Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a visit Beijing hailed as its biggest diplomatic initiative in the Arab world, as Riyadh expands global alliances beyond a longstanding partnership with the West.

The meeting between the global economic powerhouse and Gulf energy giant comes as Saudi ties with Washington are strained by U.S. criticism of Riyadh's human rights record and Saudi support for oil output curbs before the November midterm elections.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: Trade and investment ties between China and Gulf Arab States are expected to feature prominently in President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia this week, as the region increasingly looks East to drive economic transformation at home for a post-oil era, Reuters reports.

RIYADH, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosts China's leader this week at a delicate moment in U.S.-Saudi ties, signalling Riyadh's resolve to navigate a polarised global order regardless of the wishes of its Western allies, analysts said.

The ruler of the oil giant has made a comeback on the world stage following the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, which cast a pall over Saudi-U.S. ties, and has been defiant in the face of U.S. ire over the kingdom's energy policy and pressure from Washington to help isolate Russia.

RIYADH, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire and build multi-mission combat ships for the kingdom's navy, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Thursday.

The MoU was signed between the Saudi defense ministry, the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries and Spain's state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia, according to the SPA report.

30 Nov 2022; MEMO: The football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, has agreed to join a top Saudi team in a contract worth over $200 million per year, according to a media report.

Following Portugal's match against Ghana last week during the ongoing World Cup games, in which Ronaldo made history by becoming the first player to score in five World Cups, CBS Sports reported that Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr Club was ready to present the famed player with a three-year deal. No confirmation was publicly made at the time.

01 Dec 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's energy minister said Saudi Aramco had discovered two new natural gas fields, Awtad and AlDahna, in the country's eastern region, state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday.

Awtad was discovered southwest of the Ghawar field, and gas flowed from one well, Awtad-108001 well at a rate of 10 million standard cubic feet daily, plus 740 barrels of condensate, and another well, Awtad-100921 at 16.9 million standard cubic feet daily, and 165 barrels of condensate, SPA said.

RIYADH, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Monday plans to transform Riyadh airport into a massive aviation hub with six parallel runways and designed to accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030, state news agency SPA reported.

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), will build King Salman International Airport, which should stretch over 57 square kilometres (22.01 square miles) and include current King Khaled airport, SPA said.

RIYADH, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Representatives from Russia and Ukraine met in the United Arab Emirates last week to discuss the possibility of a prisoner-of-war swap that would be linked to a resumption of Russian ammonia exports, which go to Asia and Africa, via a Ukrainian pipeline, three sources with knowledge of the meeting said.

Saudi Arabia has declared a public holiday on Wednesday as it celebrates the national team's sensational FIFA World Cup win against Argentina, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The ‏national holiday will be for all employees in "government and the private sector, as well as students in all educational stages," according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

RIYADH, Nov 22 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabian Energy Minister, Abdulaziz bin Salman, yesterday, denied media reports that his country is mulling an oil output increase.

“The current cut of two million barrels per day by OPEC+ continues until the end of 2023, and if there is a need to take further measures, by reducing production to balance supply and demand, we always remain ready to intervene,” the minister was quoted as saying.