Saudi Arabia

World News

Why Are Gas Prices Up? These Frenemies Get Some Of The Blame

3:13pm April 30, 2018

by Uri Berliner

Russia and Saudi Arabia have been longtime adversaries over geopolitics and military operations in the Middle East. Now, they've formed a surprising bond that is helping boost oil and gasoline prices.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, seen during a news conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, is urging easing economic sanctions against Qatar.

World News

Pompeo Urges Unity Among Gulf Countries, Pressure Against Iran

8:54pm April 29, 2018

by Alexis Diao

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is urging easing economic tensions with Qatar amid efforts by the U.S. to apply new sanctions against Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting on peacebuilding at the United Nations in New York, on Tuesday.

Iran's Foreign Minister Comes To America, Keeping One Eye On Saudi Arabia

5:33pm April 24, 2018

by Steve Inskeep

In an NPR interview with Mohammad Javad Zarif, it was apparent how the rivalry with Saudi Arabia is a factor in many Iranian decisions — including the uncertain future of its nuclear deal.

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The AMC cinema in Riyadh hosted the first film screening in more than three decades on April 18. Movie theaters open to the wider public next month after Saudi Arabia lifted a 35-year ban on cinemas as part of a far-reaching liberalization drive.

As Saudi Arabia's Cinema Ban Ends, Filmmakers Eye New Opportunities

7:00am April 21, 2018

Allowing cinemas is part of a modernization drive by the Saudi government, which hopes to create more business opportunities and become a regional film hub. But it's a tough place to be a filmmaker.

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Jean Paul Gaultier was one of the big designers to participate in Saudi Arabia's first Arab Fashion Week in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia's First Arab Fashion Week Kicks Off, Beyond Fashionably Late

8:00pm April 13, 2018

by Jackie Northam

The fashion show, which only women are invited to view, is the newest entertainment opportunity to emerge in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

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CIA Director Mike Pompeo testifies on worldwide threats during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Feb. 13, 2018. Pompeo, President Trump's pick to lead the State Department, has portrayed the fight against terrorism as an epic holy

Trump's National Security And State Department Picks Alarm American Muslims

1:12pm April 06, 2018

by Tom Gjelten

Even as President Trump is warming relationships with Muslim nations in the Middle East, he is antagonizing U.S. Muslims with his choice of a new national security adviser and secretary of state.

Chadwick Boseman stars in Black Panther, the first film that most Saudis will see in a commercial theater.

'Black Panther' Expected To Formally Break Saudis' 35-Year Cinema Ban

6:11pm April 05, 2018

by Colin Dwyer

Roughly two-thirds of the conservative kingdom's population has likely never seen a film in a commercial theater. That's set to change — and Black Panther is expected to get the inaugural showing.

Yemeni women carry blankets and lanterns distributed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sanaa, Yemen.

The Irony Of A $930 Million Donation To Help Yemen

5:26pm April 04, 2018

by Malaka Gharib

The money was pledged by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two countries that have fueled the country's humanitarian crisis. Aid groups from Yemen and beyond weigh in.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conducts a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May with other members of their delegations, in London, on March 7.

Saudi Arabia: The White House Loves It. Most Americans? Not So Much

9:16pm March 19, 2018

by Deborah Amos

As the Saudi crown prince travels across the United States, he will have one major hurdle: polls show more than half of Americans have unfavorable views of his country.

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Saudi Prince Will Court Trump In Visit — And Tech Execs And Hollywood, Too

8:56am March 19, 2018

Mohammed bin Salman is coming to the U.S. this week. His ongoing PR campaign seeks to diversify Saudi Arabia's economy and reset its image abroad, but some of his actions have undermined that goal.

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