Saudi Arabia

CNN | (Video News Report) | – – “Miqdaad Versi of the Muslim Council of Britain says Saudi Arabia has made strides to keep pilgrims safe at Hajj but growing numbers increase danger.” CNN: “Council member: Hajj stampede is disappointing tragedy”

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Unlike Israel’s Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia now says it supports Iran Nuclear Deal

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Saudi-owned, pan-Arab London daily al-Sharq al-Awsat (the Middle East) reported on the meeting Friday between King Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Obama and their top foreign policy and security teams. It said, “American officials told al-Sharq al-Awsat that President Obama is eager to calm […]

Displaced and Refugees

Why Don’t Rich Arab Gulf States Welcome Syrian Refugees?

contributors

By Charles Recknagel | (RFE/ RL ) | – – It's hard not to notice how almost all Syrian refugees flee westward rather than seek a safe haven in the rich Arab Persian Gulf states. Now, social-media users worldwide are increasingly raising the question of why. On Twitter, the Arabic-language hashtag #Hosting_Syria's_refugees_is_a_Gulf_duty has become a […]

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Top 4 Issues Saudi King Salman will discuss in first visit to Obama’s White House

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi King Salman is meeting Friday with President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. King Salman had declined to attend Obama’s Gulf Summit in May, apparently over anger at the negotiations with Iran over its civilian […]

Health

War-Torn Yemen faces Disease Outbreaks w/out Humanitarian Corridor

contributors

By Kanya D’Almeida | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – An outbreak of dengue fever in Yemen’s most populated governorate has prompted urgent calls from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a “humanitarian corridor” to facilitate the flow of medicines to over three million civilians trapped in the war-torn area. Taiz, […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Is ISIL/ Daesh biggest threat to Saudi Arabia?: Mosque of Secret Police Bombed

contributors

By Mohammed Al Nemer | ( Global Voices Online) | – – Another suicide bomb hit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, this time at a mosque inside a Special Forces headquarters in Asir, southwest of Saudi Arabia, killing 15 people and injuring nine. The attack, by ISIS, was carried out by Abu Sinan Al Najdi. This […]

Gulf

How Iran Deal Could Change the Middle East

contributors

By Benjamin Tua | (Foreign Policy in Focus) | – – Washington’s rapprochement with Iran has opened the door for major realignments from Israel to Afghanistan. Similar to the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, ethno-sectarian fights will inevitably remold the Middle East and reshape the boundaries for new nation-states. The profound changes occurring in […]

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Has Iran cut off Hamas? Is Hamas turning to Saudi Arabia?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Newsweek is reporting that Iran has cut off funding to Hamas in Gaza, citing Israeli journalism and Hamas sources. Iran’s relationship with the Hamas party-militia in the Gaza Strip has been an roller-coaster ride in the past three years. The youth revolutions of 2011 created hard […]

GCC

Yemen: Saudi & Coalition guilty of War Crimes for Bombing Civilians: HRW

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – (Sanaa) – Saudi-led coalition airstrikes that killed at least 65 civilians, including 10 children, and wounded dozens in the Yemeni port city of Mokha on July 24, 2015, are an apparent war crime. Starting between 9:30 and 10 p.m., coalition airplanes repeatedly struck two residential compounds of the Mokha […]