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WAM RIYADH, April 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Etihad Airways will launch five new routes to mainland China and add 28 weekly flights in one of its largest single-market expansions in recent years, as the Abu Dhabi-based carrier deepens its presence across a key trade and travel corridor. The expansion will add services from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shenzhen, raising Etihad’s mainland China operation to

SPA RIYADH, April 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call on Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss the latest developments following recent peace negotiations between Iran and the United States. The call focused on diplomatic developments after the talks, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. No further details were announced.

SPA RIYADH, April 13 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior said residents wishing to enter Makkah will be required to obtain official permits starting Monday, April 13, as the Kingdom begins implementing arrangements for the 1447 AH Hajj season. The ministry said residents without the required permits would be denied entry to Makkah. Exemptions apply to holders of residency permits issued in Makkah, those holding a Hajj permit, and individuals wit

SPA RIYADH, April 13 - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met South Korean presidential chief of staff and special envoy Kang Hoon-sik in Riyadh, where the two discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments, Saudi state media reported. The meeting covered ties between the two countries as well as developments in the region and their implications for regional security and the global economy.

US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad on Sunday. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images WASHINGTON, April 13 - The White House said on Sunday that Iran had not agreed during weekend talks in Pakistan to key U.S. demands for a deal, including ending uranium enrichment, dismantling major nuclear facilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. A White House official said President Donald T

RIYADH, April 12, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - Saudi Arabia has restored full pumping capacity through its East-West pipeline and recovered lost output at the Manifa oilfield following attacks that disrupted parts of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure, the Energy Ministry said on Sunday. The ministry said operational and technical teams had restored the pipeline’s full pumping capacity of about 7 million barrels per day within a short period, according to a statement c

SPA RIYADH, April 12, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - Saudi Arabia recorded 15,458 violations of residency, labor and border security laws during inspection campaigns conducted across the kingdom between April 2 and April 8, the Interior Ministry said. The violations included 8,440 related to residency laws, 4,054 to border security and 2,964 to labor regulations, the ministry said in a statement. Authorities arrested 1,600 people attempting to enter the kingdom illegally, incl

SPA RIYADH, April 11, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - The Ministry of Defense announced today the arrival of a military force from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector, in implementation of the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement signed between the two countries. The force includes fighter and support aircraft from the Pakistani Air Force and aims to strengthen joint military coordination and enhance operational readiness between

SPA JEDDAH, April 11, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - As late winter gives way to early spring, the desert of the Northern Borders Region is being covered with blooming anemones, known in Arabic as Shaqaiq Al-Numan, in a seasonal scene that highlights the beauty of the desert and its botanical diversity following the rainy season. The Saudi Press Agency observed anemones spreading across several wilderness areas, covering wide stretches of land in bright red and creating s

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner walk with Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after arriving for peace talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, April 11, 2026. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via REUTERS ISLAMABAD, April 11 (Reuters) - The United States has agreed to release Iranian frozen assets h

SPA RIYADH, April 10, 2026, Saudi Arabia Breaking News - The Saudi Tourism Authority and Expo 2030 Riyadh signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in promoting Saudi tourism and attracting visitors to Expo 2030 Riyadh. The agreement includes joint work on tourism products and activities, international promotion, and coordinated marketing and media plans aimed at strengthening Saudi Arabia’s profile as a global destination. The partnership also see

SPA RIYADH, April 10, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef) has helped turn a Taif rose farm into a model destination for rural tourism and high-value rose products, contributing to regional trade and supporting Saudi Vision 2030. The farm owner said the program’s guidance was instrumental in expanding production and developing expertise in the extraction of natural oils. Benefiting from Taif’s moderate clima

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia has confirmed attacks on its oil and gas facilities, including the key East-West Pipeline, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed official at the Ministry of Energy. The report did not say when the attacks took place, but said one Saudi national was killed and seven others were wounded. SPA said the recent attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure had significantly affected both oil production and transport, disrupt

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shakes hands with Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa as they meet in Damascus, Syria, April 5, 2026. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi KYIV, April 10 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Ukraine is in talks with Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain on security cooperation and sharing its drone defence technology and expertise, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. Zelenskiy said Ukraine had signed security cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, w

WAM ABU DHABI, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed Middle East developments, regional security risks and the impact of the conflict on maritime security, energy supplies and the global economy during talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The two sides also addressed Iranian attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the UAE and elsewhere in the region, with Starmer

REUTERS PARIS, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels a day to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under its ceasefire agreement with the United States, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Thursday, citing a senior Iranian source. The move would leave tight restrictions in place on one of the world's most important shipping lanes after weeks of disruption linked to the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is the main e

SPA RIYADH, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a written message from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday on matters of mutual interest between the two countries. The message was received by Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral International Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi during a meeting in Riyadh with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kozlov. The two sides also reviewed bilateral relations and discussed r

SPA ALULA, April 9 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - AlUla posted the biggest improvement in the IMD Smart City Index 2026, climbing to 85th place from 112th a year earlier in a gain that put it among the most improved cities in this year's ranking. The rise reflects AlUla's push to upgrade infrastructure, public services and quality of life as authorities pursue broader development plans for the governorate while preserving its natural and cultural character. The Royal Commissi