Saudi Arabia

20 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry welcomed on Wednesday the move by Australia to reverse its decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Quds Press has reported. The ministry expressed its hope to see joint efforts by the international community to find a just solution for the Palestinian cause.

RIYADH, Oct 19 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, yesterday launched the National Industry Strategy, that aims to turn the kingdom into a leading industrial power.

The strategy covers 12 sub-sectors, with more than 800 investment opportunities, worth one trillion Saudi riyals (226 billion U.S. dollars).

19 October 2022; MEMO: The CEO of the Future Investment Initiative (FII), the organiser of the "Davos of the Desert" Saudi investment conference said on Monday that US government officials will not be invited to attend the event at the end of this month. The reason, added Richard Attias, is so that the event does not turn into a "political platform".

18 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has pledged $400 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the official SPA has reported. Bin Salman made his pledge during a phone call last week with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help his country's current and post-war humanitarian efforts.

18 October 2022; MEMO: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday welcomed a decision by the Australian government to end its recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Anadolu News Agency reports.

In a statement, the Jeddah-based grouping hailed Australia's "commitment to the two-state solution", adding that the Australian move "aligns with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions."

19 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia has sentenced a Quran reciter to 12 years in prison for leading prayers at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia eight years ago, as the Kingdom's crackdown on religious figures continues to intensify.

17 October 2022; MEMO: An official source in Hamas told Arabi 21 that the Saudi authorities will release the representative of Hamas, Muhammad Al-Khudari, who was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but his sentence then being reduced, later, to 6 years.

In exclusive statements to Arabi 21, the source said that Al-Khudari will be deported to Amman after his release, which was supposed to be today, but it was delayed until tomorrow due to some procedures.

18 October 2022; MEMO: OPEC+ member states lined up on Sunday to endorse the steep cut to its output target agreed this month, after the White House, stepping up a war of words with Saudi Arabia, accused Riyadh of coercing some other nations into supporting the move, Reuters reports.

Oct 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will provide $400 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Saudi state news agency SPA said, adding that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday.

The crown prince expressed the kingdom's readiness to continue efforts of mediation and support everything that contributes to de-escalation, SPA added.

12 October 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister said that the efforts to extend the truce in Yemen still stand, Al Arabiya TV reported on Wednesday, after an initial UN-brokered pact between a Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi movement expired early this month, Reuters reports.

The Kingdom, the coalition and the Riyadh-backed Yemeni government are "keen on extending the truce," the Saudi-owned TV quoted Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, as saying.