Middle East

Riyadh, Mar 30: Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz announced the launch of the Green Middle East initiative. According to Arab News, the initiative is set to apply a number of ambitious programmes that will reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent in the region and plant 50 billion trees in the world’s biggest afforestation project. “As a leading global

Yemeni human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Tawakkol Karman, has called on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Houthi group to end their dispute and find common grounds for peace. “Any action that leads to peace is welcomed,” Karman wrote on Twitter, adding: “Saudi ceasefire proposal can be a launchpad for greater engagement.” “#Saudi & #UAE must end their blockade and

Dubai, Mar 24: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, has passed away. Sheikh Hamdan was the brother of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid had been holding the position of ‎Minister of Finance since the very first Cabinet of the UAE was formed on

Kuwait City, Mar 23: The Kuwaiti cabinet has announced that it would exempt those who had received an approved Covid-19 vaccine as well as Kuwaiti students from the compulsory hotel quarantine. The revised measures come after the country last month said all travellers arriving on direct flights from high risk countries would have to resort to institutional quarantine in one of the local hotels for

Jeddah, Mar 20: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health is working on raising the percentage of COVID-19 vaccine recipients in the cities of Makkah and Madinah to at least 60 percent before Dhul Hijjah 1, 1442H (July 13), Okaz has learned from well-informed sources. In coordination with the National Transformation Program (NTP), the ministry has set out a health plan for Hajj this year. According to the

Dubai has issued Covid-19 precautionary measures for the Holy Month of Ramadan. According to the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, during Ramadan: > Hosting large social gatherings should be avoided, especially to prevent the elderly and people with chronic diseases to the risks of Covid-19 > Ramadan tents as well as Iftar and donation tents are prohibited > Taraweeh prayers can

Dubai, Mar 16: United Arab Emirates had banned Taraweeh prayers - the special prayers offered during the holy month of Ramadan – last year due to covid-19 pandemic. However this Ramadan, mosques across UAE are allowed to host Taraweeh prayers, official sources said. The holy month will begin in less than a month. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said strict

Tel Aviv, Mar 16: Israel's Naftali Bennett is a multi-millionaire former high-tech entrepreneur who made a name in politics with hardline religious-nationalist rhetoric and who could be the kingmaker following Israel's election next week. Bennett leads the Yamina party, which has backed Israel's proposed annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, while Bennett himself has made pitches to hard

Dubai: The UAE passport ranks first in the Arab world with Kuwait second and Qatar third, according to Nomad Capitalist, the global consulting firm. Internationally, the UAE passport ranks 38th, Kuwait 97th and Qatar 98th. Oman ranked fourth in the Arab world (103rd), and Bahrain fifth (105th). Kuwaiti passport holders can enter 96 countries without a visa or obtain visa online. Nomad Capitalist

Israeli forces have attacked Palestinian worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of Jerusalem al-Quds, detaining five people. According to Palestinian sources, the Israeli forces attacked the Muslim worshipers and fired stun grenades at them after Friday prayers, forcing the Palestinians to leave the al-Aqsa Mosque through al-Asbat Gate. The Israeli troops had also