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Saudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman's de facto leadership

From US Partner To Pariah And Back: Saudi Prince Salman's Journey
Four years since journalist Jamal Kashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman is no longer a global pariah.

Paris: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, once hailed as a reformer, became a global pariah in 2018 after the gruesome murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Four years later he is being rehabilitated, with Greece and France welcoming him this week on his first visit to the West since the Khashoggi affair, less than two weeks after he received a reconciliatory visit -- and fist bump -- from US President Joe Biden.

Here is a rundown of key events since he became Saudi's de facto ruler.

Crown prince at 31

On June 21, 2017, King Salman names his then 31-year-old son Mohammed as crown prince, capping the meteoric rise of the ambitious defence minister.

It comes amid a major fallout with Qatar, which Riyadh accuses of supporting terrorism and being too close to Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran.

Royal purge

In November 2017, around 380 royals, senior officials and business tycoons are arrested in a dramatic purge presented as an anti-corruption drive.

Many are held for weeks in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Most are released after agreeing significant financial settlements.

Women allowed to drive

In September 2017, the monarchy ends the world's only ban on female drivers by announcing that they will be able to take the wheel from June 2018.

Cinemas are also reopened, music concerts are organised with mixed-gender audiences permitted, and women are allowed into sports stadiums.

The enthusiasm generated by the announcements is somewhat dampened by the repression of female activists who had campaigned for the right to drive.

Lebanon crisis

In November 2017, Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri announces in a televised address from Riyadh that he is resigning, citing Iran's "grip" on his country.

Saudi Arabia is accused of forcing his hand to try to weaken the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement that shares power in Lebanon.

After France intervenes, Hariri returns to Lebanon and calls off his resignation.

Yemen war

Riyadh enters the war in Yemen in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition supporting the internationally recognised government against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

The Saudi-led bombing campaign escalates the conflict, turning it into a proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran, which produces the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Lunch with the queen

In March 2018, the prince embarks on his first foreign tour as heir, visiting Egypt and Britain, where he lunches with Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Mohammed then spends more than two weeks in the United States, meeting President Donald Trump and visiting tech leaders in Silicon Valley. He also goes to France and Spain.

Khashoggi murder

On October 2, 2018, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is murdered and dismembered inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate, triggering global outcry.

Prince Mohammed denies ordering the killing. The government blames rogue security officials.

A Saudi court condemns five people to death over the killing but they are later given jail terms instead.

The affair turns the crown prince into a pariah in the West, with a UN rapporteur and the CIA both linking him to the killing.

Talks with Iran

In April 2021, Prince Mohammed causes surprise by declaring that he wants to have "good relations" with Iran. Over the following year, the two arch-foes conduct five rounds of talks in Iraq, leading to speculation they could resume diplomatic ties.

Yemen truce

Yemen's Huthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition agree to a two-month truce in April 2022 which they renew in June.

As Riyadh looks for a way to exit the war, Yemen's Saudi-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi announces that he is handing power to a new council that will conduct peace talks with the Huthis.

Pariah no more

On July 15, US President Joe Biden visits Saudi Arabia on a mission to try to increase global oil supplies. He greets the crown prince with a fist bump, sealing the Saudi leader's return to the international fold.

The image draws sharp criticism from rights groups, with Khashoggi's bereaved fiancee accusing Biden of having blood on his hands.

On Wednesday, Prince Mohammed arrived in Paris from Greece on his first trip to Europe since Khashoggi's death. He will meet President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.

NDTV
 
A Saudi Arabian man wanted in connection with a deadly 2015 bombing in the kingdom detonated an explosive device in Jeddah on Wednesday as security forces attempted to arrest him, killing himself and injuring four others, state media reported.

Saudi news agency SPA, reporting the incident on Friday, identified the man as Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Shehri.

Al-Shehri detonated the explosive belt on Wednesday night in Jeddah's Al Samer neighbourhood, injuring three members of the security forces, who were seeking to arrest him, and a Pakistani national, SPA reported.

The injured, who were not named, were taken to hospital, SPA said, without giving details of their injuries.

According to Saudi state media reports, Al-Shehri was suspected of being a member of a domestic terrorism cell that coordinated the 2015 suicide bombing of a mosque in Abha frequented by security force members.

Eleven members of the security forces and four Bangladeshi nationals were killed in the attack, and 33 people were injured, state media reported at the time.

The Saudi Arabian government named Al-Shehri in early 2016 as one of six Saudi nationals wanted in connection with the bombing.

Saudi Arabia was the scene of a series of large-scale militant attacks in the 2000s, including on security forces and Western targets.

Such attacks were carried out by Dai’sh, al Qaeda and other groups. Though attacks have since mostly subsided, several people were wounded in a 2020 attack that used an explosive on a World War One remembrance ceremony in Jeddah.

Earlier this year, French prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation into a December 2021 explosion under a French vehicle involved in the Dakar rally sports race in Saudi Arabia.

Express Tribune
 
Leeds University has expressed deep concern for one of its PhD students who has been jailed for 34 years in Saudi Arabia over critical tweets.

Salma al-Shehab, 34, a Saudi citizen and mother of two, was arrested in 2021 while on holiday in the kingdom.

Before the trip she had called for reforms and the release of activists.

Human rights groups said the harsh sentence gave the lie to Saudi claims it was improving women's rights and showed the situation was getting worse.

A terrorism tribunal convicted Shebab of aiding dissidents seeking to "disrupt public order" and publishing "false rumours", they said.

They warned that it was "the longest prison sentence ever for a peaceful activist" in the Gulf state, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has overseen a crackdown on dissent for five years.

Shehab, a member of Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, describes herself on her Instagram account as a dental hygienist and medical educator. She says that she is studying for a PhD at Leeds University and is a lecturer at the Princess Nourah University in Riyadh.

Her Twitter account, which has 2,700 followers, has not been updated since 12 January 2021, three days before she was reportedly detained in Saudi Arabia.

At the end of the previous month, she tweeted or retweeted several messages calling for reforms in Saudi Arabia and the release of prominent activists, clerics and other intellectuals.

US-based human rights group The Freedom House and UK-based group ALQST reported that Shehab was initially given a six-year prison sentence after being found guilty of violating the country's counter-terrorism and anti-cybercrime laws late last year.

On 9 August, an appeals court increased her term to 34 years and added a 34-year travel ban that would start following her release, they said, citing court documents.

Bethany Al-Haidari, the Saudi case manager at the Freedom Initiative, described the sentence as "abhorrent".

"Saudi Arabia is boasting to the world that they are improving women's rights and implementing legal reforms. But there is no question with this sentence that the situation is just getting worse," she told the BBC's Newshour programme on Saturday.

"We also have gotten reports that there are hundreds of young women who were detained around the same time as Salma was."

ALQST's head of communications Lina al-Hathloul, Loujain al-Hathloul's sister, said on Monday that the sentence showed Saudi authorities remained "hellbent on harshly punishing anyone who expresses their opinions freely.

On Wednesday, a Leeds University spokesperson told the BBC: "We are deeply concerned to learn of this recent development in Salma's case and we are seeking advice on whether there is anything we can do to support her.

"Our thoughts remain with Salma, her family, and her friends among our close-knit community of postgraduate researchers."

A US state department spokesman said it was studying Shehab's case and that "exercising freedom of expression to advocate for the rights of women should not be criminalised".

The Saudi government has so far not commented on the reports.

BBC
 
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become the kingdom's prime minister, a Saudi royal decree said on Tuesday.

Saudi King Salman ordered the cabinet reshuffle, with the king's son Khalid bin Salman, the former deputy defence minister, as the new defence minister.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on being appointed Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Your friendship & support for Pakistan is invaluable and with your vision you will usher the Kingdom into a new era.</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1575476048392765441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Executions of prisoners have been carried out in Saudi Arabia with no advance warning to their families, relatives have told the BBC. The country's execution rate has almost doubled since 2015 - according to a new human rights report - the year when King Salman and his son Mohammed bin Salman took charge.
 
In Saudi's First-Ever Space Mission, A Woman And A Fighter Pilot
Rayyanah Barnawi, a breast cancer researcher, will become the first Saudi woman to voyage into space and will be joined by fellow Saudi Ali Al-Qarni, a fighter pilot.

Cape Canaveral: A private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) organized by Axiom Space is due to blast off from Florida on Sunday, carrying the first two Saudi astronauts to go to the orbiting laboratory.
Rayyanah Barnawi, a breast cancer researcher, will become the first Saudi woman to voyage into space and will be joined on the mission by fellow Saudi Ali Al-Qarni, a fighter pilot.

The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) crew will take off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in the southern state of Florida at 5:37 pm (2137 GMT).

The team also includes Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut who will be making her fourth flight to the ISS, and John Shoffner, a businessman from Tennessee who will serve as pilot.

They are due to spend around 10 days on board the ISS, where they should arrive around 1:30 pm on Monday.

"Being the first Saudi woman astronaut, representing the region, it's a great pleasure and honor that I'm very happy to carry," said Barnawi at a recent press conference.

She added that, aside from excitement for the research she will carry out on board, she is looking forward to sharing her experience with kids while on the ISS.

"Being able to see their faces when they see astronauts from their own region for the first time is very thrilling," she said.

A career fighter pilot, Al-Qarni said he has "always had the passion of exploring the unknown and just admiring the sky and the stars."

"It is a great opportunity for me to pursue this kind of passion that I have, and now maybe just fly among the stars."

The mission is not Saudi Arabia's first foray into space.

In 1985, Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, an air force pilot, took part in a US-organized space voyage.

But the space mission involving a Saudi woman is the latest move by the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, where women only gained the right to drive a few years ago, to revamp its ultraconservative image.

The kingdom established the Saudi Space Commission in 2018 and launched a program last year to send astronauts into space.

Experiments

The four-member team is set to carry out some 20 experiments while on the ISS.

One of them involves studying the behavior of stem cells in zero gravity.

They will join seven others already on board the ISS: three Russians, three Americans and Emirati astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi, who was the first Arab national to go on a spacewalk last month.

The mission to the ISS will be the second in partnership with ISS-key holder NASA by Axiom Space, a private space company, which offers the rare voyages for sums that run into the millions of dollars.

...
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/in-...hter-pilot-4052776#pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories
 
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to visit the UK, the Saudi Arabian embassy has told the BBC.

No 10 said it would confirm the prime minister's engagements in the usual way, with nothing in the diary yet.

A spokesperson said the prime minister looked forward to meeting the crown prince "at the earliest opportunity".

It would be the prince's first UK visit since the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

The invitation was first reported by the Financial Times and the Times newspapers.

The murder of Mr Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Arabia's government, was condemned by the West at the time.

UK ministers said it involved "appalling brutality" and later sanctioned 20 Saudi nationals involved in the killing.

US intelligence agencies concluded that the prince must have authorised the killing, despite him denying any involvement.
 
Brits and Yanks are very worried, the US petrodollar is on the way to its grave.
 
My gut feeling is that the reign of MbS would have long lasting impact on the world and for future. (not in a good way)
 
Saudi Arabia weighs nuclear power offers from China and France in bid to sway US.

Saudi Arabia considering alternative offers to develop nuclear facilities from countries like China, Russia, France, as US insists curbs.

Washington : Saudi Arabia is considering bids to build a nuclear power station from countries including China, France and Russia as the kingdom seeks to sway the US over a sensitive security pact, foreign media reported.

The Israeli government, which has pushed for a diplomatic deal with the kingdom, has remained guarded on the issue. But Israeli security officials and opposition leaders have raised vocal objections, arguing the transfer of technology could lead to more nuclear proliferation in the region. But Israel’s strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer earlier this month suggested that Saudi Arabia could turn to China or other countries if the US withheld its assistance. Russia has also announced a bid.

www.thenews.com.pk

Saudi Arabia weighs nuclear power offers from China and France in bid to sway US

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia is considering bids to build a nuclear power station from countries including China, France and Russia as the kingdom seeks to sway the US over a sensitive security pact,...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
 
RIYADH: An Israeli delegation attended a UNESCO meeting in Riyadh on Monday, marking the country's first publicly announced visit to Saudi Arabia as speculation grows about a potential normalisation of ties.

The five-member delegation arrived on Sunday, an Israeli official told AFP, for the meeting to update UNESCO's world heritage list of cultural and historic sites. “We are happy to be here — it's a good first step,” said the official, who did not want to be named given the sensitivities of the visit, during the meeting.

“We thank UNESCO and the Saudi authorities.” The team travelled through Dubai, the official said, as there are no direct flights between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and arrived on Sunday.

They received their visas via UNESCO, the United Nations' educational, scientific and cultural organisation. The delegation, including a security official, joined the UNESCO meeting on Monday, sitting behind a sign that said “Israel” on the front of their desk.

The visit has been “very good — they treat us very well”, the official said. The “Israel” sign drew stares from Saudis working at the meeting, where more than 50 sites are contenders to join the coveted world heritage list.

“That is God´s command. The issue is bigger than us and we can´t object to it,” said a young Saudi man working among the support services, when asked about the Israeli delegation.

A UNESCO diplomat said the agency's director-general Audrey Azoulay had been instrumental in securing Israel's participation in Riyadh.

“It's the result of several years of work by Audrey Azoulay to create, in the heart of UNESCO, the conditions for a dialogue between all the states of the region,” said the diplomat, who did not want to be named.

While the visit does not have any overt political significance, it comes at a time of growing rumours of moves to bring the two countries closer.

According to reports, a Palestinian delegation visited Riyadh last week to discuss the way forward if Saudi Arabia and Israel were to formalise relations.

Saudi Arabia, which contains two of Islam's holiest sites, does not recognise Israel and did not join the 2020 US-brokered Abraham Accords where Israel established ties with Gulf countries the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia, which is trying to reshape and revitalise its oil-reliant economy, has made a number of landmark diplomatic moves in recent months including a surprise rapprochement with Iran, years after the two heavyweights severed ties.

The fact that the visit was coordinated by UNESCO suggests “obstacles” remain to Saudi-Israeli normalisation, said Aziz Alghashian, a Saudi analyst and expert on the bilateral relationship.

“This is most likely a result of Saudi Arabia being more open to the world, which will include Israelis, not a result of bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Alghashian said.

Saudi officials have realised they cannot ban anyone if they want to transform the kingdom into a global business and tourism hub under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda, Alghashian said.

“The Israelis will definitely milk this as the first step, when actually it was facilitated by UNESCO. It's not really because of their diplomatic skill or diplomatic victories.”

He compared the Israeli delegation's visit to a visit this summer by Israeli eSports players for the Gamers8 festival, which also required “third-party coordination” by global tournament organisers.


The News
 
Its just a beginning. Saudia will recognize Israel soon like many others muslim countries
 
AMERICAN and Saudi officials are discussing the terms of a mutual defence treaty that would resemble military pacts that the US has with allies such as Japan and South Korea — in a bid to get Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel, the New York Times reported.

Under the agreement, both sides would pledge to provide military support if the other country is attacked, either in the region or on Saudi territory.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also asking the Biden administration to help his country develop a civilian nuclear programme, which some US officials fear could be cover for a nuclear weapons program to counter Iran, according to an NYT report.

Any treaty with Saudi Arabia that is similar to the American pacts with other allies is sure to draw strong objections in Congress, since some lawmakers, including top Democrats, see the Saudi government as unreliable partners who care little about US interests or human rights.

An agreement would also raise questions about whether President Biden is getting the United States more militarily entwined with the Middle East, and would contradict his administration’s stated goal of reorienting American military resources and fighting capabilities away from the area and towards China.

Discussions between the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel have mainly revolved around MBS’ demands, and that diplomacy is expected to come up on Wednesday, when Biden meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

During his speech at the UNGA on Tuesday, the US president mentioned the benefits of nations normalising ties with Israel.

The US military has bases and troops in both Japan and South Korea, but American officials say there are currently no serious discussions about having a large contingent stationed in Saudi Arabia under any new defence agreement.

The separate defence treaties that the United States has with Japan and South Korea were forged after devastating wars in the mid-20th century and as the Cold War was intensifying, compelling the United States to stitch together alliances around the world to counter a global Soviet presence.

The Pentagon has just under 2,700 American troops in the kingdom, according to a letter the White House sent to Congress in June.

The US president’s push for a Saudi-Israel deal is a gambit that, not long ago, would have been hard to imagine. He pledged during his 2020 presidential campaign to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah”.

But American officials have said a diplomatic agreement would be an important symbol in the defusing of Arab-Israeli tensions and could also have geopolitical significance for Washington. Bringing Saudi Arabia closer to the United States, they argue, could pull the kingdom farther from China’s orbit and blunt Beijing’s efforts to expand its influence in the Middle East.

In a public appearance last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would be a “transformative event in the Middle East and well beyond.” But he said that getting the parties to an agreement “remains a difficult proposition” and that a deal was far from certain.

A majority of Senate Democrats have voted on multiple occasions to restrict Washington’s arms sales and other security cooperation with Riyadh, objecting to the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen and the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, a murder that American spy agencies have judged was ordered by MBS, even though the crown prince has denied direct involvement.

The Saudi-led war in Yemen, which began in 2015, resulted in mass killings of civilians and what the United Nations called “the worst man-made humanitarian crisis in the world”.

Democratic lawmakers are also pressing the Biden administration on reports that Saudi border forces recently killed hundreds or thousands of African migrants who were trying to cross from Yemen. Human Rights Watch released a report in August on the atrocities. Saudi Arabia maintains the reports are “unfounded”.

Michael Green, a former director at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, told NYT the treaties with Japan and South Korea were “pretty ironclad” in terms of a US military commitment in the event of hostilities.

The arrangement with Japan is more straightforward — being a defeated and demilitarized nation from World War II when the treaty was signed, American officials at the time did not envision another country attacking Japan or vice versa, Mr Green said.

Because of the constant tensions in the Middle East — and the fact that Saudi Arabia is involved in a war in Yemen — getting a Japan-style treaty approved would probably involve clearing “a much higher political bar,” he added.

www.dawn.com

Washington, Riyadh exploring mutual defence pact: New York Times

Move part of Biden’s gambit to secure "normalisation" of ties between Israel, Saudi Arabia.
www.dawn.com
 
Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s planned UK visit to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may be later than initially expected, sources say

Source: Bloomberg
 
Saudi crown prince launches urban plan and brand for the city of Qiddiya

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman launched on Thursday the urban design for the Qiddiya City and Qiddiya’s international trade brand, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Qiddiya City is expected to create over 325,000 job opportunities, yielding nominal GDP of SR135 billion per annum, the report added.

The crown prince said Qiddiya will become, in the near future, the foremost global destination in the entertainment, sports, and culture sectors.

“This will have a positive impact on the Kingdom's economy and its international standing, as well as on enhancing Riyadh’s strategic position and contributing to its economic growth. It aims to improve the quality of life, making Riyadh one of the top 10 economies globally,” he said.

Prince Mohammed added that the investment into Qiddiya was a cornerstone of the Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, creating thousands of job opportunities for the ambitious Saudi youth.



www.arabnews.com

Saudi crown prince launches urban plan and brand for the city of Qiddiya

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman launched on Thursday the urban design for the Qiddiya City and Qiddiya’s international trade brand, Saudi Press Agency reported. Qiddiya City is expected to create over 325,000 job opportunities, yielding nominal GDP of SR135...
www.arabnews.com www.arabnews.com
 
Saudi Arabia implements stringent visa rules for foreign domestic workers

Saudi Arabia has introduced new regulations governing the issuance of work visas for foreign domestic workers.

These changes come as part of the country's broader initiative to modernize its labor market and establish transparent and fair relationships between employers and domestic workers.

The Ministry of Human Resources has raised the bar for obtaining visas to hire foreign domestic workers, particularly focusing on individuals aged 24 and above. The move is intended to ensure a more mature and responsible workforce in the domestic sector.

Eligibility criteria and financial capacity

Under the revamped rules, Saudi citizens, Gulf nationals, foreign wives of Saudi men and their mothers, along with holders of Saudi premium residency permits, are eligible to apply for visas.

However, eligibility is contingent upon the financial capacity of the employer, aligning with the government's efforts to secure the well-being of domestic workers.

Musaned platform

At the forefront of this transformation is the Musaned platform, a comprehensive system developed by the Ministry of Human Resources.

This digital platform educates users about their rights and responsibilities and provides a range of services, including visa application processes, recruitment requests, and employment relationship management. It also facilitates the seamless transfer of wages through digital means, such as STC Pay and Urpay apps.

Categories covered

The new regulations cover a wide array of domestic worker categories, including housekeepers, drivers, housemaids, cleaners, cooks, guards, farmers, tailors, live-in nurses, tutors, and nannies.

The aim is to bring transparency and efficiency to the recruitment process while providing a robust mechanism for dispute resolution, safeguarding the rights of both employers and domestic workers.

This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to modernize its labor market, ensuring fair treatment and clear contractual relationships within the domestic labor sector.

By implementing these measures, the government aims to foster a more organized and efficient system



www.samaa.tv

Saudi Arabia implements stringent visa rules for foreign domestic workers

The new regulations cover a wide array of domestic worker categories, including housekeepers, drivers, housemaids, cleaners, cooks, guards, farmers, tailors, live-in nurses, tutors, and nannies.
www.samaa.tv www.samaa.tv
 
I have been reading David Rundell’s book Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads.

I have not finished reading it, but so far it is a gripping account. Some quotations germane to this thread:

On the nature of the dramatic changes to the political foundations under King Salman and the centralisation of royal authority:

"The old system—in which various senior princes ran independent, uncoordinated ministries and where senior technocrats were allied to one senior prince or another—has been dismantled. The king has appointed dozens of new judges and replaced every minister and military service chief, some more than once. Across the Saudi government, all senior technocrats now owe their position not to a variety of princely patrons but solely to the patronage of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The new king and his son have further concentrated royal authority by ending the financial independence that some ministries had long enjoyed.

…in making this shift, King Salman has torn up most of the policies that had long underpinned Saudi stability. He has ended the careers of many long-prominent or long-hopeful royal players. He has ended the collective rule of half-brothers that had characterized the Third Saudi State since the reign of King Faisal. He has diminished respect for age within the royal family and dispensed with the requirement for experience in holding senior government positions. He has dismantled the military balance of power among princes that had confirmed consensus rule. Finally, he has used physical force against some members of the royal family and allowed their disputes to become public.”

On the Crown Prince, MBS, being both a moderniser and an autocrat:

“To some, MBS would become a visionary and a hero; an autocratic reformer fighting to make long overdue changes against a firmly entrenched, reactionary opposition. To others, he was an aspiring dictator—an arrogant, unstable bully, no longer constrained by any individuals or institutions—who was determined to eliminate all opposition and dissent by whatever means necessary. In fact, Mohammed bin Salman embodied a striking combination of both great strengths and real weaknesses.

…He works sixteen hours a day, comes to meetings well prepared and, unlike some of his predecessors, he is not prone to drinking, gambling, or womanizing. The crown prince is certainly ambitious, focused, forceful, charismatic, disciplined, and decisive. He believes that years of avoidable indolence, entitlement, and corruption created many of Saudi Arabia’s current problems—a situation that he is now determined to tackle. Within Saudi Arabia, the economic and social reforms that he has implemented are widely seen as bold, even courageous.

On the other hand, MBS is inexperienced and focused on princely entitlements. He can be impetuous, impatient, and impulsive. His campaign against corruption and government waste was undermined by his own purchases of a luxury yacht, a multimillion-dollar painting, and a French chateau. His vision of megaprojects, luxury resorts, and futuristic cities may feed inspiring long-term dreams, but critics protest that people need better education, housing, and healthcare today. They protest that one of the first buildings constructed at his entirely new city, NEOM—near Tabuk, in the kingdom’s extreme northwest—was yet another palace for himself.”
 
Saudi Arabia plans new initiative to boost industrial activities

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources is planning to launch a new initiative to further support the growth of small and medium enterprises and boost the country’ industrial sector.

This was revealed by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef at an event in Riyadh on Sunday.

The minister said the initiative will provide entrepreneurs and innovators with promising opportunities for growth and expansion in various industrial activities.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of an industrial business accelerator and incubator initiative, Alkhorayef said support through the initiative will not be limited just to industrial activities but will be extended to the services and logistics sectors as well, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He said the Kingdom’s industrial strategy aims to increase the base of mature and innovative small and medium industrial companies, enabling them to compete globally.

Industrial SMEs constitutes about 92 percent of the total number of industrial facilities, representing 34 percent of the total investment volume and employing 55 percent of the workforce in the sector.

Furthermore, the top official said the recently concluded accelerator and incubator initiative called Nomu reflected the ministry’s commitment to introducing programs that contribute to enabling innovations and emerging projects.

It also aims to enable SMEs in the industrial sector and provide a conducive environment for industrial entrepreneurs, he added.

Nomu has achieved significant success since the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources invited entrepreneurs to register in May last year.

It attracted 17 quality industrial projects from Saudi industrial pioneers. The incubator serves as an entity that nurtures businesses, generates ideas, and assists in the establishment and accelerated growth of SMEs.

Incubators focus mainly on entrepreneurs in the early stages, and provide short-term programs, consultations, training, and optional financial support.

In August, the official spokesperson for the ministry, Jarrah bin Muhammad Al-Jarrah, said the initiatives fall in line with Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Strategy to expand the industrial base of Saudi Arabia and promote SMEs and enable them to compete globally.


Source: Arab News
 
Saudi Arabia announced that the estimated value of its mineral resources has nearly doubled to $2.5 trillion, signalling a commitment to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

Bandar Alkhorayef, the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, shared this news at a conference in Riyadh, stating that the increase of 90 percent from the previous valuation of $1.3 trillion is attributed to new discoveries of rare earth elements, higher volumes of phosphate, gold, zinc, and copper, as well as a reevaluation of these minerals.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had previously cited the $1.3 trillion valuation since at least 2017. Seeking to move away from fossil fuels, especially oil, Saudi Arabia, as the world's leading crude oil exporter, views the mining sector as a key avenue for diversification. The government aims to attract billions of dollars in foreign direct investment annually through this sector.

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman emphasized the country's ambition to be recognized as an "energy-producing country for all sources of energy" rather than merely an oil-producing nation. The Vision 2030 reform agenda, led by Prince Mohammed, has identified mining as a feasible component of this diversification strategy, benefiting from existing mines, plants, and infrastructure.

Last year, the Public Investment Fund and state mining firm Ma'aden established Manara Minerals, targeting global mining assets. Manara's notable acquisition, a 10-percent stake in Brazil's Vale, was announced in July. Despite these efforts, Torbjorn Soltvedt of Verisk Maplecroft notes that foreign investment in Saudi Arabia is still below ambitious targets. The mining sector is seen as a promising avenue for boosting foreign investment, but the country has yet to secure a significant agreement with a major global mining company for active licenses.

A conference in Riyadh this week attracted delegations from over 77 countries, including resource-rich African nations where Saudi Arabia is expected to pursue mining acquisitions.

The United States, represented by Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey R. Pyatt, expressed a focus on reducing dependence on China for key energy inputs. Soltvedt suggests that mining could become another pillar of ties between Washington and Riyadh, with discussions ongoing, especially as Saudi Arabia becomes more active in the African mining sector.

Despite the positive valuation announcement, Saudi Arabia still faces challenges in becoming a preferred destination for foreign direct investment.

Source : Samaa News
 
Saudi Arabia lifts ban on expats who fail to return with specific duration

Saudi Arabia has lifted the three-year entry ban on expatriates who failed to return to the Kingdom before the expiry of their visas. The authorities have issued a notification regarding the lifting of the ban.

The General Directorate of Passports has issued directives to all departments and employers to allow those expatriates who did not return within the stipulated time.

Previously, the Kingdom had imposed a three-year ban on those who did not return within a specific timeframe.

Expatriates holding a re-entry visa must still return to the country within the visa’s specified timeframe under the country’s rules. Otherwise, their employer needs to obtain a new visa for them.

According to the Okaz newspaper, expatriates can enter with a new visa regardless of whether they were previous employees. After obtaining a new visa, they can extend it through Abshar or Aqama.


www.aajenglish.tv

Saudi Arabia lifts ban on expats who fail to return with specific duration

Expatriates can enter with a new visa regardless of whether they were previous employees
www.aajenglish.tv
 
Dream of the Desert: Saudi Arabia is launching its own luxury train

State-owned railway company Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) recently struck a 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.33 million) deal with Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group to launch the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

Saudi Arabia officially opened its doors to international tourists in a “historic moment” back in 2019 and the Middle Eastern kingdom has been pulling out all the stops to lure visitors over ever since.

The destination has made a number of high-profile tourism investments in recent years – a $500 billion model city in the desert of northwest Saudi Arabia among them.

Now Saudi Arabia is getting on board with the slow travel movement in a big way by moving into the luxury train market.



 
Saudi Arabia’s Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili launched on Tuesday His Majesty’s Ship Onaiza, the fifth vessel in the Sarawat project, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Sarawat project ships are equipped with cutting-edge combat systems designed to address air, surface, and subsurface threats, including electronic warfare capabilities. The ships serve as a vital addition to the Royal Saudi Navy’s arsenal, aimed at safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests and capabilities.

Arab News
 
Saudi Arabia going down the drain under MBS
====
Saudi Arabia to make debut at Miss Universe pageant
The move is a historic first for Saudi Arabia, where women have long faced restrictions under conservative Islamic laws.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer, will take part in the global beauty pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer who is set to take part in the global Miss Universe pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September. She will be the kingdom's first participant.

In a historic first, Saudi Arabia will be represented at the Miss Universe beauty pageant this year, as the conservative kingdom moves toward more women’s rights reforms.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer, will take part in the global beauty pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September.

Qahtani revealed the news of her debut in Miss Universe in a post on her Instagram account on Monday.

“I am honored to participate in the Miss Universe 2024 competition. This is the first participation of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition,” she wrote in her post.

Qahtani is a beauty pageant veteran and actively shares with her 1 million followers her journey and participation in numerous beauty competitions. She has won several pageants since she was crowned Miss Saudi Arabia in 2021, including the Miss Middle East and Miss Arab World Peace titles. According to the women’s magazine Laha, Qahtani was born in Riyadh and has a degree in dentistry. She is also fluent in Arabic, French and English.

Saudi Arabia’s debut at Miss Universe marks another milestone for the Islamic country as it seeks more openness to the Western world.

Since he was appointed crown prince in June 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spearheaded several steps to promote gender equality in the kingdom under Vision 2030, which aims to introduce social and cultural reforms and digital transformation to modernize Saudi society and diversify its oil-based economy.

In a major breakthrough for women's rights, Saudi Arabia in June 2018 lifted a long-standing ban on women driving.

Earlier that year, in April 2018, women were allowed to attend a concert — the first gender-mixed event in the kingdom.

Later in 2019, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud signed a law that no longer requires women to get male permission to travel or obtain a passport.

However, despite the apparent reforms, rights groups continue to report discrimination and violation of women’s rights in the kingdom.

Most recently, Amnesty International called on UN member states to review their decision to appoint Saudi Arabia as chair of the UN women’s rights forum during an annual meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

“Saudi Arabia’s abysmal record when it comes to protecting and promoting the rights of women puts a spotlight on the vast gulf between the lived reality for women and girls in Saudi Arabia, and the aspirations of the Commission,” Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Advocacy Sherine Tadros said in a press release last week.

Saudi Arabia ranked 131 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum in 2023.

Source: Al Monitor
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Saudi Arabia going down the drain under MBS
====
Saudi Arabia to make debut at Miss Universe pageant
The move is a historic first for Saudi Arabia, where women have long faced restrictions under conservative Islamic laws.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer, will take part in the global beauty pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer who is set to take part in the global Miss Universe pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September. She will be the kingdom's first participant.

In a historic first, Saudi Arabia will be represented at the Miss Universe beauty pageant this year, as the conservative kingdom moves toward more women’s rights reforms.

Rumy al-Qahtani, a 27-year-old Saudi model and social media influencer, will take part in the global beauty pageant, which takes place in Mexico in September.

Qahtani revealed the news of her debut in Miss Universe in a post on her Instagram account on Monday.

“I am honored to participate in the Miss Universe 2024 competition. This is the first participation of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition,” she wrote in her post.

Qahtani is a beauty pageant veteran and actively shares with her 1 million followers her journey and participation in numerous beauty competitions. She has won several pageants since she was crowned Miss Saudi Arabia in 2021, including the Miss Middle East and Miss Arab World Peace titles. According to the women’s magazine Laha, Qahtani was born in Riyadh and has a degree in dentistry. She is also fluent in Arabic, French and English.

Saudi Arabia’s debut at Miss Universe marks another milestone for the Islamic country as it seeks more openness to the Western world.

Since he was appointed crown prince in June 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spearheaded several steps to promote gender equality in the kingdom under Vision 2030, which aims to introduce social and cultural reforms and digital transformation to modernize Saudi society and diversify its oil-based economy.

In a major breakthrough for women's rights, Saudi Arabia in June 2018 lifted a long-standing ban on women driving.

Earlier that year, in April 2018, women were allowed to attend a concert — the first gender-mixed event in the kingdom.

Later in 2019, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud signed a law that no longer requires women to get male permission to travel or obtain a passport.

However, despite the apparent reforms, rights groups continue to report discrimination and violation of women’s rights in the kingdom.

Most recently, Amnesty International called on UN member states to review their decision to appoint Saudi Arabia as chair of the UN women’s rights forum during an annual meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

“Saudi Arabia’s abysmal record when it comes to protecting and promoting the rights of women puts a spotlight on the vast gulf between the lived reality for women and girls in Saudi Arabia, and the aspirations of the Commission,” Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Advocacy Sherine Tadros said in a press release last week.

Saudi Arabia ranked 131 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum in 2023.

Source: Al Monitor
Click to expand...
So all these years the Saudis were doing very well while promoting the most regressive brand of Islam, funding all sorts of shady terrorist groups, committing the worst human rights violations in their own country and keeping their women virtually under house arrest.

Now MBS allows women to work and drive, opens movie theatres, allows sale of alcohol to non muslims and permits Saudi women to participate in Miss Universe, and all of a sudden the country is going down the drain! Nice!
 
If one doesn't have a red blondish face then there is no need to slap yourself for it.
gani999 said:
So all these years the Saudis were doing very well while promoting the most regressive brand of Islam, funding all sorts of shady terrorist groups, committing the worst human rights violations in their own country and keeping their women virtually under house arrest.

Now MBS allows women to work and drive, opens movie theatres, allows sale of alcohol to non muslims and permits Saudi women to participate in Miss Universe, and all of a sudden the country is going down the drain! Nice!
Click to expand...
 
gani999 said:
So all these years the Saudis were doing very well while promoting the most regressive brand of Islam, funding all sorts of shady terrorist groups, committing the worst human rights violations in their own country and keeping their women virtually under house arrest.

Now MBS allows women to work and drive, opens movie theatres, allows sale of alcohol to non muslims and permits Saudi women to participate in Miss Universe, and all of a sudden the country is going down the drain! Nice!
Click to expand...
Won’t talk about this particular event, but MBS is definitely an extremely smart and practical man.
 
If anything he is diversifying his economy, having said that Miss universe serves no purpose imho, it to me seems degrading but that’s upto women to
decide.
 
Saudi Arab is turning more and more secular with every passing day. This is not a good sign TBH for a country like Saui Arab which is though to be the central point for Muslims.
 
Probably not much longer before Hajj and Umrah are no longer protected for Muslims only. There will be foreign tourists making tiktok videos in Makkah while enjoying the spa at the clock tower hotel.
 
BouncerGuy said:
Saudi Arab is turning more and more secular with every passing day. This is not a good sign TBH for a country like Saui Arab which is though to be the central point for Muslims.
Click to expand...
True secularism is terrible for muslim countries, only non Muslim countries should be secular
 
BouncerGuy said:
Saudi Arab is turning more and more secular with every passing day. This is not a good sign TBH for a country like Saui Arab which is though to be the central point for Muslims.
Click to expand...
Looks like the original founders of Islam is starting to move forward with the times.

It is up to the converts especially from the subcontinent to leave everything as it is and not move forward or possibly move backwards.

Keep up the fight bro, more power to you.
 
BouncerGuy said:
Saudi Arab is turning more and more secular with every passing day. This is not a good sign TBH for a country like Saui Arab which is though to be the central point for Muslims.
Click to expand...
Not every country is lucky enough to become a dream destination like Afghanistan. In the near future I foresee millions of Muslims throbbing to set their foot onto the Islamic-Wakanda aka Afghanistan.
 
Statpadder Inc said:
Islam is the state religion of the UAE, this is from article 7 of the constitution

Islam shall be the official religion of the Union. The Islamic Shari’ah shall be a principal source or legislation in the Union
Click to expand...

UAE Ministers and Sheikhs break Ramadan Fast at the BAPS Temple in UAE by taking the Prasad offered at the temple.

I am sure it is not Islamic and Sharia compliant.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="
" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Pakistan's hands are already full with various challenges, that's where people's priorities should be directed at. Saudi is capable and wealthy enough to take care of its own business and manage it's religious responsibilities as well. How does it make any sense to point fingers at others when one's own nation has been turned into a basket case? It's this nonsense that the illiterate mullah brigade implants in people's heads that's the bigger issue!
 

Manahel al-Otaibi: Saudi women's rights activist jailed for 11 years​


Two human rights groups have condemned an 11-year prison sentence handed to a Saudi fitness instructor and women's rights activist by a terrorism court.

Manahel al-Otaibi, 29, was convicted of charges related to her clothing choices and expression of her views online, Amnesty International and ALQST said.

These included calls for an end to the guardianship system and videos of her shopping without an abaya, they added.

Saudi diplomats told the UN she was found guilty of "terrorism offences".

A letter from the Sunni Muslim-ruled Gulf kingdom's mission in Geneva confirmed that Manahel al-Otaibi's trial had concluded with her conviction in January, but it provided no further details about the case.

Dozens of people, many of them women, have been have been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia in the past two years in connection with social media posts.

Amnesty International and ALQST, a London-based Saudi rights organisation, said Manahel al-Otaibi was an early supporter of the social and economic reforms enacted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after he was named heir to the throne in 2017 by his father King Salman.

Two years later, she told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that she felt free to wear what she liked and express her views. She also explained that her behaviour was "based on what the crown prince has said... that I have the right to choose what I want to wear, as long as it is respectable".

In November 2022, she was arrested on terrorism charges amid an intensified crackdown on online dissent.

ALQST said she was initially accused of violating the Anti-Cyber Crime Law, including "opposing the laws relating to women, such as the male guardianship system and the hijab law"; "participating in several hashtags opposing these laws"; "having several photos and video clips in indecent clothes on [social media] accounts", and "going to the shops without wearing an abaya, photographing this, and publishing it on Snapchat".

Her sister Fawzia faced similar charges, but fled Saudi Arabia that year after being summoned for questioning, ALQST added.

Three months after her arrest, Manahel al-Otaibi's case was referred to the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC). Rights groups say the terrorism tribunal has been used to prosecute peaceful dissidents and that it is notorious for violations of fair trial standards and handing out harsh sentences.

On 9 January, she was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison by the court, but the verdict was only publicly revealed in the Saudi mission's letter to the UN Human Rights Office, which was dated 25 January.

The letter said the court found her guilty of "terrorism offences" under articles 43 and 44 of the Counter-Terrorism Law. They outline sentences for "any person who creates, launches, or uses a website or a program on a computer or on an electronic device to commit [a terrorism offence]", and "any person who, by any means, broadcasts or publishes news, statements, false or malicious rumours, or the like for committing a terrorist crime".

The letter stressed that the court "verified all the evidence against her, while fully respecting the international obligations of Saudi Arabia".

"The government wishes to underscore the fact that the exercise and defence of rights is not a crime under Saudi law; however, justifying the actions of terrorists by describing them as exercising or defending rights is unacceptable and constitutes an attempt to legitimize terrorist crimes," the letter added.

ALQST's head of advocacy Lina al-Hathloul said Manahel al-Otaibi's "confidence that she could act with freedom could have been a positive advertisement for Mohammed bin Salman's much-touted narrative of leading women's rights reforms in the country".

"Instead, by arresting her and now imposing this outrageous sentence on her, the Saudi authorities have once again laid bare the arbitrary and contradictory nature of their so-called reforms, and their continuing determination to control Saudi Arabia's women," she said.

www.bbc.com

Manahel al-Otaibi: Saudi women's rights activist jailed for 11 years

Manahel al-Otaibi was convicted of "terrorism charges" reportedly related to her social media posts.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Saudi crown prince likely to visit Pakistan this month

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to travel to Pakistan this month on a visit that Islamabad hopes will pave the way for much-needed investment from Riyadh.

The visit of the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia is long overdue, as the last time he travelled to Pakistan was in February 2019. In late 2022, the Saudi crown prince was scheduled to visit Islamabad, but the visit had to be cancelled since the dates were close to the change of army command.

The new schedule could not be finalised because of unfolding political uncertainty and the general elections in Pakistan.

However, the Saudi crown prince, according to sources, has now agreed to travel to Islamabad at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who visited Riyadh twice in a short span of time.


Tribune
 
'Historic': Saudi Stages First Swimwear Fashion Show

Saudi Arabia held its first fashion show featuring swimsuit models on Friday, an envelope-pushing step in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes.

The poolside show featuring the work of Moroccan designer Yasmina Qanzal included mostly one-piece suits in shades of red, beige and blue. Most models had exposed shoulders and some had their midriffs partially visible.

"It's true that this country is very conservative but we tried to show elegant swimsuits which represent the Arab world," Qanzal told AFP.

"When we came here, we understood that a swimsuit fashion show in Saudi Arabia is a historic moment, because it is the first time to have such event," she said, adding it was "an honour" to be involved.

The show took place on the second day of the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week at the St Regis Red Sea Resort, situated off Saudi Arabia's western coast.

The resort is part of Red Sea Global, one of the so-called giga-projects at the heart of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 social and economic reform programme overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.


www.barrons.com

'Historic': Saudi Stages First Swimwear Fashion Show

Saudi Arabia held its first fashion show featuring swimsuit models on Friday, an envelope-pushing step in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes.
www.barrons.com www.barrons.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
'Historic': Saudi Stages First Swimwear Fashion Show

Saudi Arabia held its first fashion show featuring swimsuit models on Friday, an envelope-pushing step in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes.

The poolside show featuring the work of Moroccan designer Yasmina Qanzal included mostly one-piece suits in shades of red, beige and blue. Most models had exposed shoulders and some had their midriffs partially visible.

"It's true that this country is very conservative but we tried to show elegant swimsuits which represent the Arab world," Qanzal told AFP.

"When we came here, we understood that a swimsuit fashion show in Saudi Arabia is a historic moment, because it is the first time to have such event," she said, adding it was "an honour" to be involved.

The show took place on the second day of the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week at the St Regis Red Sea Resort, situated off Saudi Arabia's western coast.

The resort is part of Red Sea Global, one of the so-called giga-projects at the heart of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 social and economic reform programme overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.


www.barrons.com

'Historic': Saudi Stages First Swimwear Fashion Show

Saudi Arabia held its first fashion show featuring swimsuit models on Friday, an envelope-pushing step in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes.
www.barrons.com www.barrons.com
Click to expand...
Saw some clips on X. Thought not to post them over here since it wouldn't be appropriate.
 
So now Saudi Arabia is no less than the UAE

d9ddNPP.png


https://twitter.com/x/status/1791789400101396881
 
Saudis Arabia's de facto leadership is the United States of America
 
Last edited by a moderator:

First female band of Saudi nationals earns applauds at Riyadh show​


RIYADH (Web Desk) - Leaning into the microphone in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Nora let loose a primal scream. Guitars wailed and drums throbbed behind her as part of a set with her bandmates during a recent show.

The performance by Seera, an all-women psychedelic rock band that blends traditional Arabic melodies with the resurgent psychedelia of bands like Tame Impala, would have been unthinkable just years earlier in the kingdom.

“We didn’t know how people would react,” said Meesh, the band’s bassist, who like other members asked to be identified by their stage names. “We believe strongly in self-expression. To our surprise, they really had open arms for us.”

The band’s name, Seera, can mean “life” or “biography” in Arabic. Band members say they try to embrace the multiple meanings one can draw from a word in the language in its sound, whether through the driving drums and cymbals or the synthesizer backing the guitars.

Seera’s music style revolves around the life experiences of the four-member band, who are all Saudi nationals.

“I thought this would be great as a reflection of the culture, the heritage and the roots,” she said.

“At the same time it would be a cool representation between the traditional and the modern and the expression of it. That’s also within our sonic identity as well.”

Seera is quick to point out they aren’t the first female band in the kingdom. Instead, they say that goes to The Accolade, which formed in 2008 and could only play underground.

dunyanews.tv

First female band of Saudi nationals earns applauds at Riyadh show

To our surprise, they really had open arms for us
dunyanews.tv dunyanews.tv
 
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