Saudi Arabia

06 May 2023; MEMO: Representatives of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group began their first face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Anadolu reports.

According to the Saudi state news agency SPA, the talks between the two military rivals were held in the city of Jeddah.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia and the US welcomed the start of the "pre-negotiation talks" between the two conflicting parties to end their fighting that has killed hundreds.

06 May 2023; MEMO: United Nations (UN) experts have expressed alarm at a planned execution of three nationals from the Al-Howeitat tribe in Saudi Arabia over the tribes' rejection of the NEOM project, urging authorities to halt the process.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Argentinian football player, Lionel Messi, is reportedly in talks to joi the Saudi Pro League for an annual contract worth $400 million.

According to the Telegraph, Saudi Arabia is preparing the offer as Messi is set to leave France's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) club and become a free agent this summer.

04 May 2023; MEMO: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member states are set to implement a unified visa for tourists and businesspeople from dozens of countries, in an initiative comparable to the European Union's Schengen zone visa.

03 May 2023; MEMO: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) plans to send a high-level delegation to Sudan for talks on the situation in the conflict-torn country, Anadolu News Agency reports.

At least 550 people have been killed and more than 4,900 injured in fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since 15 April, according to Sudan's Health Ministry.

01 May 2023; MEMO: During a five-day campaign, Saudi authorities seized 16.9 million narcotic amphetamine and Captagon pills, Saudi media reported on Sunday.

The authorities conducted the campaign between 25 April and 29 April – immediately after the Eid Al Fitr holiday – in various regions and governorates across the Kingdom.

30 Apr 2023; MEMO: Iran has praised Saudi Arabia over its evacuation efforts amid the conflict in Sudan entering its third week. Hundreds of foreigners escaping the country have arrived in the kingdom in recent days, with 1,900 evacuees arriving at a Saudi naval base in Jeddah by ferry yesterday, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

27 Apr 2023; MEMO: Saudi Aramco is now the world's second largest company in terms of value, overtaking Microsoft and behind Apple. The company has been valued at $2.11 trillion (7.92 trillion Saudi riyals).

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia), April 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A boat with 1,687 civilians from more than 50 countries fleeing violence in Sudan arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said, the largest rescue effort by the Gulf kingdom to date.

The group was “transported by one of the Kingdom’s ships, and the Kingdom was keen to provide all the basic needs of foreign nationals in preparation for their departure,” the ministry said in a statement.

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia), April 26 (NNN-SPA) — Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) said on Tuesday it had foiled an attempt to smuggle over 12 million amphetamine pills.

The GDNC thwarted an attempt to smuggle 12,729,000 tablets of amphetamine concealed in a shipment of pomegranate fruit passing through the Jeddah port, GDNC spokesman Marwan Alhazmi said.

The operation was carried out in coordination with Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Zakat and Tax in Jeddah, he said.