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Image: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFPImage: FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, the largest Middle Eastern country, is among the world's top oil producers and home to Islam's holiest city, Mecca. Run by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it is often criticized for its human rights record.

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All Content on this topic

A view of the front pages of the newspapers featured news about the US Presidential election in Tehran

Middle East looks ahead to return of 'dealmaker' Trump

Will Donald Trump's Middle East policies achieve peace in the region, or just support America's long-term allies?
PoliticsNovember 8, 2024
Gianni Infantino sits in front of an ad for the Club World Cup

World Cup 2034: Saudi Arabia human rights report 'flawed'

A number of human rights organizations have criticized a report published by FIFA on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
SportsOctober 28, 2024
FIFA President Gianni Infantino in conversation ahead of a Saudi Women's Premier League football match

Female footballers speak out against FIFA-Saudi deal

In an open letter, more than 100 players have criticized FIFA's cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia.
SportsOctober 22, 2024
France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) speaks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as they arrive for the family picture during an EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Brussels on October 16, 2024.

EU, Gulf states seek give and take on Ukraine, Middle East

EU states wanted tougher language on Russia, while Gulf countries sought stronger words on Israel and the Middle East.
PoliticsOctober 16, 2024
European Council President Charles Michel, right, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, welcome Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah during an EU-Gulf Cooperation Council meeting at the European Council building in Brussels.

EU, Gulf leaders hold summit amid Gaza, Ukraine wars

Leaders from the EU and several Gulf nations have agreed on closer cooperation during a summit in Brussels.
PoliticsOctober 16, 2024
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

EU sets hopes on Saudi Arabia's influence in the Middle East

Western states would like Saudi Arabia to leverage its influence to de-escalate conflicts in the Middle East.
PoliticsOctober 16, 202402:11 min
Made-Logo over an image of an Opel electric car

How transformation is helping business - MADE

Fighting climate change: EVs, giving up oil and heat protection. Plus: an Instagram career.
BusinessOctober 15, 202426:04 min
Displaced Palestinians on their way attempting to return to their homes in north Gaza

October 7: One year on in the Middle East

The Hamas terror attacks and the resulting war in Gaza have set off regional and domestic shifts. A closer look.
PoliticsOctober 4, 2024
An illustration showing a stream of US dollars being dropepd into a funnel and exiting the bottom as Chinese yuan

Dedollarization: How the West boosts China's yuan

Sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war have spurred record trade in China's currency, but could it usurp the dollar?
TradeSeptember 12, 2024
Annalena Baerbock at the airport in Berlin

Germany's Baerbock to visit Middle East in cease-fire push

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is making her eleventh trip to the Middle East region since the Hamas attack.
ConflictsSeptember 4, 2024
A booth at the Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference in Dubai

Why is the Middle East losing so much money to cybercrime?

In the race to turn their economies digital, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are losing more millions to cybercrime every year
TechnologySeptember 3, 2024
People protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Amman, Jordan.

Arab nations in Hamas-Israel conflict: What you need to know

Some have quiet-but-close relationships with Israel, while others host Iran-backed groups opposed to the US and Israel.
ConflictsAugust 5, 2024
Members of the activist group CodePink hold a poster that states Stop Saudi Executions

Saudi Arabia: Executions rise despite pledge to human rights

Human rights observers have recorded a 42% increase in executions, despite the kingdom's claims to modernization.
Human RightsJuly 21, 2024
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

Finite fossil fuels: What if we run out of oil? - Global Us

Oil is a finite resource. Could we run out of it? And: Sport offers hope of a better life.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 5, 202426:04 min
A demonstration of the German Leopard 2 battle tank delivered to the Czech Republic, on July 24, 2020

German weapons exports on course to hit new record

The war in Ukraine and increased sales to Saudi Arabia helped exports reach €7.48 billion in the first half of the year.
ConflictsJune 30, 2024
An artists version of The Line, a skyscraper city planned in Saudi Arabia.

Are Saudi Arabia's plans for a non-oil future too grand?

Ski slopes in a desert and a city of mirrored skyscrapers: Recent events suggest the Saudis can't afford Vision 2030.
BusinessJune 24, 2024
A view of Hajj pilgrims holding umbrellas to protect themselves from the heat

Saudi health minister: Hajj death toll tops 1,300

Authorities say extreme summer weather and lack of proper documentation added to the danger of this year's pilgrimage.
ReligionJune 24, 202401:54 min
Rescuers carry away a man effected by the scorching heat as Muslim pilgrims perform Hajj

Over 1,300 pilgrims died during Hajj, Saudi authorities say

Saudi authorities say the majority were "unauthorized" pilgrimed who accessed the holy sites via an illegal route.
ReligionJune 23, 2024
Rescuers carry away a man effected by the scorching heat as Muslim pilgrims perform the symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual as part of the hajj pilgrimage in Mina, near Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca, on June 16, 2024

Egypt blames Hajj deaths on 'unregistered' Mecca arrivals

Hundreds are believed to have died during the Muslim pilgrimage this year, the majority being from Egypt.
CatastropheJune 22, 2024
Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they arrive to cast stones at pillars in the symbolic stoning of the devil, the last rite of the annual hajj,

Who or what is responsible for Hajj deaths?

Are the authorities, the weather or gate-crashers to blame for the high death toll at the hajj in Saudi Arabia?
ReligionJune 21, 2024
An aerial view shows Mecca's Grand Mosque with the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, with many people

Hajj in Saudi Arabia: Extreme heat in Mecca

Extreme temperatures claimed hundreds of lives during the Hajj, turning the pilgrimage into a drama for many families.
ReligionJune 21, 20247 images
Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they gather outside Nimrah Mosque

Muslims converge on Saudia Arabia for annual Hajj

Over 1.8 million people gathered amid soaring temperatures. Saudi officials confirmed several heat-related deaths.
ReligionJune 17, 202401:33 min
Vorschaubild „Made in Germany“ Sendung am 12.06.2024

Saudi Arabian oil: Profits to the last drop?

Saudi Arabia aims to become climate-neutral by 2060, yet profit from oil for a long time to come.
BusinessJune 17, 202406:27 min
Paramedics carry a Muslim pilgrim for a medical check after he fell down due to a heat stroke at pillars, in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: 19 Hajj pilgrims die as temperatures rise

Temperatures have been rising as the ritual "stoning of the devil" gets underway and Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha.
CatastropheJune 16, 2024
Muslim worshippers touch the southern corner of the Kaaba

Gaza war stops Palestinian Muslims from joining Hajj

This year, over one-and-half million Muslims are gathering in Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage.
ReligionJune 14, 202401:45 min
Muslim worshippers pray around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine

Saudi Arabia: Pilgrims gather for Hajj amid sweltering heat

Muslims from around the world have amassed around the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage.
ReligionJune 14, 2024
Afghanistani elderly pilgrims wait outside the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

Hajj 2024: Saudi Arabia braces for extreme heat

A heat wave during the Islamic pilgrimage will be mitigated but observers warn that long-term policy changes are needed.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 11, 2024
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace in Saudi Arabia, July 2022.

Could a US-Saudi nuclear deal spark Middle East arms race?

Experts fear Saudis may use a civilian nuclear program, supported by the US, to gain their own atomic bombs. .
PoliticsMay 28, 2024
Saudi Arabian King Salman

Saudi Arabia's King Salman undergoing medical tests

Saudi Arabian state media said that the 88-year-old monarch was being tested after suffering from fever and joint pain.
PoliticsMay 19, 2024
Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq (Left) is welcomed by Emir of Kuwait, Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah with the countries' flags hanging in the background

Kuwait's unique democratic experiment could be at an end

After Kuwait's ruler suspended its parliament, is the country heading down the road towards autocratic monarchy?
PoliticsMay 14, 2024
A Houthi fighter mans a mounted gun

Red Sea attacks pay dividends for Yemen's Houthis

The Houthi group expands its power locally and regionally, at the price of exacerbating Yemen's humanitarian situation.
PoliticsMay 1, 2024
Thumbnail | Planet A

Is Saudi Arabia really quitting oil?

Saudi Arabia has ambitious green energy goals, but what does that mean for their fossil-fuel production?
Nature and EnvironmentApril 26, 202412:40 min
38 migrants died in early April when their boat capsized near Djibouti

Dozens dead, missing after migrant boat sinks off Djibouti

It is the latest tragedy on a route used by migrants trying to reach Gulf countries from the Horn of Africa.
CatastropheApril 23, 2024
Football fans wait in the stands for a match to begin in Saudi Arabia

'Not safe': Saudi Arabia slammed after jailing football fans

Several Saudi Arabian soccer fans have been jailed for singing a song at a game that celebrates a religious figure.
SportsApril 17, 2024
Israeli Air Force F-15 Eagle is pictured at an air base, said to be following an interception mission of an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel.

Why did some Arab countries appear to help Israel?

Some have celebrated the fact Arab nations aided Israel against Iran. But most have more complex motives for helping.
ConflictsApril 14, 2024
A woman wearing a niqab walks down the street in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 8, 2023, with balloon decorations for International Women's Day in the background

Why is Saudi Arabia heading top UN women's rights forum?

Despite ongoing repression back home, Saudi Arabia will head the UN Commission on the Status of Women next year.
Human RightsApril 2, 2024
Frauen in Saudi-Arabien | Symbolbild

Saudi Arabia to head UN women’s rights forum

Saudi Arabia is set to take over the UN women's rights forum — despite criticism over its gender equality record.
Human RightsMarch 28, 202404:51 min
A woman drives with smile in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on June 24, 2018

Outrage as Saudi Arabia picked to head women's rights forum

The UN has chosen Saudi Arabia to chair a commission on gender equality, to the dismay of rights groups.
Human RightsMarch 28, 2024
Jon Rahm hits a shot from the bunker

Golf at new crossroads with LIV, PGA set to meet

Saudi-backed LIV Golf has lured top golfers away from the established PGA Tour, but things are reaching a tipping point
SportsMarch 17, 2024
A smiling Muslim woman wearing an hijab sits and looks at her laptop

Saudi Arabia's thriving startup scene driven by women

Entrepreneurs have transformed the Saudi economy, as it aims to move away from its dependence on oil revenue.
PoliticsMarch 16, 2024
Rafael Nadal sits on the sidelines of a tennis court and grimaces

Saudi Arabia tempts tennis with its billions

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is targeting top tennis tournaments. Can the ATP and WTA resist the temptation?
SportsMarch 14, 2024
A photographer takes pictures of the Khurais oil field during a tour for journalists, 150 km east-northeast of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2021.

Saudi oil giant Aramco's profits dip after record 2022

The world's largest oil exporter reported 2023 profit equivalent to $121.25 billion in a stock market filing.
BusinessMarch 10, 2024
Mapped Out Gulf States

The Gulf states' power play: Balancing between superpowers

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are shaking off old ties and forging new ones. It's a delicate balancing act.
ConflictsMarch 6, 202414:14 min
On a sunny day, people sit on lounge chairs placed on a sandy beach close to the ocean.

Gulf states are 'buying up' Egypt's coastline

Experts are asking if a $35 billion investment into Egypt will change the country's struggling economy for the better.
BusinessMarch 2, 2024
An official of the Saudi oil company Aramco, watches progress at a rig at the al-Howta oil field near Howta, Saudi Arabia

Why the Middle East won't quit oil

Gulf countries are diversifying their economies away from oil. Will investing in renewables translate into quitting oil?
BusinessFebruary 26, 202418:06 min
Man on crutches surrounded by children in a refugee camp with tents and clothes lines in the background, Rafah/ Gaza

Rafah offensive: US, Germany warn against Israel's plans

Even Israeli allies like the US and Germany are put off by plans to attack the Gazan city of Rafah.
PoliticsFebruary 19, 2024
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia juggles priorities amid Israel-Hamas war

Saudi Arabia is balancing its Saudi-first approach with increasing support for the Palestinians in Gaza.
PoliticsFebruary 16, 2024
A freight ship on the Red Sea with smaller boats encircling it

Red Sea crisis: Can EU warships deter Houthi rebels?

The EU has a plan to deter Houthi attacks on merchant vessels, but the stakes of Red Sea intervention are high.
ConflictsJanuary 21, 2024
Ons Jabeur (l) of Tunisia and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus pose with thrie trophies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

HRW supports Evert and Navratilova on Saudi Arabia stance

Human Rights Watch stands with two of the most powerful figures in women's tennis over Saudi Arabia rights concerns.
SportsJanuary 19, 2024
Izchak Herzog holding Annalena Baerbock's hand as both smile into the camera

Germany's Middle East diplomacy reaches limits

Germany's top diplomat, Annalena Baerbock, has been in the Middle East again this week in an attempt to mediate.
PoliticsJanuary 13, 2024