Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud arrived in India on Saturday on a three-day visit during which he is expected to discuss the situation in Afghanistan as well ways to boost bilateral ties.

Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud arrives in India

Saudi Arabia and Iran have never declared war on each other. But their proxy warfare has torn West Asia apart. But it looks like the two are now engaging secretly as Riyadh remains on the edge after the US pullout. On the West Asia Post this week, Ghadi Francis takes a look at this realignment of relations in West Asia.

The West Asia Post: Realignment of relations in West Asia; Saudi Arabia on edge after US pullout

The US has removed its missile systems out of Saudi Arabia. Saudis are under the threat of Houthi drone attacks.

US removes its missile systems out of Saudi Arabia

Although the air attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels continue, the US has removed its most advanced missile defence system and Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. The revelation was made by the satellite images analysed by AP. &nbsp;

As America's Gulf Arab allies nervously watched the chaotic US troops withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan, the redeployment of the defences from Prince Sultan Air Base outside Riyadh was carried out. It also included the last-minute evacuations from Kabul airport. &nbsp;

Watch | Afghanistan: UN condemns Taliban's response to peaceful protest

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The tens of thousands of US forces still remain across the Arabian Peninsula to check Iran threat. But Gulf Arab nations worry about the future plans of the US as its military perceives a growing threat in Asia that requires those missile defences. &nbsp;&nbsp;

With the negotiations appearing to be stalled in Vienna over Iran's collapsed nuclear deal with world powers, tensions remain high raising the danger of future confrontations in the region. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-gets-countrys-richest-man-as-pm-amid-economic-turmoil-412310" hreflang="en">Lebanon gets country’s richest man as PM amid economic turmoil</a>

Prince Sultan Air Base is located some 115 kilometers (70 miles) southeast of Riyadh. It has hosted several thousand US troops since a 2019 missile-and-drone attack on the heart of the kingdom's oil production. &nbsp;

Though claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the attack appears to have been carried out by Iran, say experts and physical debris left behind. Tehran has denied launching the attack. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Although the air attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels continue, the US has removed its most advanced missile defence system and Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

Although the air attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels continue, the US has removed its most advanced missile defence system and Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. The revelation was made by the satellite images analysed by AP. As America's Gulf Arab allies nervously watched the chaotic US troops withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan, the redeployment of the defences from Prince Sultan Air Base outside Riyadh was carried out. It also included the last-minute evacuations from Kabul airport. Watch | Afghanistan: UN condemns Taliban's response to peaceful protest × The tens of thousands of US forces still remain across the Arabian Peninsula to check Iran threat. But Gulf Arab nations worry about the future plans of the US as its military perceives a growing threat in Asia that requires those missile defences. With the negotiations appearing to be stalled in Vienna over Iran's collapsed nuclear deal with world powers, tensions remain high raising the danger of future confrontations in the region. Also Read: Lebanon gets country’s richest man as PM amid economic turmoil Prince Sultan Air Base is located some 115 kilometers (70 miles) southeast of Riyadh. It has hosted several thousand US troops since a 2019 missile-and-drone attack on the heart of the kingdom's oil production. Though claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the attack appears to have been carried out by Iran, say experts and physical debris left behind. Tehran has denied launching the attack. (With inputs from agencies)

Even as Houthi attacks continue, US removes missile defences in Saudi Arabia

Saudi&nbsp;authorities said Saturday they intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from neighbouring Yemen that had targeted civilians in the Eastern Province as well as the southern cities of Najran and Jazan.

Debris from the interception scattered across the eastern city Dammam, injuring two children and damaging 14 homes, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense.

The severity of the injuries was unclear.&nbsp;

"Saudi&nbsp;Air Defense has intercepted and destroyed (3) ballistic missiles and (3) bomb-laden drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia," spokesperson Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki said in a statement, calling it "brutal, irresponsible behavior" by the Huthi rebels in Yemen.

The&nbsp;Saudi-led coalition fighting the rebels told state-run television it would take "strict measures" to protect civilians.

While there was no immediate comment from the Huthis, the Iran-allied insurgents have repeatedly targeted the kingdom in cross-border attacks.

In August, the rebels escalated operations using unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles, and Saturday's interception comes four days after a drone hit Abha International Airport in the south, wounding eight people and damaging a civilian plane.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-mp-proposes-ban-on-marriages-for-working-couples-410838">Also read |&nbsp;Bangladesh MP proposes ban on marriages for working couples</a>

It also comes a few hours before Hans Grundberg, the UN's new envoy for Yemen, officially assumes his duties Sunday.

In Dammam, Twitter users reported hearing a loud explosion.

Eastern&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;is home to major oil infrastructure. A previous attack in September 2019 temporarily halted half of the kingdom's oil production.

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;intervened in the Yemen war on behalf of the internationally recognised government in 2015, shortly after the Huthis seized the capital of Sanaa.

Yemen's grinding conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions, resulting in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

While the UN is pushing for an end to the war, the Huthis have demanded the reopening of Sanaa airport, closed under a&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;blockade since 2016, before any ceasefire or negotiations.

Saudi authorities said Saturday they intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from neighbouring Yemen that had targeted civilians in the Eastern Province as well as the southern cities of Najran and Jazan.

Saudi authorities said Saturday they intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from neighbouring Yemen that had targeted civilians in the Eastern Province as well as the southern cities of Najran and Jazan. Debris from the interception scattered across the eastern city Dammam, injuring two children and damaging 14 homes, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense. The severity of the injuries was unclear. "Saudi Air Defense has intercepted and destroyed (3) ballistic missiles and (3) bomb-laden drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia," spokesperson Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki said in a statement, calling it "brutal, irresponsible behavior" by the Huthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the rebels told state-run television it would take "strict measures" to protect civilians. While there was no immediate comment from the Huthis, the Iran-allied insurgents have repeatedly targeted the kingdom in cross-border attacks. In August, the rebels escalated operations using unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles, and Saturday's interception comes four days after a drone hit Abha International Airport in the south, wounding eight people and damaging a civilian plane. Also read | Bangladesh MP proposes ban on marriages for working couples It also comes a few hours before Hans Grundberg, the UN's new envoy for Yemen, officially assumes his duties Sunday. In Dammam, Twitter users reported hearing a loud explosion. Eastern Saudi Arabia is home to major oil infrastructure. A previous attack in September 2019 temporarily halted half of the kingdom's oil production. Saudi Arabia intervened in the Yemen war on behalf of the internationally recognised government in 2015, shortly after the Huthis seized the capital of Sanaa. Yemen's grinding conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions, resulting in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. While the UN is pushing for an end to the war, the Huthis have demanded the reopening of Sanaa airport, closed under a Saudi blockade since 2016, before any ceasefire or negotiations.

Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles, drones fired from Yemen

India and Saudi Arabia began their maiden naval exercise with the aim of deepening defence cooperation. Is this the next step in India-Saudi ties? Has Riyadh given up on reviving relations with Pakistan? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas:India, Saudi Arabia maiden naval exercise

The flagship destroyer of India's Western Naval Fleet, the INS Kochi, arrived at Port Al-Jubail on Monday, an indication of the growing defence ties between India and Saudi Arabia. 
 
An Indian Embassy statement said the visit signals a new chapter in bilateral defence ties with the start of the harbour phase of a naval exercise 'Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2021' between the two countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-invited-to-afghanistan-meet-in-doha-this-week-404502">India invited to Afghanistan meet in Doha this week</a>

This exercise began on Monday between the friendly Navies and includes shore-based as well as sea-based exercises. Officials from the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Border Guards, and Indian Embassy received the ship warmly upon its arrival at Jubail port. As specified in the Statement, the ship will adhere to all <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> protocols during its stay in port.

INS Kochi, built by Mazagaon Dock Limited, Mumbai, is a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Kolkata class, which was commissioned on 30 September 2015 and is one of the most powerful warships in its class. With many firsts to her credit, including indigenous combat suites, the ship incorporates new design concepts for stealth.

The ship distinguishes itself by having a high level of indigenous systems, with most of them sourced from the country itself.&nbsp;In addition to the Electronic Warfare Suite and Foldable Hangar Doors, the INS Kochi also has a Helo&nbsp;Traversing System and Ship Stabilisers, all indigenous.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/many-indian-cities-including-mumbai-will-likely-be-underwater-by-2100-nasa-404449">Many Indian cities including Mumbai will likely be underwater by 2100: NASA</a>

In fact, the ship can truly be dubbed as 'Network of Networks' as it is fully equipped with sophisticated digital networks as well as a cutting-edge array of state-of-the-art weapons to combat threats on the surface, at sea, and underwater.

Over the years, the ship has been involved in joint exercises with various friendly foreign navies.

The flagship destroyer of India's Western Naval Fleet, the INS Kochi, arrived at Port Al-Jubail on Monday, an indication of the growing defence ties between India and Saudi Arabia.

The flagship destroyer of India's Western Naval Fleet, the INS Kochi, arrived at Port Al-Jubail on Monday, an indication of the growing defence ties between India and Saudi Arabia. An Indian Embassy statement said the visit signals a new chapter in bilateral defence ties with the start of the harbour phase of a naval exercise 'Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2021' between the two countries. Also read | India invited to Afghanistan meet in Doha this week This exercise began on Monday between the friendly Navies and includes shore-based as well as sea-based exercises. Officials from the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Border Guards, and Indian Embassy received the ship warmly upon its arrival at Jubail port. As specified in the Statement, the ship will adhere to all COVID-19 protocols during its stay in port. INS Kochi, built by Mazagaon Dock Limited, Mumbai, is a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Kolkata class, which was commissioned on 30 September 2015 and is one of the most powerful warships in its class. With many firsts to her credit, including indigenous combat suites, the ship incorporates new design concepts for stealth. The ship distinguishes itself by having a high level of indigenous systems, with most of them sourced from the country itself. In addition to the Electronic Warfare Suite and Foldable Hangar Doors, the INS Kochi also has a Helo Traversing System and Ship Stabilisers, all indigenous. Also read | Many Indian cities including Mumbai will likely be underwater by 2100: NASA In fact, the ship can truly be dubbed as 'Network of Networks' as it is fully equipped with sophisticated digital networks as well as a cutting-edge array of state-of-the-art weapons to combat threats on the surface, at sea, and underwater. Over the years, the ship has been involved in joint exercises with various friendly foreign navies.

INS Kochi reaches Saudi Arabia for maiden naval exercise between the two countries

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August&nbsp;9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday. 
 
With a capacity that would rise to two million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining COVID-19 precautionary measures. 
 
An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request. 
 
Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added. 
 
Umrah, a pilgrimage to Islam's two holiest sites that is undertaken at any time of the year, was reopened in October for domestic worshippers after it was totally upon the outbreak of the pandemic. 
 
Islam's holiest sites' home for the second year in a row had hosted a limited-numbered, domestic Haj pilgrimage in July.

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting August 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday. With a capacity that would rise to two million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining COVID-19 precautionary measures. An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to include authorised COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request. Vaccinated pilgrims from countries that Saudi Arabia includes on its entry-ban list will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the report added. Umrah, a pilgrimage to Islam's two holiest sites that is undertaken at any time of the year, was reopened in October for domestic worshippers after it was totally upon the outbreak of the pandemic. Islam's holiest sites' home for the second year in a row had hosted a limited-numbered, domestic Haj pilgrimage in July.

Saudi Arabia opens Umrah pilgrimage to vaccinated worshipers from abroad: Report

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1".

As per the agency, travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson, will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period".&nbsp;

They also need to have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/saudi-arabia-invites-pm-narendra-modi-for-climate-summit-402023">Also read |&nbsp;Saudi Arabia invites PM Narendra Modi for climate summit</a>

Visitors to the Kingdom are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via the new electronic portal dedicated to this, “muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home", in addition to registering their data via “Tawakkalna" application, which is mandatory to enter public places," the state media said.&nbsp;

Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch.

The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors.

So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments.&nbsp;

This also includes educational institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport. 
&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift.

Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, will be opening its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. As per AFP, the Saudi Press Agency reported, "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1". As per the agency, travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson, will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period". They also need to have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities. Also read | Saudi Arabia invites PM Narendra Modi for climate summit Visitors to the Kingdom are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via the new electronic portal dedicated to this, “muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home", in addition to registering their data via “Tawakkalna" application, which is mandatory to enter public places," the state media said. Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch. The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors. So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments. This also includes educational institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.

Saudi Arabia to reopen for tourists vaccinated with approved jabs from today

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been invited to the ‘Middle East Green Initiative Summit’ by Saudi Arabia on Friday. The summit will be held in October.&nbsp;

The invitation for the prime minister was delivered at his office by Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy, a Dawn report said. In a statement, the PM Office said, Khan has accepted the invitation.&nbsp;

Earlier, Saudi Arabia had announced 118 humanitarian projects worth over $123 million for cash-strapped Pakistan in food security, health, education and water during Prime Minister Imran Khan's two-day visit, according to a report.&nbsp;

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief)'s Supervisor General Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah said that the assistance was announced in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

He said that the kingdom has provided medical and preventive aid worth over USD 1.5 million to combat the pandemic.&nbsp;

Prior to this, both countries had vowed to reset ties, which had been strained over policy disagreements on Kashmir issue.&nbsp;

In a sharply worded statement in August last year, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting on Kashmir. &nbsp;

The call raised eyebrows in Riyadh, where it was widely seen as a warning that Pakistan was preparing to call for a session outside OIC auspices. &nbsp;

Saudi Arabia prides itself on its role as guardian of Islam's holiest sites and is particularly sensitive about any move that might undermine its leadership of the 57-member pan-Islamic body. &nbsp;

And while the wealthy nation has supported Pakistan with billions of dollars in aid and loans in recent years, observers say the kingdom is also keen not to upset India, a key business partner and importer of Saudi oil.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been invited to the ‘Middle East Green Initiative Summit’ by Saudi Arabia on Friday. The summit will be held in October.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been invited to the ‘Middle East Green Initiative Summit’ by Saudi Arabia on Friday. The summit will be held in October. The invitation for the prime minister was delivered at his office by Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy, a Dawn report said. In a statement, the PM Office said, Khan has accepted the invitation. Earlier, Saudi Arabia had announced 118 humanitarian projects worth over $123 million for cash-strapped Pakistan in food security, health, education and water during Prime Minister Imran Khan's two-day visit, according to a report. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief)'s Supervisor General Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah said that the assistance was announced in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that the kingdom has provided medical and preventive aid worth over USD 1.5 million to combat the pandemic. Prior to this, both countries had vowed to reset ties, which had been strained over policy disagreements on Kashmir issue. In a sharply worded statement in August last year, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene a high-level meeting on Kashmir. The call raised eyebrows in Riyadh, where it was widely seen as a warning that Pakistan was preparing to call for a session outside OIC auspices. Saudi Arabia prides itself on its role as guardian of Islam's holiest sites and is particularly sensitive about any move that might undermine its leadership of the 57-member pan-Islamic body. And while the wealthy nation has supported Pakistan with billions of dollars in aid and loans in recent years, observers say the kingdom is also keen not to upset India, a key business partner and importer of Saudi oil. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan PM gets Saudi Arabia invite for ‘Middle East Green Initiative Summit’ 

Saudi Arabia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Middle East Green Initiative Summit, which will take place in October. Through the initiative, the country aims to lead regional efforts in combating climate change. The invite by the Saudis shows India's centrality on climate issues.&nbsp;

The Middle East Green Initiative, along with the Saudi Green Initiative, was announced in March of this year by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He said, "The Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives are only a start. The Kingdom, the region and the world need to go much further and faster in combating climate change".

Under the Middle East Green Initiative, Saudi Arabia will work with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Middle Eastern countries to plant 40 billion trees in that part of the world. The project is expected to restore an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land.

Under the Saudi green initiative targets, the country aims to plant 10 billion trees on its territory, reduce carbon emissions by more than 4% of global contributions, raise protected areas to more than 30% of total land area, and put renewables at 50% of the Kingdom's energy mix by 2030.

According to Saudi government estimates, due to climate challenges like desertification, the country faces huge risks, especially in economic aspects. The region loses $13 billion annually because of dust storms. Air pollution from greenhouse gases is also estimated to have shortened life expectancy in Saudi Arabia by 1.5 years.

PM Modi last visited Saudi Arabia in October of 2019, during which a Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed. Riyadh identifies India as one of the Kingdom’s Strategic Partner Countries under ‘Vision 2030’. The visit also saw the launch of the Rupay card, which especially benefits the large Indian expat community in the country.

Other leaders have also been invited to the Saudi Arabia climate summit, which includes Pakistan PM Imran Khan. Remember, Khan was not invited to the US climate summit even as Bangladesh and Bhutan from the region were present at the mega summit.

Earlier this year, PM Modi took part in the Climate Leaders’ virtual Summit chaired by President Biden. During that summit, PM Narendra Modi and President Joseph Biden launched the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. The two elements of the partnership are the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue. US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has also visited Delhi.

Saudi Arabia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Middle East Green Initiative Summit, which will take place in October. Through the initiative, the country aims to lead regional efforts in combating climate change.

Saudi Arabia has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Middle East Green Initiative Summit, which will take place in October. Through the initiative, the country aims to lead regional efforts in combating climate change. The invite by the Saudis shows India's centrality on climate issues. The Middle East Green Initiative, along with the Saudi Green Initiative, was announced in March of this year by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He said, "The Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives are only a start. The Kingdom, the region and the world need to go much further and faster in combating climate change". Under the Middle East Green Initiative, Saudi Arabia will work with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Middle Eastern countries to plant 40 billion trees in that part of the world. The project is expected to restore an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land. Under the Saudi green initiative targets, the country aims to plant 10 billion trees on its territory, reduce carbon emissions by more than 4% of global contributions, raise protected areas to more than 30% of total land area, and put renewables at 50% of the Kingdom's energy mix by 2030. According to Saudi government estimates, due to climate challenges like desertification, the country faces huge risks, especially in economic aspects. The region loses $13 billion annually because of dust storms. Air pollution from greenhouse gases is also estimated to have shortened life expectancy in Saudi Arabia by 1.5 years. PM Modi last visited Saudi Arabia in October of 2019, during which a Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed. Riyadh identifies India as one of the Kingdom’s Strategic Partner Countries under ‘Vision 2030’. The visit also saw the launch of the Rupay card, which especially benefits the large Indian expat community in the country. Other leaders have also been invited to the Saudi Arabia climate summit, which includes Pakistan PM Imran Khan. Remember, Khan was not invited to the US climate summit even as Bangladesh and Bhutan from the region were present at the mega summit. Earlier this year, PM Modi took part in the Climate Leaders’ virtual Summit chaired by President Biden. During that summit, PM Narendra Modi and President Joseph Biden launched the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. The two elements of the partnership are the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue. US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has also visited Delhi.

Saudi Arabia invites PM Narendra Modi for climate summit

Saudi Arabia announced Friday it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state news agency said.

However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions on the umrah, a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, which usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year.

"The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It said travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson -- will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period", provided they also have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19&nbsp;test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.&nbsp;

Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch, as part of efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-bars-foreign-travellers-from-haj-over-covid-19-391037">Also read |&nbsp;Saudi Arabia bars foreign travellers from Haj over COVID-19</a>

The once-reclusive kingdom began issuing tourist visas for the first time in 2019, part of an ambitious push to revamp its global image and draw visitors.

Between September 2019 and March 2020, it issued 400,000 -- only for the pandemic to crush that momentum as borders were closed.

COVID-19 also hugely disrupted the hajj and umrah pilgrimages, usually a key revenue earner for the kingdom -- in normal times, they together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually.

Currently only immunised pilgrims resident in Saudi Arabia are eligible for umrah permits.

The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors.

So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.

Saudi Arabia has registered more than 523,000 coronavirus cases, with 8,213 deaths.

Saudi Arabia announced Friday it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state news agency said.

Saudi Arabia announced Friday it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state news agency said. However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions on the umrah, a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time, which usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe each year. "The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1," the Saudi Press Agency reported. It said travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson -- will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period", provided they also have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities. Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch, as part of efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy. Also read | Saudi Arabia bars foreign travellers from Haj over COVID-19 The once-reclusive kingdom began issuing tourist visas for the first time in 2019, part of an ambitious push to revamp its global image and draw visitors. Between September 2019 and March 2020, it issued 400,000 -- only for the pandemic to crush that momentum as borders were closed. COVID-19 also hugely disrupted the hajj and umrah pilgrimages, usually a key revenue earner for the kingdom -- in normal times, they together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually. Currently only immunised pilgrims resident in Saudi Arabia are eligible for umrah permits. The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors. So far, 26 million jabs have been administered to the population of 35 million, and the kingdom has said that from August 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport. Saudi Arabia has registered more than 523,000 coronavirus cases, with 8,213 deaths.

Saudi Arabia to reopen to vaccinated tourists after 17-month COVID-19 closure

Saudi Arabia has announced a three-year travel ban and hefty penalties on citizens who visit countries on the kingdom’s&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;red list, including India.

“Travelling to the banned countries is an obvious violation of COVID-19 related travel restrictions and the Kingdom’s updated instructions,” the Gulf News on Tuesday quoted a report by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying.

The SPA report said an official at the Saudi Ministry of Interior has warned Saudi citizens against travelling to countries that have been put on the no-travel list recently as these nations are currently witnessing a surge in cases of COVID-19 and its variants.

The red-list countries include the UAE, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, India and Vietnam.

The source, quoted by the SPA, said there are reports about citizens travelling to the banned countries in violation of the instructions issued by official authorities.

“Those who violate the travel ban will be held accountable and slapped with heavy penalties,” the source said, adding that those who are found to have violated the instructions would be banned from travelling abroad for three years.

The ministry called on citizens against travelling directly or indirectly to the red-list countries where the&nbsp;pandemic&nbsp;has not yet been controlled and there is a surge in cases of mutated strains of&nbsp;coronavirus.

It also urged citizens to exercise caution and stay away from areas where instability prevails or the virus is spreading, and take all precautionary measures regardless of their destination.

As on Tuesday, the kingdom’s coronavirus tally stands at 520,774, including 11,136 active cases, while the total death toll was at 8,189.

Saudi Arabia has announced a three-year travel ban and hefty penalties on citizens who visit countries on the kingdom’s COVID-19 red list, including India. “Travelling to the banned countries is an obvious violation of COVID-19 related travel restrictions and the Kingdom’s updated instructions,” the Gulf News on Tuesday quoted a report by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying.

Saudi Arabia has announced a three-year travel ban and hefty penalties on citizens who visit countries on the kingdom’s COVID-19 red list, including India. “Travelling to the banned countries is an obvious violation of COVID-19 related travel restrictions and the Kingdom’s updated instructions,” the Gulf News on Tuesday quoted a report by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as saying. The SPA report said an official at the Saudi Ministry of Interior has warned Saudi citizens against travelling to countries that have been put on the no-travel list recently as these nations are currently witnessing a surge in cases of COVID-19 and its variants. The red-list countries include the UAE, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, India and Vietnam. The source, quoted by the SPA, said there are reports about citizens travelling to the banned countries in violation of the instructions issued by official authorities. “Those who violate the travel ban will be held accountable and slapped with heavy penalties,” the source said, adding that those who are found to have violated the instructions would be banned from travelling abroad for three years. The ministry called on citizens against travelling directly or indirectly to the red-list countries where the pandemic has not yet been controlled and there is a surge in cases of mutated strains of coronavirus. It also urged citizens to exercise caution and stay away from areas where instability prevails or the virus is spreading, and take all precautionary measures regardless of their destination. As on Tuesday, the kingdom’s coronavirus tally stands at 520,774, including 11,136 active cases, while the total death toll was at 8,189.

COVID: Saudi announces three-year travel ban for citizens visiting 'red list' countries, including India

Saudi Arabia warned on Tuesday that citizens visiting destinations on its list of countries blacklisted due to Covid-19 will face three-year travel bans following their return.

Those found to have travelled to restricted countries would face "hefty penalties... as well as being prevented from travelling abroad for a period of three years", the interior ministry said on Twitter.&nbsp;

"Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the spread of new variants, the ministry warns against travelling to countries on its (restricted) list, whether directly or indirectly via other countries."

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-two-doses-of-vaccine-compulsory-for-international-travel-and-much-more-399076" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-two-doses-of-vaccine-compulsory-for-international-travel-and-much-more-399076&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiDj5f7wYPyAhXYxDgGHRsQDxMQFjAGegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1bNUobVKzC19CYdYYdxrm4" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-two-doses-of-vaccine-compulsory-for-international-travel-and-much-more-399076" target="_blank">Saudi: Two doses of vaccine compulsory for international travel</a>

According to the kingdom's state airline Saudia, citizens are barred from travelling to 16 countries, including the neighbouring United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;

In its latest update to travel restrictions earlier this month, Riyadh said it had suspended flights to the UAE, Ethiopia and Vietnam to protect against a coronavirus variant.&nbsp;

The move comes after the oil-rich kingdom permitted fully immunised citizens to travel abroad, after a ban on foreign trips that lasted more than a year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/for-the-first-time-saudi-women-stand-guard-in-mecca-during-haj-399747">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/for-the-first-time-saudi-women-stand-guard-in-mecca-during-haj-399747/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The UAE, and especially the emirate of Dubai, is a key leisure destination for Saudis.

The decision was taken due to "the spread of a new mutated strain of the (Covid-19) virus", the interior ministry said at the time, without explicitly mentioning the increasingly widespread Delta variant.

The variant, first detected in India and now present in dozens of countries around the world, is the most contagious of any Covid-19 strain yet identified.

The UAE announced in June it had recorded cases of the Delta variant.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia meanwhile put major limits on the annual hajj pilgrimage in an effort to combat infections.&nbsp;

It has officially recorded more than 520,000 cases of coronavirus, including 8,189 deaths.

Saudi Arabia warned on Tuesday that citizens visiting destinations on its list of countries blacklisted due to Covid-19 will face three-year travel bans following their return.

Saudi Arabia warned on Tuesday that citizens visiting destinations on its list of countries blacklisted due to Covid-19 will face three-year travel bans following their return. Those found to have travelled to restricted countries would face "hefty penalties... as well as being prevented from travelling abroad for a period of three years", the interior ministry said on Twitter. "Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the spread of new variants, the ministry warns against travelling to countries on its (restricted) list, whether directly or indirectly via other countries." Also read | Saudi: Two doses of vaccine compulsory for international travel According to the kingdom's state airline Saudia, citizens are barred from travelling to 16 countries, including the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. In its latest update to travel restrictions earlier this month, Riyadh said it had suspended flights to the UAE, Ethiopia and Vietnam to protect against a coronavirus variant. The move comes after the oil-rich kingdom permitted fully immunised citizens to travel abroad, after a ban on foreign trips that lasted more than a year. WATCH | The UAE, and especially the emirate of Dubai, is a key leisure destination for Saudis. The decision was taken due to "the spread of a new mutated strain of the (Covid-19) virus", the interior ministry said at the time, without explicitly mentioning the increasingly widespread Delta variant. The variant, first detected in India and now present in dozens of countries around the world, is the most contagious of any Covid-19 strain yet identified. The UAE announced in June it had recorded cases of the Delta variant. Saudi Arabia meanwhile put major limits on the annual hajj pilgrimage in an effort to combat infections. It has officially recorded more than 520,000 cases of coronavirus, including 8,189 deaths.

Saudis breaking Covid travel rules face 3-year exit ban

In a significant stride towards women empowerment, dozens of female soldiers have become a part of the security services that monitor pilgrims in Mecca and Medina, the birthplaces of Islam. For the first time, Saudi female soldiers are standing guard in Mecca as thousands of Muslim pilgrims take part in this year's haj. Women dressed in military khaki uniforms were seen monitoring the security situation in the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Along with khaki, they were sporting a hip-length jacket, loose trousers, and a black beret over a veil covering their hair.

For the first time, Saudi women stand guard in Mecca during Haj

Israel secretly authorized a group of cyber-surveillance firms to work for the government of Saudi Arabia despite international condemnation of the kingdom’s abuse of surveillance software to crush dissent, even after the Saudi killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, government officials and others familiar with the contracts said.

After the murder of Khashoggi in 2018, one of the firms, NSO Group, cancelled its contracts with Saudi Arabia amid accusations that its hacking tools were being misused to abet heinous crimes.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jamal-khashoggi-murder-saudi-arabia-court-hands-death-penalty-to-five-24-years-imprisonment-to-three-269717">Jamal Khashoggi murder: Saudi Arabia court hands death penalty to five, 24 years imprisonment to three</a>

But the Israeli government encouraged NSO and two other companies to continue working with Saudi Arabia and issued a new license for a fourth to do similar work, overriding any concerns about human rights abuses, according to one senior Israeli official and three people affiliated with the companies.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has continued to use the spyware to monitor dissidents and political opponents.

The fact that Israel’s government has encouraged its private companies to do security work for the kingdom — one of its historic adversaries and a nation that still does not formally recognize Israel — is yet more evidence of the reordering of traditional alliances in the region and the strategy by Israel and several Persian Gulf countries to join forces to isolate Iran.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-to-declassify-report-on-assassination-of-jamal-khashoggi-357888">Biden to declassify report on assassination of Jamal Khashoggi</a>

NSO is by far the best known of the Israeli firms, largely because of revelations in the past few years that its Pegasus program was used by numerous governments to spy on, and eventually imprison, human rights activists.

NSO sold Pegasus to Saudi Arabia in 2017. The kingdom used the spyware as part of a ruthless campaign to crush dissent inside the kingdom and to hunt down Saudi dissidents abroad.

It is not publicly known whether Saudi Arabia used Pegasus or other Israeli-made spyware in the plot to kill Khashoggi. NSO has denied that its software was used.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense also licensed for Saudi work a company called Candiru, which Microsoft accused last week of helping its government clients spy on more than 100 journalists, politicians, dissidents and human rights advocates around the world.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/israeli-company-is-behind-malware-that-affected-windows-pcs-microsoft-398381">Israeli company is behind malware that affected Windows PCs: Microsoft</a>

Microsoft, which conducted its investigation in tandem with Citizen Lab, a research institute at the University of Toronto, said Candiru had used malware to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft products, enabling its government clients to spy on perceived enemies.

Candiru has had at least one contract with Saudi Arabia since 2018.

Israel has also granted licenses to at least two other firms, Verint, which was licensed before the Khashoggi killing, and Quadream, which signed a contract with Saudi Arabia after the killing.

A fifth company, Cellebrite, which manufactures physical hacking systems for mobile phones, has also sold its services to the Saudi government, but without ministry approval, according to the newspaper Haaretz.

Israel insists that if any Israeli spyware were used to violate civil rights that it would revoke the company’s license.

If the Defense Ministry “discovers that the purchased item is being used in contravention of the terms of the license, especially after any violation of human rights, a procedure of cancellation of the defense export license or of enforcing its terms is initiated,” the ministry said in a statement in response to questions from The New York Times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudis-who-killed-journalist-khashoggi-received-paramilitary-training-in-us-report-393221">Saudis who killed journalist Khashoggi received paramilitary training in US: Report</a>

The ministry declined to respond to specific questions about the licenses it gave to the Israeli firms, but said that “a wide range of security, diplomatic and strategic considerations are taken into account” when considering whether to grant a license to export offensive cyber technology.

Revelations about the abuses of NSO products led the company to hire a group of outside consultants in 2018 to provide advice about which new clients NSO should take on and which to avoid. The group included Daniel Shapiro, the former Obama administration ambassador to Israel, and Beacon Global Strategies, a Washington strategic consulting firm.

Beacon is led by Jeremy Bash, a former CIA and Pentagon chief of staff; Michael Allen, a former staff director for the House Intelligence Committee; and Andrew Shapiro, a former top State Department official.

While the group’s mandate was to vet potential new clients, the international outrage over Khashoggi’s killing in October 2018 led the group to advise NSO to cancel its Saudi contracts and shut down NSO systems in the kingdom.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/activists-call-for-fresh-probe-into-killings-of-turkish-journalists-386949">Activists call for fresh probe into killings of Turkish journalists</a>

Separately, NSO conducted an internal investigation into whether any of its tools were used by Saudi officials for the Khashoggi operation and concluded that they were not. However a lawsuit against NSO by a friend of Khashoggi’s claims that his phone had been hacked by Saudi Arabia using Pegasus, and that hack gave Saudi officials access to his conversations with Khashoggi, including communications about opposition projects.

Over several days in late 2018, executives both of NSO and the private equity firm that owned it at the time, Francisco Partners, met in Washington with the advisory group.

According to several people familiar with the meetings, the NSO executives argued that the Israeli government was strongly encouraging the company to weather the storm and continue its work in Saudi Arabia. They also said that Israeli officials had indicated to them that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Trump</a> administration also wanted NSO’s work with Saudi Arabia to continue.

In the end, NSO management heeded the advice of the outside group and canceled its contracts with Saudi Arabia in late 2018. Shapiro, the former ambassador to Israel, ended his work for the company shortly afterward.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-investigates-unearthing-the-nso-controversy-260269">WION investigates: Unearthing the NSO controversy</a>

Months later, however, after another private equity firm bought NSO, the company was once again doing business with Saudi Arabia.

NSO’s new owner, Novalpina, rejected the advice of the outside advisory group and NSO resumed its work in Saudi Arabia in mid-2019. Around that time, Beacon ended its work with NSO.

The new contract with the Saudis came with some restrictions. For example, NSO set up its system to block any attempts by Saudi officials to hack European telephone numbers, according to a person familiar with the programming.

But it is clear that Saudi Arabia has continued to use NSO software to spy on perceived opponents abroad.

In one case that has come to light, three dozen phones belonging to journalists at Al-Jazeera, which Saudi Arabia considers a threat, were hacked using NSO’s Pegasus software last year, according to Citizen Lab. Citizen Lab traced 18 of the attacks back to Saudi intelligence.

After the revelation of the attack on Al-Jazeera journalists, NSO recently shut down the system, and at a meeting in early July, the company’s board decided to declare new deals with Saudi Arabia off-limits, according to a person familiar with the decision.

Israel’s defense ministry is currently fighting lawsuits by Israeli rights activists demanding that it release details about its process for granting the licenses.

The Israeli government also imposes strict secrecy on the companies that receive the licenses, threatening to revoke them if the companies speak publicly about the identity of their clients.

An NSO statement said the company could not discuss the identity of its government customers, but added: “As NSO has previously stated, our technology was not associated in any way with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi. This includes listening, monitoring, tracking or collecting information.”

Officials with Candiru, Verint and the government of Saudi Arabia declined to comment. Officials with Quadream could not be reached.

These business ties came as Israel was quietly building relationships directly with the Saudi government.

Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israel’s prime minister, met several times with Saudi Arabia’s day-to-day ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and military and intelligence leaders of the two countries meet frequently.

While Saudi Arabia was not officially party to the Abraham Accords — the diplomatic initiatives during the end of the Trump administration normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab countries — Saudi leaders worked behind the scenes to help broker the deals.

Israel secretly authorized a group of cyber-surveillance firms to work for the government of Saudi Arabia despite international condemnation of the kingdom’s abuse of surveillance software to crush dissent, even after the Saudi killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, government officials and others familiar with the contracts said.

Israel secretly authorized a group of cyber-surveillance firms to work for the government of Saudi Arabia despite international condemnation of the kingdom’s abuse of surveillance software to crush dissent, even after the Saudi killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, government officials and others familiar with the contracts said. After the murder of Khashoggi in 2018, one of the firms, NSO Group, cancelled its contracts with Saudi Arabia amid accusations that its hacking tools were being misused to abet heinous crimes. Also read | Jamal Khashoggi murder: Saudi Arabia court hands death penalty to five, 24 years imprisonment to three But the Israeli government encouraged NSO and two other companies to continue working with Saudi Arabia and issued a new license for a fourth to do similar work, overriding any concerns about human rights abuses, according to one senior Israeli official and three people affiliated with the companies. Since then, Saudi Arabia has continued to use the spyware to monitor dissidents and political opponents. The fact that Israel’s government has encouraged its private companies to do security work for the kingdom — one of its historic adversaries and a nation that still does not formally recognize Israel — is yet more evidence of the reordering of traditional alliances in the region and the strategy by Israel and several Persian Gulf countries to join forces to isolate Iran. Also read | Biden to declassify report on assassination of Jamal Khashoggi NSO is by far the best known of the Israeli firms, largely because of revelations in the past few years that its Pegasus program was used by numerous governments to spy on, and eventually imprison, human rights activists. NSO sold Pegasus to Saudi Arabia in 2017. The kingdom used the spyware as part of a ruthless campaign to crush dissent inside the kingdom and to hunt down Saudi dissidents abroad. It is not publicly known whether Saudi Arabia used Pegasus or other Israeli-made spyware in the plot to kill Khashoggi. NSO has denied that its software was used. Israel’s Ministry of Defense also licensed for Saudi work a company called Candiru, which Microsoft accused last week of helping its government clients spy on more than 100 journalists, politicians, dissidents and human rights advocates around the world. Also read | Israeli company is behind malware that affected Windows PCs: Microsoft Microsoft, which conducted its investigation in tandem with Citizen Lab, a research institute at the University of Toronto, said Candiru had used malware to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft products, enabling its government clients to spy on perceived enemies. Candiru has had at least one contract with Saudi Arabia since 2018. Israel has also granted licenses to at least two other firms, Verint, which was licensed before the Khashoggi killing, and Quadream, which signed a contract with Saudi Arabia after the killing. A fifth company, Cellebrite, which manufactures physical hacking systems for mobile phones, has also sold its services to the Saudi government, but without ministry approval, according to the newspaper Haaretz. Israel insists that if any Israeli spyware were used to violate civil rights that it would revoke the company’s license. If the Defense Ministry “discovers that the purchased item is being used in contravention of the terms of the license, especially after any violation of human rights, a procedure of cancellation of the defense export license or of enforcing its terms is initiated,” the ministry said in a statement in response to questions from The New York Times. Also read | Saudis who killed journalist Khashoggi received paramilitary training in US: Report The ministry declined to respond to specific questions about the licenses it gave to the Israeli firms, but said that “a wide range of security, diplomatic and strategic considerations are taken into account” when considering whether to grant a license to export offensive cyber technology. Revelations about the abuses of NSO products led the company to hire a group of outside consultants in 2018 to provide advice about which new clients NSO should take on and which to avoid. The group included Daniel Shapiro, the former Obama administration ambassador to Israel, and Beacon Global Strategies, a Washington strategic consulting firm. Beacon is led by Jeremy Bash, a former CIA and Pentagon chief of staff; Michael Allen, a former staff director for the House Intelligence Committee; and Andrew Shapiro, a former top State Department official. While the group’s mandate was to vet potential new clients, the international outrage over Khashoggi’s killing in October 2018 led the group to advise NSO to cancel its Saudi contracts and shut down NSO systems in the kingdom. Also read | Activists call for fresh probe into killings of Turkish journalists Separately, NSO conducted an internal investigation into whether any of its tools were used by Saudi officials for the Khashoggi operation and concluded that they were not. However a lawsuit against NSO by a friend of Khashoggi’s claims that his phone had been hacked by Saudi Arabia using Pegasus, and that hack gave Saudi officials access to his conversations with Khashoggi, including communications about opposition projects. Over several days in late 2018, executives both of NSO and the private equity firm that owned it at the time, Francisco Partners, met in Washington with the advisory group. According to several people familiar with the meetings, the NSO executives argued that the Israeli government was strongly encouraging the company to weather the storm and continue its work in Saudi Arabia. They also said that Israeli officials had indicated to them that the Trump administration also wanted NSO’s work with Saudi Arabia to continue. In the end, NSO management heeded the advice of the outside group and canceled its contracts with Saudi Arabia in late 2018. Shapiro, the former ambassador to Israel, ended his work for the company shortly afterward. Also read | WION investigates: Unearthing the NSO controversy Months later, however, after another private equity firm bought NSO, the company was once again doing business with Saudi Arabia. NSO’s new owner, Novalpina, rejected the advice of the outside advisory group and NSO resumed its work in Saudi Arabia in mid-2019. Around that time, Beacon ended its work with NSO. The new contract with the Saudis came with some restrictions. For example, NSO set up its system to block any attempts by Saudi officials to hack European telephone numbers, according to a person familiar with the programming. But it is clear that Saudi Arabia has continued to use NSO software to spy on perceived opponents abroad. In one case that has come to light, three dozen phones belonging to journalists at Al-Jazeera, which Saudi Arabia considers a threat, were hacked using NSO’s Pegasus software last year, according to Citizen Lab. Citizen Lab traced 18 of the attacks back to Saudi intelligence. After the revelation of the attack on Al-Jazeera journalists, NSO recently shut down the system, and at a meeting in early July, the company’s board decided to declare new deals with Saudi Arabia off-limits, according to a person familiar with the decision. Israel’s defense ministry is currently fighting lawsuits by Israeli rights activists demanding that it release details about its process for granting the licenses. The Israeli government also imposes strict secrecy on the companies that receive the licenses, threatening to revoke them if the companies speak publicly about the identity of their clients. An NSO statement said the company could not discuss the identity of its government customers, but added: “As NSO has previously stated, our technology was not associated in any way with the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi. This includes listening, monitoring, tracking or collecting information.” Officials with Candiru, Verint and the government of Saudi Arabia declined to comment. Officials with Quadream could not be reached. These business ties came as Israel was quietly building relationships directly with the Saudi government. Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israel’s prime minister, met several times with Saudi Arabia’s day-to-day ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and military and intelligence leaders of the two countries meet frequently. While Saudi Arabia was not officially party to the Abraham Accords — the diplomatic initiatives during the end of the Trump administration normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab countries — Saudi leaders worked behind the scenes to help broker the deals.

Israeli companies aided Saudi spying despite Khashoggi killing

In Pics: Pilgrims arrive in Mecca for second pandemic hajj

Saudi Arabia will be hosting another small scaled hajj, the annual pilgrimage for muslims. Only fully vaccinated residents will be allowed to visit the holy shrine. Watch this report to know more.

Saudi Arabia: Only fully vaccinated individuals to partake in Hajj pilgrimage

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia will host another downsized hajj from Saturday, with only residents fully vaccinated against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> permitted and overseas Muslim pilgrims barred for a second year.

The kingdom seeks to repeat last year's success that saw no virus outbreak during the five-day Muslim ritual.

It is allowing 60,000 residents of&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia to participate, higher than in 2020 but drastically lower than in normal times. People will begin to arrive on Saturday, a day before the start of rites.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-allows-60000-vaccinated-residents-on-hajj-bars-foreigners-again-391155">Saudi allows 60,000 vaccinated residents on hajj, bars foreigners again</a>

In 2019, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world participated in the annual hajj, a key pillar of Islam that is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Earlier this month, the hajj ministry said it was working on the "highest levels of health precautions" in light of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants.

Chosen from more than 558,000 applicants through an online vetting system, the event is confined to those who have been fully vaccinated and are aged 18-65 with no chronic illnesses, it said.

The pilgrimage, which typically packs large crowds into congested religious sites, is potentially a super-spreader of the virus.&nbsp;

Aside from strict social distancing measures, the ministry said it will introduce a "smart hajj card" to allow contact-free access to camps, hotels and buses to ferry pilgrims around religious sites.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-suspends-uae-flights-due-to-virus-variant-395578">Saudi suspends UAE flights due to virus variant</a>

The card system would also help track down any missing pilgrims, it added.

Authorities have deployed black-and-white robots to dispense bottles of sacred water from the Zamzam spring in Mecca's Grand Mosque, built around the Kaaba, the black cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.

The revered Black Stone&nbsp;in the Kaaba, which it is customary but not mandatory to touch during the pilgrimage, is expected to be kept out of reach.

'Frustration is growing'&nbsp;

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has so far recorded more than 503,000 coronavirus infections, including over 8,000 deaths.

More than 20 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccine</a> doses against coronavirus have been administered in the country of over 34 million people.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-to-hold-haj-under-covid-safety-measures-384024">Saudi Arabia to hold Haj under Covid safety measures</a>

The hajj went ahead last year on the smallest scale in modern history, with authorities initially saying only 1,000 pilgrims were allowed but local media said up to 10,000 took part.

No infections were reported as authorities set up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater for the pilgrims, who were taken to the religious sites in small batches.

They were also given amenity kits that included sterilised pebbles for the "stoning of Satan" ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and ihram, the traditional seamless white hajj garment, made from a bacteria-resistant material.&nbsp;

Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;rulers, for whom the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is their most powerful source of political legitimacy.&nbsp;

But barring overseas pilgrims has caused resentment and anguish among Muslims worldwide, who typically save for years to take part.

"The&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;government wants to play it completely safe by barring foreign pilgrims for the second consecutive year," Umar Karim, a visiting fellow at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute, told AFP.

"But frustration is growing across the Muslim world that could raise questions about the kingdom’s role as the custodian of holy mosques and result in a reduction of its religious soft power.

"It also spells disaster for the hajj economy worldwide."

'Weigh on recovery'&nbsp;

The hajj and year-round umrah pilgrimages are usually a key revenue earner for the kingdom, not to mention airlines and travel agencies. &nbsp;

In normal times, they together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually, keeping the economy humming in Mecca.

But downsizing the rituals, which will run until Tuesday, the first day of post-Ramadan holidays, has hit government revenues and battered businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in the holy city, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops.

Mecca has seen a construction boom in recent years that added shopping malls, apartments and luxury hotels, some offering spectacular views of the sacred Kaaba.

But most premises have seen fewer customers since the pandemic.

"The&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;government's confirmation that the hajj pilgrimage will be extremely limited this year will weigh on the kingdom's economic recovery," said Capital Economics, a research consultancy.

"The government is clearly concerned that a larger hajj could spark a surge in COVID-19 cases and possibly risk importing new virus variants, which could force them to tighten restrictions that harm the economy."

Saudi Arabia will host another downsized hajj from Saturday, with only residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus permitted and overseas Muslim pilgrims barred for a second year.

Saudi Arabia will host another downsized hajj from Saturday, with only residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus permitted and overseas Muslim pilgrims barred for a second year. The kingdom seeks to repeat last year's success that saw no virus outbreak during the five-day Muslim ritual. It is allowing 60,000 residents of Saudi Arabia to participate, higher than in 2020 but drastically lower than in normal times. People will begin to arrive on Saturday, a day before the start of rites. Also read | Saudi allows 60,000 vaccinated residents on hajj, bars foreigners again In 2019, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world participated in the annual hajj, a key pillar of Islam that is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Earlier this month, the hajj ministry said it was working on the "highest levels of health precautions" in light of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Chosen from more than 558,000 applicants through an online vetting system, the event is confined to those who have been fully vaccinated and are aged 18-65 with no chronic illnesses, it said. The pilgrimage, which typically packs large crowds into congested religious sites, is potentially a super-spreader of the virus. Aside from strict social distancing measures, the ministry said it will introduce a "smart hajj card" to allow contact-free access to camps, hotels and buses to ferry pilgrims around religious sites. Also read | Saudi suspends UAE flights due to virus variant The card system would also help track down any missing pilgrims, it added. Authorities have deployed black-and-white robots to dispense bottles of sacred water from the Zamzam spring in Mecca's Grand Mosque, built around the Kaaba, the black cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray. The revered Black Stone in the Kaaba, which it is customary but not mandatory to touch during the pilgrimage, is expected to be kept out of reach. 'Frustration is growing' Saudi Arabia has so far recorded more than 503,000 coronavirus infections, including over 8,000 deaths. More than 20 million vaccine doses against coronavirus have been administered in the country of over 34 million people. Also read | Saudi Arabia to hold Haj under Covid safety measures The hajj went ahead last year on the smallest scale in modern history, with authorities initially saying only 1,000 pilgrims were allowed but local media said up to 10,000 took part. No infections were reported as authorities set up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater for the pilgrims, who were taken to the religious sites in small batches. They were also given amenity kits that included sterilised pebbles for the "stoning of Satan" ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and ihram, the traditional seamless white hajj garment, made from a bacteria-resistant material. Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers, for whom the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is their most powerful source of political legitimacy. But barring overseas pilgrims has caused resentment and anguish among Muslims worldwide, who typically save for years to take part. "The Saudi government wants to play it completely safe by barring foreign pilgrims for the second consecutive year," Umar Karim, a visiting fellow at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute, told AFP. "But frustration is growing across the Muslim world that could raise questions about the kingdom’s role as the custodian of holy mosques and result in a reduction of its religious soft power. "It also spells disaster for the hajj economy worldwide." 'Weigh on recovery' The hajj and year-round umrah pilgrimages are usually a key revenue earner for the kingdom, not to mention airlines and travel agencies. In normal times, they together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually, keeping the economy humming in Mecca. But downsizing the rituals, which will run until Tuesday, the first day of post-Ramadan holidays, has hit government revenues and battered businesses that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in the holy city, from travel agents to street barbers and souvenir shops. Mecca has seen a construction boom in recent years that added shopping malls, apartments and luxury hotels, some offering spectacular views of the sacred Kaaba. But most premises have seen fewer customers since the pandemic. "The Saudi government's confirmation that the hajj pilgrimage will be extremely limited this year will weigh on the kingdom's economic recovery," said Capital Economics, a research consultancy. "The government is clearly concerned that a larger hajj could spark a surge in COVID-19 cases and possibly risk importing new virus variants, which could force them to tighten restrictions that harm the economy."

Saudi hosts vaccinated pilgrims for second downsized hajj

Saudi Arabia says an explosion has struck an unused ammunition dump in an area southeast of the kingdom's capital, Riyadh.

Saudi state television made the announcement Wednesday after a social media video circulated of a plume of smoke near Kharj.

The TV report said no one was injured in the blast, which it described as accidental.

Kharj is close to Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US Forces. The US Military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia says an explosion has struck an unused ammunition dump in an area southeast of the kingdom's capital, Riyadh. Saudi state television made the announcement Wednesday after a social media video circulated of a plume of smoke near Kharj.

Saudi Arabia says an explosion has struck an unused ammunition dump in an area southeast of the kingdom's capital, Riyadh. Saudi state television made the announcement Wednesday after a social media video circulated of a plume of smoke near Kharj. The TV report said no one was injured in the blast, which it described as accidental. Kharj is close to Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US Forces. The US Military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Explosion strikes unused ammunition dump in Saudi Arabia

Two lawsuits pitting Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler against a former intelligence czar threaten to expose highly sensitive US government secrets, prompting Washington to consider a rare judicial intervention. That marks the latest twist in a long-running feud between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Aljabri.

Saudi lawsuits threatens to expose US state secrets

Saudi Arabia will invest over 500 billion riyals ($133.34 billion) in airports, sea ports, rail and other infrastructure by the end of the decade in a bid to make the kingdom a global transportation and logistics hub, its transport minister said on Monday. 
 
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is pushing economic diversification to wean Saudi Arabia off oil revenues and create jobs, announced a transport and logistics drive, of which few details have been released publicly, last Tuesday. 
 
Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser al-Jasser said at an event in Saudi Arabia that the strategy included many mega projects, with over 500 billion riyals earmarked for investment. 
 
The strategy is the latest economic policy to put Riyadh in competition with the United Arab Emirates, the region's business, trade and tourism hub. 
 
Saudi Arabia plans to increase the number of international aviation routes from 99 to over 250 and more than triple total annual passenger traffic from 103 million in 2019 to 330 million by 2030, Abdulaziz Al-Duauilj, the head of the aviation authority, said at the same event. 
 
The kingdom's international network is currently significantly smaller than that of neighbouring smaller states the UAE or Qatar, which are both large air transit hubs. 
 
Al-Duauilj said annual capacity at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport would each expand to 100 million passengers, without saying by when. 
 
He also said the kingdom was aiming to become a global air freight logistics hub, handling 4.5 million tonnes of air cargo a year, up from 900,000 in 2019. 
 
Saudi Arabia earlier announced a new national carrier would be launched as part of the strategy, which aims to make the kingdom the fifth biggest global air passenger transit hub. 
 
Sources familiar with the plans have told Reuters the new airline would target international transit traffic, pitting it directly against Gulf giants Emirates and Qatar Airways. 
 
Saudi Arabia's other airlines, like state-owned Saudia and its low cost subsidiary flyadeal, mostly operate domestic services and point-to-point flights to and from the country of 35 million people.

Saudi Arabia will invest over 500 billion riyals ($133.34 billion) in airports, sea ports, rail and other infrastructure by the end of the decade in a bid to make the kingdom a global transportation and logistics hub, its transport minister said on Monday.

Saudi Arabia will invest over 500 billion riyals ($133.34 billion) in airports, sea ports, rail and other infrastructure by the end of the decade in a bid to make the kingdom a global transportation and logistics hub, its transport minister said on Monday. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is pushing economic diversification to wean Saudi Arabia off oil revenues and create jobs, announced a transport and logistics drive, of which few details have been released publicly, last Tuesday. Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser al-Jasser said at an event in Saudi Arabia that the strategy included many mega projects, with over 500 billion riyals earmarked for investment. The strategy is the latest economic policy to put Riyadh in competition with the United Arab Emirates, the region's business, trade and tourism hub. Saudi Arabia plans to increase the number of international aviation routes from 99 to over 250 and more than triple total annual passenger traffic from 103 million in 2019 to 330 million by 2030, Abdulaziz Al-Duauilj, the head of the aviation authority, said at the same event. The kingdom's international network is currently significantly smaller than that of neighbouring smaller states the UAE or Qatar, which are both large air transit hubs. Al-Duauilj said annual capacity at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport would each expand to 100 million passengers, without saying by when. He also said the kingdom was aiming to become a global air freight logistics hub, handling 4.5 million tonnes of air cargo a year, up from 900,000 in 2019. Saudi Arabia earlier announced a new national carrier would be launched as part of the strategy, which aims to make the kingdom the fifth biggest global air passenger transit hub. Sources familiar with the plans have told Reuters the new airline would target international transit traffic, pitting it directly against Gulf giants Emirates and Qatar Airways. Saudi Arabia's other airlines, like state-owned Saudia and its low cost subsidiary flyadeal, mostly operate domestic services and point-to-point flights to and from the country of 35 million people.

Saudi Arabia to invest over $133 billion in transport sector, minister says

Saudi Arabia has suspended flights to three countries, including the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, to protect against a coronavirus variant, the interior ministry said Saturday.

The move comes seven weeks after the oil-rich kingdom permitted fully immunised citizens to travel abroad, after a ban on foreign trips that lasted more than a year.

The UAE, and especially Dubai, is a key leisure destination for Saudis.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-saudi-arabia-to-ease-curfew-on-june-21-except-mecca-301069">Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to ease curfew on June 21, except Mecca</a>

Flights to and from the UAE, alongside those to Ethiopia and Vietnam, will be suspended from Sunday, an interior ministry official said, quoted by the state news agency SPA.&nbsp;

Saudi citizens and residents returning from these countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days, it added.

Citizens would be banned "from travelling directly or indirectly, without obtaining prior permission from... authorities".

The decision was taken due to "the spread of a new mutated strain of the (COVID-19) virus", it added, without explicitly mentioning the increasingly globally emergent Delta variant.

The variant, first detected in India and now present in at least 85 countries, is the most contagious of any <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> variant yet identified.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/coronavirus-update-rise-in-hospitalisation-amid-delta-variant-spread-394918/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The UAE announced last week it had recorded cases of the Delta variant and it has suspended flights to and from India.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has put major limits on the annual hajj pilgrimage. It has officially recorded more than 490,000 cases of coronavirus, including nearly 7,850 deaths.

The oil-rich Gulf state is home to a large expat workforce from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has suspended flights to three countries, including the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, to protect against a coronavirus variant, the interior ministry said Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has suspended flights to three countries, including the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, to protect against a coronavirus variant, the interior ministry said Saturday. The move comes seven weeks after the oil-rich kingdom permitted fully immunised citizens to travel abroad, after a ban on foreign trips that lasted more than a year. The UAE, and especially Dubai, is a key leisure destination for Saudis. Also read | Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to ease curfew on June 21, except Mecca Flights to and from the UAE, alongside those to Ethiopia and Vietnam, will be suspended from Sunday, an interior ministry official said, quoted by the state news agency SPA. Saudi citizens and residents returning from these countries will be required to quarantine for 14 days, it added. Citizens would be banned "from travelling directly or indirectly, without obtaining prior permission from... authorities". The decision was taken due to "the spread of a new mutated strain of the (COVID-19) virus", it added, without explicitly mentioning the increasingly globally emergent Delta variant. The variant, first detected in India and now present in at least 85 countries, is the most contagious of any COVID-19 variant yet identified. The UAE announced last week it had recorded cases of the Delta variant and it has suspended flights to and from India. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has put major limits on the annual hajj pilgrimage. It has officially recorded more than 490,000 cases of coronavirus, including nearly 7,850 deaths. The oil-rich Gulf state is home to a large expat workforce from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Saudi suspends UAE flights due to virus variant

Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman has announced plans to launch a second national airline. The move is part of a strategy of the country to diversify from oil by biggest Arab economy.

World Business Watch: New flag carrier by the biggest Arab economy

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. 
 
The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. 
 
Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. 
 
Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. 
 
"The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. 
 
"This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." 
 
The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. 
 
With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. 
 
Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. 
 
The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans on Tuesday to launch a second national airline as part of a broader strategy to turn the kingdom into a global logistics hub as it seeks to diversify from oil. The creation of another flag carrier would catapult Saudi Arabia into the fifth rank globally in terms of air transit traffic, official state media reported, without giving details on when and how the airline would be created. Prince Mohammad has been spearheading a push for Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy and the largest country in the Gulf geographically, to boost non-oil revenues to about 45 billion riyals ($12.00 bn) by 2030. Making the kingdom a global logistics hub, which includes the development of ports, rail and road networks, would increase the transport and logistics sector's contribution to gross domestic product to 10% from 6%, state news agency SPA said. "The comprehensive strategy aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub connecting the three continents," Prince Mohammed was quoted as saying in the SPA report. "This will help other sectors like tourism, haj and umrah to achieve their national targets." The addition of another airline would increase the number of international destinations from Saudi Arabia to more than 250 and double air cargo capacity to more than 4.5 million tonnes, the SPA report said. With current flag bearer Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the kingdom has one of the smallest airline networks in the region relative to its size. Saudia has struggled with losses for years and like global peers, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Local media reported earlier this year that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), planned to build a new airport in Riyadh as part of the new airline launch, without giving further details. The fund is the main vehicle for boosting Saudi Arabian investments at home and abroad as the young prince, known in the West as MbS, seeks to diversify the kingdom’s oil-heavy economy through his Vision 2030 strategy. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabia plans new national airline as it diversifies from oil

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has released two women's rights activists detained nearly three years ago after they had served their time, London-based&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;rights group ALQST said on Sunday.

Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in July 2018, along with more than a dozen other activists, on suspicion of harming&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;interests, a move that drew international condemnation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/saudi-women-are-fighting-for-their-freedom-and-their-hard-won-victories-are-growing-241644">Saudi women are fighting for their freedom and their hard-won victories are growing</a>

The&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;government's media office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Few details have been provided by authorities on the charges against the women or on sporadic trials that have been closed to the public.

Their release follows that of prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul in February who had served half of her custodial sentence on broad cybercrime and counterterrorism charges. She still faces a five-year travel ban.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-womens-rights-activist-loujain-al-hathloul-jailed-for-five-years-352947">Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul jailed for five years</a>

Amnesty Gulf welcomed the report by ALQST on Twitter of the release of Badawi and Sadah: "These brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia."

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Good news, although these brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaudiArabia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaudiArabia</a> . <a href="https://twitter.com/KingSalman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingSalman</a> remove the travel bans on Nassima and Samar, and all the released peaceful activists!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnmuteSaudiVoices?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnmuteSaudiVoices</a> <a href="https://t.co/CgS6YsXJYg">https://t.co/CgS6YsXJYg</a>
— Amnesty Gulf (@amnestygulf) <a href="https://twitter.com/amnestygulf/status/1409053832131272707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Badawi received the United States' International Women of Courage Award in 2012 for challenging the&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;male guardianship system and was among the first women who signed a petition calling on the government to allow women to drive and to vote and run in local elections.

Sadah, from the restive Shi'ite-majority Qatif province, has also campaigned to abolish the guardianship system.

Crackdown

The women's rights activists were detained before and after the kingdom in 2018 lifted a ban on women driving as part of social reforms that have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent that has also netted clerics and intellectuals.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seriously-concerned-and-seeking-greater-clarity-from-saudi-arabia-canada-157416">Seriously concerned and seeking greater clarity from Saudi Arabia: Canada</a>

Badawi's former husband is serving a 15-year jail sentence for human rights activism. Her brother Raif Badawi, a prominent blogger, is serving a 10-year sentence on charges of insulting Islam and for cybercrime.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's administration has taken a tough stance over&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia's human rights record, which came under the spotlight after the October 2018 murder of prominent&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Washington in February released an intelligence report implicating de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi's killing. The prince denies any involvement.

In April, the State Department voiced concern about the sentencing of a&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;aid worker by a counterterrorism court to 20 years in prison followed by a 20-year travel ban.

Saudi Arabia has released two women's rights activists detained nearly three years ago after they had served their time, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia has released two women's rights activists detained nearly three years ago after they had served their time, London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said on Sunday. Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in July 2018, along with more than a dozen other activists, on suspicion of harming Saudi interests, a move that drew international condemnation. Also read | Saudi women are fighting for their freedom and their hard-won victories are growing The Saudi government's media office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Few details have been provided by authorities on the charges against the women or on sporadic trials that have been closed to the public. Their release follows that of prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul in February who had served half of her custodial sentence on broad cybercrime and counterterrorism charges. She still faces a five-year travel ban. Also read | Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul jailed for five years Amnesty Gulf welcomed the report by ALQST on Twitter of the release of Badawi and Sadah: "These brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in Saudi Arabia." Good news, although these brave women should have never been detained in the first place. They should have been appreciated for leading change in #SaudiArabia . @KingSalman remove the travel bans on Nassima and Samar, and all the released peaceful activists!#UnmuteSaudiVoices https://t.co/CgS6YsXJYg — Amnesty Gulf (@amnestygulf) June 27, 2021 × Badawi received the United States' International Women of Courage Award in 2012 for challenging the Saudi male guardianship system and was among the first women who signed a petition calling on the government to allow women to drive and to vote and run in local elections. Sadah, from the restive Shi'ite-majority Qatif province, has also campaigned to abolish the guardianship system. Crackdown The women's rights activists were detained before and after the kingdom in 2018 lifted a ban on women driving as part of social reforms that have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent that has also netted clerics and intellectuals. Also read | Seriously concerned and seeking greater clarity from Saudi Arabia: Canada Badawi's former husband is serving a 15-year jail sentence for human rights activism. Her brother Raif Badawi, a prominent blogger, is serving a 10-year sentence on charges of insulting Islam and for cybercrime. US President Joe Biden's administration has taken a tough stance over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, which came under the spotlight after the October 2018 murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. Washington in February released an intelligence report implicating de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Khashoggi's killing. The prince denies any involvement. In April, the State Department voiced concern about the sentencing of a Saudi aid worker by a counterterrorism court to 20 years in prison followed by a 20-year travel ban.

Saudi Arabia releases two women activists, says rights group

Saudi Arabia has released two women activists detained nearly three years ago, rights groups said on Sunday, following a fierce crackdown on female campaigners.

Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in the summer of 2018 with about a dozen other women activists on what rights groups called opaque charges related to national security.

"Prominent Saudi women human rights defenders Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah have been released following the expiry of the sentences against them," London-based rights group ALQST said on Twitter.

Saudi authorities have not yet commented publicly on their release.

The two women "should never have been jailed in the first place and deserve justice (and) compensation for their arbitrary detention," Adam Coogle, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter.

That view was echoed by Amnesty International, which called on Saudi King Salman to "remove the travel bans on Nassima and Samar, and all the released peaceful activists".

Several freed activists and their family members are barred from leaving Saudi Arabia, in a collective punishment that leaves them vulnerable to what campaigners call state coercion.

In late December, a Saudi court handed prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul a prison term of five years and eight months for terrorism-related crimes, but a partially suspended sentence paved the way for her early release in February.

Hathloul was released on probation and is banned from leaving the kingdom for five years.

The crackdown on women activists, which drew global condemnation, have cast a spotlight on the human rights record of the kingdom, an absolute monarchy.

US President Joe Biden has vowed to press Saudi Arabia harder on human rights and earlier this year declassified an intelligence report into the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Khashoggi's murder tarnished the global reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to modernise the conservative kingdom as it tries to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

Saudi Arabia has released two women activists detained nearly three years ago, rights groups said on Sunday, following a fierce crackdown on female campaigners. Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in the summer of 2018 with about a dozen other women activists on what rights groups called opaque charges related to national security.

Saudi Arabia has released two women activists detained nearly three years ago, rights groups said on Sunday, following a fierce crackdown on female campaigners. Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah were detained in the summer of 2018 with about a dozen other women activists on what rights groups called opaque charges related to national security. "Prominent Saudi women human rights defenders Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sadah have been released following the expiry of the sentences against them," London-based rights group ALQST said on Twitter. Saudi authorities have not yet commented publicly on their release. The two women "should never have been jailed in the first place and deserve justice (and) compensation for their arbitrary detention," Adam Coogle, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter. That view was echoed by Amnesty International, which called on Saudi King Salman to "remove the travel bans on Nassima and Samar, and all the released peaceful activists". Several freed activists and their family members are barred from leaving Saudi Arabia, in a collective punishment that leaves them vulnerable to what campaigners call state coercion. In late December, a Saudi court handed prominent activist Loujain al-Hathloul a prison term of five years and eight months for terrorism-related crimes, but a partially suspended sentence paved the way for her early release in February. Hathloul was released on probation and is banned from leaving the kingdom for five years. The crackdown on women activists, which drew global condemnation, have cast a spotlight on the human rights record of the kingdom, an absolute monarchy. US President Joe Biden has vowed to press Saudi Arabia harder on human rights and earlier this year declassified an intelligence report into the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. Khashoggi's murder tarnished the global reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has sought to modernise the conservative kingdom as it tries to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

Saudi Arabia releases two jailed women activists: Campaigners

Four Saudis who participated in the 2018 killing of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi received paramilitary training in the United States the previous year under a contract approved by the State Department, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. 
 
The training was provided by Tier 1 Group, which is owned by the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, and was defensive in nature and devised to protect Saudi leaders, the Times reported. 
 
Cerberus did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. 
 
In response to the Times report, State Department spokesman Ned Price said under the law the department cannot comment "on any of the licensed defense export licensing activity alleged in media reporting." 
 
Price also said US&nbsp;policy towards Saudi Arabia "will prioritize the rule of law and respect for human rights." 
 
Khashoggi, a US&nbsp;resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom`s consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. A US&nbsp;intelligence report in February said the crown prince had approved an operation to capture or kill the journalist. 
 
Cerberus senior executive Louis Bremer confirmed his company`s role in the training of four members of the Khashoggi kill team last year in written answers to questions from members of Congress as part of his nomination for a senior Pentagon job in former President Donald Trump`s administration, according to the Times. 
 
But the lawmakers never received the answers because the Trump administration does not appear to have sent them to Congress before withdrawing Bremer’s nomination, according to the Times, which said Bremer provided it with the document. 
 
Bremer said the US&nbsp;State Department and other government agencies are responsible for vetting foreign forces trained on US&nbsp;soil, the Times reported.

Four Saudis who participated in the 2018 killing of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi received paramilitary training in the United States the previous year under a contract approved by the State Department, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Four Saudis who participated in the 2018 killing of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi received paramilitary training in the United States the previous year under a contract approved by the State Department, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. The training was provided by Tier 1 Group, which is owned by the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, and was defensive in nature and devised to protect Saudi leaders, the Times reported. Cerberus did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. In response to the Times report, State Department spokesman Ned Price said under the law the department cannot comment "on any of the licensed defense export licensing activity alleged in media reporting." Price also said US policy towards Saudi Arabia "will prioritize the rule of law and respect for human rights." Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom`s consulate in Istanbul in October 2018. A US intelligence report in February said the crown prince had approved an operation to capture or kill the journalist. Cerberus senior executive Louis Bremer confirmed his company`s role in the training of four members of the Khashoggi kill team last year in written answers to questions from members of Congress as part of his nomination for a senior Pentagon job in former President Donald Trump`s administration, according to the Times. But the lawmakers never received the answers because the Trump administration does not appear to have sent them to Congress before withdrawing Bremer’s nomination, according to the Times, which said Bremer provided it with the document. Bremer said the US State Department and other government agencies are responsible for vetting foreign forces trained on US soil, the Times reported.

Saudis who killed journalist Khashoggi received paramilitary training in US: Report

In the&nbsp;first such step by any country in the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India for the establishment of a formal "yoga protocol (standards)" for the promotion of yoga in the country.

The&nbsp;formal yoga standards and courses will be tailormade for the country, keeping in view local sensitivities.&nbsp;

With this, yoga has been formally recognised in the country as an important sports activity by Saudi Arabia's ministry of sports.

While yoga has been allowed in the country since November 2017, with the MoU a formal system has been put in place for its practice.&nbsp;

The MoU was signed on the 7th International Yoga Day between India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Ausaf Sayeed and Abdullah Faisal Hammad, Director General, Leaders Development Institute, Ministry of Sports.&nbsp;

The MoU has been in making for the last six-seven months.&nbsp;Yoga standards are in the advanced stages and it's understood that an announcement is in the offing with experts and&nbsp;the Saudi ministry of sport drafting the standards-compliant with local laws and norms.&nbsp;

Under the standards, formal certification of yoga trainers will start with exams, and the process of evaluation can take place.&nbsp;

The MoU also facilitates collaboration in research, education, and training in the field of yoga.

The MoU for yoga cooperation is between Leaders Development Institute, Saudi ministry of sports, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.&nbsp;Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga&nbsp;is the nodal body for planning, training, and promotion of yoga in India.

A Saudi Yoga Committee has been formed&nbsp;which will have the power of an independent yoga federation just like any other sports federation.&nbsp;

Nouf Marwaai will be heading the body.&nbsp;In 2018, Nouf also known as the first&nbsp;Saudi Yogacharya&nbsp;was honoured with&nbsp;India's fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri for her role in the popularisation of yoga.

In the first such step by any country in the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India for the establishment of a formal "yoga protocol (standards)" for the promotion of yoga in the country.

In the first such step by any country in the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India for the establishment of a formal "yoga protocol (standards)" for the promotion of yoga in the country. The formal yoga standards and courses will be tailormade for the country, keeping in view local sensitivities. With this, yoga has been formally recognised in the country as an important sports activity by Saudi Arabia's ministry of sports. While yoga has been allowed in the country since November 2017, with the MoU a formal system has been put in place for its practice. The MoU was signed on the 7th International Yoga Day between India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Ausaf Sayeed and Abdullah Faisal Hammad, Director General, Leaders Development Institute, Ministry of Sports. The MoU has been in making for the last six-seven months. Yoga standards are in the advanced stages and it's understood that an announcement is in the offing with experts and the Saudi ministry of sport drafting the standards-compliant with local laws and norms. Under the standards, formal certification of yoga trainers will start with exams, and the process of evaluation can take place. The MoU also facilitates collaboration in research, education, and training in the field of yoga. The MoU for yoga cooperation is between Leaders Development Institute, Saudi ministry of sports, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is the nodal body for planning, training, and promotion of yoga in India. A Saudi Yoga Committee has been formed which will have the power of an independent yoga federation just like any other sports federation. Nouf Marwaai will be heading the body. In 2018, Nouf also known as the first Saudi Yogacharya was honoured with India's fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri for her role in the popularisation of yoga.

Formal yoga standards in Saudi Arabia soon as country signs MoU with India

Saudi Arabian state media on Saturday said that the kingdom's air defences destroyed 10 drones launched by Houthi rebels. The media reports quoted Saudi Arabia-led military coalition.

The official Saudi Press Agency reported that seven of the drones targetted regions in southern Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

Three targeted the Khamis Mushait region, also in the south and home to military installations, it said.

"The interception operations were successful," the coalition said in a statement, adding that the drones were packed with explosives and seven were knocked out in Yemeni air space.

Earlier on Saturday, Iran-backed Houthi rebels tweeted that one drone was launched towards King Khaled air base in Khamis Mushait.

These developments come as diplomatic push by the United Nations, the US to secure Yemen ceasefire have failed.

The outgoing UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths on Tuesday told the Security Council his own efforts over the past three years to end the war have been "in vain".

"It is with deep regret that I report today that the parties have not overcome their differences," said Griffiths.

Yemen has been devastated by a civil war between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-backed Huthis since 2014, and millions of civilians are on the brink of famine, according to the UN.

The Saudi-led coalition has controlled Yemen's airspace since it launched a military campaign in 2015 to prop up the country's internationally recognised government.

The Huthis have repeatedly demanded the re-opening of Sanaa airport before any ceasefire.

(With inputs from agencies)

Saudi Arabian state media on Saturday said that the kingdom's air defences destroyed 10 drones launched by Houthi rebels. The media reports quoted Saudi Arabia-led military coalition.

Saudi Arabian state media on Saturday said that the kingdom's air defences destroyed 10 drones launched by Houthi rebels. The media reports quoted Saudi Arabia-led military coalition. The official Saudi Press Agency reported that seven of the drones targetted regions in southern Saudi Arabia. Three targeted the Khamis Mushait region, also in the south and home to military installations, it said. "The interception operations were successful," the coalition said in a statement, adding that the drones were packed with explosives and seven were knocked out in Yemeni air space. Earlier on Saturday, Iran-backed Houthi rebels tweeted that one drone was launched towards King Khaled air base in Khamis Mushait. These developments come as diplomatic push by the United Nations, the US to secure Yemen ceasefire have failed. The outgoing UN envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths on Tuesday told the Security Council his own efforts over the past three years to end the war have been "in vain". "It is with deep regret that I report today that the parties have not overcome their differences," said Griffiths. Yemen has been devastated by a civil war between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-backed Huthis since 2014, and millions of civilians are on the brink of famine, according to the UN. The Saudi-led coalition has controlled Yemen's airspace since it launched a military campaign in 2015 to prop up the country's internationally recognised government. The Huthis have repeatedly demanded the re-opening of Sanaa airport before any ceasefire. (With inputs from agencies)

Saudi defences intercept 10 Houthi drones, says state media

Saudi Arabia has now altered its 'Male Guardianship System' to allow women to live & travel independently. Palki Sharma takes you through the string of reforms being undertaken by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Gravitas: Saudi Arabia alters Male Guardianship System

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