US rapper Nicki Minaj will perform in Saudi Arabia this month, organisers said, triggering a storm on social media as the ultra-conservative kingdom loosens decades-old restrictions on entertainment. Minaj, known for her profanity-laced lyrics and raunchy music videos, will perform…
Buhari promises tougher times for drug traffickers
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Saudi Arabia said the sweeping offensive against drug trafficking will be sustained, urging Nigerians in diaspora to always provide information that will help the government to curb the menace. A statement by the President’s Spokesperson,…
Two US citizens ‘among latest Saudi arrests’ (BBC)
Saudi Arabia has detained at least seven people, including two dual US-Saudi citizens, over their links to women’s rights activists, reports say. Those arrested are reportedly not frontline activists, but writers and bloggers who have discussed reform. They had already…
Saudi crown prince arrives in China (Guardian)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Beijing Thursday as the monarch aims to seal partnerships on a high-profile Asia tour following a diplomatic crisis over a journalist’s brutal murder. Mohammed is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping…
Saudi prince signs $20bn in Pakistan deals (BBC)
Saudi Arabia has pledged investment deals worth $20bn (£15.5bn) with Pakistan which is seeking to bolster its fragile economy. The deals include funding for an $8bn oil refinery in the city of Gwadar. It comes as part of a high-profile…
Bible site where ‘God met Moses’ to be Bulldozed for ‘super city’ by Saudi Arabia (DailyStar)
A Biblical site where God is claimed to have met Moses is set to bulldozed by Saudi Arabia to make way for a super city, it is feared. Bible scholars have claimed there is evidence that suggests the peak Jabal…
Hijab policy: Residents have their say
The hijab, recognised the world over as an icon of modesty in Islam, has had a history of controversy. Wearing hijab in public is required by law in Saudi Arabia (for Muslims), Iran and the Indonesian province of Aceh. And…
Trump’s Saudi support highlights brutality of ‘America First’ doctrine (CNN)
It is the Trump doctrine laid bare. By letting Saudi Arabia get away with the murder of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the President sent a message of startling clarity about how the United States will conduct its business in the…
US to give Saudis a pass even if Crown Prince behind murder (Guardian)
The gruesome murder of Khashoggi, who vanished after being lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, has hugely embarrassed Washington. The killing torpedoed a PR campaign led by the crown prince to show that the conservative Islamic…