Saudi deputy foreign minister receives Russia's envoy in Riyadh
The pair discussed relations between their countries and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
Also on Wednesday, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki met Digital Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya in Islamabad, the diplomat wrote on X.
They discussed the importance of digital transformation and other topics of interest.
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Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Ukraine's security service arrests anti-corruption agents over alleged Kremlin ties
KYIV — Ukraine's SBU state security service launched a series of raids on the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) as part of an investigation into allegations that officials within the agency have been cooperating with Russia. The SBU said on Monday that it had arrested two officials working for NABU, one a suspected Russian spy and the other over alleged business ties to Russia. The security service said one of the officials, who was unnamed, allegedly collected and sent the details of Ukrainian law enforcement officers and other citizens to the Kremlin. "At least 60 episodes of transferring restricted information to his contact in the FSB have been documented", the SBU said in a statement. The agent's "subversive activities" were coordinated by Dmitry Ivantsov, deputy head of security for former pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, the SBU said. The agency said that Ivantsov in February 2014 helped Yanukovych flee to Russia — following the Maidan revolution — but himself "remained in Crimea, joined the ranks of the occupiers, and was recruited by the FSB". Another senior detective, Ruslan Maghamedrasulov, was detained on allegations of helping his father do illegal business involving industrial hemp in Russia, and on suspicion of passing secret information to Russian spies, the SBU said in another statement. A third statement by the security service said that fugitive pro-Russian politician Fedir Khrystenko — who it suspects of working with the FSB from Ukraine — "has significant influence on the activities of the NABU". This would be further investigated, the SBU said. On Monday, NABU said that at least 70 searches had been conducted in relation to more than 15 of its staff members in different regions of Ukraine. "In most cases, the grounds cited for these actions are the alleged involvement of certain individuals in traffic accidents," it said in a statement. "However, some employees are being accused of possible connections with the aggressor state [Russia]." According to NABU, there is no evidence that its employee detained by the SBU was involved in anti-state activities. In a post on Telegram, the agency said it received information concerning a "potential risk" associated with one of its staff members in 2023. After joint checks on the employee were conducted in tandem with the SBU, it was found that they posed no risk. "The risk of agents of influence from the aggressor state [Russia] exists for any government body. However, this cannot justify halting the work of the entire institution," NABU said in a statement, adding that it criticised the use of force against its employees and the raid's execution without a court order. Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Ukraine stated that the searches carried out without a legal mandate demonstrated that the authorities were exerting "massive pressure" on Ukraine's anti-corruption agents. The actions of the SBU show that authorities are "attempting to undermine the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions," the watchdog said. "These actions appear to be aimed at forcibly obtaining information and influencing investigations into senior officials," it added. Ambassadors of G7 countries in Kyiv also raised concerns, issuing a statement saying they "met with (representatives of) NABU today, we have serious concerns and we intend to discuss these developments with the leadership of the government". The diplomats reiterated their support for "transparency, independent institutions and good governance" and partnerships with Ukraine "to jointly fight corruption". Separately, Transparency International Ukraine last week raised concern over the arrest of anti-corruption campaigner Vitaliy Shabunin. Shabunin, the co-founder of the NGO Anti-Corruption Action Centre has been charged with fraud and evading military service. The prosecution "has signs of being politically motivated", according to Transparency International Ukraine. In an interview with The Kyiv Independent published on Monday, Shabunin said he believed the authorities were trying to "make an example out of him". — Euronews
Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Russian attacks in Ukraine kill a child and wound 24 before planned direct peace talks
Russian forces struck three Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks, killing a child and wounding at least 24 people, officials said Tuesday, a day before a planned third round of direct peace talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement late Monday that the negotiations would take place generated little hope they would deliver any progress on ending the three-year war. That is despite the Trump administration's efforts to push forward peace efforts, which have stalled as Russian President Vladimir Putin is reluctant to budge from his demands. The previous two rounds were held in Istanbul, and Russian media reports said the Turkish city likely would also host the meeting this time. The talks in May and June led to a series of exchanges of prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers but produced no other agreements. The war has continued unabated meanwhile. Russia is driving hard to break through at eastern and northeastern points on the 1000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. It is also firing upwards of 700 drones a night at Ukrainian cities. From dusk on Monday evening, Russia struck the Ukrainian regions of Sumy in the northeast, Odesa in the south, and eastern Kramatorsk. In Kramatorsk, a glide bomb hit an apartment building, starting a fire, according to the head of the city's military administration, Oleksandr Honcharenko. A boy born in 2015 was killed, local officials said without giving his exact age. Five other people were reported wounded. The Sumy region came under multiple waves of attacks, the regional military administration reported. A drone hit a gas station in the town of Putyvl, wounding four people including a 5-year-old boy, it said. A second drone strike hit the same location less than two hours later, wounding seven more. After dark, two powerful Russian glide bombs were dropped on Sumy city, wounding 13 people including a 6-year-old boy. According to regional authorities, five apartment buildings, two private homes, and a shopping mall were damaged in the attack. Acting Mayor Artem Kobzar said the blasts shattered windows and destroyed balconies in residential buildings. Also Tuesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 35 Ukrainian long-range drones over several regions overnight, including three over the Moscow region.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Oil Updates — prices fall as trade war concerns increase worries about fuel demand
SINGAPORE: Oil prices declined on Tuesday amid concerns the brewing trade war between major crude consumers, the US and the EU, will curb fuel demand growth by lowering economic activity. Brent crude futures were down 28 cents, or 0.40 percent, to $68.93 a barrel at 8:58 Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $66.83 a barrel, down 37 cents, or 0.55 percent. Both benchmarks settled slightly lower on Monday. The August WTI contract expires on Tuesday, and the more active September contract was down 29 cents, or 0.44 percent, to $65.66 a barrel. 'Broad demand concerns continue to simmer amid escalating global trade tensions, especially as markets eye the latest tariff threats between major economies and Trump's potential announcements ahead of the August 1 deadline,' said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova. 'Investors are also eyeing the ripple effects of fresh US sanctions on Russian crude,' she added. Supply concerns have largely been alleviated by major producers raising output, and since a ceasefire on June 24 ended the conflict between Israel and Iran. However, investors are increasingly worried about the global economy amid US trade policy changes. A weaker US dollar has provided some backing for crude as buyers using other currencies are paying relatively less. Prices have slipped 'as trade war concerns offset the support by a softer (US dollar),' IG market analyst Tony Sycamore wrote in a note. Sycamore also pointed to the possibility of an escalation in the trade dispute between the US and the EU over tariffs. The EU is exploring a broader set of possible counter-measures against the United States as prospects for an acceptable trade agreement with Washington fade, according to EU diplomats. The US has threatened to impose a 30 percent tariff on EU imports on Aug. 1 if a deal is not reached. There are also signs that rising oil supply has entered the market as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies unwind output cuts. Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports in May rose to their highest in three months, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative showed on Monday.
