Al-Shehana Bint Saleh Appointed Deputy Secretary General of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Al-Shehana Bint Saleh Appointed Deputy Secretary General of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Asharq Al-Awsat

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued on Sunday a number of royal orders that included the appointment of Al-Shehana bint Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Azzaz as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, at the excellent rank.

King Salman ordered relieving the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf Al Muqrin, of his post, and appointed him as advisor at the Royal Court, at the rank of Minister.

The royal orders also included appointing Dr. Bandar bin Obaid bin Hamoud Al-Rasheed as Secretary to the Crown Prince, at the rank of Minister, in addition to his other duties.

The King appointed Ayman bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Siyari as Deputy Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) for Investment and Research, at the rank of Minister.

He also appointed Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Amil as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers for Council Affairs, at the excellent rank, in addition to appointing Mansour bin Abdullah bin Ali bin Salamah as Deputy Secretary to the Crown Prince, at the excellent rank.

Abdulaziz bin Ismail bin Rashad Trabzoni was appointed as an advisor at the Royal Court, at the excellent rank, while Princess Haifa bint Mohammed bin Saud bin Khalid Al Abdulrahman Al Saud became deputy Minister of Tourism, at the excellent rank.

Dr. Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih was appointed Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, at the excellent rank, and Acting President of the Transport General Authority.

Ehab bin Ghazi bin Fahmy Al-Hashani became Deputy Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing, at the excellent rank.

The King also appointed Eng. Abdulaziz bin Hamad bin Saleh Al-Rumaih as Deputy Minister of Health for Planning and Development, at the excellent rank, and Ahmed bin Sufyan bin Abdulrazzaq Al-Hassan, as Assistant Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, at the excellent rank.

Furthermore, Dr. Khalid bin Waleed bin Fadl Al-Thaher was appointed Deputy Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) for Control and Technology, at the excellent rank.



New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
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New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)

A new humanitarian aid convoy from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) crossed the Rafah border into Gaza on Friday with essential food baskets for Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis, as part of the Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

The Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, has established several new camps in Al-Qarara area of southern Gaza and Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in preparation for winter.

Through these efforts, KSrelief aims to alleviate the severe suffering caused by the dire living conditions in Gaza, ensuring that vital food and shelter reach those in the most vulnerable areas.


Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
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Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)

The joint military "Gulf Shield Exercise 2026" concluded in Saudi Arabia on Friday, with the participation of the air forces and air-defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, alongside the GCC Unified Military Command, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exercise was conducted as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional defense cooperation and enhance combat readiness.

Its maneuvers included advanced operational scenarios featuring simulations of multidimensional air and missile threats, joint air maneuvers, and integrated field exercises, with a focus on improving operational integration, strengthening command-and-control systems, and enhancing operational efficiency within a joint operational environment.
The exercise seeks to develop qualitative military capabilities, bolster combat readiness to confront current, emerging, and future threats, and entrench the concepts of collective defense and flexible deterrence, thereby contributing to the region's security and stability.

Gulf Shield Exercise 2026 is regarded as one of the key pillars of military cooperation among GCC countries, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance defense integration and strengthen the capacity to respond to regional and international challenges.

At the conclusion of the exercise, the participating forces carried out a joint aerial display that demonstrated a high level of harmony and operational integration, as well as their ability to plan and execute in accordance with unified operational concepts and advanced professional standards.


Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed on Saturday the Kingdom’s deep regret over the damage sustained by the Qatari Embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as a result of recent shelling.

The ministry stressed the need to protect diplomatic missions and their personnel in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The ministry reiterated the Kingdom's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means.