Middle East

Jeddah, Feb 27: Intolerance toward others and the wrong thinking which does not believe in diversity or freedom of choice is responsible for global conflicts, a conference of religious and cultural leaders in Vienna heard on Monday. The event was organized by the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue. Speaking at the opening session of the conference

Riyadh, Feb 26: Gen. Abdul Rahman bin Saleh Al-Bunyan, chief of staff of the Saudi armed forces, inaugurated a major defense exhibition on Sunday on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On behalf of Turkey, the guest-of-honor country at the Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities (AFED 2018), Prof. Ismail Demir, chief of the Turkish defense industry

London, Feb 23: Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of foreign affairs, said on Thursday that the nuclear deal with Iran was unacceptable because Tehran could not be trusted to not produce a nuclear bomb in the future. The so-called “sunset clause” in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) means that in eight to ten years’ time Iran could manufacture a nuclear bomb “within weeks.” Addressing

Beirut, Feb 22: Desperate residents trapped in Eastern Ghouta waited for their “turn to die” on Wednesday beneath one of the most intense bombardments of the Syrian war. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein described the assault by Syrian regime forces as a “monstrous campaign of annihilation” against the opposition-held territory on the edge of Damascus. At least 310 people have been

Riyadh, Feb 21: The Saudi Cabinet has expressed the Kingdom’s eagerness for stability in Iraq and its permanent stand with all its sects and parties based on the teachings of Islam and the two countries’ historic relations. Chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace on Tuesday, the Cabinet also announced the allocation of $1 billion for the reconstruction projects in Iraq in addition to another

London, Feb 20: Saudi Arabia is set to host its first Arab Fashion Week next month as part of a push to support aspiring Saudi designers and drive growth in the sector. Princess Noura bint Faisal, honorary president of the Arab Fashion Council (AFC), announced the news to a small group of industry insiders and journalists in London on Monday morning. Reading a letter from the General Entertainment

Israeli Army has launched airstrike against 18 targets belonging to Hamas fighters in Gaza strip and killed at least two Palestinian teenagers. The Health Ministry in Gaza identified the victims as Salam Sabah and Abdullah Abu Sheikha, both 17. Palestinian eye witnesses said the two were killed east of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza on Saturday after Israel launched a series of airstrikes and

Riyadh, Feb 18: Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fast-growing private sector. The policy change, announced by the Saudi government on Thursday, also marks a major step away from the strict guardianship system that has ruled the country for decades. "Women can now launch their own businesses

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, has labelled Iran "the greatest threat to the world" in his address to the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Comparing Iran to Nazi Germany, Netanyahu said on Sunday that Iran advocates "master faith" just like Nazi Germany used to advocate "master race". "The commander of the Revolutionary Guard, [Mohammad] Ali Jafari, said: 'We are on the path to

Makkah, Feb 17: The Haramain rail project, or “Makkah-Madinah high-speed railway,” will create more than 2,000 jobs for Saudis, according to the former director general of the Haramain train, Dr. Bassam Gholman. Gholman said 12,000 passengers would be able to travel between Makkah and Madinah every hour, providing secure and comfortable transport for pilgrims and other users. It was possible to