shot by the Al Houthis since June 2015, ...
A coalition of various Iranian political groups called the Iranian Democrats Council condemned the Houthi militia's ballistic missiles attack targeting major cities in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh. The council said that this is a blatant act to destabilize the region, and held authorities in Tehran accountable for ...
NEW YORK -- A judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia's motion to end a New York lawsuit seeking to hold it responsible in the Sept. 11 attacks. In dismissing the motion, U.S. District Judge George Daniels said the plaintiffs' allegations met the requirements for the court to assume jurisdiction under ...
Saudi Arabia and SoftBank have inked a memorandum of understanding to build the world's largest solar project, worth an estimated $200B. It's the largest solar project ever announced and it's a sign that even the Saudis, who collectively hold the largest proven reserves of oil, believe it's necessary to ...
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman urged the international community to step up economic and political pressure against Iran to avoid a large military conflict in the Middle East. During a whirlwind tour of the United States this month, during which he met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, ...
In July, David J. Pecker, the chairman of the company that owns The National Enquirer, visited his old friend President Trump at the White House. The tabloid publisher took along a special guest, Kacy Grine, a French businessman who advises one of Saudi Arabia's richest men and sometimes acts as an ...
Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud says businesses operating in Saudi Arabia need to engage with local citizens more. Greater community engagement will lead to better understanding of opportunities in the country, she says. Saudi Arabia has announced a slate of deals with U.S. businesses as it ...
In a news conference, Al-Asheikh announced that Saudi Arabia feels the suffering of all people in distress and in need around the world and seeks to assist them and support them. The Kingdom has achieved an advanced place among the top 10 countries in providing aid for migrants, refugees, victims of ...
Saudi Arabia and Israel have no official diplomatic relations, like much of the Arab world. Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab countries with peace treaties with Israel. The flight approval comes after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu described relations with the Arab world as the "best ever", ...
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has joined a UN-sponsored international decade to safeguard and improve the world's water supplies. ... Saudi Arabia was represented at the opening session of the conference by Saudi Arabia's UN ambassador, Abdullah Al-Maalami, and Undersecretary of the Ministry of ...
The MoU aims to create a cybersecurity and programming partnership that focuses on improving and advancing Saudi Arabia's cybersecurity and programming ... Al-Qahtani explained that “this partnership is a powerful addition for improving the skills and knowledge of Saudi Arabia's cybersecurity and ...
Mohammed Al-Nahdi, the owner of the Professional Zone diving club, said: “Our aim is to socialize people with different nationalities living in Saudi Arabia so they can explore the beauty of Red Sea. Scuba diving is a sport that helps people to make friends, to socialize more, because no one can dive alone ...
As Saudi Arabia opens its airspace for the first time to a commercial flight to Israel, Israel's national carrier will take its own fight for access to Saudi airspace to the Supreme Court in Israel, according to officials. India's national carrier Air India is now reportedly offering three direct flights a week between New ...
Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known colloquially in the West as MBS, is touring the world touting the anti-corruption and pro-women reforms he has initiated in his country. While bin Salman has been praised by some as a revolutionary, rights groups have voiced ...
Arena: Is Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman really a reformer? The 32-year-old crown prince, known colloquially in the West as MBS, is touring the world touting the anti-corruption and pro-women reforms he has initiated in his country. While bin Salman has been praised by some as a ...
Avoiding Saudi Arabia typically adds hours to Israel-bound flights. Riyadh has not yet formally acknowledged granting overflight rights, but aircraft trackers show the jet crossed its territory. Air India 139 took off from Delhi, and the Boeing Dreamliner flew over the kingdom for three hours, passing just west of ...
TEMPO.CO, Bangkalan - An Indonesian migrant worker Muhammad Zaini Misrin who executed in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, March 18, was recognized as a hard worker by his family and relatives. Zaini flew to Saudi Arabia in 1992 and rarely returned to his home in Bangkalan, Madura. One time he went ...
For March, Saudi Arabia had pledged to cut additional 100,000 bpd of its oil production and keep its exports below 7 million bpd in a bid to help clear the global oversupply and counteract the oil market volatility in February. The Saudi energy ministry said back in February that oil exports would continue to ...
The White House on Monday said there is an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to be a key interlocutor between the U.S. and Pakistan, as President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction over “bare minimum” actions taken by Islamabad against terror groups. “As you well know the Saudis have a long ...
Chris Fenton, the former motion picture group president of DMG, is in advanced talks to head Saudi Arabia's nascent film initiative, Variety has learned. The exact job title has yet to be determined and no deal has been set, but the post would be a plum one, giving Fenton influence in a country with vast ...
Saudi Arabia is scaling back its ambitions for a public offering for oil giant Aramco, moving ahead with a listing next year solely on the Saudi stock exchange while taking more time to decide if an international venue is worth it, government officials and others close to the process say. The decision has come ...
SINGAPORE: One Singaporean was killed and a number of people injured after a bus carrying 31 passengers met with an accident in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) on Tuesday (Mar 20). The accident happened between 1pm and 1.30pm Singapore time.
Canada's multi-billion dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia includes a substantial number of "heavy assault" armoured vehicles and a maintenance deal that would see the Ontario-based manufacturer embed teams at multiple locations throughout the kingdom. CBC News has obtained documents that — for the ...
The Senate is headed for a clash with the Trump administration over Saudi Arabia this week. The chamber is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution directing the U.S. military to stop cooperating with Saudi bombing operations in Yemen, an action the administration strongly opposes. The vote comes at ...
Saudi Arabia has taken a major step in its bid to welcome more women into the workforce by hosting its first-ever business forum for women. The Women in Leadership Economic Forum, called "Let's Talk About Tomorrow," aims to showcase the Kingdom's foremost female business leaders and ...
Saudi Arabia's central bank raised its two key interest rates by 0.25 percentage points in an apparent effort to prevent Saudi money rates from falling far below US rates, which could trigger capital outflows from the kingdom. The central bank lifted its repo rate, at which it lends to commercial banks, to 2.25 ...
The song's video was a hit in Saudi Arabia. To Hatrash's surprise, there was no hint of official disapproval. Duly encouraged, Most of Us have now released a song welcoming a new law permitting the reopening of cinemas. “Don't travel to Bahrain to see a couple of movies,” Hatrash sings in Arabic.
He added that he did not forget the players who had not been summoned explaining that Saudi Arabia's friendly is the last match in which he can do tests before May's camp prior to the World Cup. Belgium is set to play against Portugal on June 2, while playing against Egypt on June 6 and against Costa ...
JAZAN: Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection has announced that moderate to heavy rain in Jazan is expected for Friday. Meanwhile, moderate rain fell on the province of Taif, including the city of Taif. Al-Baha's General Directorate of Civil Defense warned that low ...
The meeting of the board of directors of Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Rights in Saudi Arabia. Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic. Riyadh - Asharq Al-Awsat. Minister of Commerce and Investment Majed Bin Abdullah al-Qasabi underlined the importance of Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Rights ...
If Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, one consequence could be Saudi Arabia developing its own nukes. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's defense chief and heir to the throne, said the Saudis don't want nukes but will develop ...
Shia Muslim majority-Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia have been adversaries for decades, but the proxy battle between the two has taken a new turn since the Crown Prince's rise. He has overseen Riyadh's participation in Yemen's civil war, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who are Shia Muslims, ...



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