Saudi Arabia

02 July 2020; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has taken another step in its long-held ambition to develop a domestic arms industry. An agreement has been signed in Riyadh between government officials and industry bosses that will see the Kingdom reach one of its key objectives.

The deal between the Saudi General Directorate of the Border Guard and the Military Industries Corporation (MIC) will see a new vehicle, known as the Dahna, being built in the country.

RIYADH, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabian and U.S. officials on Monday called on the international community to extend a United Nations arms embargo on Iran, warning that the expiry would allow Tehran to destabilize the region.

Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook held a joint press conference in Riyadh, where weapons, including drones and missiles, which were used in recent Houthi attacks on Saudi cities, were displayed.

RIYADH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's border guards announced on Saturday that three Iranian boats were forced to retreat from Saudi waters.

The coast guards patrols spotted the boats on Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The boats were followed and warned to go back but failed to respond, then warning shots were fired and the vessels were forced to leave, said the report. 

RIYADH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Group of 20 (G20) members vowed on Saturday to address disturbances in education and training caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The G20 education ministers held a virtual meeting and stressed commitment to working towards stronger and more innovative approaches to build resilience in educational systems and improve teaching and learning, the Saudi G20 presidency said in a statement.

23 June 2020; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has banned entry for the Hajj pilgrimage this year to international pilgrims, implementing the long-expected decision in order to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.

The annual pilgrimage, which draws an estimated two million Muslims from around the world to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, will now only be attended by those currently living in the kingdom, according to Saudi state media.

RIYADH, June 23 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabia announced on Monday, that, only a limited number of pilgrims will be allowed to perform the Hajj in the kingdom this season, over the COVID-19 concerns.

The decision was made, given the increase in the number of cases in most countries, and the risks of the virus spread in crowded gatherings, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was quoted as saying.

Saudi Arabia has so far registered a total of 161,005 COVID-19 infections, with 54,523 active cases, including 2,045 critical ones.

20 June 2020; MEMO: The Saudi Ministry of Interior has confirmed that journalist Hamid Al-Ghabin was stripped of his citizenship not due to his support of Israel, but for possessing false documents relating to his citizenship.

17 June 2020; MEMO: Some 1.2 million foreign workers will leave Saudi Arabia this year due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country, a report from the Jadwa Investment company has revealed.

According to the publication, nearly 178,000 expatriates have submitted requests to the Saudi Ministry of Interior to leave the kingdom between 22 April and 3 June, while more than 323,000 expatriates have already left this year.

16 June 2020; AFP: Saudi Arabia is expected to scale back or call off this year's hajj pilgrimage for the first time in its modern history, observers say, a perilous decision as coronavirus cases spike.

Muslim nations are pressing Riyadh to give its much-delayed decision on whether the annual ritual will go ahead as scheduled in late July.

But as the kingdom negotiates a call fraught with political and economic risks in a tinderbox region, time is running out to organise logistics for one of the world's largest mass gatherings.

RIYADH, June 16 (NNN-SPA) – The Saudi-led coalition, involved in a war in Yemen, on Monday, intercepted several bomb-laden drones launched towards Saudi Arabia’s southwestern city of Asir.

The coalition spokesperson, Turki Al Maliki, revealed that Houthi militia had targeted the kingdom with 357 drones.

He said that the drones were intercepted and destroyed before reaching their targets.