Rights group Reprieve denounces failure of kingdom’s allies to challenge mass executions after data reveals colossal increase in death penalty use By MEE staff Published date: 31 January 2023 18:16 UTC The use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia has almost doubled since the rise to power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2015, according to a new in-depth report on the over 1,000 executions carried out by the kingdom since then.

Minister takes victory lap, praising ‘relative stability’ of crude prices compared to price swings of ‘other energy sources’ Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, on 27 July 2021 (AFP) By MEE staff Published date: 19 January 2023 22:33 UTC Saudi Arabia will continue to engage with Russia to maintain “stable” oil prices, the kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud told Bloomberg on Thursday.

China has called for Saudi Arabia to price oil sales in yuan, a move that could dent the dollar’s dominance By MEE staff Published date: 17 January 2023 20:37 UTC Saudi Arabia will consider trading in currencies other than the US dollar, the country’s finance minister said Tuesday, in one of the clearest signs yet that the oil-rich kingdom is open to diversifying away from the greenback. “There are no…

Court documents show Awad al-Qarni’s accusations include ‘expressing his opinions’ on social media Saudi preacher Awad al-Qarni was arrested in September 2017 along with a number of other religious figures, journalists, academics and activists (Screengrab) By MEE staff Published date: 15 January 2023 13:31 UTC The charges against a prominent Saudi Arabian preacher facing the death penalty include the use of social media…

State-owned mining giant announces partnership with sovereign wealth fund, joining in the global scramble for strategic minerals By MEE staff Published date: 11 January 2023 18:47 UTC Saudi Arabia’s state-owned mining giant Ma’aden announced a new joint venture with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, as it goes on the hunt for new mining assets abroad. Ma’aden will own 51 percent of the venture while the Public Investment Fund (PIF) will own 49 percent. The fund’s initial capital would be $50m, but that number could climb to over $3bn, the companies said, if required.

Officials meet to further normalisation deals days after Abu Dhabi condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by an Israeli far-right minister By MEE staff Published date: 8 January 2023 12:10 UTC A delegation of senior Israeli officials made their way to Abu Dhabi on Sunday to prepare for the upcoming Arab-Israeli Negev Summit that is set to be held in Morocco later this year. The meeting comes despite recent tension between…

Wikimedia investigation says Saudi government infiltrated Wikipedia by recruiting top administrators By MEE staff Published date: 5 January 2023 22:59 UTC Saudi Arabia infiltrated Wikipedia by recruiting the organisation’s highest-ranked administrators in the country as government agents, in a bid to control content on the website, activists said Thursday, citing the investigation. Wikimedia, the parent company of Wikipedia, terminated all of…

LIV says PGA used the firm to coordinate protests with 9/11 families By MEE staff Published date: 5 January 2023 22:26 UTC The Saudi Arabia-financed LIV Golf was accused this week of using its US lawsuit against the PGA Tour to “build an intelligence file” on families of 9/11 victims who have been critical of Riyadh and its new professional golf tour. At the centre of the legal battle is Clout Public Affairs, a public relations and consulting firm that represents the PGA. …

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed visits Damascus, affirms Syrian sovereignty By MEE staff Published date: 4 January 2023 22:21 UTC The United Arab Emirates’ top diplomat met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday in Damascus, the latest sign of Syria’s warming ties to the Gulf state. The two sides discussed boosting economic ties. The UAE also affirmed its support…