- Middle East
Indian accountant wins Rs 2.34 crore in Big Ticket draw after trying for 5 yrs
A Saudi Arabia-based Indian expat from Kerala has won a staggering Dirham one million (Rs 2,34,67,320) in the latest Big Ticket Abu Dhabi draw. The winner, Abdullah Sulaiman, secured the grand prize…
- Middle East
UAE announces new VAT rules for gold, diamond dealers
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced new value-added tax (VAT) rules for registered gold and diamond dealers, aimed at boosting the sector’s growth and aligning with global best practices. The Ministry…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia issues weather warning: Heavy rain, strong winds until Jan 12
Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has forecasted rainfall of varying intensities across most regions, ranging from light to moderate and heavy, starting Friday, January 10, and…
- Middle East
Saudi Crown Prince named most influential Arab leader for fourth consecutive year
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been named the most influential Arab leader of 2024, according to an online poll conducted by Arabic news channel Russia Today…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia announces minimum Iqama validity to issue final exit visa
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has announced that a resident’s ID (Iqama) must be valid for a minimum of 30 days when requesting the issuance of a final exit…
- Middle East
Dubai: Gold rates for 24, 22, & 18 carat surge
Dubai: Gold rates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), surged on Friday afternoon, January 10, with 22-carat gold exceeding Dirham 300 (Rs 7,025.55) per gram. The Dubai Jewellery Group data reported a 24-carat gold rate of…
- Middle East
Over 5.5M worshippers prayed at Prophet’s Mosque in one week
A total of 5,573,624 worshippers and visitors performed prayers last week at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. This comes amid integrated services provided by the General Authority for the Care of the…
- Middle East
Amnesty International supends Israel branch over anti-Palestinian racism
In an unprecedented decision, Amnesty International (AI) has suspended its Israel branch for two years, citing anti-Palestinian racism. AI interim chair Tiumalu Lauvale Peter Fa’afiu, quoted by The Jerusalem Post, said, “We…
- Middle East
UAE detains poet Abdul Rahman Al Qaradawi after extradition
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken Egyptian poet and dissident Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al Qaradawi into custody following his extradition from Lebanon. Abdul Rahman is accused of involvement in activities designed…
- Middle East
Video: Iranian woman pulls off cleric’s turban, dons it as hijab
Tehran: In what is being perceived as a bold act of defiance against Iran’s strict dress code enforcement, an Iranian woman was recently captured on video pulling off a cleric’s turban after…
- Middle East
Joseph Aoun elected as Lebanon President after two yrs of political deadlock
Lebanon’s parliament on Thursday, January 9, elected Joseph Aoun as the 14th president, follwing a two-year political deadlock. Aoun, who previously served as army chief, received 99 during a second round of…
- Middle East
Abu Dhabi announces new remote working rules from April 1
Abu Dhabi: The Registration Authority (RA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) announced on Thursday, January 9, new rules allowing remote hiring and more flexible working arrangements, effective April 1, 2025. The decision…
- Middle East
UAE’s first flying taxi vertiport named DXV
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced on Thursday, January 9, that the first commercial vertiport for flying taxis in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been named Dubai International Vertiport (DXV).…
- Middle East
Saudi Red Crescent handles 345,000 emergency cases in Makkah in 2024
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) medical teams deployed in the Makkah region handled 345,000 emergency cases in 2024. With 154,893 cases, medical emergencies made up the largest portion.…
- Middle East
Saudi Arabia to witness first-ever display of Kaaba’s Kiswah outside Makkah
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 will witness the first-ever public display of the entire Kiswah of the Kaaba (Ghilaf-e-Kaaba) outside Makkah. The second edition of the Biennale, titled…
