Israel Hayom: Google plans Israel-Saudi Arabia link in massive fiber-optic project. “The underwater cable project, called Blue Raman route after Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, will be more than 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) long and is expected to cost $400 million. If completed, the network would mark the first time two nations with no formal […]
Twitter Blog: Disclosing networks to our state-linked information operations archive. “Today we are disclosing five distinct networks of accounts to our archive of state-linked information operations. The accounts that we have published in our archive today – the only archive of its kind in the industry – include independent information operations that we have attributed […]
BBC: Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia to gradually resume Umra pilgrimage. “Saudi Arabia is to gradually resume a Muslim pilgrimage which has been suspended for seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic. From 4 October, up to 6,000 Saudi citizens and residents will be allowed to undertake the Umra each day. Pilgrims from countries deemed safe will […]
Arab News: Database gathers 2,000 items of virus-related info for Saudi researchers. “The library of data includes study documents, print and online news articles, videos, and other relevant content from sources around the world. The comprehensive COVID-19 database has been compiled by the Center for Research and Knowledge Networking in Riyadh and covers a range […]
Wired: A Saudi Prince’s Attempt to Silence Critics on Twitter. “IN 2014, MOHAMMED bin Salman’s uncle, King Abdullah, was nearing death. For more than 60 years, the Saudi crown had been passed from one son of the kingdom’s founder to the next, the heir being determined by a combination of seniority and consensus of the […]
Gulf News: Saudi Arabia: Followers of arms sales groups on social media to face 10 years in prison. “Arms and contraband sales groups threaten their followers on social media with jail time and a hefty fine for entering these groups and failing to report their violations to authorities, local media reported. Under Saudi laws, followers […]
New York Times: Late Action on Virus Prompts Fears Over Safety of U.S. Diplomats in Saudi Arabia. “Inside the sprawling American Embassy compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a coronavirus outbreak was spreading. Dozens of embassy employees became sick last month, and more than 20 others were quarantined after a birthday barbecue became a potential vector […]
AP: Saudi Arabia to hold ‘very limited’ hajj due to virus. “Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that because of the coronavirus only ‘very limited numbers’ of people will be allowed to perform the annual hajj pilgrimage that traditionally draws around 2 million Muslims from around the world.”
BBC: Saudi Arabia to lift coronavirus curfew. “Saudi Arabia has announced it will lift its nationwide curfew on Sunday, but says other restrictions will remain. Authorities say all economic and commercial activities will resume, but bans on international travel and religious pilgrimages will not change.”
CBS News: Saudi Arabia is battling a 2nd wave of coronavirus infections, making hajj unlikely. “Saudi authorities started easing lockdown measures at the end of May, after the number of new infections recorded daily dropped by half to around 1,500. They reduced curfew times, allowed congregational prayers in mosques and domestic flights to resume, and […]
Arab News: Itching to travel? Visit the wonders of AlUla … from home. “When Saudi Arabia’s ancient heritage site of AlUla announced it would open to the world in late 2020, it was on the bucket list of every fervent traveller. Who wouldn’t want to visit Hegra, the impressive Maraya Concert Hall or watch the […]
Arab News: King Salman orders free coronavirus treatment in Saudi Arabia, including residency violators. “King Salman has ordered free treatment be provided to all coronavirus patients in all government and private health facilities in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s health minister, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, announced the king’s order at a press conference in Riyadh […]
BuzzFeed News: How Saudi Arabia Infiltrated Twitter. “Ali Alzabarah was panicked. His heart raced as he drove home from Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters in the early evening on Dec. 2, 2015. He needed to leave the country — quickly. Earlier that day, Twitter’s management accused the unassuming 32-year-old of accessing thousands of user profiles without […]
Middle East Eye: Saudi Arabia’s bot army flourishes as Twitter fails to tame the beast. “You only need to search Twitter for a hashtag relating to a country in the Middle East to find one of these bot accounts. They typically copy-and-paste the same content, and feature a video clip with the distinctive Saudi 24 […]