Middle East

Jeddah, May 3: During the fifth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council on Tuesday council members said they will use discretion in dealing with the various developments in Arab and Muslim countries to ensure the preservation of the safety and stability of these countries, and the prosperity of their peoples. The meeting was chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy prime minister

Riyadh, May 2: The Ideological War Center (IWC), a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense, is launching extensive plans to fight extremism and terrorism, the ministry announced on its social media accounts. In a series of messages released in several languages via social media, the IWC will focus on exposing mistakes, allegations, suspicions and deceptive techniques promoted by

Riyadh, May 1: German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Saudi Arabia without a headscarf for talks with the oil-rich kingdom's monarch. Ms Merkel was greeted by King Salman and other top officials upon her arrival at the western city of Jiddah. Like other recent female Western visitors, the German Chancellor did not cover her hair upon arrival in the conservative Islamic kingdom. Prime Minister

Jeddah, May 1: Interior Ministry officers have arrested 46 alleged militants belonging to a terrorist cell in the neighborhood of Al-Harazat in Jeddah, ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said on Sunday. The charges included intent to target worshipers at the Prophet’s Mosque, carrying out a deadly attack near a mosque close to the US Consulate in Jeddah, and the murder of a cell member

Dubai, Apr 30: Work staff will no longer be able to present predated sick leave certificates to employers. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced on Saturday that predated sick leave for three consecutive days or more will no longer be issued. This means sick leaves can only be given on the same day the patient visits the medical facilities and not for previous days. The DHA urged physicians

Jerusalem, Apr 29: Israel intends to build 15,000 new settlement homes in East Jerusalem, the Housing Ministry said on Friday despite US President Donald Trump’s request to “hold back” on settlements as part of a possible new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace. A formal announcement of the settlement plan, quickly condemned by the chief Palestinian negotiator, could come around the time Trump is

Istanbul, Apr 28: Global energy markets are heading to a rebalancing in the next few years after oil prices fell to historic lows due to oversupply, Qatar’s Energy and Industry Minister Mohammed Saleh Abdullah Al-Sada said on Thursday, praising members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for their adherence to a “successful” November deal to cut production. He told the

Moscow, Apr 27: Saudi Arabia reiterated Wednesday its stand on the Syrian president, saying that there is no place for Bashar Assad in the country’s future. “We do not believe there is a future for Bashar in Syria,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir during a press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. “Assad is responsible for the killing of 300,000 Syrian citizens. He is

Jeddah, Apr 26: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday donated $150 million (SR562 million) to the King Salman Center for Humanitarian Aid and Relief (KSRelief) to boost its work in war-torn Yemen. The donation was announced by Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, head of the center, who led the Kingdom’s delegation to a donors’ conference in Geneva. Al-Rabeeah said the most recent donation is part of the $8.2 billion the

Riyadh, Apr 25: The Cabinet on Monday threw its support to the Arab finance ministers in their call for diversification of income sources and to promote inter-Arab investments during their meeting in Rabat. The Cabinet also gave their support for the finance ministers’ urging to improve the regional business environment, enhance regional economic integration and attract foreign investments. The