Business leaders: New Nitaqat quotas ‘difficult to implement...
Businesspeople say the new Saudization quotas the Labor Ministry is introducing on April 20 would be difficult to implement because of a lack of skilled Saudi workers in the job market, with some calling for a delay of between one to three years.Under the third phase of the Nitaqat program announced by the ministry, the Saudization quotas for big firms would be increased from 25 to 41 percent, the same as the retail and wholesale trade sector, while it would be raised from 29 to 66 percent for big groups.“The ministry’s announcement has caused deep concern among companies because of a lack of qualified Saudi workers to fulfill the Nitaqat conditions during the specified period,” said Ibrahim Batterjee, chairman of the industrial committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).Batterjee said the implementation of Phase 3 of the Nitaqat program for downstream industries is...
Women victims in 45% of domestic violence cases
Women were the victims in 45 percent of domestic violence cases filed with the Ministry of Justice o...
Buying cars online a dodgy business
The Interior Ministry has warned consumers that they should be wary of buying cars online because of...
Saudi, US position on Iran N-crisis unchanged
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and US President Barack Obama tackled a range of sensitive regional issues Tuesday during Obama’s visit to Riyadh. The king highlighted the Saudi stance on Iran, which, he said, should not be allowed to acquire nuclear power. King Salman also sought support to solve the Israeli-Arab conflict during the hour-long talks with Obama. “The two leaders discussed the Iranian nuclear...
Absenteeism to be dealt with iron fist
Around 75,000 government employees did not show up at their work places last year, according to a report presented by the Control and Investigation Board at the Shoura Council. Of the 74,879 absentees, the largest number was from the Ministry of Education, followed by the Ministries of Islamic Affairs, Health, Municipality, Justice and Higher Education, the report said.Muna Al-Mushait, a Shoura member, urged the governmen...

SAUDI ARABIA »

Riyadh one of world's 50 safest cities
Riyadh ranked 46th in the list of the world’s 50 safest cities for 2015, with Tokyo topping the list and Jakarta trailing at the end, according to the annual report drafted by The Economist magazine. In its evaluation of the 50 safest cities, The Economist used four indicators including the quality...
Detours irk Jeddah motorists
Drivers here are complaining that newly created detours on the city’s roads are causing more congestion than ever before.Most of the problems are caused by those set up by the traffic department on the Haramain Road to allow for the construction of the high-speed railway, they told Arab News recently.Maj. Gen. Wasalullah Al...
Riyadh residents deplore lack of parking spaces at KKIA
Residents of the Saudi capital have complained of lack of parking spots at the King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) at certain times of the day.“It’s probably high time concerned authorities devised ways to provide parking spots available at any time of the day to motorists ,” said Mohammed Haider, a Pakistani.He said t...
4-week drive to cut down on energy consumption
The Saudi Energy Efficiency Center (SEEC) plans to launch a four-week awareness campaign next month, which aims to increase the awareness of motorists regarding fuel consumption of their cars, local media said.The campaign is primarily intended to focus on the importance of raising the level of energy efficiency in the land...
Project to raise standard of Saudi public schools
The newly formed Public Education Evaluation Commission (PEEC) will launch on Sunday its first project on the national education curriculum standards for public schools.The event at Al-Faisaliah Hotel will be attended by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, minister of education, according to a source from PEEC.Conducted under the them...
Flood orphan ‘adopted’ by royal family
She was barely 13 years of age when the devastating floods in Jeddah a few years ago killed eight members of her family.Aseela Al-Otaibi was grief-stricken, but assistance and love came in the form of the late King Abdullah, late Crown Prince Sultan and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, who together gave her SR...
Help sought for bedridden child
The family of a sick child here has launched an appeal for funds to help pay for his treatment overseas.Saud Muhammad Abdullah Al-Zahrani, the five-year-old boy, has been virtually bedridden since birth. The father of the youngster claims that mistakes were made by doctors at a hospital in Al-Baha that resulted in his condi...
35 years in prison for Saudi man in Vegas case
LAS VEGAS: A Saudi Arabian air force sergeant who arrived in Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve two years ago may never get to leave Nevada after being sentenced Wednesday to a minimum of 35 years in state prison for kidnapping and sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy at a Las Vegas Strip hotel.Mazen Alotaibi, 25, stared at the cou...
Driver takes burning truck to fire station
The driver of a burning waste truck managed to move it to the nearest Civil Defense squad in Al-Jamoum. The driver noticed flames and fumes coming out of the waste compression unit of the truck so he headed for the nearest Civil Defense site in the governorate, asking for help. Civil Defense officers managed to extinguish t...
3 expats detained with 16 kg gold
Makkah police have arrested three expatriates for being in possession of 16 kg gold without proper documentation. Officers stopped the men because they were driving suspiciously in a luxury 2011 vehicle. The three men are all Yemeni nationals. When police searched the vehicle, they found a diplomatic suitcase containing the...
Drug smuggler executed
A Pakistani national was executed on Tuesday for smuggling drugs into the Kingdom. Latif Khan Noor Zada was arrested in Jeddah with a large amount of heroin, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The man was referred to the General Court, which convicted him of drug smuggling on evidence furnished by the prosecutors an...
Saudi Customs keep country safe from drugs
Saudi Customs have revealed that they seized a total of 56 million narcotic pills in 2014 besides huge quantities of alcohol. The disclosure was made on the occasion of the International Customs Day which was observed on Monday.Saudi Customs have shown distinguished participation in the field through the translation of docu...
Horse set on fire in Tabuk
An unidentified person allegedly poured gasoline on a horse and set it aflame at a rest house in Haql, Tabuk recently. The horse received severe burns and the owner’s tent at the rest house was reduced to ashes. Horse owner Khaled Al-Shamsan, who was out of the province at the time, said his horse, worth more than SR50,000,...
» Justice Ministry portal to ease...
» Primary school pupils boycott classes...
» Shoura OKs executive body to deal...
» English proficiency tests launched in...
» New envoy to bolster Saudi-Irish ties
» Young man held for blackmailing woman...
» Mobile scales to help monitor cargo...
» Filipinos in Al-Khafji register for...
» Workshop offers jobs for women
» Obama visit to boost relations
» Mawhiba leads the way for the youth
» Customs intensifies bomb and drug...

MIDDLE EAST »

Massive destruction in Kobani after Kurds win
KOBANI: Rubble strewn streets, gutted buildings: The ferocious battle for the Sy...
Hezbollah will pay ‘full price’ for deadly attack: Israel

MAJIDIYA, Lebanon: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Lebanon’s Hezbollah...

Jordan offers to free female militant if IS releases pilot

AMMAN: Jordan offered Wednesday to free a female terrorists in exchange for a Jo...

Syrian, Iraqi refugees’ plight moves Jolie

DOHUK, Iraq: Actress Angelina Jolie, the special envoy for the United Nations Re...

French govt warns would-be jihadis: ‘You will die alone’

PARIS: "You will discover hell on earth, and will die alone” — that is the stark...

WORLD »

Biden: More costs for Russia unless Moscow changes course
WASHINGTON: Vice President Joe Biden says Russia must face increasing penalties...
Dozen killed in Mali attack

BAMAKO: An attack overnight in northern Mali by a pro-government armed group inc...

Sri Lanka reinstates impeached chief justice

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new president on Wednesday restored the country’s former ch...

Philippines says peace agreement collapse would aid insurgents

MANILA/CAMP DARAPANAN: Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged legislators on...

India sends FM to China after US president’s visit

NEW DELHI: India’s foreign minister will travel to China this weekend, New Delhi...

SPORTS »

Ocampo, Castro lift Talk ‘N Text to victory
MANILA: It was exciting the way it went down, but Talk ‘N Text coach Jong Uichic...
Rose hits winner as Bulls end Warriors’ 19-game home streak

OAKLAND, California: Derrick Rose hit a step-back jumper with 7 seconds remainin...

Woods tries to put focus back on golf

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona: Tiger Woods had a full set of teeth and was chomping at the...

1st Hyundai Golf Tournament tomorrow at Nofa

Coming on the heels of a first major event, Nofa Golf Resort unveils its first t...

Top names teeing off at Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI: Three of the top-five ranked players in the world will head a stellar fie...

ECONOMY »

Tadawul: Petchems, banks surge again on strong volume
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s stock market gained strongly for a second straight day as oil prices rebounded from the day’s lows, reinforcing a growing perception among investor...
After setting iPhone record, what does Apple do next?
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple CEO Tim Cook says consumer demand for new iPhones has been “staggering” and “hard to comprehend.” That helped the company report record-smashing earnings for its latest quarter and primed its stock for a rally on Wednesday.But after selling a record 74.5 million iPhones in three months that ended in Dec...
Arab Health 2015: New MRI solutions to boost patient comfort
Royal Philips has announced the launch of Ingenia 1.5T S at Arab Health 2015, a new MRI system designed for “First Time Right” imaging and for faster workflow, while enhancing the patient’s experience during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations.Philips will showcase its Ingenia 1.5T S solution at the Sheikh SaaedHa...
Dusseldorf and Madrid set for Emirates A380 flights
Emirates, a global connector of people, places and economies, has announced the launch of A380 services to two European destinations: Dusseldorf and Madrid. For both cities, Emirates will be the first airline to operate a scheduled A380 service, offering an unmatched travel experience to business and leisure travelers alike...
Singapore eases monetary policy in surprise move
SINGAPORE: Singapore has become the latest country to ease monetary policy in a surprise move as plunging oil prices hit inflation and the central bank looks to boost the tepid economy.The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city-state’s central bank, said it would slow the appreciation of the local dollar against a...
Profits of Saudi cement firms rise 6% to SR5.9bn
Net profits of the listed cement firms grew by 6 percent to reach SR5.9 billion in 2014 compared to SR5.6 billion in 2013, according to a financial report.Meanwhile, profits of the fourth quarter (2014) grew by 31 percent to SR 1.44 billion compared to SR 1.1 billion in the same period last year, the report, filed by Aleqte...
Yahoo announces tax-free spinoff of Alibaba stake
NEW YORK: Yahoo is spinning off its stake in Chinese Internet giant Alibaba, splitting off the valuable holdings in a move that sidesteps taxes.The strategy aims to deliver more cash for shareholders than an outright sale of the $40-billion stake, avoiding a hefty tax bill, and to help Yahoo's efforts to refocus under chief...
Apple profit hits record on ‘staggering’ iPhone sales
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple’s quarterly profit rocketed to a corporate record $18 billion at the end of last year on booming sales of big-screen iPhone models, especially in China.The California tech titan also announced that it had sold its one billionth device powered by its iOS mobile operating system, on a day of dizzying figu...
4% petchem surge spurs Saudi market
The smooth transition in Saudi Arabia with Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman ascending the throne is expected to have a positive impact on the local stock market in the coming weeks, say Saudi economists.The market has perceived the recent developments in a positive light, they said.“The pledge of allegiance by the...
Expert urges global firms to be ready for any crisis
What the world faces today affects corporate strategies, says Patrick Dixon, a futurist and chairman of trends forecasting company Global Change.He held out this warning toward the end of the 8th Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF-2015).Companies will have to act speedily in providing jobs in the future, and to develop alter...
Gulf states ‘may need to rethink monetary policy’
DUBAI: Gulf Arab oil states may need to rethink longstanding economic policies, including their fixed exchange rates, over the next five to 10 years as economic cycles in the region and the US diverge, a senior Qatar central bank official said in a research paper.The GCC nations have pegged their currencies to the US dollar...
Zain Saudi gets regulator nod for second capital cut
JEDDAH: Zain Saudi has received regulatory approval to cut its capital for a second time, a move common in Saudi Arabia to offset accumulated losses, the telecom operator said.The company, 37 percent owned by Kuwait’s Zain, has yet to make a quarterly profit since launching service in 2008, having paid about SR23 billion ($...
Industrial Investment and petchem sectors in limelight
The Saudi stock market ended Tuesday’s trading session solidly in the green. The benchmark Tadawul All-Share Index posted its largest intra-day increase of 2015, adding 206 points or 2.43 percent to close at 8,686.16.TASI’s year-to-date collection reached 4.23 percent on Tuesday. Large cap with 2.61 percent upward jump rema...

OPINION »

Sabria S. Jawhar
Testimony to KSA’s significance
President Barack Obama’s high-profile, bi-partisan delegation to Riyadh this wee...
António Guterres
Aid in a world of crisis
Never in the 64-year history of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has it...
Dan Steinbock
The decline of US military innovation
THE United States is at risk of losing its military edge. America’s armed forces...
Rajeev Sharma
Spoiling Modi’s party
AFTER his trip to the United States last September when Indian Prime Minister Na...

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ART & CULTURE »

Telling ‘The Story of Kamin’ — one pen s...

It takes imagination, time, patience and a lot of creativity to create a piece of art. A canvas, a freshly painted white wall, a restaurant napkin or on the side panels of a notebook can all be materials to create something amazing after a moment or two of inspiration. For some, the act of creativity is an innate feeling and it can result in ama...
Abdullah Qandeel’s art: A thin...
Purists alarmed at increasing...
Filipino wins in photo expo
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY »

Facebook, Instagram suffer global outage

PARIS: Facebook, the world’s most popular social network, and its Instagram photo-sharing site were interrupted temporarily Tuesday, provoking panic, rumors of a hack, and jokes of how more than one billion users were struggling to cope.
“This was not the result of a third party attack,” Facebook said in a statement after its services were...
Cosmic puzzle settled: Comets...
Turn your smartphone into a sc...
KSA’s digital generation
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FASHION »

Hatem Al-Akeel: Revolutionizing the humb...

Knowledge is key in the fashion industry. Knowing what works and what doesn’t is what helps improve a designer in their quest for innovative designs. Inspired by different cultures, attentive to the latest in the fashion world and keen on details is what defines Hatem Al-Akeel. Coming from no background in design, he ventured in the world with h...
Anton Heunis: The hawk-eyed je...
Hair masks: Top 10 tips for lo...
Argan oil: The Moroccan ‘liqui...

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TRAVEL »

Discovering the Kingdom

Historical monuments and sites can be found throughout Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom has many attractions designed for those who want to know more about the country. The Kingdom offers several tourist places such as atmospheric souqs and villages reflecting the heritage and culture of Saudi Arabia.
This place is more than a harsh desert. We hav...
SCTA suspends ongoing tourism...
Tourist arrivals in Jeddah inc...
Japan’s modern architecture on...
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FOOD & HEALTH »

California declares electronic cigarettes a health threat
SACRAMENTO, California: California health officials say electronic cigarettes are a health threat, especially to children, and should be strictly regulated like tobacco products.A report released Wednesday by the California Department of Public Health says e-cigarettes emit cancer-causing chemicals and get users hooked on nicotine. California Health Officer Ron Chapman says new generations of young people will become nicotine addicts if the products remain largely unregulated.E-cigarettes heat liquid nicotine from cartridges into inhalable vapor without tar and other chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. E-cigarette makers say their products are far safer than tobacco.Other states...
You quit smoking, now what?
Ever wondered what happens after you quit smoking? Many people fall back and get back to their bad habits. There are many reasons for this, some of which are mental while others are physical.We just found out about smoking detox where you can literally detox cigarettes out of your body. “This can only be assisted by controlling what you eat and drink on a daily basis. To be able to get the maximum benefit out of this type of detox, begin by quitting cigarettes right on the spot,” said pulmonologist Dr. Khalil Saad. “Your body will take its time to fully recover and this could take up to a period of years. Smoking is very harmful and your body cannot kick out the toxins in a short period of...
Our kids’ bodies contaminated with chemicals (Part 12)
In the last two articles, Parts 10 and 11, I revealed to you the many toxic aspects of fast foods. Children are exposed to myriads of synthetic chemicals, high amounts of simple sugars, salts, artificial sweeteners, and trans fat, which the fast food and beverage industries add to hamburgers, fries, frying oils, ice-creams, sodas, soft and energy drinks, snack bars, and others to enhance flavor, texture, consistency, color, and more. Their ploy is to get you and your children addicted to their products and concoctions. Unfortunately, these toxic substances are not studied sufficiently. As a result, we see their health-harming effects in the forms of asthma, allergies, nutrient deficiencies...

OFFBEAT »

Spacey skips award shows to help aspiring Arab actors
SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates: Kevin Spacey skipped the Screen Actors Guild awards, which handed him a win for his wildl...
‘Selma’ director, star to pair for Katrina movie
LONDON: Ava DuVernay, the director of the Martin Luther King historical movie “Selma,” is set to again team up with the film’s star David Oyelowo for a new project about Hurricane Katrina.DuVernay and Oyelowo, who were both finalists at this year’s Golden Globes, will “develop a new narrative feature film chronicling a sweeping love story and complex murder mystery during the time of Hurricane Katrina,” Participant Media said Monday.The project will mark the pair’s third collaboration after “Middle of Nowhere” and “Selma,” which has been nominated for this year’s Academy Award for Best...
Gaga, Bennett set for Grammy Awards
NEW YORK: The Grammy Awards will feature a number of collaborative performances, including Lady Gaga with Tony Bennett and Adam Levine with Gwen Stefani.The Recording Academy said Tuesday that Annie Lennox also will be paired with newcomer Hozier and Jessie J with Tom Jones at the Feb. 8 show in Los Angeles.Gaga and Bennett’s duet album, “Cheek to Cheek,” is nominated for best traditional pop vocal album, where their competition includes Lennox. Hozier is nominated for song of the year for the hit, “Take Me to Church.”Beyonce, Pharrell and Sam Smith are the leaders with six nominations apiece...

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2015-01-28 14:04
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2015-01-27 21:36
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Pakistani SM well settled parents invite alliance for their beautiful daughter, 23 years, 5’7”, slim...
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Indian Hyderabadi parents seek alliance for their eldest daughter, 20 years, final year engineering,...
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