Saudi Arabia - The African Mirror

Jul

2022

Biden disputes Saudi account of Khashoggi murder discussion

U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday differed with Saudi Arabia in their account of discussions at a bilateral summit about the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a major point of contention between the two countries. U.S. intelligence agencies believe Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing in 2018 of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic who had been living in self-imposed exile in Virginia. The de facto Saudi ruler denies it. Answering reporters as he arrived at the White House from his first Middle East trip as president, Biden disputed the Saudi foreign minister's account that he did not…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Biden begins sensitive Saudi trip with fist bump for crown prince, handshake for king

WORLD

STEVE HOLLAND, AZIZ EL YAAKOUBI and MAHA EL DAHAN JOE Biden began a visit to Saudi Arabia by giving Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a fist bump and shaking hands with King Salman as Washington looks to reset its relationship with a country that the U.S. president once pledged to make a "pariah" on the global stage. Energy and security interests prompted Biden and his aides to decide not to isolate the Gulf oil giant that has been strengthening ties with Russia and China. But the U.S. national security adviser dampened expectations of any immediate oil supply boost to help…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Turkish court halts Khashoggi trial, transfers it to Saudi Arabia

WORLD

ALI KUCUKGOCMEN A Turkish court halted the trial of Saudi suspects over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and transferred it to Saudi Arabia, a ruling that drew condemnation from rights groups and comes as Ankara mends ties with Riyadh. The decision was expected after the prosecutor called last week for the trial in absentia of 26 Saudi suspects to be transferred from Istanbul to Riyadh. The justice minister later endorsed the request, which was initially sought by Riyadh. Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul four years ago raised a global outcry and put pressure on Saudi Arabia's…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Turkish prosecutor requests transfer of Khashoggi trial to Saudi Arabia

WORLD

ALI KUCUKGOCMEN A Turkish prosecutor called for the trial in Istanbul of Saudi suspects over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to be halted and transferred to Saudi authorities, a move which comes as Turkey seeks to mend ties with Riyadh. Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul four years ago triggered a global outcry and put pressure on Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A U.S. intelligence report released a year ago said the prince had approved the operation to kill or capture Khashoggi, but the Saudi government denied any involvement by the crown…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Haj pilgrims face growing heat stroke risks with global warming

WORLD

MAYA GEBEILY AS thousands of devout Muslims flock to Islam's holiest sites in Saudi Arabia for the annual haj pilgrimage this week, scientists warn the sacred rite is under threat due to deadly rising heat. The risk of pilgrims suffering life-threatening heatstroke could rise five-fold with global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial times, found the study in the journal Environmental Research Letters. With an increase of 2C - the less ambitious goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement - the probability becomes 10 times higher, said Climate Analytics, a Berlin-based think-tank. "The region is already susceptible…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Saudi and UAE condemn Israel over Palestinian clashes at Al-Aqsa

WORLD

SAUDI Arabia and the United Arab Emirates yesterday condemned Israel's plans to evict Palestinians from homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers, following a night of violence in Jerusalem. Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades towards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque late on Friday. The clashes at Islam's third holiest site and around East Jerusalem, which injured 205 Palestinians and 17 police officers, came amid mounting anger over the planned evictions. "Saudi Arabia rejects Israel's plans and measures to evict dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem and impose Israeli sovereignty over them," the kingdom's…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

Saudi malls, supermarkets, restaurants told to increase hiring of Saudi nationals

WORLD

MALLS, supermarkets, restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia must increase their percentage of local hires, the kingdom's ministry of human resources and social development has announced. A set of three decisions announced by Minister Ahmed bin Suleiman al-Rajhi was expected to provide 51,000 jobs for Saudi men and women, state news agency SPA reported. The move is part of a wider governmental push to replace expatriate workers with Saudi citizens. The first decision would limit only Saudis to work in malls and mall management offices, "with the exception of a limited number of activities and professions in these malls." Supermarkets,…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Saudi Arabia to invest $3 bln in Sudan investment fund

BUSINESS

SAUDI Arabia has committed to investing $3 billion in a joint fund for investments in Sudan, and to encourage other parties to participate, Sudanese minister of Cabinet affairs Khalid Omer Yousif has told Reuters. Earlier this week, Sudan had secured a recommitment from Saudi Arabia to a $1.5 billion grant it had first announced in April 2019. The commitments came from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Yousif said, during a visit by Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and other senior officials this week, seeking to boost cooperation as Sudan's transitional authorities struggle to tackle a long-running economic crisis. Sudan received…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

Saudi in talks with COVID vaccine makers to supply Yemen, African states

COVID-19

SAUDI Arabia's finance minister said his country was talking to manufacturers to provide COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries including Yemen and African states. "We are negotiating with a lot of the vaccination companies to provide more vaccinations particularly to low income countries," Mohammed al-Jadaan told the virtual World Economic Forum in Davos. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition that has been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen since early 2015, in a war that has pushed Yemen into a humanitarian crisis. Jadaan said Yemen and some African nations would not be able to get enough vaccines through the COVAX…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

Saudis vowed to stop executing minors; some death sentences remain

WORLD

RAYA JALABI FIVE people who committed crimes in Saudi Arabia as minors have yet to have their death sentences revoked, according to two rights groups, nine months after the kingdom's Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced an end to capital punishment for juvenile offenders. The state-backed HRC in April cited a March royal decree by King Salman stipulating that individuals sentenced to death for crimes committed while minors will no longer face execution and would instead serve prison terms of up to 10 years in juvenile detention centers. The statement did not specify a timeline, but in October, in response to…