Saudi Crown Prince, Brazilian President Hold Talks, Witness Signing of Bilateral MoU

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah palace. (SPA)
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah palace. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince, Brazilian President Hold Talks, Witness Signing of Bilateral MoU

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah palace. (SPA)
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah palace. (SPA)

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah palace, SPA said on Tuesday.
An official welcome ceremony was held for the Brazilian president.
The Crown Prince extended a warm welcome to the Brazilian President at the beginning of their meeting and wished him and his accompanying delegation a pleasant stay.
The Brazilian president expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the warm hospitality and gracious reception received.
The two men reviewed aspects of relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Federative Republic of Brazil and discussed joint coordination to enhance cooperation in various fields.
They explored promising investment opportunities in both nations to serve mutual interests. They also addressed the regional and international developments, as well as issues of common interest and the efforts directed towards them.
Attending the talks were Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy; Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State and Cabinet Member; Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Sports; Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior; Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Minister of the National Guard; and Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense.
The meeting was also attended by the Saudi Minister of State, Cabinet's Member and National Security Advisor, Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban; Minister of Commerce, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi; Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli; Minister of Investment, Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih; Minister of Finance, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan; and the Saudi Ambassador to Brazil, Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam.
From the Brazilian side, the attendees included President of the National Congress Rodrigo Otavio Soares Pacheco; Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office Rui Costa; Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad; Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho; Minister of Agriculture Carlos Favaro; Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira; and various other senior Brazilian officials.
Afterwards, the Crown Prince and the Brazilian President witnessed the signing ceremony of a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of energy between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Prince Abdulaziz signed the MoU from the Saudi side while Silveira signed from the Brazilian side.



Gulf Defenses Destroy 12 Ballistic Missiles, 50 Drones as 3 Soldiers Wounded in Kuwait

Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
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Gulf Defenses Destroy 12 Ballistic Missiles, 50 Drones as 3 Soldiers Wounded in Kuwait

Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises above Dubai on March 13, 2026. (AFP)

Defenses in the Gulf downed on Saturday 12 ballistic missiles and 50 drones fired at civilian locations and vital facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait as the US-Israeli war on Iran entered its third week.

Meanwhile, two drone attacks on the Ahmed Al-Jaber Base in Kuwait wounded three members of the armed forces and left material damage.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi defense destroyed 12 drones in the Eastern Region and one in each of the Empty Quarter and al-Jawf, said official Defense Ministry spokesman Turki Al-Malki.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates reported a new missile attack Sunday morning, a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major UAE ports, threatening for the first time a neighboring country’s non-US assets.

Tehran accused the United States of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports, without providing evidence, as the war showed no signs of ending.

Earlier, UAE defenses intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones fired from Iran.

The attacks have left six people dead, including Emiratis and nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. A total of 141 injuries have been reported among citizens and residents.

The Defense Ministry stressed that the armed forces were on the highest alert level to handle any threats and firmly confront anything that may harm the country’s security, in order to protect its sovereignty, stability and national interests.

The UAE strongly condemned the unprovoked terrorist drone attack that targeted the UAE Consulate General in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the second time in a week.

The attack resulted in injuries to two security personnel and damage to the consulate building.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that targeting diplomatic missions and premises constitutes a flagrant violation of international norms and laws, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of diplomatic premises and the protection of diplomatic personnel. Such acts represent a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional security and stability.

The UAE has called on the Iraqi government and the government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to investigate the circumstances surrounding this attack, identify those responsible, and take all necessary measures to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s firm rejection of terrorist attacks aimed at undermining security and stability, emphasizing the need to protect diplomatic premises, missions, and their personnel in accordance with international laws and norms.

UAE Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the arrest of 25 individuals of various nationalities for publishing misleading content on digital platforms that harms national defense measures and glorifies acts of military aggression against the State.

They have been referred for an expedited trial.

The move follows rigorous monitoring of digital platforms to combat the spread of fabricated information and artificial content intended to incite public disorder and undermine general stability.

Al Shamsi said that exploiting cyberspace to circulate misleading content and footage that harms public security or compromises the state’s defensive capabilities is a criminal offense. This is particularly critical given the military aggression currently faced by the state, and such behavior will be met with firm legal action.

Kuwait

Drones hit Kuwait’s international airport. The drone attack Saturday night hit the airport’s radar system, Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

Flights there have been halted since the start of the war.

Three members of the Kuwaiti army sustained minor injuries when two drones damaged the Ahmed Al-Jaber air base on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Kuwait’s air defense system intercepted another three drones, and two drones fell outside what the ministry called “the threat area” and posed no danger.

Early in the war, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire during an Iranian attack. Kuwait is also where six US soldiers were killed in a drone strike on a command center.

Bahrain

Bahrain announced that it has intercepted 124 missiles and 203 drones since the start of the conflict.

Three rockets and 10 drones were downed on Saturday.

Authorities urged people to stay at home and that they should leave only when necessary. They must steer clear of damaged location or any suspicious objects. They are also prohibited from filming or photographing military operations or locations where debris and shrapnel have landed.

Qatar

Qatari’s Interior Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani underscored the stability and stability of the country.

The safety of anyone residing in the country is a “red line” and a “priority in every step we take,” he added during a televised interview on Friday.


Bahrain Arrests 6 for Sympathizing with Iran Attacks

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
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Bahrain Arrests 6 for Sympathizing with Iran Attacks

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)
Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution. (BNA)

Bahrain announced on Saturday the arrest of six people for posting videos related to the effects of the Iranian attacks, expressing sympathy with it and glorifying its hostile acts, as well as spreading false news and inciting the targeting of sites in the kingdom.

The videos were circulated through their social media accounts, which could mislead public opinion, spread fear among citizens and residents, and harm security and public order, said the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security

Legal procedures have been taken and the detainees have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

The ministry urged everyone to obtain information from official sources and not to circulate or repost unverified videos or news, to avoid legal accountability and preserve the nation’s security and safety.


Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Sultan of Oman on Death of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
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Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Sultan of Oman on Death of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, held a phone call on Saturday with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman, during which he conveyed his condolences and sympathy on the passing of Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said.

The Crown Prince prayed that Allah Almighty grant the deceased His mercy and forgiveness.

Sultan Haitham expressed his appreciation to the Crown Prince for his heartfelt fraternal sentiments and the solidarity conveyed in this message of condolence.