Middle East

Jeddah, Apr 12: Zamzam water has a special place in the hearts of Muslims as something revered and unique. Every year millions of pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Haj from outside and inside the country. Many Muslims drink Zamzam as sacred water that can cure their health problems, but sometimes pilgrims and those who live inside the Kingdom are cheated by illegal venders who sell

Apr 11: Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia deepened on Thursday as Iranian leaders lashed out with rare vehemence against the continuing Saudi air campaign in Yemen, even hurling personal insults at the young Saudi prince who is leading the fight. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, denounced the Saudi airstrikes in Yemen as “a crime” and “a genocide” while all but taunting

Riyadh, Apr 7: The Council of Ministers on Monday said that the Saudi-led operation in Yemen has the support of Yemenis in the Kingdom and the international community because it seeks to restore the legitimate government and bring peace and stability to that war-torn nation. The weekly meeting was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. It noted the

Jeddah, Apr 6: Some 5,183 cases have been filed by women against their husbands in Saudi courts, requesting alimony during the past five months, according to local media. Courts in Makkah Region received the highest number of alimony cases at 1,605, followed by Riyadh (1,315), the Eastern Region (755), Jazan (376), Madinah (295), Asir (241), Qasim (186), Tabuk (102), Hail (90), Jouf (79), the

Riyadh, Apr 6: Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Riyadh on Sunday on an official visit to the Kingdom. He was received by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at the Riyadh Air Base. Amid the critical situation in the Middle East, the visit of a head from a Central Asian country is deemed significant for both sides, according to an expert. Aliyev last visited the Kingdom in

Jeddah, Apr 5: Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, said that the Kingdom’s efforts to defend the oppressed and deter the oppressors have added prestige, power and glory to the Arab and Islamic nations. In an interview with Saudi TV Channel 1, the widely respected religious scholar said Saudi Arabia has taken action which is supported by a number of

Makkah, Apr 4: Construction work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah is in full swing and the projects are expected to be completed before the Holy month of Ramadan. The projects administration director, Sultan bin Aati Al-Qurashi, said 73 percent of the work has been completed. The mega projects, ordered by the late King Abdullah, include expansion of the Grand Mosque, which is in the third and final

Riyadh, Apr 3: Flights were disrupted, ships weighed anchor and schools were closed Thursday as a major sandstorm blew through Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf states. In the UAE, several flights were diverted and delayed, a Dubai Airports spokesperson said, as the skies over the city turned yellow. King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam suspended the arrival and departure of all vessels from 1730 GMT on

Doha, Apr 2: Citing “extreme weather conditions,” Qatar’s Supreme Education Council has decided that private and public schools should remain shut today. Several universities are also closed today, including Northwestern University in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University in Qatar and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. The College of the North Atlantic Qatar has

Riyadh, Apr 2: All schools in the Riyadh region, including the ones run by expat communities, will remain closed Thursday. The Education Department announced the suspension of schools on April 2 because of a major sandstorm that hit Riyadh on Wednesday. King Saud University’s Badran Al-Omar announced the suspension of classes at the university in Riyadh and its branch in Al-Mazahmiya area. The