Saudi Arabia

Thousands of jobs to be created through humanitarian operations

Sanaa - Muslimchronicle

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohamed al-Jaber, said in a tweet on Tuesday that the humanitarian operations that will be implemented in Yemen will produce thousands of direct job opportunities for Yemeni people. He added that these operations will include all Yemen’s provinces “without exception or discrimination”. Al-Jaber also said that they will keep all ports open, as well asRead more

UAE military ordered not to escalate Qatar crisis

Abu Dhabi - Muslimchronicle

A military official in the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday its forces had instructions not to escalate an ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar. UAE military aircrafts would also fly alternative routes over Saudi Arabia to avoid the possibility of interception by Qatari warplanes, air force brigadier general Helal Saeed al-Qubaisi told reporters at a news conference in the capitalRead more

Saudi university to open driving school for women

Kuwait - Muslimchonicle

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday said it would allow driving permits for women under a royal decree to take effect in June. Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia has said it will open a driving school for women, in a first for the ultra-conservative country after a ban on women driving was lifted. A university in Saudi Arabia has said itRead more

The struggle for gender equality and participation in the Gulf states

Kuwait - Muslimchronicle

What role should women play in society, political, and business leadership is a question at the center of controversy in the conservative Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) where religion, customs, and traditions strongly influence the role of gender in society. Yet there is a growing recognition that to develop the GCC states and overhaul their economies toRead more

Yemen government announces first budget after three years

Sanaa - Muslimchronicle

The Yemeni government on Sunday released its first official budget since the Houthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa in 2014 and following a bailoutfrom ally Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher said spending in the 2018 budget is projected at 1.5 trillion Yemeni riyals ($3.9 billion), with revenues estimated at 978 billion riyals ($2.6 billion). The Aden-based government projectedRead more

Rising Yemen currency sparks hope of relief for millions

Aden - Muslimchronicle

A sharp rise in the currency of war-torn Yemen Thursday following a $2-billion Saudi bailout sparked hope of relief for millions at risk of famine and reliant on imported food. The Yemen conflict has claimed more than 9,200 lives since Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened to help the government fight rebels in 2015, pushing its frail economy to the brink ofRead more

Saudi Arabia announces $2 bn bailout

Riyadh - Muslimchronicle

Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday it would transfer $2 billion to Yemen's central bank, following desperate calls for a financial rescue from the beleaguered government it has supported militarily for nearly three years. The bailout aims to curb the fall in value of the Yemeni riyal, which has plummeted as the war between the Saudi-backed government and Huthi Shiite rebels whoRead more

Saudi court begins trial of ISIS member who killed his cousin

Riyadh - Muslimchronicle

Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court is commencing the trial of the man accused of murdering his cousin. The crime shook the kingdom as it was videotaped, and the man’s cousin is seen begging for him not to kill him, repeatedly screaming “enough Saad”. The case also caused outrage as it took place on the first day of Eid al-Adha inRead more

Saudi Arabia welcomes UN report on Iran providing weapons in Yemen

Riyadh - Muslimchronicle

Saudi Arabia’s cabinet has welcomed a UN report detailing Iran’s violation of an embargo on the shipment of weapons to Yemen. The cabinet which met on Tuesday said the report considered Iran as non-compliant with Security Council Resolution No. 2216 on the arms embargo, and facilitating Al-Houthi rebels’ access to drones and ballistic missiles launched against the Kingdom and theirRead more