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NEW YORK: Palestinians are “facing a precipice” in Gaza, the top UN refugee official there told the Security Council on Thursday in a strongly-worded appeal for action.With more than 220,000 Palestinians already sheltering in UN facilities — four times the number from the last Gaza conflict in 2008-2009 — Philippe Krahenbuhl said he had reached breaking point.“I believe the population is facing a precipice and appeal to the international community to take the steps necessary to address this extreme situation,” the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA told the 15-member council.“We have exceeded the tolerable limit that we can accommodate,” Krahenbuhl said, adding that he was “alarmed” by the latest Israeli instructions to civilians to evacuate two areas in Gaza targeted for more attacks.“It is past time for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire as called for by the council...

Makkah governor orders confiscation of fake Qur'an copi...

Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, governor of Makkah province, has ordered the confiscation of "perverted...

Manila evacuating 13,000 from Libya after beheading, rape

TRIPOLI: The Philippines is preparing to evacuate 13,000 citizens from Libya as violence continued t...

Yemen repatriates 8 Saudi Al-Qaeda suspects

Yemen has repatriated eight Saudis wanted for suspected links with Al-Qaeda in the second handover of its kind since February, said Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Al-Turki on Thursday.“The Kingdom has received eight Saudis wanted for joining Al-Qaeda in Yemen,” he said. “The move comes as part of joint security operations between the two countries and the suspects will be tried in accordance with Saudi laws.”Two of t...

Thousands await kidney donors

More than 3,000 kidney patients were on the transplant waiting list at the end of 2013, while around 2,570 patients are set to undergo surgery, said Faisal Shaheen, an internal medicine and kidney consultant and director of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.“A total of 7,360 patients are in the follow-up phase after undergoing successful surgical procedures, of whom 2,500 are going for review at Health Ministry h...

SAUDI ARABIA »

Jeddah records high number of violations at female workplace...

Jeddah has surpassed other cities in the number of violations reported against female workshops, with close to 3,000 violations recorded in one year. Municipalities in Riyadh and the Eastern Region reported 4,000 violations over three years.A spokesman for Jeddah Municipality stated that female insp...

Saudis spend SR5.4 billion on perfumes

The value of consumption of perfumes in the Gulf region throughout the year exceeded SR12 billion, with the Saudi market accounting for more than half — SR5.4 billion — throughout the year. In total, people in the Gulf region spend around SR45 billion on cosmetics, perfumes, oud and bukhoor, Makkah newspaper reported.Accord...

Firefighters rescue two girls in apartment fire

Firefighters rescued two young girls who were trapped inside their apartment after a fire broke out in a five-story building in the Samer District in eastern Jeddah on Wednesday evening. “Two girls, who were trapped inside their room on the fourth floor, were crying loudly as they inhaled smoke and carbon dioxide,” said Col...

Umrah season sees more visitors despite reduced visa numbers

Although Umrah pilgrim quotas for various countries remain reduced this year, including in Ramadan, the flow of visitors to Makkah remained high. The holy city witnessed an increased number of pilgrims from within the Kingdom during the fasting month.The Ministry of Haj has said that over 6 million Umrah pilgrims visited th...

Nazaha to probe local sports bodies

The National Anti-Corruption Commission, Nazaha, intends to probe Saudi sport clubs, the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and financial departments affiliated with the General Presidency for Youth Welfare in a bid to ensure they are free of corruption, a official told a local media. Nazaha will review their financial stateme...

Eid holidays help expats bond with family members

Muslims of various nationalities in the KIngdom have expressed happiness at having celebrated Eid which has become an integral part of life in the Kingdom with many saying that they experienced a sense of self-fulfillment.“It is an excellent opportunity for bonding with the family on the one hand, and strengthening relation...

Highway tragedy: 2 women killed

For two Riyadh-based Indian families, their return journey from Dammam after celebrating the Eid Al-Fitr holidays turned into a nightmare when the car they were traveling in overturned, killing two women on the spot, on Thursday morning.Riyaz and Rashid, family friends from the southern Indian state of Kerala, had planned a...

Fire guts restaurant in Riyadh

A massive fire ripped through a restaurant in the Riyadh’s Olayya district early Thursday, causing huge property losses.Describing it as a “massive fire,” eyewitnesses near the site told Arab News that the building was evacuated while firefighters from the Civil Defense and Red Crescent contained the huge blaze engulfing th...

Delhi confirms Saudi ban on import of Indian pepper

New Delhi has confirmed that Saudi authorities have imposed a ban on the import of pepper from India.“Saudi authorities have decided to impose temporary ban on the import of all types of pepper from India with effect from May 30,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to parliamentarians....

Palestinian expats call for support to Gaza brethren

A large number of Palestinians living in the Kingdom have urged the international community to stand in solidarity with their brethren in Gaza as the Palestinian death toll passed 1,374 on Thursday, the 24th day of the Israeli assault. Ahmed Magi Balshi, a Palestinian Medical Consultant (ICU), in King Saud Medical City, Riy...

Commercial building gutted in Jubail

A huge fire gutted a commercial building on a busy street in Jubail’s downtown area on Wednesday.The area, which is crowded with workers and various shops for electronic and electric devices, in addition to textile shops lining both sides of the street, was a scene of panic among shoppers and drivers alike.People heard expl...

Bridge near KAIA to be removed in 2 months

The bridge near King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) will be removed within two months to make way for new railway tracks under the Haramain High Speed Rail Project.“The tracks will pass through several intersections along the Haramain and Nuzha roads,” said Bassam Ghulman, project director.“Intersections are slated...

No decline seen in camaraderie among neighbors during Eid

There is the age-old practice in cities and villages of taking meals to the nearest neighborhoods on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr. Men of the neighborhood meet with each other and exchange Eid greetings soon after the Eid prayers and they together share the meals.This social tradition still exists despite the many factors t...

» UNWTO lauds Saudi law to protect...

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» KFIP gets world’s largest desal...

» Stranded Indian family marks end of...

» Indian Eid program toned down in...

» Wife of BIS official dies in road...

» Overseas Saudi students find...

» Scholarship student set to be cleared...

» Police officer stabbed to death in...

» Ukrainian Embassy: Russian-backed...

» Sharif eyes Saudi investment

» Riyadh boy’s death sparks alert on...

MIDDLE EAST »

Hitler-like fascism! Erdogan raps Israel

ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday launched one of...

Zionist crimes continue in Gaza

Despite global outcry over Israeli aggression, unspeakable Zionist crimes contin...

Shelling, clashes between militias resume in Tripoli

TRIPOLI: Heavy shelling resumed on Thursday in southern Tripoli where rival mili...

Turkish women ‘laugh’ off leader’s remarks

ISTANBUL: Hundreds of Turkish women posted pictures of themselves laughing on Tw...

Former Palestinian midfielder killed in Israeli shelling

GAZA, Palestinian Territories: Ahed Zaqout, a former Palestinian national team p...

WORLD »

Bolivia declares Israel a terrorist state

LA PAZ: Bolivia on Wednesday renounced a visa exemption agreement with Israel in...

Imam of China’s biggest mosque killed in Xinjiang

BEIJING: The head of a China’s largest mosque was murdered after conducting morn...

Winners of Magsaysay Awards announced

MANILA, Philippines: A Chinese investigative journalist whose work has led to th...

Snowden’s asylum status expires in Russia

MOSCOW: Fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden’s year-long leave to stay in Ru...

India raps ‘unacceptable’ American surveillance

NEW DELHI: India’s foreign minister told her visiting counterpart John Kerry on...

SPORTS »

Yogeshwar, Babita win wrestling golds for India

GLASGOW: Olympic bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt won the fifth wrestling gold med...

Serena on song in WTA return at Stanford

STANFORD, California: Serena Williams put a worrying Wimbledon behind her Wednes...

Berdych, Raonic triumph, Isner falls at Washington

WASHINGTON: Czech top seed Tomas Berdych and Wimbledon semifinalist Milos Raonic...

Female athletes deserve more attention

A couple of news stories have me wondering about women’s sports.The Tour de Fran...

Dodgers beat Braves 3-2 for 5th straight win

LOS ANGELES: Matt Kemp singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inni...

ECONOMY »

Mideast funds bullish on Kingdom, bearish on UAE

JEDDAH: Middle East funds are heavily bullish toward Saudi Arabian stocks after news the market will open to direct foreign investment, while they are bearish on the Unit...

Italy's Eni posts 51-percent Q2 profit rise

MILAN: Italian energy giant Eni raised net profit by half in the second-quarter it reported, driven by a significant increase in cash flow from the renegotiation of long-term gas supply contracts.The company posted a net profit up 51.0 percent from the same time last year at 868 million euros ($1.16 billion), while net sale...

Exxon profit surges, but production slips

NEW YORK: Exxon Mobil Corp. net income rose 28 percent in the second quarter on a sale of Asian assets and higher oil prices, but oil and gas production slipped 6 percent, disappointing analysts.On Thursday, Exxon reported net income of $8.78 billion in the second quarter on revenue of $111.65 billion. Last year during the...

Smartphone management flaws puts users at risk, researchers say

VIENNA: Security researchers have revealed two separate threats this week they say could put up to 90 percent of the world’s 2 billion plus smartphones at risk of password theft, stolen data and in some cases let hackers take full control of devices.One vulnerability involves flaws in the way scores of manufacturers of Appl...

Shell quarterly profit beats forecasts despite impairments

LONDON: Royal Dutch Shell Plc reported a 33 percent increase in quarterly earnings, beating analyst forecasts despite impairments of almost $2 billion after producing more liquids and selling at higher prices.The Anglo-Dutch oil company also raised its quarterly dividend and said the value of its share buybacks and dividend...

Japan electronics giants on profit path

TOKYO: Sony and Panasonic have posted quarterly profits as the pair try to put years of losses behind them, but analysts warned that the firms still had work to do in overhauling their bloated businesses.Japan’s electronics sector has been battered by fierce competition from lower-cost rivals, a shrinking domestic market an...

Toshiba Q1 net profit surges 68.7%

TOKYO: Toshiba said its first-quarter net profit climbed 68.7 percent due to brisk sales in infrastructure business and PCs in Japan.In the three-month period to June, Toshiba posted a net profit of 8.9 billion yen ($87 million), a 68.7 percent jump from a year earlier.Operating profit surged 57.1 percent to 39.5 billion ye...

Samsung posts 19.6% fall in Q2 net profit

SEOUL: Samsung said net profit plunged almost 20 percent in the second quarter as competition from cheap Chinese phones and the strong won saw sales slump in its key mobile business.The South Korean electronics giant said net profit came in at 6.25 trillion won ($6.1 billion), down 19.6 percent in the first on-year decline...

Amazon to invest $2bn to expand in India

MUMBAI: The world’s largest online retailer is facing off in India against a new name in e-commerce that was founded by former Amazon employees.Amazon.com Inc. said it will invest $2 billion to expand its Indian business, a day after local rival Flipkart raised $1 billion to fund its own expansion.Launched last year, Amazon...

Mobily Wajid offers free lines to family members

Mobily continues to provide its extraordinary offer to the new subscribers of Wajid that provides discounts and privileges to all family members.The new Wajid Extra and Plus subscribers can enjoy a discount up to 50 percent on the subscription fees of the first month, in addition to the free additional lines it offers; thre...

Twitter surges on user growth figures

NEW YORK: Twitter shares surged in morning trade after the messaging platform eased investor concerns with a quarterly report showing strong user growth and robust revenues.In the first half hour of trading, Twitter rallied 20 percent to $46.15, the highest levels since March.The company’s shares were up 27 percent at $48.9...

US crude inventories fall more than forecast

NEW YORK: US crude stocks fell more than forecast last week, while gasoline and distillate inventories rose less than expected, the Energy Information Administration reported.Crude inventories fell 3.7 million barrels in the last week, compared with analysts’ expectations for a decrease of 1.5 million barrels.Crude stocks a...

Osram cuts 7,800 jobs as sales of traditional bulb drop faster

MUNICH: Osram AG, the world’s second-biggest lighting company, will cut an additional 7,800 jobs to safeguard earnings amid a faster-than-expected decline in sales of traditional bulbs.The layoffs will help Osram save 260 million euros ($349 million) in annual costs through 2017, the Munich-based company said in a statement...

OPINION »

K.P. Fabian

Israeli impunity and global helplessness

It IS difficult, almost impossible, to envisage an early negotiated cease-fire t...

Christopher R. Hill

Middle East’s cycle of violence

In a region where crises seem to be the norm, the Middle East’s latest cycle of...

Sabria Jawhar

It is time to fight extremism

For many Saudis the idea of extremism in Saudi Arabia disappeared when the Minis...

Bikram Vohra

Other Side of the Mirror: On being computer-umped

I am absolutely convinced that the computer industry has us reduced to being vic...

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ART & CULTURE »

Al-Athr showcases abstract and geometry...

Jeddah’s Al-Athr Gallery is hosting the abstract and geometry inspired work of 40 local and international artists until Oct. 10.
The gallery opened its door in 2009 and has already displayed the work of some leading artists.
The theme of this exhibition is entitled “The Language of Human Consciousness,” and explores how artists over th...

Street art to serve society

Dana Eshki’s emotionally inspi...

Clash of two worlds: Calligraf...

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY »

Facebook unveils free Internet app, star...

NEW YORK: Facebook on Thursday unveiled an app to allow people around the world with mobile phones but no Internet access to access online services for health, education and basic communications.
The Internet.org app is being released first in Zambia, and is to be rolled out in other countries where Internet access is lacking or unaffordabl...

More mysterious craters found...

NASA rover breaks off-Earth di...

German scientist starts 4-week...

FASHION »

Saudis spend SR5.4 billion on perfumes

The value of consumption of perfumes in the Gulf region throughout the year exceeded SR12 billion, with the Saudi market accounting for more than half — SR5.4 billion — throughout the year. In total, people in the Gulf region spend around SR45 billion on cosmetics, perfumes, oud and bukhoor, Makkah newspaper reported.
According to Mohammed...

Hermes names new womenswear de...

Eid gift ideas for the loved o...

Mishael Al-Rajhi designs for s...

TRAVEL »

UNWTO lauds Saudi law to protect heritag...

The United Nation’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has applauded Saudi Arabia’s new monuments system, a legislation aimed at protecting national heritage and antiquities.
The Kingdom recently joined the selected league of countries to set up a system for the monuments and became one of the first Arab countries to set up a monuments syst...

4-day Eid festival planned

Balad takes on a festive mood...

Naxos island: A glimmer among...

FOOD & HEALTH »

Thousands await kidney donors

More than 3,000 kidney patients were on the transplant waiting list at the end of 2013, while around 2,570 patients are set to undergo surgery, said Faisal Shaheen, an internal medicine and kidney consultant and director of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation.“A total of 7,360 patients are in the follow-up phase after undergoing successful surgical procedures, of whom 2,500 are going for review at Health Ministry hospitals and 4,700 in government sector hospitals not affiliated with the ministry, while only a marginal 160 cases follow up on their surgical procedures privately,” he said. “There is an 11-percent mortality rate among kidney transplant patients,” said Shaheen.“There are...

E-cigarette ban sought: Decades of education against smoking...

A prominent professor at King Saud University (KSU) has called for a ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, especially to those under the age of 18.Sultan Ayoub Meo, a professor at the KSU’s College of Medicine, told Arab News on Friday that e-cigarette smoking should be regulated in the same way as traditional cigarettes. “Retail outlets, including pharmacies, must not be allowed to sell it to children and adolescents,” he said.E-cigarettes, which generate a vapor containing nicotine as a tobacco substitute, were initially released as a device to help smokers quit, but Meo fears “the huge rise in users could normalize smoking, and undo decades of anti-smoking education and campaigning.”He...

Study: Sleeping habits affect ethics

Do you consider yourself an ethical person? Chances are you answered “yes.” But new research suggests that our ability to act honestly in a given situation depends, in part, on the time of day. A study forthcoming in the journal Psychological Science finds that early-risers, or “larks,” are more likely to act dishonestly in the late evening hours. Night owls, on the other hand, exhibit a tendency toward ethical lapses early in the morning.Most of us are hard-wired to go to sleep and wake up at certain times of day. Some of us go to bed early to wake up early, while others prefer to stay up late and wake up late. Many of us fall somewhere in between. Researchers refer to this preference for...

OFFBEAT »

Fake Bieber promoter sentenced to prison

LOS ANGELES: A New York man was sentenced to between five and 10 years in prison for stealing millions of dollars by pre...

Who is copying Sanjay Dutt?

MUMBAI: One may expect that Akhil Kapur, the youngster who makes his debut in “Desi Kattey,” would model himself on Vinod Khanna, considering the fact that he is nephew of the veteran actor. However, according to glamsham.com, his act in Anand Kumar directed film is said to be on the lines of Sanjay Dutt, who has forever been known for his style and personality.“One look at Akhil and you can see that he has modeled himself on the lines of Sanjay Dutt,” comments an insider, “With the kind of built he has, the physique that he boasts, the body language that he carries and especially the look he...

US gourmet burger spot puts donut in its place

WASHINGTON: It’s a marriage made in gourmet burger heaven: A five-ounce, all-beef patty dripping with cheddar cheese and fried onions — served between a glazed donut.Specialty burger restaurant PYT in Philadelphia says its limited edition Donut Cheesesteak Burger is a novelty take on the city’s signature classic, the Philly cheesesteak sandwich.“It definitely has sweet and savory elements to it,” executive chef Kim Malcolm told AFP by telephone.“The donut is sweet, but not overpoweringly so, and the real beefy flavor cuts through.”On the menu as PYT’s “burger of the week,” the $15 creation is...