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Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince: We Are Deploying All of Our Capabilities to Stand by Qatar

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 10, 2025. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 10, 2025. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince: We Are Deploying All of Our Capabilities to Stand by Qatar

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 10, 2025. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 10, 2025. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, reiterated on Wednesday the Kingdom’s categorical rejection and condemnation of the Israeli attacks on the region, the latest of which was the “heinous” assault on Qatar.

Riyadh is deploying all of its capabilities as it stands by Qatar and the measures its takes to protect its security and stability, Crown Prince Mohammed said during the annual royal speech, marking the opening of the second year of the Shura Council’s ninth session.

He highlighted the Arab Peace initiative that was launched by the Kingdom in 2002. It was activated on an unprecedented international scale by advocating for the implementation of the two-state solution, which remains the sole means to establish an independent Palestinian state.

Saudi Arabia’s efforts have led more countries to recognize the State of Palestine, he declared. Its co-chairing of the Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York in July has garnered unprecedented international support for the initiative.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 10, 2025. (SPA)

He expressed his gratitude to regional and international partners for their valuable humanitarian contributions.

Moreover, Crown Prince Mohammed declared that for three centuries, the Saudi state has been built on firm principles based on Islamic Sharia, justice and shura.

“We are proud of this blessed approach and God Almighty has blessed us in serving the Two Holy Mosques. This is a responsibility we handle with utmost attention and care and we are dedicating all of our capabilities towards it,” he added.

He said the Saudi economy was forging ahead in its diversification and is weaning itself off its reliance on oil. For the first time in its history, non-oil activities made up 56 percent of its GDP.

“This and other achievements have made Saudi Arabia a global hub that attracts different activities. Six hundred global companies choosing the Kingdom as their regional headquarters is a testament to its position,” he stressed, saying that the figure went above the Vision 2030 target.

He noted the strength of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure and technical services, which underscore the strength of its economy and the broad horizons ahead of it.

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Gulf

GCC Secretary-General Condemns Attack on WFP Aid Convoy in Sudan's North Kordofan

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
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GCC Secretary-General Condemns Attack on WFP Aid Convoy in Sudan's North Kordofan

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi has expressed his condemnation regarding the targeting of a World Food Program (WFP) aid convoy in the North Kordofan State in Sudan.

He characterized this assault as a grave violation of international humanitarian law and an unacceptable transgression of the rules and norms that safeguard humanitarian operations, SPA reported.

"The targeting of relief convoys and humanitarian workers is a reprehensible act that obstructs the delivery of vital assistance to those affected," he said, adding that such actions exacerbate the suffering of civilians, particularly given the dire humanitarian conditions currently prevailing in Sudan.

Albudaiwi also referenced the statement of the GCC Supreme Council’s 46th Session, which reaffirmed support for peace-building efforts aimed at preserving Sudan’s security, stability, and sovereignty.

The statement also underscored the commitment to political efforts to reach a ceasefire and achieve a political transition in Sudan through the establishment of an independent civilian government, fulfilling the Sudanese people’s aspirations for peace, growth, and stability.

Gulf

World Defense Show Opens in Riyadh with Expanded Int’l Participation

The exhibition includes a fully integrated airport with a 2,700-meter runway, four aircraft taxiways, and extensive display areas (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The exhibition includes a fully integrated airport with a 2,700-meter runway, four aircraft taxiways, and extensive display areas (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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World Defense Show Opens in Riyadh with Expanded Int’l Participation

The exhibition includes a fully integrated airport with a 2,700-meter runway, four aircraft taxiways, and extensive display areas (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The exhibition includes a fully integrated airport with a 2,700-meter runway, four aircraft taxiways, and extensive display areas (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The World Defense Show opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together defense and military companies from around the globe to showcase advanced technologies, as Saudi Arabia accelerates efforts to localize its military industries and strengthen domestic supply chains.

The third edition of the exhibition is being held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and organized by the General Authority for Military Industries from Feb. 8 to Feb. 12.

It features official delegations, government entities, and international firms operating in the defense and security sectors.

The event comes as part of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to build a comprehensive national defense industry and localize more than 50 percent of military spending, while boosting operational readiness and strategic autonomy.

Ahmad Al-Ohali, governor of the General Authority for Military Industries and chairman of the exhibition’s supervisory committee, said the show reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to innovation, localization, and the development of an integrated defense ecosystem.

He said the exhibition includes live air and ground demonstrations, static displays, and newly introduced zones designed to enhance cooperation between government bodies and major national and international defense companies.

Andrew Pearcey, chief executive of the World Defense Show, said the event would feature a comprehensive program starting with an official delegations initiative linking senior officials with investors and industry leaders to support international industrial and technological cooperation.

Pearcey said the “Defense Industry Lab” would highlight emerging technologies and applied research, while dedicated zones would focus on naval systems and Saudi supply chains, connecting local manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises with global firms.

The program also includes meetings between Saudi government entities and industry representatives to discuss operational requirements and investment opportunities.

He added that the venue includes a fully integrated airport with a 2,700-meter runway, four aircraft taxiways, and large display areas, allowing the exhibition to host integrated air, land, and maritime demonstrations.

Participation in the 2026 edition is expected to exceed previous shows, reflecting growing international interest in Saudi Arabia’s defense market.

South Korea’s air force aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, will take part in the exhibition for the first time in the Middle East. The South Korean Air Force said it would deploy 9 T-50 fighter jets, including 1 reserve aircraft, 4 C-130 transport planes, and about 120 personnel.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Condemns RSF Attacks on Civilians and Aid Convoys in Sudan

An elderly man picks up his food aid ration at the Umdulu Camp, in Engpung County, Sudan, January 30, 2026. (Karl Schembri/Norweigan Refugee Council/Handout via Reuters)
An elderly man picks up his food aid ration at the Umdulu Camp, in Engpung County, Sudan, January 30, 2026. (Karl Schembri/Norweigan Refugee Council/Handout via Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Condemns RSF Attacks on Civilians and Aid Convoys in Sudan

An elderly man picks up his food aid ration at the Umdulu Camp, in Engpung County, Sudan, January 30, 2026. (Karl Schembri/Norweigan Refugee Council/Handout via Reuters)
An elderly man picks up his food aid ration at the Umdulu Camp, in Engpung County, Sudan, January 30, 2026. (Karl Schembri/Norweigan Refugee Council/Handout via Reuters)

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Saturday the Rapid Support Forces’ attack against a humanitarian aid convoy in Sudan’s Kordofan.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom expressed its strong condemnation of the attack against Al-Kuweik Military Hospital, a humanitarian aid convoy affiliated with the World Food Program, and a vehicle transporting displaced civilians.

“These acts are unjustifiable under any circumstances and are flagrant violations of all humanitarian norms and relevant international agreements,” it stressed.

“The Kingdom called on the RSF to immediately cease these violations and to fulfill their moral and humanitarian obligations by ensuring the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need, in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Jeddah Declaration signed on May 11, 2023,” it added.

The Kingdom reiterated its firm position in support of Sudan’s unity, security, and stability, the need to preserve its legitimate institutions.

It voiced its rejection of “foreign interference and the continued actions of certain parties in supplying illicit weapons, mercenaries, and foreign fighters, despite their stated support for a political solution,” saying such “conduct is a primary factor in prolonging the conflict and exacerbating the suffering of the Sudanese people.”

A drone attack by the RSF hit a vehicle carrying displaced families in central Sudan Saturday, killing at least 24 people, including eight children, a doctors’ group said, a day after a World Food Program aid convoy was targeted.

The attack occurred close to the city of Rahad in North Kordofan province, said the Sudan Doctors Network, which tracks the country’s ongoing war. The vehicle was transporting displaced people who fled fighting in the Dubeiker area, the group said in a statement. Among the dead children were two infants.