Middle East

Riyadh, Sep 30: Saudi Arabia has warned of "disastrous consequences" from a United States law allowing 9/11 victims to sue the kingdom, in a major spike in tension between the longstanding allies. The warning came yesterday after the US Congress voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) on relations between

Jeddah, Sep 30: A leading Washington-based analyst feels that firmly rooted Saudi-US ties will weather all possible consequences of Wednesday’s passage of the controversial 9/11 bill, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). Fahad Nazer, a non-resident fellow with the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW), told Arab News that the current state of Saudi-US

Jeddah, Sep 22: Police arrested five people — four foreigners and one Saudi — for links with terrorist groups and recent terror operations in the Kingdom. The five, arrested this week, are two Syrians, one residing in the Kingdom, one Indian and one Pakistani residing in the country, and a Saudi. The five are currently detained in public security prisons and undergoing investigations, security

Jeddah, Sep 29: A leading Turkish political analyst has described Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif’s visit to Ankara as “highly significant and extremely timely.” Speaking to Arab News from the Turkish capital, Sinem Cengiz, a Kuwaiti-born Turkish national specializing in Turkey’s relations with the Middle East and is currently press adviser at a diplomatic mission in Ankara, said the significance

Riyadh, Sep 28: Thousands of Saudis have signed a petition urging an end to the guardianship system giving men control over the work, study, marriage and travel of female relatives, activists said Tuesday. The petition calls for the kingdom’s women to be treated “as a full citizen, and decide an age where she will be an adult and will be responsible for her own acts”, said campaigner Aziza Al-

Jeddah, Sep 28: The most watched debate in the history of US elections provided few clues to analysts and writers in the Arab world. The marathon and raucous 90-minute verbal sparring between US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton did not leave the Arab viewer any the wiser. On some issues, Trump scored high marks and on others, Clinton was the clear winner. Talking to Arab

Jeddah, Sep 27: Saudi Arabia ranks first among Arab countries in terms of conditions for setting up corporate headquarters and at 23rd worldwide, according to rankings made by US News & World Report. The ranking is based on feedback from more than 4,000 businessmen who are also decision-makers; it does not rank countries only for their tax percentage on corporations, but also looked at the key

Riyadh, Sep 26: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, minister of interior, will travel to Turkey and meet with top Turkish officials including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Thursday for the first time since the attempted coup in Turkey in July. The crown prince will also hold talks with Turkish business leaders, according to reports published Sunday in local

Jeddah, Sep 25: Maqam-e-Ibrahim, also knows as the Station of Ibrahim, the rock on which Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood while building the upper walls of the Holy Kaaba, receives special attention by the authorities concerned — for cleanliness and as a sign of veneration for the place. As Prophet Ibrahim, continued laying stones in place, the Maqam-e-Ibrahim miraculously rose as the

Riyadh, Sep 24: Scholars, ministers and dignitaries sent greetings and good wishes to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and prayed for the prosperity of the Kingdom on the occasion of its 86th National Day on Friday. They commended the Kingdom’s achievements in all fields since the foundation of the Kingdom by the late King Abdul Aziz and his sons, the former kings until the era of