Middle East

Abu Dhabi, Jan 17: With the number of Covid-19 cases in the country hitting a record high of 3,432 on Saturday, Abu Dhabi has once again tightened norms for entering the emirate. The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has updated procedures to enter Abu Dhabi from within the country, effective from Sunday, 17 January, as part of the proactive efforts and precautionary measures to

Riyadh, Jan 16: Saudi Arabia will soon appoint female judges in a landmark move to empower women, Hind Al-Zahid the undersecretary for women’s empowerment at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, announced on Friday. Recently, Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani issued directives to appoint 100 women notaries for facilitating judicial services for women. The ministry also

Riyadh, Jan 15: Saudi Arabia employs the best technology-driven hazard warning system on roads in the Arab world. The ranking is as part of the GCC developmental index, according to a report. The report said that the Saudi transport ministry has covered more than 58 kilometers of the continent-like country with hazard warning signs using technology that produce warning voices once a driver tends

Dubai, Jan 14: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud accused Iran of spreading havoc in the region, in a joint press conference in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. He further urged Iran to enhance the capabilities of the Iranian people instead of financing militias to destabilize the security of neighboring countries, Al-Arabiya TV reported. “The

Riyadh, Jan 14: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the kingdom offers investment opportunities worth $6 trillion over the next decade, with new projects representing half of this value, the state news agency reported, citing his speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday. The opportunities are part of the young prince's Vision 2030, aimed at ending the kingdom’s dependence on oil and

Kuwait City, Jan 12: Kuwait government ministers submitted their resignation en masse to Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah on Tuesday, the government communications office said, after lawmakers submitted a motion asking to question the premier. Sheikh Sabah must submit the government's resignation to the OPEC member state's ruler, Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, for approval.

The United States will designate Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a terrorist group, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, a late-term move that aid groups fear will worsen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. With just 10 days left before President-elect Joe Biden takes office, the announcement on Sunday could complicate the new US administration’s efforts to restart diplomacy with Iran, which has ties

Jeddah, Jan 11: The Saudi Health Ministry has said that its vaccination campaign is key to achieving herd immunity after it revealed that more than 178,000 of the Kingdom’s residents have received a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) jab. “We aim to provide the vaccine to all and build herd immunity in Saudi Arabia,” said Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly. “We believe that this is

Riyadh, Jan 9: Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Saturday received the first dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Neom city. Salman, 85, "received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine," the Arab News reported citing Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Ministry of Health Tawfiq Al-Rabiah thanked the king "who provided all types of support in the interest of citizens and residents since the

Riyadh, Jan 8: Saudi Arabia has decided to lift the temporary travel ban and resume all international flights, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday citing a statement from the Ministry of Interior. The move, which will come into force on March 31, 2021, includes the following measures: 1. Citizens will be allowed to travel outside the Kingdom and come back. 2. The temporary ban on