Jul 18 Virus transforms hajj in Mecca and future of the pilgrimage By Amr Nabil, Aya Batrawy, Associated Press The pared down hajj of this year and last due to the COVID-19 outbreak not only impacts the ability of people outside Saudi Arabia to fulfill the Islamic obligation but also the billions of dollars annually that Saudi Arabia draws… Continue reading
Jun 01 OPEC to increase oil output as global economy recovers By David McHugh, Associated Press Saudi Arabia's energy minister, the de facto leader among member countries, said that there were still "clouds on the horizon" despite recovering demand and the economy rebound in many countries. Continue reading
May 10 Watch 8:38 Can Yemen exist as a unified state post-war? Here’s what different forces want By Jane Ferguson The war in Yemen shows little sign of ending despite the horrific humanitarian toll of the past seven years. Within the war between the Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, and the internationally-recognized government of Yemen, there are other battles that… Continue watching
May 03 Watch 10:08 On the ground with Yemeni soldiers battling Iran-allied rebels By Jane Ferguson Three months ago, President Biden ended American military involvement in the war in Yemen and reversed President Trump's decision to designate the Houthis a terrorist organization. But soon after, as special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports, the Houthis launched an offensive… Continue watching
Mar 21 Oil giant Saudi Aramco sees 2020 profits drop to $49 billion By Isabel Debre, Associated Press Saudi Arabia’s state-backed oil giant Aramco says its profits nearly halved in 2020 to $49 billion. Sunday's announcement of the big drop came as the coronavirus pandemic roiled global energy markets. Continue reading
Mar 03 Watch 13:10 Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the Biden administration’s foreign policy priorities By PBS NewsHour In his first speech as secretary of state, Antony Blinken on Wednesday unveiled the Biden administration's top foreign policy priorities, including containing COVID and putting Americans first. Judy Woodruff spoke with Blinken about those topics as well as vaccine diplomacy,… Continue watching
Mar 01 WATCH: White House press secretary Psaki holds news briefing By Associated Press The White House is defending it's dealing with Saudi Arabia following a U.S. intelligence report implicating Saudi Arabia's crown prince in the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Continue reading
Feb 28 UN warns of mass famine in Yemen ahead of donor conference By Samy Magdy, Associated Press The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, said the risk of large-scale famine in the Arab world’s poorest country “has never been more acute,” adding that the years-long conflict, economic decline, and institutional collapse created enormous… Continue reading
Feb 26 Watch 7:00 Biden administration faces major foreign policy tests in the Middle East By Nick Schifrin, Ali Rogin The last 24 hours have seen two major foreign policy developments. Overnight, the Biden administration launched its first known airstrike of Iranian-backed militias in Syria, and Friday, the U.S. intelligence community released a damning report tying Saudi Arabia's crown prince… Continue watching
Feb 26 U.S. implicates Saudi crown prince in Khashoggi’s killing By Eric Tucker, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press Saudi Arabia's crown prince approved an operation to kill or capture a U.S.-based journalist inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. That's according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence report released Friday. Continue reading