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As a further step towards normalcy, Israel is optimistic that it would be able to set up direct flights from Israel to Saudi Arabia for the Haj, the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, this year. A diplomatic source expressed hope about the ongoing negotiations on Monday. The comments were made following days of consistent rumors of a breakthrough in negotiations before the pilgrimage, which is scheduled to take place from June 26 to July 1 this year. According to Maariv, only Israeli Muslims would be permitted on the flights out of Ben-Gurion and Ramon Airports. 4,500 Israelis are anticipated to travel to Mecca this year, up from 2,700 last year. Most previously traveled via Jordan. FM Cohen claims that normalization with Saudi Arabia is imminent. According to Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, normalization with Saudi Arabia is "not a matter of if, but when," he told The Jerusalem Post last week. Saudi Arabia and we have similar interests. During their visit to Jeddah this mon...

  Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, arrived in Algeria on a formal visit on Monday. The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad Ahmed Attaf held a dinner banquet for the prince and the entourage he was traveling with as part of the visit. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Bussairi, the Saudi ambassador to Algeria, and Abdulrahman Al-Dawood, the director general of the foreign affairs office, both attended the event. Prince Faisal's most recent trip to Algeria was in November for the 31st Arab Summit, which Algeria hosted. Attaf welcomed him at a banquet, and Abdul Majeed Tabun, the president of Algeria, met him at the summit's headquarters. Throughout the years, Saudi Arabia and Algeria have exchanged several visits in an effort to further their partnership. During an official visit to the country in May of last year, Prince Faisal met with Ramtane Lamamra, the outgoing Algerian foreign affairs minister, to explore w...

  According to a recent poll by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Saudi Arabia's construction sector maintained its strength in the first quarter of 2023 and recorded a record reading as a result of increased workloads. The headline Rics Construction Activity Index for Saudi Arabia showed a positive 69 net balance rating in the three months to the end of March, up from the +65 value seen in the previous quarter. According to a statement released by Rics, "Construction workloads continue to post solidly positive readings, with infrastructure reporting an exceptional +86 net balance that is a record positive result since the Rics construction monitor began assessing Saudi Arabia in the third quarter of 2018." Private residential and private non-residential workloads both had excellent outcomes. However, it continued, the kingdom's construction industry is being constrained, just like it is everywhere else in the world, by a lack of skilled labor and ...

  Japan is now the third nation authorized to export beef to the Muslim world, along with Saudi Arabia. At a signing ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud and Tomoshige Kanzawa, president of the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association, confirmed the certification for the Kingdom. In Saudi Arabia, beef can only be consumed if it has been processed in accordance with religious regulations and is marked as halal. Thirteen Arabic-speaking nations now have access to halal Kobe beef thanks to Saudi business Fam Al-Ghidha. In order to sign the agreement and sample Kobe beef, Prince Faisal traveled to Japan. Motohiko Saito, the governor of Hyogo Prefecture, and Masao Imanishi, the deputy mayor of Kobe City, also attended the ceremony. For the first time in Japan, the meat center in Sanda City, central Japan, achieved halal certification in October of last year. The145 heads of halal Kobe beef are expected to be sent to Saudi Arabia this year. ...

  For the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi women have been seen organising the Umrah or small pilgrimage during the holy month of Ramadan. According to Saudi media, female security personnel are participating in organising Umrah at the holy Kaaba. Saudi General Security has published a video on Twitter, showing female security personnel at the holy Kaaba. They can be seen cooperating with other security personnel from the Saudi Ministry of Interior. According to the Saudi General Security, female security personnel received Umrah pilgrims and managed the crowds of visitors. They worked alongside their male counterparts. Hanan Mohammed, a female security worker, lauded the efforts of the Saudi Ministry of Interior. She expressed happiness and pride in being able to manage Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan. People also appreciated the efforts and work of the female workers. Sheikh Dr Abdulrahman Al Sudais, General President of the Affairs ...

  At least 20 people were killed around 4:00 pm on Monday and 29 more injured after a bus carrying pilgrims collided with a barrier at the end of a bridge, overturned, and caught fire in Saudi Arabia's southwestern region. The incident in the southern province of Asir, bordering Yemen, comes during the holy month of Ramadan, a busy time for the Umrah pilgrimage, and just months before scores of Muslims will make the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Although the state-affiliated Al Ekhbariya channel reported that the victims had "different nationalities", it did not mention them or provide a breakdown. Footage broadcast on the channel showed what appeared to be the burned-out shell of the bus. While the private newspaper Okaz said an issue with the brakes prompted the accident, Al Ekhbariya reported the vehicle had "car trouble". The bus had departed Khamis Mushayt and was heading to Abha. Monday's accident occurred in Aqabat Shaar, a 14 km road that was open...

  The Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran held a phone call to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. They also agreed to meet “soon” to start the process of re-opening embassies and consulates in the two countries. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, called Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, to congratulate him on the occasion of Ramadan. The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter, "The two ministers agreed to hold a bilateral meeting soon in order to pave the way for the reopening of embassies and consulates between the two countries.” According to the Saudi state news agency SPA (Saudi Press Agency), the Iranian foreign minister expressed Iran's readiness to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month, the two countries agreed to revive their relations after years of hostility. The deal to revive...

  Director of Public Security Lt. Gen. Muhammad Al-Bassami has said that pilgrims need to book an appointment on the Nusuk or Tawakkalna applications in order to perform Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Addressing a press conference of the commanders of the Umrah security forces in the holy city of Mecca on Tuesday, he announced the readiness of the Umrah security plans for implementation during the holy month of Ramadan. According to the Saudi interior ministry, under the Umrah security plans, the authorities would manage and organise crowds and traffic as well as provide humanitarian services to pilgrims. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami called on pilgrims to adhere to their specific dates in order to perform Umrah in the Kingdom. He arrived at the 911 Unified Operations Center in Mecca to discuss the ministry’s plans and preparations for this year’s Umrah season. Al-Bassami said that the preparations for Umrah were being organised in coordination with the Saudi Min...

  Following an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties, investments by Saudi Arabia in Iran might occur "quite soon," according to Mohammed Al Jadaan, the country's finance minister. Despite years of negotiations between the two nations in Iraq and Oman, a pact to heal relations was publicly mediated by China last Friday. “There are numerous chances in Iran for Saudi investments. As long as the conditions of any agreement are upheld, we don't see any obstacles,” Mr. Al Jadaan remarked on Wednesday at the Financial Sector Conference in Riyadh. The government of Saudi Arabia said last week that the country's GDP had risen to more than $1 trillion, setting new records amid a rise in oil prices. International trade restrictions have harmed Iran's economy for decades; they were only momentarily lifted as part of a deal between Tehran and foreign powers to rein down its nuclear programme. Yet, as the nation's oil minister Javad Owji noted earlier thi...

  The search and rescue teams of the Saudi Civil Defense went to the Hatay province of Turkey after a new 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed at least three people and injured 213 others. The search and rescue team of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia moved from Gaziantep to Hatay province to evacuate people trapped under the rubble of buildings. They will be dispatched to three sites damaged by the recent earthquake. Saudi Civil Defense spokesman Mohammed Al-Hammadi also revealed that the team is dealing with missing person cases. The recent earthquake occurred in the town of Defne, Hatay province, Turkey. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia sent relief aid to Turkey and Syria. Around twelve aircraft, carrying food, medicine, shelter materials, and other forms of relief aid were sent to Turkey and Syria. A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on 20 February. This comes two weeks after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed around 45,000 people. The earthquake was felt ...

  As we have seen for a long time, Saudi was trying to project itself as the most democratic nation in the Middle East region. Saudi Arabia is trying to make more dynamic changes in its policies, means of orthodox traditions, and many more. Saudi is trying to shift oil sources to any other source of energy, the country is exploring the scope of solar, natural gas, or any other renewable energy sources. It is spreading its wings for IT and other developments and trying to network with Japan, which in the recent past was seen as the Sino-Saudi "friend". Saudi is trying to attract tourism and working on many e-state projects too. Saudi is also spreading its wings for sports. We've got a complete sports guide covered for Saudi and its sports love. Saudi is trying to increase sports in its region. From F1 to WWE Saudi wants to give him space. Saudi Arabia was trying to get a chance to host the World Cup, and now it is full of headlines! On Wednesday it was confirmed that S...

   A  young Kurdish Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. Protests have rocked the country ever since. Initially centered on demands to abolish the compulsory hijab and disband the   morality police , the popular movement has in recent months broadened its scope to seek minority rights and, in some cases, independent states for Kurdish, Baloch, Azeri, and Arab groups in Iran. Amini’s death gave a common platform to these minorities’ long-festering grievances and led some Iranian opposition groups to call for regime change that could give way to a post-Islamic Republic Iran. In heavily Kurdish regions of Iran, there have been  armed confrontations  between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Kurdish separatist groups. Tehran has  targeted Kurdish separatist bases  in neighboring Iraq and accused these groups of seeking to secede from Iran. Th...

  The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) continues aid efforts in Lebanon, Yemen and Ethiopia. Recently, KSRelief distributed winter clothes to Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the aid benefited 2,052 families in Lebanon. The assistant supervisor general for operations and programs of KSRelief, Ahmed bin Ali Al-Beez, also met with the Director of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Regional Bureau in Beirut, Costanza Farina, to talk about educational projects. Farina praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts in supporting the educational sector in order to help affected communities worldwide. The Saudi relief agency also renovated the Ibn Al-Hijlah primary school and Sumaya secondary school in Yemen to help school-going children. KSRelief distributed school bags and uniforms to 917 students. Reportedly, KSRelief also seeks to help ...

   Saudi Arabia will continue to work with Russia to maintain stable oil prices. This was confirmed by Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud who is the  Foreign Minister of Saudi.  Saudi is saying in their statements that Russia has an important place to stabilize the condition of the oil market in the world, and in the OPEC too. So, we looking forward to maintaining this relationship with this country Russia. The diplomat of Saudi Arabia said that because of Russia’s presence in the market of crude oil, they all have experienced relative stability and significant price changes in the world in typical situations. In the past years, the prices of Liquefied natural gas shrank down as Europe cut away from Russia and looked for other suppliers in the market which is already facing hard. Asian LNG spot prices are down about 67% from record highs this summer, but it is still more than double from 2021 levels. Brent crude prices shot above around $130 a barrel last year after t...

  The stakes are high in post- occupation Afghanistan by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Afghan crisis always troubles the Gulf Arab states. Though the world is not ready to establish diplomatic relations Saudi is moving slowly in the direction to establish ties with Afghan countries that are aware of the reality of the Taliban and how they captured it in August 2021. So they should deal with the ground situation. Afghanistan is primarily a security and humanitarian concern subject for Saudi. Let’s See How The Chain Is Changing Between Saudi And Afghanistan. The main reason behind it the Security concerns, it has been increasing Saudi engagement with Afghanistan. On the other hand, history shows that the different goals reflect the continuous evolution of its strategic priorities. The world had seen Saudi Arabia present itself as a deterrent to the communist’s atheistic claims after when USSR attacked Afghan in 1979. In the region...

  Saudi Arabia is known for having strict laws for women, but in recent years, the country has taken steps to give women more power and better opportunities. While it's well-known that Saudi Arabia has strict regulations and standards for women, the government has made great steps in recent years in empowering women and providing them with great opportunities to further their professions. One of these moves was taken by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who saw the need to enhance the status of women in the country and acted. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has so far appointed five female ambassadors. These women will be in charge of representing their country at different events all over the world. All five of Saudi Arabia's female ambassadors are listed here. Let’s go to know them: Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud Princess Reem Bint Bandar Al Saud is Saudi Arabia's first female brand ambassador. She was chosen ambassador to the United States by Prince Mohammed bin Salman ...

  Chinese leader Xi Jinping will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to attend meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to his country’s energy supplies as Beijing tries to revive an economy battered by its strict coronavirus measures. Saudi and Chinese flags flew Wednesday in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, ahead of the visit. Gulf Arab states are trying to recalibrate their foreign policy as the United States turns its attention to elsewhere in the world. Russia’s war on Ukraine — and the West’s hardening stance on Moscow — has also left the Arab countries wanting to cement ties with China. During the visit, Xi is expect to attend the inaugural China-Arab States Summit and a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the kingdom along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Though few other details about the visit have emerged, Chinese authorities offered superlatives ahead of the trip.  Whether the meeting reaches those heights, Xi k...