2015 Event Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announces that Arab leaders will be combining their military resources to combat violence in the region; Saudi Arabia has already led joint forces in airstrikes on Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen 2015 Event King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia dies at age 90 after hospitalization for pneumonia three weeks earlier; he has been succeeded by his half brother Salman of Saudi Arabia 2013 Event Saudi Arabia's government agrees to give Lebanon $3 billion to strengthen Lebanon's army and purchase weapons from France 2013 Event After a long illness, British actor Peter O'Toole, known for playing Lawrence, in 'Lawrence of Arabia', dies at the age of 81 2013 Event After being elected to the UN Security Council, Saudi Arabia reports it will decline its seat because the UN failed to end the Ghouta chemical attack 2013 Event The UN Security Council elects Lithuania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Chad and Chile to a two-year term beginning January 1, 2014 2013 Event Saudi Arabia appoints Fahd bin Abdullah as its new deputy defense minister 2013 Event In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the governor of the Riyadh Province, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, member of the House of Saud, dies at age 72 2013 Event In Saudi Arabia, Egyptian human rights lawyer Ahmed al-Gizawi is sentenced to five years in prison and 300 lashes, for possession of Xanax anti-anxiety pills 2012 Event The novel coronavirus alert is lifted by the World Health Organization after they determine the virus, which originated in Saudi Arabia, is not highly contagious 2012 Event A novel corona virus found in a Qatari man returning from Saudi Arabia is investigated by the World Health Organization, prompting the announcement of a global alert 2012 Event Saudi Arabia donates $100 million to the Palestinian Authority 2012 Event In the Najran Province of Saudi Arabia, a man is beheaded on charges of sorcery and witchcraft 2012 Event Following the death of Crown Prince, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz becomes Saudi Arabia's heir apparent 2012 Event Sweden's media reports the country is helping Saudi Arabia plan the construction of a weapons factory 2011 Event Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia dies, raising questions about succession in the kingdom 2011 Event In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah announces reforms that give women the right to vote and run in municipal elections 2011 Event In Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, six women were arrested for practicing driving in an empty car lot; women are banned from driving on the road 2011 Event Saudi Arabia bans all protests after demonstrations have taken place east of the country 2011 Event WikiLeaks cables claiming Saudi Arabia has exaggerated its crude oil reserves by 40% is published by The Guardian 2011 Event An archeologist using Google Maps identifies 2,000 potential archeological sites in Saudi Arabia 2010 Event U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal a cable from Hillary Clinton accusing Saudi Arabia's rich of being the largest source of funding for Sunni terrorist groups 2010 Event Saudi Arabia agrees to address security fears with Blackberry; the country determines it will not ban Blackberry instant messaging 2005 Event King Fahd of Saudi Arabia dies and is succeeded by Prince Abdullah 2004 Event At least 250 Muslim pilgrims crushed to death during the annual stoning of Satan ritual in the Mena Valley, Saudi Arabia 1998 Event At least 119 Muslim pilgrims crushed to death during the annual stoning of Satan ritual in the Mena Valley, Saudi Arabia 1991 Event U.S., barracks in Dhahran Saudi Arabia, hit by scud missile, kills 28 1990 Event George Bush visits U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia 1990 Event Secretary of State James Baker visits U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia 1990 Event Saudi Arabia expels many Jordanian and Yemeni envoys 1990 Event Soviet Union and Saudi Arabia restore diplomatic ties 1990 Event Egypt and Morocco troops land in Saudi Arabia to prevent Iraqi invasion 1990 Event 12 Arab leaders agree to send pan-Arab forces to protect Saudi Arabia 1990 Event Desert Shield begins - U.S. deploys troops to Saudi Arabia 1990 Event Iraq invades and occupies Kuwait, Emir flees to Saudi Arabia 1986 Event Captured Iraqi Airways Boeing-737 in Saudi Arabia, about 60 killed 1983 Event Syria and Saudi Arabia announce cease-fire in PLO civil war in Tripoli 1982 Event Fahd becomes king of Saudi Arabia when King Khalid dies at 69 1980 Event 63 beheaded in Mecca, Saudi Arabia 1975 Event Gas stove explodes and starts fire killing 138 (Mecca Saudi Arabia) 1974 Event U.S. and Saudi Arabia sign military-economic contract 1968 Death Donald Wolfit, actor (Lawrence of Arabia), dies of heart ailment at 65 1964 Event Faisal succeeds Saudi as king of Saudi Arabia 1963 Event 35th Academy Awards - "Lawrence of Arabia," A Bancroft and G Peck win 1962 Event David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" premieres 1962 Event Saudi Arabia proclaims abolishing slavery 1957 Birthday Lisa Eilbacher, Dharan, Saudi Arabia, actress, Beverly Hills Cop 1955 Birthday Al-Waleed bin Talal, born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, member of the Saudi Royal Family, businessman 1953 Death Abdul-Aziz ibn Sa'ud, founder of Saudi Arabia, dies at about 73 1950 Event Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria sign security pact 1948 Event Saudi Arabia joins invasion of Israel 1940 Death Paul Nizan, French journalist and writer (Ce Soir/Aden Arabia), dies at 35 1939 Event Iraq and Saudi Arabia declare war on nazi-Germany 1935 Death Thomas E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, dies in a motorcycle crash 1932 Event Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd merge into Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 1932 Birthday Peter O'Toole, born in Ireland, actor, Lord Jim, Beckett, Lawrence of Arabia 1927 Event Saudi Arabia becomes independent of Great Britain (Treaty of Jedda) 1926 Event Abdul-Aziz ibn Sa'ud becomes king of Hejaz; renames it Saudi Arabia 1915 Birthday Anthony Quinn, born in Mexico, actor, Zorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabia 1913 Birthday Anthony Quayle, born in England, actor, Anne of 1000 Days, Lawrence of Arabia 1910 Birthday Virginia Bruce, actress, Action in Arabia 1908 Birthday David Lean, British director, Lawrence of Arabia 1902 Birthday Donald Wolfit, born in England, actor, Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, Accursed 1902 Birthday Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Faisal al-Saud, king, Saudi Arabia 1902 Birthday Ibn Abdul-Aziz Saud, Kuwait, king, Saudi Arabia 1889 Birthday Gertrude Caton-Thompson, British archaeologist, Zimbabwe, So Arabia
