Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has delivered the annual royal speech on behalf of King Salman for the first time on Wednesday.
The speech inaugurated the work of the 150-member Shura Council, in its fourth year, and addressed the kingdom's progress as well as the war in Gaza.
It acts as a road map for Saudi Arabia's domestic and international plan, council member Sheikh Abdullah Al Sheikh said.
Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia had pursued a foreign policy based on respect for the sovereignty of all countries, non-interference in their internal affairs and permanent commitment to international legitimacy.
The kingdom hosted a number of major summits that brought together more than 100 countries last year and worked to create an Arab and Islamic movement to stop Israeli aggression against Gaza, he said.
More than 21,100 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, when Israel launched an air and ground campaign in retaliation for an attack led by Hamas that killed about 1,200 people.
In November, Saudi Arabia hosted an extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit in Riyadh with the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and the Arab League.
The summit was held to address “the painful events facing our brothers in Gaza, through which the kingdom worked to create a joint Arab and Islamic movement to put pressure on the international community to take serious and firm stances to stop the Israeli aggression and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza”, Prince Mohammed said.
The summit adopted a final resolution that said: “We express our joint stance in condemning the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank, including Al Quds Al Sharif.
“We affirm addressing together this aggression and the humanitarian catastrophe that it causes.
"We seek to stop and end all Israeli illegal practices that perpetuate the occupation and deprive the Palestinian people of their rights, especially their right to freedom and to have an independent sovereign State on all their national territory.”
The summit was also Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's first visit since Riyadh and Tehran reached a rapprochement deal in March, ending seven years of severed ties.
Vision 2030 and tourism
Prince Mohammed also hailed Saudi Arabia's economic progress under its Vision 2030 plan.
Riyadh's selection to host Expo 2030 “confirmed global trust in Saudi Arabia as an ideal host for the world's most prominent international forum”, he said.
Saudi Arabia hosted the Future Investment Initiative in October, which brought together 5,000 delegates from 90 countries.
Prince Mohammed also pointed to the kingdom's growing tourism sector.
“Our country achieved historic performance in tourism, during the first quarter of 2023, growing by 64 per cent, and we will continue to work on the process of economic transformation in accordance with the goals of the Vision 2030,” he said.
Visitors from 120 countries attended the World Tourism Day event in Saudi Arabia in September.
He said that the kingdom had advanced in many sectors, “including its progress in more than 50 per cent of the UN sustainable development indicators".
Prince Mohammed also hailed the successful handling of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to the Islamic holy cities this year.
The kingdom welcomed more than 1.8 million who performed Hajj and more than 10 million Umrah pilgrims in this year, he said.
“Your country is continuing its development renaissance in accordance with Vision 2030 and its ambitious programmes, which, God willing, will contribute to the kingdom maintaining its advanced position globally, achieving further development and prosperity, and providing a decent life for citizens,” he said.
Last year, King Salman, 87, delivered the annual royal speech. This is the first year that his son has stood in for him.
Prince Mohammed, 38, is seen as representing the new generation of Saudi Arabia.
He became Crown Prince in 2017 and Prime Minister last year.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
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%3Cp%3ESix%20of%20the%20eight%20fast%20bowlers%20used%20in%20the%20ILT20%20match%20between%20Desert%20Vipers%20and%20MI%20Emirates%20were%20left-handed.%20So%2075%20per%20cent%20of%20those%20involved.%0D%3Cbr%3EAnd%20that%20despite%20the%20fact%2010-12%20per%20cent%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20population%20is%20said%20to%20be%20left-handed.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20a%20trend%20which%20has%20seen%20left-arm%20pacers%20become%20highly%20valued%20%E2%80%93%20and%20over-represented%2C%20relative%20to%20other%20formats%20%E2%80%93%20in%20T20%20cricket.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20all%20to%20do%20with%20the%20fact%20most%20batters%20are%20naturally%20attuned%20to%20the%20angles%20created%20by%20right-arm%20bowlers%2C%20given%20that%20is%20generally%20what%20they%20grow%20up%20facing%20more%20of.%0D%3Cbr%3EIn%20their%20book%2C%20%3Cem%3EHitting%20Against%20the%20Spin%3C%2Fem%3E%2C%20cricket%20data%20analysts%20Nathan%20Leamon%20and%20Ben%20Jones%20suggest%20the%20advantage%20for%20a%20left-arm%20pace%20bowler%20in%20T20%20is%20amplified%20because%20of%20the%20obligation%20on%20the%20batter%20to%20attack.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20attacking%20the%20batsman%2C%20the%20more%20reliant%20they%20are%20on%20anticipation%2C%E2%80%9D%20they%20write.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThis%20effectively%20increases%20the%20time%20pressure%20on%20the%20batsman%2C%20so%20increases%20the%20reliance%20on%20anticipation%2C%20and%20therefore%20increases%20the%20left-arm%20bowler%E2%80%99s%20advantage.%E2%80%9D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
