Middle East

Riyadh, Aug 21: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday began implementing a landmark reform allowing women over the age of 21 to receive passports and travel abroad without permission from a male "guardian", authorities said. The reform, announced earlier this month, weakens the restrictive guardianship system that has long been a symbol of repression against women. "The passport department has started receiving

Jerusalem, Aug 16: Israel said on Thursday that it will bar two Democratic congresswomen from entering the country ahead of a planned visit over their support for a Palestinian-led boycott movement, a decision announced shortly after President Donald Trump tweeted that it would “show great weakness” to allow them in. The move to bar Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from

Jeddah, Aug 15: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif conveyed Eid Al-Adha greetings to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and congratulated them on the success of this year’s Hajj, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He thanked the king for taking care of the pilgrims and for providing them with all the facilities and services needed. Around 2.5 million

Al-Aqsa: Over 1 lakh worshippers performed Eid al Adha prayers Sunday at Al-Aqsa Mosque amid repeated calls to stay inside it, in anticipation of settlers' calls to storm it. Palestinian news agency said that worshippers repelled the attempts of dozens of settlers to storm Al Aqsa, after they gathered at the "Bab Al Maghariba, to mark the so-called "destruction of the Temple." Israeli occupation

Abu Dhabi, Aug 11: President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has received congratulatory cables from Arab and Islamic leaders on the occasion of Eid Al Adha. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE

Dubai, Aug 11: Joy and celebrations are sweeping across the UAE and the Muslim world as residents and visitors mark Eid Al Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, on Sunday. The annual Islamic festival, which this year begins on August 11 in the UAE, sees Muslims offer a sacrificial animal (typically a goat or sheep) in gratitude for Allah’s blessings. Eid Al Adha is named after the sacrificial ritual

Dubai, Aug 10: Mosques in Dubai will hold Eid Al Adha prayers at 6.07am on Sunday, August 11. In the capital, they will take place at 6:12am. Special prayers are offered on the first day of Eid Al Adha. Before Eid, Muslims observe the Day of Arafat -the culminating event of the annual Islamic pilgrimage, Haj and the most important day of the pilgrimage. Below are all the prayer timings for Eid Al

Makkah, Aug 10: Haj pilgrims began flocking to Arafat in a peaceful manner on Saturday morning, reported the Saudi Press Agency, SPA. Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, and Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, Governor of Makkah Region, and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee

Dubai, Aug 7: Saudi Arabia’s first female crane operators have received their operating permits at the King Abdul Aziz Port (KAP), state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday. The women will operate remote controlled cranes introduced as part of KAP’s push to introduce new technologies in all departments at its container terminals, which is also the first terminal to be operated by the International

Dubai, Aug 4: An Indian farmer, who returned home after failing to find a job in Dubai, on Saturday ended up winning over USD 4 million in a raffle, the tickets of which he bought with the money borrowed from his wife. Vilas Rikkala, who is presently in Hyderabad, was the winner of the Dh15 million (USD 4.08 million) Big Ticket raffle, the Gulf News reported. Rikkala left the UAE 45 days ago at