Saudi hospital on fire, 25 dead

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has reiterated the government’s commitment to seek out other streams of income to reduce its dependence on oil revenue. “Our vision of economic reform is based on raising the efficiency of government spending, taking advantage of our economic resources and increasing the returns on government investment”, said King Salman.

In 2014, Saudi Arabia posted a budget deficit of $17.5 billion, only its second since 2002.

“The cause of the fire has not been determined, al-Qahtany said”.

He added that Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy was focused on protecting the Islamic and Arab world, implementing anti-terrorism measures, and achieving safety and stability in the world. King Salman outlined his foreign and domestic policy priorities for the coming year on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015, affirming that security and economic development would remain top concerns for his country.

Two months into Salman’s reign beginning in January, Saudi Arabia launched an offensive in Yemen against Houthi rebels.