A dispute between Canada and Saudi Arabia that started with a tweet escalated to an all-out slanging match that has all but severed relations between the two countries entirely.

Saudi Arabia has canceled flights to Canada, recalled thousands of students studying there, cut investment, and issued lurid threats.

Meanwhile, Canada has pledged to hold its ground. As the spat cooled, news Saudi Arabia is to execute a female activist for the first time has brought the county's conflict into the spotlight once again.

Scroll down for a full timeline explaining how the dispute has snowballed into a full-blown crisis.