Saudi Arabia, UAE block access to many Qatari news sites amid uproar

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Access to some Qatari media sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
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Access to some Qatari media sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Updated 24 May 2017
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Saudi Arabia, UAE block access to many Qatari news sites amid uproar

DUBAI: Access to various Qatari media sites have been blocked in Saudi Arabia and the UAE after the state news agency carried inflammatory comments attributed to the nation’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

Qatar News Agency (QNA) ran comments by the country’s leader said to have been made at a National Service graduation ceremony. The emir reportedly endorsed Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah and reportedly criticized the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt for waging a campaign against Doha.

Following an outpour of criticism on social media, access to some state-sponsored media outlets — including the Arabic-language website and phone application of Al-Jazeera and Middle East Eye — were blocked in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

A few hours after the controversial statements broke on QNA, the government’s communication team stated that the news agency’s website had been hacked, however, the initial report was simultaneously posted in different languages and on social media platforms, where it remained.

The purported comments are in line with recent criticism waged against the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in state-sponsored media outlets such as Al-Jazeera, Al-Arab and the London-based Middle East Eye.


Media ministry’s Konoz wins 6 gold awards

The AVA Digital Awards are among the most prestigious international awards, established in the US nearly 19 years ago. (@KonozSA
Updated 23 January 2026
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Media ministry’s Konoz wins 6 gold awards

  • “The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields

RIYADH: The Konoz Saudi Arabia initiative, one of the Ministry of Media’s programs, achieved a global milestone by winning six gold awards at the AVA Digital Awards for its documentary film “The Destination.”

Awards were given for documentary, film, editing, informational, cinematography and directing.

With the achievement, the film’s total awards since its release have risen to 13, in addition to receiving three international commendations, bringing the initiative’s overall tally to more than 50 local and international awards.

“The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields. The film highlights the steady and accelerated steps toward realizing Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s transformation into a global destination.

The documentary is currently available on the Shahid and stc tv platforms, in addition to being screened onboard Saudia flights. It combines creative footage drawn from trusted media sources covering events across the Kingdom with exclusive interviews featuring experts and specialists in the fields addressed by the film.

To date, the documentary has surpassed 10 million views across various platforms.

The AVA Digital Awards are among the most prestigious international awards, established in the US nearly 19 years ago. The awards aim to honor excellence in planning, directing, design and production across digital campaigns, audio and video production, website development, and social-media marketing and engagement.