Saudi FM Visits South Sudan to Discuss Issues of Common Interest

The Saudi and South Sudan delegations meet with Kiir in Juba. (SPA)
The Saudi and South Sudan delegations meet with Kiir in Juba. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Visits South Sudan to Discuss Issues of Common Interest

The Saudi and South Sudan delegations meet with Kiir in Juba. (SPA)
The Saudi and South Sudan delegations meet with Kiir in Juba. (SPA)

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Juba on Monday.

The Saudi FM is on an official visit to South Sudan.

He conveyed to Kiir the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

They discussed bilateral relations between their countries and the latest international developments.

Prince Faisal also met with his South Sudan counterpart, Mayiik Ayii Deng, for official talks at the foreign ministry in Juba.

They tackled bilateral ties and ways to bolster them in all fields. They also covered issues of common interest.

Prince Faisal expressed Saudi Arabia’s gratitude to Juba’s support for Riyadh’s bid to host Expo 2030.

During a press conference after the talks, he said his discussions in Juba focused on boosting bilateral ties and deepening cooperation in investment, trade, energy and security.

They tackled the remaining articles of the Juba peace agreement that need to be implemented, underscoring the need to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

For his part, Deng described Prince Faisal’s visit as “historic”. He said his country was keen on bolstering relations with Saudi Arabia.

He stressed the geographic diversity and investment and agricultural potential boasted by his country, adding that it was seeking to establish a secure environment to attract investments.

Prince Faisal later met with South Sudan’s advisor on security affairs.



Kuwait Jails 13 Citizens, Fines them $87 Mn for Hezbollah Funding

A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice in Kuwait City, June 16, 2013. (Reuters)
A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice in Kuwait City, June 16, 2013. (Reuters)
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Kuwait Jails 13 Citizens, Fines them $87 Mn for Hezbollah Funding

A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice in Kuwait City, June 16, 2013. (Reuters)
A general view of the Kuwait Palace of Justice in Kuwait City, June 16, 2013. (Reuters)

Kuwait’s Court of Cassation on Monday sentenced 13 citizens to three years in prison for raising funds through a charity to support Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

The court also fined them 27 million Kuwaiti dinars ($87 million), overturning a previous acquittal by a lower court.

The court that issued the sentencing was presided over by Judge Abdullah Jassim Al-Abdullah.

Initially, the Criminal Court had acquitted the defendants, citing the absence of legislation explicitly criminalizing unlicensed fundraising for public purposes since the establishment of Kuwait's Social Affairs Department on December 14, 1954.

The court said this legal gap limited its authority under Article 132 of the Code of Criminal Procedures and Trials. However, the decision was reversed by the higher court.

The defendants had been interrogated in November 2021 over alleged financial support to organizations linked to Hezbollah.

At the time, the Public Prosecution ordered their detention, and security authorities conducted extensive investigations into financial transfers suspected of funding such groups in Lebanon.

The case dates back to November 2021. The charges included significant financial transfers made over several years to foreign entities, including in Lebanon, prompting authorities to scrutinize transaction records.

The defendants denied the charges, claiming they had worked with a charity committee for 30 years, primarily sponsoring orphans in Lebanon and other countries.

In March 2024, the Court of Cassation classified Hezbollah as a banned terrorist group, describing it as an armed organization working to undermine Kuwait’s system and spread Iran’s revolutionary ideology.

The ruling officially confirmed Hezbollah’s designation as a terrorist entity under Kuwaiti law.