May 16, 2017
11:59 pm

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir speaks in New Delhi, India, October 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Sudan’s president invited by Saudi Arabia to Trump meeting

Wanted for war crimes by the ICC, Omar al-Bashir could be joining dignitaries from across the Muslim world for summit with US president

By Abdullah Al-Shihri

May 15, 2017
10:06 pm

Saudi Arabia's King Salman attends a banquet hosted by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, March 13, 2017. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool Photo via AP)

Saudi king touts Trump’s Islamic summit as ‘new partnership’

Following frosty relations under Obama, desert kingdom hopes to shore up US support against regional rival Iran

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

April 30, 2017
11:14 pm

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is received by Saudi King Salman on her arrival to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 30, 2017. (Saudi Press Agency via AP)

Merkel to press Saudi Arabia on refugees, rights

Like other high-profile Western women, German chancellor forgoes the traditional hair covering in Riyadh

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

September 6, 2016
9:46 pm

In this Tuesday, March 24, 2009 file photo, Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, the Saudi grand mufti listens to a speech of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at the Consultative Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

Top Saudi cleric says Iranian leaders ‘not Muslims’

Comments mark sharp escalation in rhetoric, tensions between between Sunni -Shiite rivals over 2015 hajj disaster

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

December 29, 2015
8:14 pm

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey, on November 16, 2015. (Adem Altan/AFP)

Erdogan says Assad ‘mercilessly’ killing hundreds of thousands

Turkish leader appears to criticize Russian intervention in region, says Kurds adding ‘fuel to fire’ of civil war

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Suzan Fraser

August 26, 2015
2:29 am

Saudi Arabia's King Salman attends a ceremony at the Diwan royal palace in Riyadh, January 24, 2015. (AP/Yoan Valat, File)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to visit US next month

First visit of key US ally’s new leader may focus on Saudi concerns over Iran nuclear deal

By Abdullah Al-Shihri

June 18, 2015
5:39 pm

A Pakistani Muslim man recites the Quran at a mosque ahead of Ramadan in Peshawar on June 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO/ A MAJEED

Muslims mark beginning of Ramadan

This year’s summer timing means long, hot days of dawn-to-dusk fasting in month-long festival

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

May 29, 2015
7:30 pm

File: In this still image taken from video provided by Saudi TV, burnt out cars are seen as investigators collect evidence, in the aftermath of a suicide bomb outside the the Imam Hussein mosque in the port city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 29, 2015. (Saudi Television via AP)

Suicide bomber strikes Shiite mosque in Saudi, killing 4

Second attack in 2 weeks targeting religious minority in port city of Dammam; Islamic State claims last week’s bombing

By Abdullah Al-Shihri

May 22, 2015
5:18 pm

A Saudi medic reacts following a blast inside a mosque, in the mainly Shiite Saudi Gulf coastal town of Qatif, 400 kms east of Riyadh, on May 22, 2015. A suicide bomber targeted a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers in Kudeih in Shiite-majority Qatif district, the interior ministry said, with activists saying at least four worshippers were killed. (AFP PHOTO / STR)

Suicide bomber targets Saudi Shiite mosque

Unclear how many casualties in second blast against minority community in past six months

By Aya Batrawy and Abdullah Al-Shihri

March 1, 2015
7:04 pm

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Egyptian Presidency)

Sissi in Saudi Arabia for talks with new king

Egyptian president seeks to advance proposal for joint Arab anti-terror force to tackle extremism

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

December 16, 2014
5:53 am

An illustrative photo of three Saudi women (screen capture, YouTube)

Saudi woman held for watching soccer

Young woman says she did not know only males are allowed at sports matches

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Aya Batrawy

November 8, 2014
7:49 am

In this Friday, June 17, 2011 file image made from video released by Change.org, a website used by activist groups, a Saudi Arabian woman drives a car as part of a campaign to defy Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP/Change.org, File)

Saudi reconsiders women driving ban

Advisory council recommends women over 30 could take the wheel if they are off the road by 8 pm and don’t wear makeup

By Abdullah Al-Shihri

August 30, 2014
8:04 pm

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (photo credit: AP/Hassan Ammar/File)

Saudi king warns of terrorist threat to Europe, US

Abdullah calls for a strong international response to extremists, in likely reference to Islamic State group

By Abdullah Al-Shihri and Sameer N. Yacoub

August 1, 2014
8:49 pm

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah (photo credit: AP/Brendan Smialowski/Pool)

Saudi king condemns Gaza war — but not Israel

90-year-old monarch says conflict is ‘collective massacre,’ slams terrorists for tarnishing Islam’s purity and humanity

By Aya Batrawy and Abdullah Al-Shihri

July 7, 2014
12:28 am

Illustrative photo of a prisoner (Kobi Gideon/Flash90)

Saudi rights lawyer sentenced to 15 years prison

Waleed Abul-Khair convicted by special terrorism court of ‘inciting public opinion,’ among other crimes

By Abdullah Al-Shihri

Writer: Abdullah Al-Shihri

Sudan’s president invited by Saudi Arabia to Trump meeting

Wanted for war crimes by the ICC, Omar al-Bashir could be joining dignitaries from across the Muslim world for summit with US president

Saudi king touts Trump’s Islamic summit as ‘new partnership’

Following frosty relations under Obama, desert kingdom hopes to shore up US support against regional rival Iran

Merkel to press Saudi Arabia on refugees, rights

Like other high-profile Western women, German chancellor forgoes the traditional hair covering in Riyadh

Top Saudi cleric says Iranian leaders ‘not Muslims’

Comments mark sharp escalation in rhetoric, tensions between between Sunni -Shiite rivals over 2015 hajj disaster

Erdogan says Assad ‘mercilessly’ killing hundreds of thousands

Turkish leader appears to criticize Russian intervention in region, says Kurds adding ‘fuel to fire’ of civil war

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to visit US next month

First visit of key US ally’s new leader may focus on Saudi concerns over Iran nuclear deal

Muslims mark beginning of Ramadan

This year’s summer timing means long, hot days of dawn-to-dusk fasting in month-long festival

Suicide bomber strikes Shiite mosque in Saudi, killing 4

Second attack in 2 weeks targeting religious minority in port city of Dammam; Islamic State claims last week’s bombing

Suicide bomber targets Saudi Shiite mosque

Unclear how many casualties in second blast against minority community in past six months

Sissi in Saudi Arabia for talks with new king

Egyptian president seeks to advance proposal for joint Arab anti-terror force to tackle extremism

Saudi woman held for watching soccer

Young woman says she did not know only males are allowed at sports matches

Saudi reconsiders women driving ban

Advisory council recommends women over 30 could take the wheel if they are off the road by 8 pm and don’t wear makeup

Saudi king warns of terrorist threat to Europe, US

Abdullah calls for a strong international response to extremists, in likely reference to Islamic State group

Saudi king condemns Gaza war — but not Israel

90-year-old monarch says conflict is ‘collective massacre,’ slams terrorists for tarnishing Islam’s purity and humanity

Saudi rights lawyer sentenced to 15 years prison

Waleed Abul-Khair convicted by special terrorism court of ‘inciting public opinion,’ among other crimes

Latest Articles

Latest Blogs

The Times of Israel on Facebook