April 2, 2024 Biden’s National Security Advisor Sullivan to Visit Riyadh for Talks on “Major Deal” Between Israel and Saudi Arabia Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, is set to visit Saudi Arabia this week for discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit aims to advance U.S. efforts to normalize relations […]

March 6, 2024 Houthi Missile Attack Kills Two on Cargo Ship A Houthi missile attack off Yemen’s coast targeted the Barbados-flagged cargo ship True Confidence, resulting in significant damage, at least two deaths, and six wounded. Despite efforts to change course on orders from an entity claiming to be the Yemeni Navy, the ship suffered

February 7, 2024 Saudi Will NOT Normalize Relations Without Palestinian State Recognition. Saudi Arabia has reiterated its stance to the U.S. that it will not establish diplomatic ties with Israel without the recognition of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.  February 8, 2024 Saudi Defense Minister

January 3, 2024 Saudi Arabia Officially Joins BRICS Group. Saudi Arabia has officially become a full member of the BRICS group, which previously included Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This expansion also added Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Argentina, and Ethiopia to the group. Saudi Arabia’s membership comes amidst geopolitical tensions between the US

December 1, 2023 U.S. Orders Saudi Aramco Fund to Sell Stake in Silicon Valley Tech Firm. The Biden administration reportedly forced a Saudi Aramco investment fund to sell its shares in a Silicon Valley AI chip startup, affecting the kingdom’s growing investments in U.S. technology. The move was based on a review by the U.S.

November 1, 2023 The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Muslim World League condemn the targeting of Jabalia camp. The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Islamic World League strongly denounce the Israeli military’s assault on Gaza’s Jabalia Camp, considering it a heinous war crime and urging the international community to protect civilians. The attack resulted in

October 3, 2023 Saudi Arabia Forecasts $21 Billion Deficit (Al Monitor). Saudi Arabia expects a $21 billion deficit for the financial year ending in 2024, revising its earlier forecasts of surpluses. The deficit is attributed to oil cuts and funding for Vision 2030 projects aimed at diversifying the economy. Despite global challenges, the kingdom maintains

Sept 1, 2023 Sept 6, 2023 Sept 7, 2023 Sept 8, 2023 Sept 12, 2023 Sept 13, 2023 Sept 14, 2023 Sept 15, 2023 Sept 18, 2023 Sept 20, 2023 Sept 21, 2023 Sept 22, 2023 Sept 25, 2023 Sept 26, 2023 Sept 27, 2023 Sept 28, 2023 Sept 29, 2023

August 1, 2023 August 2, 2023 August 3, 2023 August 4, 2023 August 7, 2023 August 8, 2023 August 9, 2023 August 10, 2023 August 11, 2023 August 14, 2023 August 15, 2023 August 16, 2023 August 17, 2023 August 18, 2023 August 21, 2023 August 22, 2023 August 23, 2023 Qatar Says Prisoner Exchange

July 3, 2023 Kuwait Summons Swedish Ambassador in Protest Against Qur’an Burning (Elaph). The foreign ministry ministry expressed Kuwait’s protest against the continued permission of the Swedish authorities to grant permits to burn copies of the Holy Qur’an and called on the Swedish government to take responsibility for stopping the granting of these permits and

THE GULF 6-2023 June 1, 2023 June 5, 2023 June 6, 2023 June 7, 2023 June 8, 2023 June 9, 2023 June 12, 2023 June 13, 2023 June 14, 2023 June 15, 2023 June 16, 2023 June 19, 2023 June 20, 2023 June 21, 2023 June 22, 2023 June 23, 2023 June 26, 2023 June

May 2, 2023  Saudi Arabia Thwarts Attempt to Smuggle Over 5 Million Drug Pills; Syrian Among Accused (Zaman Al Wasl). The official spokesperson for the General Directorate for Narcotics Control… announced that an attempt to smuggle 5,280,000 amphetamine tablets was thwarted inside a shipment of stones and building supplies at the Jeddah Islamic Port in

GULF REGION in April 2023 3 April 2023 China Touts Gulf of Oman Naval Exercises with Russia and Iran (Al Sharq Al-Awsat). The Chinese Ministry of Defense said yesterday that joint naval exercises between China, Iran, and Russia in the Gulf of Oman had enhanced the ability of the navies of the three countries to

GULF REGION in March 2023 2 March 2023 1. Top al-Qaeda Figure Killed in Yemen Air Strike (Al Arabiya English). Hamad bin Hamoud al-Tamimi, a top leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which Washington regards as among the global extremist network’s most dangerous branches, died in the strike along with a bodyguard, a

GULF REGION in February 2023 1 February 2023 Saudi Economy Grew by 8.7% in 2022 (Al Khaleej Online). Official data showed that the real gross domestic product in Saudi Arabia during the fourth quarter of 2022 recorded growth of 5.4 percent compared to the same period in the previous year 2021, while the real gross