Iranian naval forces intervened to repel pirates who attacked an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, state television reported on Friday.

Saudi Arabia's air defense systems shot down a drone over the kingdom on Friday, the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen said, and it accused the country's Houthi fighters of launching the aircraft and targeting civilians.

European countries will urge Saudi Arabia this week to release detained activists and cooperate with a U.N.-led probe into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in the first rebuke of the kingdom at the Human Rights Council, diplomats and campaigners said.

Lockheed Martin Corp will receive the first payment toward the installation a $15 billion missile defense system in Saudi Arabia as part of a $110 billion arms package the Trump administration said it negotiated with the Kingdom in 2017, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Saudi Arabia is using its counter-terrorism laws to silence activists, including women, in violation of international law guaranteeing freedom of speech, United Nations human rights experts said on Monday.

The European Union and Qatar signed a broad air services pact on Monday allowing Qatari and EU member state airlines unlimited airspace access between each other's territories.

The United States lowered the flag on Monday at the Jerusalem consulate that had served as its diplomatic channel to the Palestinians, merging the mission with the new U.S Embassy to Israel in the contested city.

Saudi Arabia's cabinet has approved electronic visas for foreign visitors to attend sporting events and concerts, local media reported, as the world's top oil exporter tries to diversify its economy and open up its society.

Rights groups denounced Saudi Arabia Saturday over its decision to put jailed women activists on trial after holding them for nearly a year without charge.

"Saudi women detainees" account on Twitter revealed the violations practiced by the Saudi security authorities against the detained activist Eman Al-Nafjan. The account specialized in following-up the cases of female detainees in the Kingdom explained the harsh conditions she was subjected, and said in a series of tweets: "Eman Al-Nafjan was held incommunicado in Dhahban Prison from May until August (3 months), without allowing her to see or contact anyone."

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor is preparing the trials of detainees, identified by watchdog groups as women's rights activists, after completing its investigations, state news agency SPA said on Friday.

Saudi authorities announced on Friday that they concluded investigations with a number of "prisoners of conscience", noting that they are currently working on the preparation of regulations against the defendants to refer them to the "competent criminal court" of terrorism.

European Union member states unanimously rejected on Friday a proposal to blacklist Saudi Arabia and four U.S. territories for lax controls on terrorism financing and money laundering, sources told Reuters.

Saudi Arabia announced on Friday it had revoked the citizenship of Hamza bin Laden, the son of the late Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden who was designated a "global terrorist" in 2017 by US.

Two Saudi sisters fleeing what they described as beatings in their home country face a deadline for deportation from Hong Kong within hours unless authorities extend their stay.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud appointed princess Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan as the new ambassador of the kingdom to the United States with the rank of minister. She is the first woman to hold the post.

Saudi Arabia will face criticism for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and its failure to cooperate with a U.N.-led inquiry, diplomatic sources said at the U.N. Human Rights Council’s main annual session opening to be held on Monday.

The Qatari force participating in the joint Peninsula Shield drill (10) arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the Qatari Defense Ministry said.

Oman and Britain signed on Thursday (February 21, 2019) a joint defense agreement which was previously announced during Exercise Saif Sareea 3 in October.

The United Arab Emirates has eased a ban on the shipping of goods between it and Qatar enforced under a political and economic boycott of Doha, according to port circulars and an industry source.