middleeast

by Halim Shebaya Saudi minister of state for Arab Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan has become a household name in Lebanon. Last Sunday, Sabhan considered the silence of Lebanon's government and people "bizarre" in relation to "the war on Saudi Arabia" which the "terrorist militia party" Hezbollah is waging. Two days later, then...

by Jillian Kestler-D'Amours The snap resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri over the weekend reflects a push by Saudi Arabia to openly confront Iran, its longtime regional adversary, and Iran's Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, analysts say. It will also likely plunge Lebanon into a fresh political quagmire, as the country's...

Saudi Arabia has dismissed a number of senior ministers and detained nearly a dozen princes in an investigation by a new anti-corruption committee, state media reported on Saturday. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a billionaire businessman who owns investment firm Kingdom Holding, was among those held,...

Saudi air defence says missile fired from Yemen intercepted in northeast Riyadh Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibiity for an explosion in Riyadh, saying they fired a long-range ballistic missile that travelled 500km over the border with Saudi Arabia. Al Masirah, a TV network run by the Houthi...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — “Welcome to the future of Saudi Arabia,” a Saudi tour guide intoned last week as she led guests into a showroom advertising values not traditionally associated with the kingdom: gender equality, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation. After an IMAX-style introductory video,...

Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has visited the UAE-funded military training centre in Mogadishu, which offers training to members of the Somali Armed Forces. Upon his arrival, the Somali Prime Minister was received by Mohammed Ahmed Al Othman, UAE Ambassador to Somalia. Khaire toured the...

Mohammed bin Salman tells the Guardian that ultra-conservative state has been ‘not normal’ for past 30 years Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has vowed to return the country to “moderate Islam” and asked for global support to transform the hardline kingdom into an...

The two countries are bound by a fraternity of faith and humanity Top political leadership in Somalia has expressed gratitude to the rulers of the UAE for their unstinted humanitarian efforts aimed at alleviating suffering in the African nation. A high-level delegation visiting Abu Dhabi...

The Saudi Arabia-United Arab Emirates (UAE) decision to break relations with Qatar, and more importantly their insistence for others to follow their lead, has pitted the Federal Government of Somalia (‘Somali government’) against many of its federal member states. This has created a serious...

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia's economy has slipped back into recession as the oil sector stagnates and the government sector is hit by austerity policies designed to curb a state budget deficit caused by low oil prices, official data showed on Saturday. Gross domestic product, adjusted for...