Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, March 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will watch Iran's behaviour during the two-month window agreed upon to restore relations, Saudi columnists said on Sunday, reflecting continued wariness in the longtime rivalry between the region's Sunni Muslim and Shi'ite powers.

The breakthrough on Friday brokered by China, a major trade partner of both countries, followed several rounds of Saudi-Iranian talks held in the region in a bid to contain tensions, at a time of Gulf frustration over what they perceive as gradual U.S. disengagment from the region.

March 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman formally announced on Sunday the creation of a new national airline, Riyadh Air, with industry veteran Tony Douglas as its chief executive, as the kingdom moves to compete with regional transport and travel hubs.

Riyadh Air will will serve more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030, making use of the kingdom's location between Asia, Africa and Europe, state news agency SPA said.

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: Saudi scholar Emad Al-Moubayed has said he fled the kingdom because "all doors closed for the affirmation of truth and rejection of wrongdoing."

8 Mar 2023; MEMO: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said talks are underway for Syria's return to the Arab League.

"There is a consensus in the Arab world that the situation in Syria is not acceptable," Bin Farhan said in an interview with Saudi-run Al Arabiya television.

"There is a dialogue on the return of Syria to the Arab League, but I think it's too early to discuss," he added.

8 Mar 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has announced a set of rules and restrictions on the practice of the holy month of Ramadan in the Kingdom this year, including a number of controversial ones such as the reduction in mosque loudspeakers, the surveillance of worshippers wishing to seclude themselves during the month's last ten days, limitations on donations and the banning of filming or broadcasting of prayers within mosques.

8 Mar 2023; MEMO: A prominent Saudi cleric who was feared to have been detained has apparently left the Kingdom for a "safe" country, after criticising the government's radical reforms in the entertainment sphere.

Emad Al-Moubayed – a preacher and former imam at the King Abdulaziz Mosque in Dammam – posted a video on his unverified Twitter account last week, in which he warned against drastic social reforms in Saudi Arabia enacted over recent years.

7 Mar 2023; MEMO: In further signs of improving ties between Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, Riyadh announced yesterday that it has deposited $5 billion into the Turkish central bank. The deposit is likely to be used to help Turkiye strengthen its currency, the lira, after last month's massive earthquakes.

6 Mar 2023; MEMO: More than two million people have participated in a popular donation campaign in Saudi Arabia that has collected over 474 million riyals ($126.4 million) for the victims of the last month's devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, Anadolu News Agency reports.

RIYADH, Mar 5 (NNN-SPA) – Haramain High-Speed Railway will now provide over 100 daily trips to transport pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah, during the holy month of Ramadan, local media reported.

The decision to increase the number of train services comes, in the wake of the increase in the number of pilgrims and visitors to the Kingdom during the month of Ramadan.

2 Mar 2023; MEMO: Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid Bin Salman and his British counterpart, Ben Wallace, yesterday signed a "declaration of intent regarding the participation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Future Air Capabilities Program (FCAS)."

This was after a meeting between the two officials, during a visit that Wallace started to Riyadh, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.