Saudi Crown Prince’s US Visit Draws Four Billion Media Impressions in Two Days

Saudi Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani addresses the press conference on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani addresses the press conference on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Saudi Crown Prince’s US Visit Draws Four Billion Media Impressions in Two Days

Saudi Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani addresses the press conference on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani addresses the press conference on Sunday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary stressed on Sunday that last week’s visit by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the United States was “the most prominent global event,” reflecting the Kingdom’s growing international influence.

Speaking at the government press briefing alongside the Minister of Justice, he said the visit showcased Saudi Arabia’s expanding global footprint and its ambition to “redefine the limits of what is possible.”

Al-Dossary revealed that within less than 48 hours, media coverage of the Crown Prince’s visit generated nearly four billion total reaches. More than 120,000 media pieces were published in over 45 languages, across 130 countries, through approximately 5,000 international media outlets.

The unprecedented coverage, he noted, demonstrated that the world followed the visit with exceptional interest.

The minister highlighted Saudi Arabia’s accelerating economic momentum, including the growth of the Saudi Export-Import Bank, which has issued more than SAR 100 billion in credit facilities since its establishment, as of the end of September.

He also announced that the Kingdom has increased localization of military spending to 25 percent in 2024, with a target of over 50 percent by 2030.

The Kingdom now ranks first globally in water supply, delivering more than 16 million cubic meters per day, while water network coverage has reached 83 percent of the population, Al-Dossary went on to say.

He described recent weeks in Saudi Arabia as a “global movement,” citing major international conferences and exhibitions that brought together policymakers, investors, and experts from around the world.

These events confirm that Saudi Arabia has become “a meeting point for the world” and that Riyadh is now the capital of major global initiatives whose impact reaches beyond national borders, he declared.

Among the high-profile events hosted by the Kingdom was the second edition of the Global Health Forum, attended by leading international health experts. The country held the 2025 Cultural Investment Forum, which resulted in SAR 5 billion in agreements to support sustainability in the cultural sector.

Al-Dossary added that Saudi Arabia’s cultural infrastructure investments since the launch of Vision 2030 have exceeded SAR 81 billion, strengthening national identity.

He highlighted the success of the “Global Harmony 2” initiative, held in collaboration with the General Entertainment Authority at Riyadh’s Al-Suwaidi Park. The event attracted more than one million visitors, featuring 14 different cultural experiences aimed at promoting cultural exchange and social cohesion.

For his part, Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani stated that the Kingdom is undergoing a “major legislative transformation,” supported directly by the leadership.

He said specialized legislation, such as the Civil Transactions Law, Personal Status Law, and Evidence Law, has enabled courts to focus on factual assessment while reducing judicial discretion and improving consistency.

Al-Samaani revealed that predictive accuracy in judicial rulings now exceeds 70 percent, while user satisfaction has risen to 92 percent, up from 78 percent in 2022.

He also noted the training of more than 2,000 judges and over 11,000 lawyers, along with the digitization of over 200 million real estate documents.

The Virtual Enforcement Court has reduced execution request times to five days, completing more than 425,000 cases this year, cutting processing time by 85 percent, he added.

Moreover, the justice-media partnership continues to strengthen legal awareness and Saudi Arabia’s institutional image domestically and internationally, he remarked.



Bahrain Redirects Aircraft to Alternative Airports

This image released by Bahrain's Interior Ministry shows firefighters extinguishing flames after an Iranian projectile struck an industrial area in Ma'ameer, Bahrain, Monday, March 9, 2026. (Bahrain Interior Ministry via AP)
This image released by Bahrain's Interior Ministry shows firefighters extinguishing flames after an Iranian projectile struck an industrial area in Ma'ameer, Bahrain, Monday, March 9, 2026. (Bahrain Interior Ministry via AP)
TT

Bahrain Redirects Aircraft to Alternative Airports

This image released by Bahrain's Interior Ministry shows firefighters extinguishing flames after an Iranian projectile struck an industrial area in Ma'ameer, Bahrain, Monday, March 9, 2026. (Bahrain Interior Ministry via AP)
This image released by Bahrain's Interior Ministry shows firefighters extinguishing flames after an Iranian projectile struck an industrial area in Ma'ameer, Bahrain, Monday, March 9, 2026. (Bahrain Interior Ministry via AP)

Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs said on Wednesday it had coordinated the successful transfer ⁠of aircraft from Bahrain ⁠International Airport to ⁠alternative airports.

The authority said the repositioning was carried out to enhance operational readiness.

Bahrain has been targeted by Iranian drones and missiles, which have killed two people in the country, according to authorities.

In one recent incident, an Iranian drone attack on Bahrain damaged a water desalination plant.


Drones Hit Near Dubai Airport, Wounding 4 People

An alert issued by the United Arab Emirates' Interior Ministry, warning of potential missile threats and instructing to seek shelter, is displayed on a mobile phone, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
An alert issued by the United Arab Emirates' Interior Ministry, warning of potential missile threats and instructing to seek shelter, is displayed on a mobile phone, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
TT

Drones Hit Near Dubai Airport, Wounding 4 People

An alert issued by the United Arab Emirates' Interior Ministry, warning of potential missile threats and instructing to seek shelter, is displayed on a mobile phone, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
An alert issued by the United Arab Emirates' Interior Ministry, warning of potential missile threats and instructing to seek shelter, is displayed on a mobile phone, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

Two Iranian drones hit near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, wounding four people though flights continue, authorities said.

The Dubai Media Office said the attack caused “minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national.”

It said flights continued.


Saudi Defenses Destroy 7 Ballistic Missiles, 22 Drones

Official spokesman of the Saudi Defense Ministry Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Official spokesman of the Saudi Defense Ministry Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Defenses Destroy 7 Ballistic Missiles, 22 Drones

Official spokesman of the Saudi Defense Ministry Turki al-Malki. (SPA)
Official spokesman of the Saudi Defense Ministry Turki al-Malki. (SPA)

Official spokesman of the Saudi Defense Ministry Turki al-Malki announced on Wednesday that the Kingdom intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles that were fired at the Prince Sultan Air Base in the al-Kharj region, 80 kms southeast of Riyadh.

They downed another missile that was fired at the Eastern Region.

Al-Malki added that eight drones were destroyed in the Eastern Region, seven in the Empty Quarter that were fired at the Shaybah oil field, five east of al-Kharj and two in the Hafar al-Batin region in the Kingdom’s northeast.

The Saudi government had on Tuesday underscored the Kingdom’s full right to take measures that ensure its security, sovereignty and safety of its territories, as well as its right to repel attacks.

It hailed the air defense for intercepting and destroying hostile rockets and drones that were fired at the Kingdom.