Middle East

Jeddah, Aug 4: A Saudi-French archaeological team has unearthed in Najran what might be considered the oldest inscription in the Arabic alphabet, said a spokesman from the French Foreign Ministry. “The epigrapher Frédéric Imbert, a professor at the University of Aix-Marseille, found the Nabatean Arabic inscription about 100 km north of Najran near the Yemeni border,” said the spokesman. “The first

Abu Dhabi, Aug 3: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received at his palace in Jeddah Sheikh Gen. Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi conveyed the greetings of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to the King. In turn, the King sent his greetings to President Khalifa

Jeddah, Aug 3: Gulf ministries of Health have taken all health measures to prevent Ebola virus patients from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, and other African countries from entering any Gulf country, said Professor Tawfiq Ahmad Khoja, director-general of the Executive Health Office for Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The measures are being adopted as the World Health Organization warned west

Abu Dhabi, Jul 31: As people across the UAE celebrated Eid Al Fitr, the Abu Dhabi Police tracked down a drug dealer and arrested him in an operation aptly code-named ‘operation Eid’. The police recovered 18.5kg of marijuana from the accused, which he planned to sell during the Eid holidays. The police also recovered Dh100,000 from the suspect, who is a Gulf national. Colonel Dr Rashid Mohammed

Riyadh, Jul 31: The ordeal of a stranded Indian family from Hyderabad finally came to an end with the climax being the wishful Eid Al-Fitr celebration with family and friends at home as they departed from King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh to India, celebrating the festival on Tuesday. The Saudi government, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Shifa Al-Jazeera Hospital and some Indian social

Jeddah, Jul 30: The festive fireworks that mark the beginning of Eid ended in tragedy for a Riyadh family when a 14-year-old boy died on Monday evening trying to burst a firecracker. The latest incident comes among several other firework-related casualties during the Eid holidays. Firecrackers are still widely available on the streets of Jeddah, Makkah, Taif, Riyadh and other cities despite strict

Jeddah/Riyadh, Jul 29: Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, performed Eid Al-Fitr prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in the presence of a massive congregation. He was joined by Prince Bandar bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, Prince Khaled bin Fahd bin Khalid and Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin. Custodian of

Jeddah, Jul 29: Eight people were killed and 17 injured in two separate road accidents in the Madinah region on the first day of Eid on Monday. “Seven people were killed in a road accident when three cars collided on Safina road near the Bayzan valley in Madinah on Monday,” Col. Khalid Al Juhani, Civil Defense spokesman, said in a statement on Monday. “All seven victims — four Pakistanis and three

Dammam, Jul 28: The Eastern Province will witness the largest fireworks show in the Kingdom to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, in which 10,000 rounds of fireworks will be launched. The Asharqia Chamber will launch seven new and different firework types to mark the beginning of the festivities, which will be held under the patronage of Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif, under a new celebrations

Abu Dhabi, Jul 27: Mosques: Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque; Al Zubair bin Al Awam Mosque, Ahmed Khalfan Mosque, Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Mosque, Thani bin Mohammed Mosque, Ahmed Juma Mosque, Shaikh Hazaa bin Sultan Mosque, Al Sahaba Mosque, Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, Gurair Al Awjan Mosque, Quba Mosque, Mohammed Abdulla Al Gimzi Mosque, Afra bint Mohammed Mosque, Mohammed Darwish Mosque, Mohammed bin