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SPA RIYADH, April 16 — Saudi Arabia welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to a statement carried by the Saudi foreign ministry. The kingdom also praised what it described as the positive role played by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Lebanese government headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. In its statement, the foreign ministry renewed Saudi Arabia’s support for the Lebanese state in s

RIYADH, April 16 — Saudi Arabia has extended the term of an existing $5 billion deposit at the State Bank of Pakistan and announced an additional $3 billion deposit in support of Pakistan’s economy. The move comes under directives from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, SPA reported. Saudi Arabia said the assistance is intended to support Pakistan’s economic stability and strengthen resilience amid global economic cha

RIYADH, April 16 — Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense is continuing a public awareness campaign on weather phenomena, urging residents to follow safety instructions and remain alert during changing weather conditions. The campaign, launched under the slogan “Important to Know,” is aimed at strengthening prevention awareness and improving community preparedness in dealing with climate-related fluctuations. Civil Defense urged the public to stay in safe places

SPA RIYADH, April 16 — Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has approved its 2026-2030 strategy, setting out plans to focus on domestic sector development, long-term returns and continued support for the kingdom’s economic transformation. The strategy, approved by PIF’s board chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marks a shift from a period of rapid growth to a phase focused on sustained value creation, investment efficiency and governance standards. Under the new pla

📷| SPA RIYADH, April 16 — Almarai signed two agreements aimed at helping localize Saudi Arabia’s fish and seafood processing sector, supporting domestic investment and economic diversification under Vision 2030. The agreements were signed with the Ministry of Investment and the Shareek Program Center. Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley and Minister of Investment Fahad Al-Saif witnessed the signing ceremony, which was also attended by Almarai

SPA RIYADH, April 15 - Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture opened the first edition of the Nonprofit Cultural Sector Forum in Riyadh on Wednesday with a session focused on culture as a form of soft power and the role of the nonprofit sector in shaping the future, state news agency SPA reported. The opening session, held at the King Fahd Cultural Centre under the title "Culture as Soft Power: Redefining the Role of the Nonprofit Sector in Shaping the Future," featured Prince Tu

SPA RIYADH, April 15 - Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative Institute said on Wednesday it would hold its Priority Europe Summit in Rome from June 17 to 19, bringing together global leaders to examine how capital can support Europe's competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy in a rapidly changing world. Held under the theme "Reimagining Europe: Capital, Sovereignty, and Strategic Independence," the summit will bring together policymakers, investors, innovators

SPA RIYADH/KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 - Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan met Malaysia's Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Tiong King Sing in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to discuss bilateral cultural relations and ways to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors, state news agency SPA reported. At the start of the meeting, Prince Badr said Saudi Arabia valued its longstanding and fraternal ties with Malaysia and described culture as a key bridge f

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov walks for a meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Iori Sagisawa/Pool Photo via AP) RIYADH/BEIJING, April 15 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Iran has an inalienable right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, as talks continue between Tehran and Washington. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Lavrov said Russia would accept

SPA RIYADH/ISLAMABAD, April 15 - Saudi Arabia will deposit $3 billion into Pakistan's central bank, Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday, providing a significant financial boost as the country's economy faces strain from regional tensions linked to the conflict between the United States and Iran. Aurangzeb, who is in Washington for meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, said the support would strengthen Pakistan's financial

SABN RIYADH/WASHINGTON, April 14 - The U.S. Treasury Department has warned financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Oman about the risks of doing business with Iran, and threatened secondary sanctions against banks that continue to support Iranian activities, according to a letter seen by the Associated Press. The letter accused the jurisdictions of allowing Iranian illicit financial activity to pass through their institutions and said Iran had

SPA RIYADH/JEDDAH, April 14 - Saudi Arabia's cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, condemned what it described as Iranian attacks on the kingdom and praised the armed forces for defending the country and protecting its assets, state news agency SPA reported. The cabinet also commended rapid operational and technical efforts that restored production at affected energy facilities, saying the swift recovery demonstrated the resilience of the kingdom's

SPA RIYADH, April 14 - Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior has announced penalties for violating Hajj permit regulations ahead of the 1447 AH pilgrimage season, including fines, deportation and possible confiscation of transport used to carry offenders, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. The ministry said anyone caught performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit could face a fine of up to 20,000 riyals ($5,332). The same penalty applies to holders of vi

SPA RIYADH, April 14 - Prince Rakan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, governor of Diriyah, visited Diriyah Company on Tuesday to review its projects and inspect progress at construction sites across the historic Saudi city, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He was received by Saad Al Kroud, head of local real estate investments at the Public Investment Fund and board member and secretary-general of Diriyah Company, along with Diriyah Company Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo and other executi

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, takes his seat, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Islamabad, for a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance about Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool) RIYADH/ISLAMABAD, April 14 - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday on recent talks between the United States and Iran and said he would visit Saudi Arabia and Turkey this week to support peace efforts, according to a statement from the pres

Finland President Alexander Stubb, left, attends a joint statement with France’s President Emmanuel Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 at the Elysee Palace in Paris (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla; Pool) RIYADH/WASHINGTON, April 14 - Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Iran currently holds the upper hand in its conflict with Israel and the United States because it controls the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a large share of the world's oil supplies passes. Speaking at an

People shop ahead of the holy month of Ramadan at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 22, 2023. REUTERS RIYADH/DUBAI, April 13 - Sales at Europe's biggest luxury brands have fallen sharply in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the Iran conflict disrupted what had been one of the industry's fastest-growing markets, in the latest setback for the $400 billion global luxury sector. Sales at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai fell 30% to 50% in March from a year earl