Massive show of support for king
A large number of citizens declared loyalty to their new ruler, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, on Sunday. Regional governors and ambassadors posted in Saudi diplomatic missions across the world also received pledges of allegiance on behalf of King Salman on Sunday.More high-profile foreign leaders arrived for the third day to offer condolences on King Abdullah’s death.They included Belgium’s King Philippe, Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, Libyan Premier Abdullah Al-Thinni and their Parliament speaker Aqilah Saleh Quwaider, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Nechirvan Barzani and Singapore Deputy Premier Teo Chee Hean.The ceremony was held at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace after Isha prayer.The dignitaries were received at the air base by Riyadh Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz...
Business community pledges allegiance
Leaders of the Saudi Chambers and the Saudi business community declared their allegiance to Custodia...
Greece exit poll shows anti-bailout party winning election
ATHENS, Greece: A Greek state TV exit poll was projecting that anti-bailout party Syriza had won Sun...
Saudis fortunate to have King Salman as leader
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, who has nearly 60 years of experience as governor of Riyadh, defense minister, crown prince and deputy premier, is all set to drive the Kingdom to greater progress and prosperity. Saudis say they are fortunate to have King Salman as their new leader.Being a close associate of all the previous kings, beginning from his father and mentor King Abdul Aziz, Salman has gained immen...
Ministry sets up call centers to help resolve labor disputes
The Ministry of Labor has begun to provide services to workers with labor dispute cases via call centers in Makkah, Riyadh, Arar, Hail, Najran, and Jazan. Work is ongoing to expand services to other regions gradually, according to an official report by the Labor Dispute Settlement Department at the Ministry.The report indicated that the goal of these service centers is to provide an additional channel for workers to commu...

SAUDI ARABIA »

Tourist arrivals in Jeddah increase by 70%
The influx of tourists to Jeddah has increased by 70 percent with the festivals and activities drawing huge crowds to the historical city. Hotels and furnished apartments have also recorded an increase of 75 percent as tourists take advantage of online bookings to rent accommodations in advance.Tour...
1.61 million follow King Salman on Twitter
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has become a widely followed world leader on Twitter, while his popularity is progressively growing on other social media networks. The new king has overtaken many leaders on the popular microblogging site, and he is currently being followed on all social sites by Saudi citizens...
Popular Support
King Salman will continue the march of progress in which King Abdullah and all Saudi kings participated. All citizens of Eastern Province stand behind him. — Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud  bin Naif   King Salman made remarkable achievements as governor of Riyadh and has long experience in managing service and...
Japan’s modern architecture on display at the National Museum
The Embassy of Japan in cooperation with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) opened a photo exhibition of Japanese modern architecture “Kumamoto Artpolis” at the National Museum on Wednesday night.The exhibition is being held under the patronage of SCTA President Prince Sultan bin Salman on the occasion...
Ministry inspectors seize 55,000 fake cosmetics
Inspection teams from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently seized 55,000 fake cosmetics of different brands past their expiry dates.The teams raided a villa in Al-Murabaa district in Riyadh and arrested a number of foreign workers involved in the illegal trade of pasting labels of famous brands on bottles containi...
Indians mark Republic Day today
India celebrates its 66th Republic Day on Monday (Jan. 26). On this occasion, a flag-hoisting ceremony will be held at 8 a.m. at the Indian Consulate on Tahlia Street, behind National Commercial Bank, Jeddah.Consul General B.S. Mubarak will be hoisting the national flag. All Indian nationals, persons of Indian origin, and f...
Muscat to host major media meet
The Gulf Press Association (GPA) will hold its fifth conference at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Muscat on Tuesday. It will be attended by prominent media persons in the region including editors in chief of GCC newspapers and magazines.A meeting of the association’s secretariat will be held on Monday prior to the conference hosted...
Saudi-India ties flourishing on strong footing
Trade, manpower and political interaction have been the dominant factors in India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, with the import of oil being a major component. India views Saudi Arabia as an important country with which it can do business and forge security ties in order to deal with terrorism and piracy. Diplomatically...
World must join India in fighting terrorism
My Fellow Citizens,I extend warm greetings to all of you in India and abroad. I convey my special greetings to members of our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal security forces.Twenty Sixth January holds an everlasting place in our national memory because it is the day when modern India was born. Under Mahatma G...
Govt striving to boost investor confidence
On the occasion of the 66th Republic Day of India, I extend my warm greetings and congratulations to all my fellow countrymen in Saudi Arabia. On this day, in 1950, the modern India was born, and a resilient and forward looking constitution was adopted by our founding fathers, who resolved that the constitution protects the...
Good response in KSA for ‘Make In India’ campaign
On the occasion of the 66th Republic Day of India, I extend my best wishes to all my fellow Indian citizens residing in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.  At the outset, I wish to express my deep sense of grief on the sad demise of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah (May Allah have mercy on him) and offer my...
GCC relations with India changing dynamics beyond traditional links
India’s relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is growing like never before in the history as the progressive approaches are more satisfyingly expanding for both the parties in absolute terms as well as when compared it with Indian relations with other regional group of countries.Indeed the changing...
Ashok Leyland claims Saudi market leadership
Western Auto Company Ltd., the sole distributor of Ashok Leyland, claims to have positioned Ashok Leyland as the undisputed market leader in staff transport solutions category in Saudi Arabia, “providing unmatched quality at affordable rates.” FALCON Series of air conditioned and non-air conditioned buses with options of 56...
» Wastewater treatment: Jawdat to set...
» Maharaja by Vineet presents a...
» Nadeem Tarin: Govt must focus on ‘...
» From looking East to acting East
» Mounting waste upsets Abqaiq residents
» Riyadh, Berlin to boost cooperation...
» Random rest houses irk citizens
» Indians celebrates R-Day on Monday
» Prince Saud undergoes surgery in US
» King Abdullah remembered for his many...
» Mega projects propelled Kingdom’s...
» Leader par excellence

MIDDLE EAST »

Zarif lands in hot water over walk with Kerry
DUBAI: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is to appear before Parliam...
15 slain at Egypt protests on uprising anniversary

CAIRO: At least 15 people were killed at pro-democracy protests in Egypt on Sund...

Damascus hit by rockets, mortars

BEIRUT: Rebels fired dozens of rockets and mortar rounds Sunday at central Damas...

Failed Iraq female bomber wanted by IS for remaining Japan hostage

AMMAN: Sajida Al-Rishawi, whose release is demanded by the Islamic State group t...

Gunmen kidnap Libya deputy foreign minister

Al-Baida, Libya: Gunmen kidnapped a Libyan deputy foreign minister from his hote...

WORLD »

Russia’s Putin says Kiev refuses political solution to crisis in east
ST PETERSBURG: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the Kiev gov...
Europe’s anti-austerity front hails Syriza win

Madrid: Radical left party Syriza’s Greek election victory blew wind in the sail...

Rain fails to dampen cheer as Obama attends India parade

NEW DELHI: Rain failed to dampen spirits at India’s Republic Day parade as Barac...

Modi, Obama announce nuclear breakthrough after Delhi talks

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra and US President Barack Obama announce...

Islamophobia harming nation’s image: Berlin

BERLIN: Hours before a new rally in Dresden by the Islamophobic movement PEGIDA...

SPORTS »

Djokovic delights; Williams sisters fight on
MELBOURNE: Dominant Novak Djokovic swept into the Australian Open last eight Mon...
Rain washes out Australia vs.India ODI

SYDNEY: Persistent rain washed out the tri-series match between Australia and In...

Australia favorites against UAE

NEWCASTLE: Australia, as much as any team left in the Asian Cup, know nothing in...

South Korea storms past Iraq into final

SYDNEY: South Korea stormed into the Asian Cup final with a clinical 2-0 victory...

In-form Aussies chase fifth cricket World Cup

SYDNEY: Australia are peaking at the right time for a crack at their fifth World...

ECONOMY »

Kingdom’s nonoil GDP growth expected to be robust in 2015
Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) recently released its outlook on GCC markets for the full year of 2015. In this research report, Markaz analyses the performance of GCC s...
Dubai real estate market shows growth in 2014
The latest quarterly report issued by the real estate consultancy arm of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) — MPM Properties — has found that while 2014 was a year of further growth for Dubai real estate market, the last three months saw a decline in values/prices in some areas and improved net yields to more sustainable levels....
Italy plans to set up ‘bad bank’ to clean up risky loans
ROME: Italy is considering setting up a state-backed "bad bank" to help clean up its banking sector, Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said in a newspaper interview on Sunday.Bad loans force lenders to set aside money to cover expected losses. They have become the main problem for Italian banks, which fared the worst in a...
Plunging prices threaten UK’s ‘cash cow’ oil industry
LONDON: With oil prices tumbling and aging equipment making extraction ever more expensive, Britain's North Sea oilfields face a struggle for survival, threatening a vital source of income and energy.The oil industry has been hard hit by crude prices falling more than 50 percent since June to less than $50 a barrel.Energy g...
Angola to overhaul budget to deal with drop in revenue
LUANDA: With oil prices collapsing over 50 percent in the past six months, Angola — Africa's second-largest oil producer — has had to introduce austerity measures and overhaul its budget to deal with a severe drop in expected revenue."We will go through a difficult time now because the government cannot afford to implement...
Ringing for your supper
For 95 years, dining "à-la-airline" has taken its fair share of sneers, and jeers. The "bag lunch" produced cheaper fares and increased profits. But that was then. Today's lunch/dinner tray is considered an opportunity for airlines to win passengers and increase revenue. In-flight service is now a key battleground to sway p...
Goldman Sachs expects gold prices to rise in near term
NEW YORK: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on Friday slashed its 2015 price forecasts for several base metals including copper and aluminium while raising its estimate for gold by $62 per ounce."The primary reason for the changes to our forecasts is cost deflation ñ driven by a combination of actual and anticipated US dollar streng...
Falling oil prices push euro zone into deflation
The global economy has started 2015 on the wrong foot. The sharp decline in oil prices pushed the euro zone into deflation in December 2014 and resulted in a significant slowdown in inflation in Japan, the UK and the US. More worrisome, there is growing evidence that these disinflationary pressures are affecting wages and,...
Self-sustainable model ‘vital to meet water and power needs in KSA’
Adil Bushnak, who is among the founders of the International Desalination Association (IDA) and chairman of Moya Bushnak, was the organizer of 10th Saudi Water and Power Forum (SWPF) with the Ministry of Water and Electricity. He is credited with being one of the ideologues of the forum, which was started in 2004 to achieve...
Global economy hopes raised after European stimulus
DAVOS: The global economic outlook just got brighter after this week’s big stimulus from the European Central Bank, leading policymakers from around the world said.In a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, they said a perkier Europe, coupled with a prolonged period of low oil prices, could help shore up the global ec...
ASEAN to declare single market but delays deeper integration
DAVOS: ASEAN will officially call itself a single market by year’s end, but “big things” like seamless travel within the 10-nation bloc would only come in 2020, Malaysia’s trade minister said.“We’re going to declare ourselves as an ASEAN Economic Community,” said Mustapa Mohamed, whose country holds the rotating presidency...
Coal production drops in China
BEIJING: China recorded its first drop in coal production since 2000 last year, as the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter pulls back on its use of the fossil fuel and switches to cleaner energy sources.According to the country’s national coal association, China produced 3.5 billion tons of coal in the first 11 months of...
Saudi inflation likely to reach 2.6% in 2015
The Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) has released Consumer Price Index data for December, showing a deceleration in prices to 2.4 percent year-on-year compared to 2.5 percent in November. This puts the annual inflation for last year at an average of 2.7 percent. “For 2015 we expect inflation to be mai...

OPINION »

MOHAMMED FAHAD AL-HARTHI
Salman: Experienced leader at the helm
Only a few hours of assuming the throne, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King...
Abdulateef Al-Mulhim
Another smooth transition
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman ascended to the throne on Jan. 23....
Sabria S. Jawhar
Kingdom continues to be in safe hands
There is no question that King Abdullah left big shoes to fill, but at the same...
Saad Dosari
We may be sad but are very optimistic
When death speaks, everything comes to a halting silence. King Abdullah’s death...

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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 »

1.61 million follow King Salman on Twitt...

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has become a widely followed world leader on Twitter, while his popularity is progressively growing on other social media networks. The new king has overtaken many leaders on the popular microblogging site, and he is currently being followed on all social sites by Saudi citizens, scholars and world l...
App-solutely fantastic: WhatsA...
‘Career Compass’ shows youth t...
How to get a job done for $5 o...
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FASHION »

Argan oil: The Moroccan ‘liquid gold’ fo...

Argan oil is known as ‘liquid gold’ and is made especially in Morocco. It is used in beauty rituals and in cooking. Lately, this oil has captured the attention of many for its proven nutritional and cosmetic health benefits. The oil is sold around the world as a luxury item and can be difficult to find outside its production areas.
In 1998...
Diamonds are literally this gi...
Treating acne during pregnancy
Rock ‘n’ Roll fashion the new...

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TRAVEL »

Tourist arrivals in Jeddah increase by 7...

The influx of tourists to Jeddah has increased by 70 percent with the festivals and activities drawing huge crowds to the historical city. Hotels and furnished apartments have also recorded an increase of 75 percent as tourists take advantage of online bookings to rent accommodations in advance.
Tourist spending has also risen by 50 percent...
Japan’s modern architecture on...
Restoration of Diriyah heritag...
Marbella: The place to see and...
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FOOD & HEALTH »

Our kids’ bodies contaminated with chemicals (Part 11)
Last week I stopped at the discussion about fast food. Since the subject of fast foods and their harmful effects does not seem to end, because their health-damaging side effects are surfacing lately more and more through recent research, I will take the liberty to expound on them. Recent research at the Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Nutrition found a relationship between fast food and elevated body mass index (BMI) and weight gain due to the high content of unhealthy simple sugars, refined chewy white bread, saturated, trans fats, and large portions, which raise the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and fatality. An earlier study showed that trans fats (...
Rosewood Jeddah’s Italian food fest is bigger and better
The fourth edition of the Italian Food Festival at Rosewood Jeddah was launched last week. Chef Francesca Simoni from Bologna and executive chef Amjad Yousef Al-Ghandoor are presenting traditional Italian cuisine from across Italy with a unique modern touch at Habsburg, a Rosewood restaurant.Chef Francesca is the Executive Sous Chef at Amerigo 1934 Trattoria, the winner of the prestigious Gambero Rosso Award for the best restaurant in Italy in 2013. She flew into Jeddah especially for the festival. Together with Al-Ghandoor, she is preparing authentic dishes not only from her region, Emilia-Romagna, but from all the major Italian cities. The festival will continue until Jan. 28.Chef Al-...
Bitter news: Diabetes ‘to hit 50% Saudis by 2030’
If no action is taken, the number of Saudi nationals with diabetes is expected to jump from 24 to 50 percent by 2030, the International Diabetes Federation said in a report run by a local publication.A global conference on diabetes in Alkhobar has, meanwhile, proposed that nine government agencies set up a national project to fight diabetes and obesity in the Kingdom, local media said.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the conference, Abdulaziz Al-Turki, board chairman of the Saudi Society for Diabetes and Endocrinology (SSDE) in the Eastern Province, said the situation is alarming and would have negative health, social and economic consequences for Saudi society. He said a national...

OFFBEAT »

Paris fashion week shifts up into Haute Couture mode
PARIS: After days of men’s ready-to-wear clothes, Paris Fashion Week shifted up a gear on Sunday to its marquee event: T...
Rihanna goes for acoustic sound with McCartney
NEW YORK: Rihanna, who has topped the charts with a pop-driven R&B sound, has unveiled a new acoustic song in a collaboration with Beatles legend Paul McCartney.Rihanna unexpectedly late Saturday released the new single, “FourFiveSeconds,” which features the Barbados-born singer’s signature robust voice but has a minimal backdrop of McCartney’s guitar strumming without percussion or electronic elements. The song also features verses sung by rapper Kanye West.The track is the latest collaboration between West and McCartney, who unexpectedly released a song on New Year’s Day after the two...
Reed coy on engagement
PARK CITY, Utah: Nikki Reed was coy when asked about her rumored engagement to actor Ian Somerhalder, saying only, “Life is really great right now and I’m so excited for the future.” But she was effusive about her love for animals.The entertainer came to Sundance on Saturday to host the third annual Catdance Film Festival, a celebration of cats on screen that benefits the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.Reed says she’s been an animal advocate since she was a kid.“I learned how to change a cloth diaper on a raccoon,” she said. “I was maybe 8 or 9.”Her mom let her...

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