Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today that Saudi Arabia’s new counterterrorism law includes vague and overly broad definitions of acts of terrorism, in some cases punishable by death.

Security authorities in Bahrain prevented the country's Shiite majority from holding their largest Friday prayers for the 71th consecutive week, through the continued siege imposed on Diraz village.

The High Appeals Court upheld penalties issued against 22 suspects in a politically motivated case, in which the government accuse them, along with others, of establishing “terrorist group”.

The Saudi-led coalition's blockade of Yemen, which has cut off food imports to a population where 7 million people are on the brink of famine, is "illegal collective punishment" of civilians, a prominent aid official said on Thursday.

The vast majority of about 200 businessmen and officials implicated in a sweeping crackdown on corruption are agreeing to settlements under which they hand over assets to the government, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the New York Times.

A prominent Iraqi militia indicated on Thursday it would give any heavy weapons it had to the military once Islamic State was defeated and rejected a proposed U.S. congressional bill designating it a terrorist group.

European Parliament committee held a hearing on religious persecution on Wednesday (November 22, 2017) during which the persecution of Shia citizens in Bahrain was discussed. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief attended the hearing.

The Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al-Mutawa demanded to impose a tax on income in Bahrain, stressing that the challenge Gulf States face is remaining rentier states that depend on oil in feeding their budgets. Al-Mutawa pointed out that Bahrain depends on oil in 86% of its budget.

Inmates in Dry Dock Prison said that the head of Dry Dock Prison Rashid Abdullah Al-Shihi and officer Ahmad Al-Amadi started confiscating the detainees’ winter clothes.

Sudan’s Acting Ambassador to Bahrain, Mohammed Al-Moataz Jaafar, said that the Sudanese community amounts to about 7,000 nationals, most of whom hold the Bahraini nationality.

The Sixth High Criminal Appeals Court rejected the appeals of 9 appellants out of 11 accused of burning tires and assembling in Al-Nuaim and upheld 2 and 3-year jail term sentences against them.

A military court postponed on Thursday (November 23, 2017) the trial of 17 Bahraini citizens convicted over political reasons until December 4.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked Saudi Arabia to ease its blockade of Yemen, two sources said, just days before the Saudi-led military coalition announced on Wednesday it would let aid flow through the Yemeni port of Hodeidah and allow U.N. flights to the capital.

The US Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer visited Bahrain, where he met the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa and Commander-in-Chief of Bahrain Defence Force Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

The Arab Quartet countries, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have announced in a joint statement adding the International Union of Muslim Scholars to their state-sponsor list of terrorism and terror financing.

The Arab Quartet countries boycotting Qatar have added two entities and 11 individuals to their list of terrorism including former Bahraini MP from Al-Wefaq opposition group Sheikh Hasan Sultan.

The Chair of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human rights, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri expressed his disappointment at the Bahrain court’s ruling rejecting Nabeel Rajab’s appeal and upholding his 2-year prison sentence.

Bahrain’s Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa issued Edict 36/2017 appointing four directors in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen said on Wednesday it would allow humanitarian aid access through Yemen's port of Hodeidah and United Nations flights to the capital Sanaa, more than two weeks after blockading the country.

The United States welcomes Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's return to Lebanon, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday.