Page 6 - Saudi Arabia

France, Saudi to co-chair conference on two-state solution for Palestine

Macron also set priorities for the conference that include permanent ceasefire, hostage release, large-scale aid to Gaza, and a stabilisation mission in the Gaza Strip

Saudi Arabia, Qatar to invest in Lebanon if Hezbollah disarms: US envoy

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are ready to invest in an economic zone in south Lebanon near the border with Israel that would create jobs for members of the militant Hezbollah group and its supporters once they lay down their weapons, President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East said Tuesday. Tom Barrack made his comments in Beirut after trips to Israel and Syria where he discussed with officials there the ongoing situation in Lebanon following this month's decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. Hezbollah's leader rejected the government's plan, vowing to keep the weapons. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces could begin withdrawing from territory they hold in southern Lebanon after the Lebanese government's momentous decision to disarm Hezbollah. The US-backed Lebanese army is preparing a plan for Hezbollah's disarmament that should be ready by the end of August. The government is expected to discuss the ...

Hinduja Group's Ashok Leyland set to rev up West Asia growth plans

Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja told Business Standard that the company is in the final stages of coming up with a new unit in the region

India, Saudi Arabia set up joint group to boost maritime cooperation

India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen bilateral maritime relations, an official statement said on Wednesday. Both countries have formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) on maritime cooperation in the shipping and logistics sectors, marking a new chapter in the strategic partnership, the statement said. This decision was taken during a high-level virtual meeting between Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. According to the statement, Sonowal underscored the historic and growing relationship between the two nations. India and Saudi Arabia share centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties, he said. The establishment of the strategic partnership council, co-chaired by the leaders of both countries, has elevated bilateral cooperation to new heights. Sonowal pointed to recent developments, including the launch of the JeddahMundra/Nhava Sheva route by Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia rapidly losing appetite for oil amid renewables push

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest net exporter of crude, is using renewables to drastically reduce its petroleum consumption

Opec+ countries to boost oil production by 547,000 barrels per day

A group of countries that are part of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries has agreed to boost oil production, a move some believe could lower oil and gasoline prices, citing a steady global economic outlook and low oil inventories. The group met virtually on Sunday and announced that eight of its member countries would increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. The countries boosting output, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, had been participating in voluntary production cuts, initially made in November 2023, which were scheduled to be phased out by September 2026. The announcement means the voluntary production cuts will end ahead of schedule. The move follows an OPEC+ decision in July to boost production by 548,000 barrels per day in August. OPEC said the production adjustments may be paused or reversed as market conditions evolve. When production increases, oil and gasoline prices ma

Saudi Arabia to allow foreigners, expats to buy property from January 2026

Saudi Arabia will allow foreign nationals to buy property in designated zones from January 2026, as part of Vision 2030. The move aims to attract expat investors and boost the real estate sector

Saudi Arabia's new skill-based work permits for foreign workers explained

Saudi Arabia introduces a skill-based work permit system for foreign workers, classifying them by qualifications, experience, wages and age via Qiwa platform

Executions in Saudi Arabia hit record high mostly over drug cases: Amnesty

Executions in Saudi Arabia surged last year to a record high, Amnesty International said Monday, as activists increasingly warn about the kingdom's use of the death penalty in nonviolent drug cases. Saudi Arabia executed 345 people last year, the highest number ever recorded by Amnesty in over three decades of reporting. In the first six months of this year alone, 180 people have been put to death, the group said, signalling that record likely will again be broken. This year, about two-thirds of those executed were convicted on non-lethal drug charges, the activist group Reprieve said separately. Amnesty also has raised similar concerns about executions in drug cases. Saudi Arabia has not offered any comment on why it increasingly employs the death penalty in the kingdom. Saudi officials did not respond to detailed questions from The Associated Press about the executions and why it is using the death penalty for nonviolent drug cases. However, it conflicts with comments from Crown

Arab countries next target of US, Israel, says J&K Ex-CM Farooq Abdullah

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah warned the Arab countries on Monday that they will be the next target of Israel and the US as Tel Aviv and Washington are eyeing their oil and gas. "It is their (United States') long-time policy that Iran should not become a nuclear power. Even the Sunni countries in the region are against it but they do not have the courage to speak up. "Today, they think Iran has been attacked, but I want to warn them through you that one day, Israel will attack them also, because they want their wealth like oil and gas. Israel is only a facade, America is standing right behind," Abdullah told reporters after a party meeting at Nawa-i-Subah here. Asked about the impact of the escalation of the war in the Middle East, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said it will severely affect the economic condition of all countries. "I am hopeful that the (other) world powers are watching the situation. If this (war) escalates, the economic condition

Saudi flight develops mid-air technical snag, lands safely in Lucknow

Sparks observed during the flight landing in Lucknow, all 250 passengers have been reported to be in safe condition

OpenAI eyes India, Saudi, UAE backing in $40 billion AI funding round

The AI firm is in talks with Reliance, Saudi PIF, and UAE's MGX to raise billions for its Stargate project and next-gen models, with SoftBank leading the effort

Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj

More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj, a government spokesperson said Wednesday. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil if they have the money and are physically able to do it. Hajj Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi provided an approximate number for foreigners at this year's pilgrimage. He did not say how many domestic pilgrims were taking part. Last year, there were 1,611,310 pilgrims from outside the country. On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Others carried the elderly. People paused to sit on the ground to rest or eat before heading to their camps. Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, holds immense significance in Islam. Arafat is mentioned in the Quran and it is where the Prophet Muhamma

Multi-party delegation meets and receives feedback from S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met members of a multi-party delegation and received feedback from them on how they exposed Pakistan in various countries over its support to terrorism. The delegation led by BJP leader Baijayant Panda met Jaishankar at his office here after the key diplomatic tour and presented their report. The delegation returned home Tuesday morning after visiting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria. In these countries, the delegation members met foreign dignitaries and Indian diaspora during a series of meetings and exposed Pakistan's support to terrorism in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor. "It was a very good meeting, and we gave External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar our feedback. All members of the delegation provided their inputs and shared their views with him," said delegation member Harsh V Shringla, a former foreign secretary. Asked what the minister told them, he said, "He (Jaishankar) told us

Saudi Arabia aims at 25% of leisure travellers from India by 2030

The West Asian country's global vision is to attract 150 million tourists annually, generating 10 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP)

Syria, Saudi Arabia to boost economic ties as Western sanctions ease

Syria and Saudi Arabia said Saturday they aim to boost economic cooperation for their mutual benefit and create jobs for Syrians after Western sanctions imposed on the war-torn country were eased earlier this month. The announcement was made during a visit to Damascus by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other Syrian officials. The easing of Western sanctions is likely to open the way for foreign investors into the country, where a civil war has been ongoing since March 2011. In early December, 54 years of Assad family rule came to an end, when gunmen opposed to then-president Bashar Assad captured his seat of power in Damascus. The Saudi foreign minister said that the easing of sanctions by the US, the European Union and Britain earlier this month will help in reactivating the Syrian economy that had been at a standstill for decades. Prince Faisal, who is heading an economic and business delegation, said Saudi businessme

Indian all-party delegation wraps up Saudi visit, calls it 'productive'

An all-party Indian delegation wrapped up a key visit to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming strong India-Saudi ties and India's firm zero-tolerance stance on cross-border terrorism amid rising regional tension

Govt likely to exempt Saudi fund from foreign portfolio investment rules

The exemption granted to the fund will allow its various arms to invest separately, enhancing their flexibility in deploying capital into Indian equity markets without breaching regulatory thresholds

Saudi Arabia denies plans to lift alcohol ban ahead of 2034 World Cup

A Saudi official has rejected media reports claiming the kingdom plans to allow controlled alcohol sales, reaffirming strict Islamic laws remain in place

Saudi Arabia unveils 'TOURISE' platform to chart future roadmap for tourism

Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the launch of a global platform which seeks to create a "powerful partnership" between public and private sectors and chart a future roadmap for tourism. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb launched the platform, 'TOURISE', and also announced that the TOURISE Summit will be held in Riyadh from November 11 to 13. The announcement was made in the Saudi capital during a press conference that was attended virtually by a large number of journalists from around the world. TOURISE is a "bold new initiative", structured for year-round impact through collaboration, and will be anchored with a high-profile global advisory board. In his address, the Saudi minister said the platform seeks to chart the course for tourism for the next 50 years. It will bring public and private sectors together. He said this initiative is "no ordinary endeavour". Saudi Arabia seeks to deliver practical, visible and permanent solutions, and this initiative will