RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced the Direct Umrah Program, which allows companies to serve pilgrims directly, ensuring high-quality standards without intermediaries. The aim is to enhance pilgrims’ experiences through visits to historical sites linked to the Prophet’s life and discovering the Kingdom’s attractions. The program supports service providers, encouraging companies to…
Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center has completed its riyal-denominated sukuk issuance for August at SR6.018 billion ($1.60 billion), representing an 87.22 percent rise compared to July. The figure was the third highest this year, next to SR8.82 billion issued in January and SR7.39 in April. In July, Saudi Arabia concluded the issuance of the Islamic financial…
British breeders Yas Falcons sold four birds on the 10th night of the 2024 International Falcon Breeders Auction, fetching a total of $66,400. The auction featured leading breeding farms from 19 countries and took place at the Saudi Falcon Club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh. The night began with the sale of a gyr…
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanon’s health ministry said four people were killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes in the country’s south, while Hezbollah said its militants launched barrages of rockets and drones at Israeli troops.The Iran-backed Hezbollah, an ally of Palestinian armed group Hamas, has traded near daily cross-border fire with Israeli forces since the Gaza war began…
DUBAI: The Iran-backed Houthi militia has recruited as many as 10,000 children since the start of the conflict in Yemen in 2014, say human rights groups. According to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor and SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms, a civil rights organization in Yemen, the recruitment took place between 2014 and 2021. A…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister discussed with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ending the war in Gaza and developments in Sudan and Yemen during a phone call on Sunday, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said. The call between Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the top US diplomat came as Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday on a Middle East…
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has provided much-needed aid to those affected by crises and health challenges in Yemen, Sudan and Lebanon. In Yemen’s Marib governorate, the organization’s Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center Project delivered essential medical services to 521 displaced people and residents who had lost limbs, ranging from prosthetic fittings and rehabilitation to physical…
KUWAIT: A former Kuwaiti minister was referred to the public prosecution on Sunday on suspicion of facilitating the embezzlement of public funds and causing “harm to the state’s finances.” The Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority announced the step as it vowed to continue its fight to protect public funds and thanked “whistleblowers” for providing information that led…
Muscat: Oman Airports has announced changes to its passenger boarding system (PBS) at Muscat International Airport, effective August 4th. Passengers must now report to the electronic boarding gates at least 40 minutes before their flight departure time, and access to boarding gates will be restricted after the 40-minute mark. Check-in procedures remain unchanged and will…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s real estate price index edged up by 1.7 percent in the second quarter of 2024, compared to the same period last year, driven by a surge in residential sector costs, official data showed. According to the General Authority for Statistics, housing sector prices increased by 2.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter,…
