Jul 27 Pilgrims arrive in Mecca for downsized hajj amid pandemic By Aya Batrawy, Associated Press Muslim pilgrims have started arriving in Mecca for a drastically scaled-down hajj as Saudi authorities balance the kingdom’s oversight of one of Islam’s key pillars and the safety of visitors in the face of a global pandemic. Continue reading
Jul 03 Watch 4:50 News Wrap: Istanbul trial begins for Saudi suspects in Khashoggi murder In our news wrap Friday, a trial is underway in Istanbul for 20 Saudis charged in the October 2018 slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. None of the accused were in court, as Saudi Arabia rejected demands for their… Continue watching
Jun 22 Saudi Arabia to hold ‘very limited’ hajj due to virus By Aya Batrawy, Associated Press Saudi Arabia has never canceled the hajj in the nearly 90 years since the country was founded. Continue reading
May 11 Saudi Arabia triples taxes, cuts $26 billion in costs amid pandemic By Aya Batrawy, Associated Press Saudi Arabia has tripled taxes on basic goods, raising them to 15%, and has announced spending cuts of around $26 billion as it grapples with blows from the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices on its economy. Continue reading
May 05 Yemen’s south in turmoil after separatists’ self-rule bid By Maggie Michael, Associated Press A bid by separatists funded by the United Arab Emirates to assert control over southern Yemen has reopened a dangerous new front in Yemen's civil war and pushed it closer to fragmentation at a time when the coronavirus pandemic poses… Continue reading
Apr 24 Watch 2:28 News Wrap: U.S. Navy asks that Crozier be reinstated as Roosevelt captain In our news wrap Friday, the U.S. Navy wants Brett Crozier to be reinstated as captain of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. Crozier was fired after he appealed to evacuate the ship as COVID-19 broke out on board. Also, the… Continue watching
Apr 21 The price of oil fell below $0. What happens next? By Ryan Chilcote The stuff that makes the world go round, the lifeblood of the global economy, was worthless -- more stunning evidence of how this pandemic is rocking the global economy. Continue reading
Apr 12 OPEC, oil nations agree to nearly 10M barrel cut amid virus By Jon Gambrell, Associated Press OPEC, Russia and other oil-producing nations on Sunday finalized an unprecedented production cut of nearly 10 million barrels, or a tenth of global supply, in hopes of boosting crashing prices amid the coronavirus pandemic and a price war, officials said. Continue reading
Apr 08 Saudi officials announce Yemen cease-fire amid pandemic By Ahmed Al-Haj, Maggie Michael, Associated Press Officials said the cease-fire will be for two weeks, during which the coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government will support U.N. efforts to bring the rival parties to the table for peace talks. Continue reading
Apr 02 Trump says he expects Russia and Saudi Arabia to cut oil production By Associated Press President Trump says he expects Saudi Arabia and Russia will end an oil war and dramatically cut production. Continue reading