Saudi Arabia opens International Energy Forum meeting a day after deadly Houthi airport attack
Saudi Arabia went ahead with the 17th International Energy Forum ministerial in Riyadh on 11 October, a day after a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people and injured 309. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the Kingdom's commitments to the world would not be broken.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Saudi Arabia went ahead on Sunday 11 October with the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF) ministerial meeting in Riyadh, hosted by Saudi Arabia and co-hosted by Italy and Nigeria. The NationalN “The International Energy Forum's 17th ministerial meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia and co-hosted by Italy and Nigeria” Read at The National ↗ Arab NewsRC “The ministerial, held under the theme “Energy Security and Shared Goals in a New Era,” is hosted by Saudi Arabia with Italy and Nigeria.” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2It opened a day after an attack on King Khalid International Airport that killed 12 people and injured 309; the Houthis claimed responsibility, and the Arab Coalition blamed the Iran-backed group. The NationalN “claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed four Saudis and eight foreign citizens, including one from the US.” Read at The National ↗ Arab NewsRC “The Arab Coalition blamed the Iran-backed Houthi militia.” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Arab News, citing the General Authority of Civil Aviation, said the dead included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Arab NewsRC “The victims included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshis, and one person each from the US, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.” Read at Arab News ↗
Centre · 1The National described Saturday's strike as the third on the airport in a week and the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade; it said two earlier attacks that week killed four people and badly damaged a Saudi commercial aircraft on the tarmac. The NationalN “Saturday's strike was the third on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport in a week and the deadliest in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade.”“Two attacks on the airport this week killed four people and caused extensive damage to a Saudi commercial aircraft parked on the tarmac.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1Flightradar24 data cited by The National showed about 260 flights cancelled and 219 delayed on Saturday, and organisers directed delegates to alternative routes, including by road from Dammam; a projectile also landed near King Fahd Airport in Dammam on Saturday, according to a Saudi coalition representative. The NationalN “about 260 flights cancelled and another 219 delayed on Saturday, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24”“A projectile landed near King Fahd Airport in Dammam on Saturday, a representative for the Saudi coalition said.” Read at The National ↗ Right · 1Opening the meeting, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said "We are like a phoenix, we come out of the ashes all the time" and "There is no way that somebody will break our back," adding that the Kingdom's commitments to the world would be adhered to. Arab NewsRC ““We are like a phoenix, we come out of the ashes all the time, and every time,” he said.”“There is no way that somebody will break our back.” Read at Arab News ↗
Right · 1He said Saudi Arabia's energy sector had met its supply commitments, pointing to the East-West pipeline that carries crude to Yanbu on the Red Sea and avoids the Strait of Hormuz, and that more pipeline projects were being developed. Arab NewsRC “The line carries crude from the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea, giving Saudi exports a route that avoids the Strait of Hormuz.”“The minister said that Saudi Arabia was working on additional pipeline projects.” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2Attendance was mixed: Nigeria's minister of state for petroleum resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, attended in person along with representatives of the US, Russia, Romania and South Korea, while Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Friday that he would join by video link instead of travelling. Arab NewsRC “Among those attending in person was Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), who is co-hosting the IEF meeting.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN “Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Friday that he would participate in the IEF meeting by video link rather than travel to Riyadh.” Read at The National ↗ Centre · 1A Saudi Energy Ministry spokeswoman said the ministerial plenary would be held behind closed doors, with only journalists invited by the IEF allowed to cover the opening remarks and no live broadcast pool. The NationalN ““As you are aware, the ministerial plenary will be held behind closed doors,” she said.” Read at The National ↗
Mixed · 2The forum sits within a wider Riyadh Energy Week: the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation Ministerial run 11-13 October and the WPC Energy Congress runs from 12 to 15 October (The National gives Sunday to Thursday), with Riyadh also due to host the Future Investment Initiative from 26 to 29 October with added security. Arab NewsRC “The 25th WPC Energy Congress runs from Oct. 12-15, the first time the Kingdom has hosted the event in its more than nine-decade history.” Read at Arab News ↗ The NationalN “Riyadh is scheduled to host the Future Investment Initiative from October 26 to 29, with organisers saying the event will proceed as planned, with additional security arrangements put in place.” Read at The National ↗ Right · 1Arab News added that World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters the bank was in talks with 30 to 40 countries about crisis financing for energy price shocks linked to the war in the region. Arab NewsRC “the bank was in talks with 30 to 40 countries about crisis financing to cope with energy price shocks linked to the war in the region” Read at Arab News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Security-first news report: the summit proceeds despite a deadly attack and mounting threats to the airport and delegate travel.
- Emphasis
- Casualty and flight-disruption figures, restricted media access, the Italian minister joining remotely, and security for upcoming events.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives little of the minister's speech or the energy-security agenda.
- Charged language
- “deadly”“mounting security concerns”
- For example
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“The event is proceeding despite mounting security concerns after repeated attacks on” — The National
“Media access to the ministerial meeting will be restricted” — The National
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Resilience narrative: Saudi Arabia as steadfast host and central player in global energy security, led by the energy minister's defiant speech.
- Emphasis
- The minister's quotes, supply reliability and the East-West pipeline, attendance by foreign delegations, and the week's agenda.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the closed-door format, the Italian minister's remote participation, the earlier attacks that week, or flight disruption.
- Charged language
- “terrorist attack”“Iran-backed Houthi militia”“phoenix”
What every side reports
- The IEF's 17th ministerial opened in Riyadh on 11 October, hosted by Saudi Arabia with Italy and Nigeria.
- A Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport on 10 October killed 12 people and injured 309.
- The meeting went ahead despite the attack.
Where accounts differ
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What the story is mainly about
- Centre
- Security risks and disruption surrounding the summit, with restricted media access.
- Right
- Saudi resilience and the kingdom's central role in global energy security.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman person
Says the Kingdom's resilience, plans and commitment to the world will hold whatever happens, and that its energy sector has met supply commitments.
“We make sure that whatever happens, our resilience, our plans, our commitment to the world, will be adhered to.” — Arab News
Houthis organisation
Claimed responsibility for the airport attack, according to The National; the Arab Coalition blamed the group.
“claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed four Saudis and eight foreign citizens, including one from the US.” — The National
International Energy Forum ministerial meeting event
Proceeding as scheduled in Riyadh with Saudi Arabia, Italy and Nigeria as hosts, alongside Riyadh Energy Week events.
“Despite the attack, delegates gathered for Riyadh Energy Week, which runs from Oct. 11-15.” — Arab News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Saudi Arabia presses on with global energy summit after deadly Riyadh airport attack
Neutral Reports the summit going ahead amid security concerns, with casualty, flight and access details.
Right1 article
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Resilience takes center stage as Riyadh hosts global energy week
Sympathetic Showcases the Saudi energy minister's defiant resilience message and the week's agenda.
- 11 Oct 08:27 First The NationalN Saudi Arabia presses on with global energy summit after deadly Riyadh airport attack
- 11 Oct 18:37 +10h 10m Arab NewsRC Resilience takes center stage as Riyadh hosts global energy week
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.