Category: Saudi Arabia

Is Mohammed bin Salman, of All People, Rescuing America from Herself?

Commentary Wait a minute. I’m having whiplash. I thought the presumptive Saudi Arabian leader Mohammed bin Salman (aka MBS) was a ruthless tyrant who placed roughly half his family under investigation for treason and ordered—or at least encouraged—the murder of respected Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Okay, Khashoggi wasn’t respected by everybody. He did other…


OPEC Slashes Output, Biden Releases More Oil—How Did We Get Here? 

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, OPEC+, surprised global energy markets on Wednesday by agreeing to slash crude production by 2 million barrels per day (bpd). In response to fears of waning demand amid worries of a global recession, the cartel thought it was necessary to reduce production and help…


How Did the US Become OPEC-Dependent Once Again?

News Analysis The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, OPEC+, surprised global energy markets on Wednesday by agreeing to slash crude production by 2 million barrels per day (bpd). In response to fears of waning demand amid worries of a global recession, the cartel thought it was necessary to reduce production…


Saudi Arabia Surprises Markets by Holding Oil Prices Steady Despite OPEC+ Cuts

Just a day after OPEC+ roiled the White House with its decision to slash oil production by 2 million barrels per day, the cartel’s key decision-maker Saudi Arabia decided to hold crude prices steady for Asian markets and lower those for Europe, defying market expectations for increases. Saudi Arabia’s state-controlled Saudi Aramco left November prices…


Saudi Arabia Plans to Send Female Astronaut to Space in 2023

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will launch a training program with the goal of sending its own astronauts, including a woman, into space next year. The kingdom is actively promoting science and technology as part of its wide-ranging Vision 2030 plan to overhaul its economy and reduce its dependency on oil. The…


5 British Nationals Among Hundreds Freed in Ukraine–Russia Prisoner Swap

Five British nationals held by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine have returned to the UK after being released as part of a prisoner swap. The unexpected prisoner swap on Wednesday involved almost 300 people with 10 foreigners among them, including five British nationals, two U.S. nationals, as well as a Croatian, a Moroccan, and a Swedish…


Saudi Arabian Woman Gets 45 Years in Prison for Sharing Opinions Online: Human Rights Advocates

A Saudia Arabian woman has been sentenced to almost half a century in prison for sharing her opinions online, a human rights organization has reported. Nourah bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison in August by the Appellate Division of the Specialized Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia, according to Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN),…


Oil Jumps as Saudi Prince Suggests Shift in OPEC+ Strategy Amid ‘Harmful Volatility’ in Markets

OPEC+ is prepared to reduce its oil output in order to deal with a recent decline in the price of crude, due to weak futures market liquidity and macroeconomic fears, while the physical global crude supply remains extremely tight, said Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, to Bloomberg on Aug. 22. (OPEC+ refers to…


High Oil Prices Help Saudi Aramco Earn $88 Billion in First Half

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Saudi energy company Aramco said Sunday its profits jumped 90 percent in the second quarter compared to the same time last year, helping its half-year earnings reach nearly $88 billion. Major oil companies had a strong quarter with Exxon Mobil booking an unprecedented $17.85 billion profit while Chevron made a record $11.62…


Former Twitter Worker Found Guilty of Spying For Saudi Arabia

A federal jury has convicted a former employee at Twitter for transmitting user information on behalf of Saudi Arabia and its royal family. Ahmad Abouammo, 44, worked for Twitter as a Media Partnerships Manager for the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region between November 2013 and May 2015. The evidence submitted during his trial showed that…