Saudi news outlets have referred to the recently executed Saudi activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr as a pro-Iranian terrorist, a Muslim extremist, and a Hezbollah leader; meanwhile, international commentators have painted al-Nimr as an opposition leader, activist, and prominent religious figure. To provide a better understanding of Sheikh Nimr, Toby Matthiesen offers an in-depth account of[…]
07
Jan
Jan
The Government of Saudi Arabia struggles to balance its budget as oil prices fall below $35 (USD) per barrel. The kingdom needs oil prices to reach $106 to fund current expenditures. The Saudi budget is predominately centered on oil prices; the BBC reports that oil revenue forms 73% of the state’s total revenue, while The[…]
06
Jan
Jan
Canada condemned the execution of Shia cleric and political activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, and the country’s foreign affairs minister, Stéphane Dion, asked Saudi Arabia to observe and respect basic human rights. The Canadian minister questioned the Saudi government’s regard for human rights as well. However, the Government of Canada announced that it will still allow[…]
06
Jan
Jan
The United Arab Emirates follows Saudi Arabia and Egypt in blocking access to a Qatari website called The New Arab. According a to a spokesman for Al-Araby al-Jadeed, the media outlet that runs the website, The New Arab is intended as a forum for open discussion and exchange of ideas in the Middle East. The[…]
05
Jan
Jan
Since Saudi Arabia’s mass execution of 47 people on 2 January 2016, several states have followed Saudi Arabia’s lead and severed diplomatic ties with Iran. Among the first states to recall their ambassadors from Tehran were Bahrain, Sudan, and the UAE. Kuwait recently became the fourth GCC member state to take diplomatic action against Iran[…]
