Saudi Arabia

27 July 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia opened its first mangrove nursery on Wednesday, which is targeting to plant 50 million trees by 2030 in the fight against desertification, Anadolu Agency reports.

John Pagano, Chief Executive of Red Sea Global, the developer behind the project, said they aim to grow the trees in partnership with the National Centre for Vegetation Cover, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

30 July 2023; MEMO: Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola has said Saudi Arabia has "changed the football transfer market" following Riyad Mahrez's move on Friday to join Jeddah-based football club Al-Ahli in a deal worth almost $40 million, becoming one of the latest high-profile Premier League player to play in the Saudi Pro League.

RIYADH, Jul 30 (NNN-SPA) – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has strongly condemned Wednesday’s military coup in Niger, that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, is following with great concern over the developments in Niger, an OIC member state, said the report.

The OIC chief denounced any attempt to seize power by force, and demanded the immediate release of the president and the restoration of the rule of law in the country, it added.

RIYADH, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has urged warring parties in Sudan to stop "all forms of military escalation" and find a political solution that would guarantee Sudan's return to security and stability.

In a phone call that Faisal received from General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan on Saturday, the Saudi top diplomat urged the warring parties in Sudan to "restore calm" and prioritize their national interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

RIYADH, Jul 27 (NNN-SPA) – An F-15SA fighter jet, of the Royal Saudi Air Force, crashed during a training session yesterday, killing the crew on board.

Turki Al-Malki, spokesman of the Saudi Defence Ministry, said that, the crash happened near the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, around 800 kilometres south-west of the capital, Riyadh.

Al-Malki said that, an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the crash.

The F-15SA is a two-seater fighter jet. Saudi Arabia has not revealed the exact number of those killed in the crash.

RIYADH, Jul 28 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabia, yesterday, condemned the incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, by Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and a group of settlers.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced the Israeli “systematic practices” as “a flagrant infringement of all international norms and covenants” that provoke the feelings of Muslims worldwide.

25 July 2023; MEMO: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Sunday that it has informed the government in Stockholm that it has suspended Sweden's special envoy status to the organisation after the desecration of copies of the Holy Qur'an by protesters in the North European country.

23 July 2023; MEMO: Authorities in Saudi Arabia seized more than six million narcotic pills concealed in sweets and nuts from a shipment coming from Oman and arrested a Saudi and a Syrian national on the charges of carrying them, local media reported on Saturday, Reuters reports.

22 July 2023; MEMO: The Saudi Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Swedish Embassy in the Kingdom, handing him a protest note against the burning and desecration of copies of the Holy Quran.

This was conveyed in a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported by the official Saudi Press Agency.

19 July 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, privately threatened to journalists that he would impose sanctions on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has revealed.