Riyadh: Conservative Kingdom Saudi Arabia is planning to boost its economy beyond its reliance on Oil. As part of the measures, the Kingdom has planned to issue tourist visas from 2018. Previously, visas were restricted to only those who work in the country and to Muslim pilgrims visiting the Hol

Saudi Arabia banned visitors from taking photos and videos at Islam's two holiest mosques, a statement said Thursday. According to the Saudi General Directorate of Press and Information, the decision to prohibit photos and videos in Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, known as the Great Mosque of Mecca, and

After six days of non-stop search operations involving the police authorities of two countries, the body of Albert Joy, who has been missing since November 16 was found in neighbouring Oman. The teenager's body was washed away by rainwater in Wadi Sheis in the eastern region of Sharjah last Thurs

Jeddah(Saudi Arabia): Heavy rain hits Jeddah today, flooding streets and closing schools and universities in the Saudi city. Prince Khalid Al Faisal, governor of Makkah province and advisor to Saudi King Salman, was seen out checking the rain-soaked roads and urban areas. One video showed his con

RIYADH: In the on-going saudi round-up, dozens of Trading accounts of Saudis accused of corruption have been frozen, and fears of off-shore accounts being freezed grow among the Kingdom’s rich section. These trading accounts were blocked at the request of the Saudi government’s financial regulatory

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to step down and announce his 32-year-old son, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman as his successor next week, as per the sources.   The 81-year-old king will remain as a ceremonial figurehead, while the official leadership would be handed over to Prince Mo

Ajman: Ruler of Ajman Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi and also Supreme Council member on Monday has offered to adopt two Syrian refugee siblings. The video of the girl Reem gladly accepting his Sheikh Humaid’s offer has gone viral on social media. Sheikh Humaid during his visit to Syrian re

The Federal National Council has passed a new draft law imposing fines and jail term on anyone holding religious lectures and lessons or memorisation of the Holy Quran gatherings without approval. The new draft law to the effect was passed on Tuesday. A prison sentence and/or a fine will be ha

Dubai: Ahead of the much awaited Dubai shopping festival, the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has announced a three-day sale all over Dubai which is scheduled for 23 to 25 November 2017. The sale will be offering discounts from 30 – 90 percent on the famous brands that include Har

Bahrain said the explosion which caused a fire at its main oil pipeline on Friday was caused by “terrorist” sabotage, linking the unprecedented attack to its arch-foe Iran, which denies any role in the Gulf island kingdom’s unrest. A key Western ally and host to the US Fifth Fleet, Sunni Muslim-r

Jubail [Saudi Arabia]: The Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia has not been affected by the family fees imposed on the dependents of expatriates. A huge number of the Indian expatriates came to the kingdom without their families; therefore, the new family fees imposed has minimal effect on them, repo

Beirut: Lebanon’s president urged Saudi Arabia today to explain why Saad Hariri had not returned to Beirut since his surprise resignation as prime minister a week ago. Hariri announced on November 4 in a televised statement from Riyadh that he would be stepping down from the post, sending shock w

RIYADH: Among those caught in the unprecedented arrests this week of top princes, wealthy businessmen and senior officials was the scion of one of Saudi Arabia’s most recognizable families: Bakr Binladin, the chairman of the kingdom’s pre-eminent contractor and Osama bin Laden’s half-brother. It

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday roundly rejected reports that a prominent prince had been killed in a sweeping anti-corruption purge of the kingdom’s elite. Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd, a son of the late king Fahd, was rumoured to have been killed in custody or while resisting arrest amid the crack

Sanaa: At least 50 people, including civilians, were killed and injured in fresh Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on a village in Yemen’s northwest province of Hajjah on Tuesday, a provincial security official and medics said. The airstrikes targeted Harran village, which is located about 30 km sou

Asir [Saudi Arabia]: A Saudi Arabian prince, Mansour bin Muqrin, has been killed, along with seven officials, in a helicopter crash near the country’s border with Yemen. Eight people were on board the helicopter and none are believed to have survived the crash, the local media reported. The ne

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia]: A new Saudi anti-corruption committee has detained 11 princes, four sitting ministers and dozens of former ministers. According to The New York Times, arrests include Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The committee is headed by Crown PrinceAccording to Dubai-based Saudi broadca

Riyadh: An earthquake of magnitude 4 hits Al-Namas governorate in ‘Asir Province, Saudi Arabia on 3rd November. According to news published in Khaleej Times, the Saudi Geological Survey said that an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 on the Richter Scale was recorded. Speaking on this incident,