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A top human rights official has admitted that he was wrong to publish a photograph of a woman being caned publicly in Indonesia alongside an article on the Saudi judicial system.Kenneth Roth, the director of Human Rights Watch, acknowledged that it created the impression that the incident took place in Saudi Arabia. He had taken the picture down from his Twitter account because it was “causing confusion,” he told Arab News on Friday.However, his mistake has resulted in several Twitter users slandering the Kingdom, Arab News found out.The picture he published alongside the article was in fact of an Indonesian woman being caned publicly in Aceh, a province of that Far Eastern country, for selling food during Ramadan in October.The picture was used to illustrate articles published in an Indonesian newspaper, The Age, on May 6, 2014 and Jan. 9, 2015, to highlight that the country’s judicial...

Saudi press flays Iran, Netanyahu’s antics

Saudi writers denounced on Friday Iran’s intransigence over the nuclear issue and expressed doubts o...

46,000 Twitter accounts linked to Islamic State

WASHINGTON: At least 46,000 Twitter accounts have been linked to supporters of the Islamic State in...

MERS shows no mercy

The MERS coronavirus has claimed the life of a 57-year-old Saudi man, according to the Health Ministry on Friday. The man from Riyadh was not a health professional and had a pre-existing illnesses. This takes the death toll to 403 since the disease was first identified in 2012. The ministry also announced that a 59-year-old woman from Jeddah and a 48-year-old expatriate woman from Riyadh were infected. Meanwhile, the mini...

History haters...!

PARIS: The head of UNESCO condemned on Friday the destruction of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud in Iraq by the Islamic State group, saying it amounted to a “war crime.”“I condemn with the strongest force the destruction of the site at Nimrud,” Irina Bokova said in a statement. “We cannot stay silent. The deliberate destruction of cultural heritage constitutes a war crime, and I call on all political and religious lea...

SAUDI ARABIA »

Taxi shortage as raids apply brakes on illegal drivers

Wary of labor raids, several taxi drivers have stopped working. This development has led to a taxi shortage. Also, many taxi drivers refuse to ferry people to places that require passing security checkpoints.Many taxi drivers have not transferred their sponsorships to their respective employers. How...

Government agencies asked to expand online services

Under the guidance of Prince Mohammed bin Naif, second deputy premier and interior minister, government departments have been advised to transfer services to an electronic platform in order to facilitate and ease procedures for citizens and residents to handle various transactions.The government plans to expand these e-gove...

SCTA to honor owners of private museums

Upon directives from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA) has decided to honor ten private museum owners.The awards will be given at the Riyadh International Book Fair for 2015 which is being held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center...

Ban on health workers’ travel to Ebola-hit nations remains

The Ministry of Health still has a ban in place on health workers traveling to Ebola-hit nations, a leading doctor said here recently.The ban continues because the disease is highly contagious and health workers are the most likely to be infected if they are involved in treating such patients, said Tamari Al-Tayeb, the doct...

Ministry notes shortcomings in students’ science aptitude

The Ministry of Education is concerned about the poor scientific knowledge displayed by pupils following the results of the annual achievement tests, taken by 13,898 school children. The results were shown during the presentation of a study to develop mathematics and natural sciences at public schools in the Kingdom. The pr...

Arab antiquities facing danger, warns ATO

Bandar bin Fahad Al-Fahaid, president of the Arab Tourism Organization (ATO), has confirmed that many archaeological sites across multiple Arab countries presently face immense risks due to the political turmoil that is now occurring, as well as in the absence of proper security in these countries to protect these internati...

Pakistani expats told to respect local laws

Pakistani Ambassador Manzoor ul Haq urged his countrymen to respect the culture and regulations of the host country during their stay in the Kingdom.He was addressing members of the Pakistan Writers Club-Riyadh.Haq said their good behavior would bring good name to the country. The envoy explained that violation of local law...

Drug awareness drive intensified

The National Commission for Drug Control announced its campaign to increase awareness about drug abuse and how to prevent it. The announcement came during a visit by the Deputy Minister of Interior Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Salem to Riyadh Municipality office.A number of activities will be organized with the aim to highlight da...

Ancient shipwrecks discovered in Jeddah

Saudi and German archaeologists have discovered two ancient shipwrecks along the Jeddah coast, in a joint project between the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and the Philipps University of Marburg in Germany.This was revealed recently at a lecture organized by the German Consulate in Jeddah. Michaela Rei...

‘Bangladesh domestic workers must know their responsibilities, rights’

Bangladesh Embassy officials said that Bangladeshi domestic workers must know their rights and responsibilities before coming to the Kingdom. The statement from the embassy officials came after a recent report revealed that over 31,993 domestic workers in the Kingdom were registered as absent or escaped in 2013.According to...

Al-Turki: Stalled projects a challenge for KSA’s development

Businessman and former president of the Council of Saudi Chambers Saleh Al-Turki recently claimed the government is largely responsible for the country's stalled development projects. According to Al-Turki, the government does not allow stalled companies to apply for new tenders, while it delays the adoption of FADEC, a sys...

86% of abused children are Saudis

The Kingdom’s health facilities have recorded 212 cases of domestic violence cases in 2013, with 172 involving children.Based on data released by the Family Safety Program (FSP), 86 percent of tortured children were Saudis.Parents were blamed for 72 percent of cases. There was greater physical violence against female childr...

HRDF: 15,000 job opportunities for Saudis at electronic expo

The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) will launch the 4th edition of the Electronic Expo for Employment on Sunday with the participation of more than 50 firms from the private sector. According to the HRDF, as many as 15,000 job opportunities for Saudis (both male and female) will be announced.The five-day event seeks...

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» Saudi-German panel to explore...

» People with HIV launch anti-stigma...

» Coastal area cleaned after suspected...

» 2 hospitals fined

» Saudi women married to foreigners...

» Terrorism prisoners get ‘top...

» SFDA warns against counterfeit...

» Pakistani PM lauds KSA for support

» Ministry shuts down 2 warehouses for...

» Jeddah launches massive recycling...

MIDDLE EAST »

28,000 flee campaign to retake Tikrit: UN

BAGHDAD: Some 28,000 people have fled the Tikrit area as Iraqi forces battle th...

Top Nusra leader killed

BEIRUT: Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate confirmed on Friday that its top field comma...

Islamic State militants torch oil field near Tikrit

BAGHDAD: Islamic State militants have set fire to oil wells northeast of the cit...

Facebook rant lands US contractor in UAE jail

DUBAI: A hallmark of American life — griping about work — has landed a Florida m...

4,000 Filipinos still in Libya despite growing danger

MANILA: Around 4,000 Filipinos remain in Libya despite the North African country...

WORLD »

Mob in India breaks into jail, lynches rape suspect

GUWAHATI: A mob of several thousand people broke into a high-security prison in...

SWIFT is West’s ‘nuclear weapon’ against Russia

WARSAW: Excluding Russia from the SWIFT banking system would be a measure of las...

Attack on Canada Parliament ‘revenge’

TORONTO/OTTAWA: The gunman who killed a Canadian soldier and then stormed Parlia...

China warns Britain over MPs’ report on Hong Kong freedoms

HONG KONG: China said Britain had “no right to interfere” in Hong Kong on Friday...

Tajik president’s critic shot dead in Istanbul

ISTANBUL/ALMATY: An outspoken critic of veteran Tajik leader Imomali Rakhmon has...

SPORTS »

Britain leads US 1-0 in Davis Cup

GLASGOW: Andy Murray quelled a mid-match comeback from Donald Young to win in fo...

Blazers win fifth straight with victory over Mavericks

PORTLAND: The mood was somber in the Portland Trail Blazers’ locker room after t...

Last-gasp birdie keeps Park on top

SINGAPORE: A last-gasp birdie kept Park In-Bee on top at the HSBC Women’s Champi...

Pollock sees South Africa vs Australia final

AUCKLAND: Former South African great Shaun Pollock Friday predicted the Proteas...

History says Ireland vs Zimbabwe match will be close

HOBART: If Ireland’s Pool A match against Zimbabwe on Saturday is anything like...

ECONOMY »

KSA nonoil business growth rises to four-month high

Growth in Saudi Arabia’s nonoil private sector accelerated to a four-month high in February, according to a monthly report from Saudi British Bank (SABB) and HSBC.SABB ha...

Sterling drops to 4-week low against dollar after strong US jobs data

LONDON: Sterling fell sharply against the dollar on Friday, dropping to four-week lows after a strong US jobs report, with concerns about a potentially unsettling British election in May also weighing on sentiment.Sterling was down 1 percent against the dollar at $1.5077 , on track for a drop of some 2.3 percent over the we...

Gold dips to 2-month low

LONDON: Gold fell almost 2 percent to a two-month low after better-than-expected US non-farm payrolls fueled speculation the Federal Reserve will raise rates sooner rather than later.Spot gold dipped 1.8 percent to its lowest since Jan. 2 at $1,175.40 an ounce earlier and was down 1.6 percent at $1,178.64 by 1401 GMT. The m...

Brent steady above $60 despite Libya, Iraq oil field skirmishes

LONDON: Brent crude oil steadied above $60 a barrel as a stronger dollar balanced worries over the impact of fighting in Libya and Iraq on Middle East and North African oil production.The dollar hit an 11-and-a-half-year high against a basket of currencies on Friday after strong US jobs data boosted expectations of a sooner...

Apple’s rivals hope its Watch will boost their own wearable tech

BARCELONA: Apple’s rivals want to benefit from its magic, hoping that its long awaited new smartwatch will finally conjure demand for wearable technology that has so far generated more buzz about its potential than actual sales.Gizmos that users wear on their bodies have yet to live up to the hype as the next big thing in t...

Microsoft has trained 11 million teachers

Microsoft for worldwide education told Arab News here recently that Microsoft has trained 11 million teachers around the world and provided software services to hundreds of millions of students everyday.This was disclosed to Arab News by a top executive of the software giant in an exclusive interview. “We continue to be a v...

Saudi plastics markets grows by 5% to 7%

SABIC showcased its range of innovative products in construction, printing and packaging at the 12th Saudi Exhibition for Printing, Packaging, Plastics and Petrochemicals 2015.SABIC was the diamond sponsor of the exhibition that took place at Jeddah Center for Forums and Events from March 1 to 3. SABIC also highlighted its...

Hotel boom in Manila offers hope to Philippine tourism

MANILA: Global hotel brands are helping Manila add a record number of rooms this year, lured by the growth prospects of its emerging gaming scene. That will boost the underperforming Philippine tourism sector, although other infrastructure is needed before it can really take off.First-timers in the Philippines, Accor Group’...

UK travel group’s shares jump on China deal

LONDON: China’s Fosun International has bought a 5 percent stake in Thomas Cook Group, deepening its foray into Europe’s tourism sector and potentially helping the British company to compete with travel leviathan TUI GroupFosun paid 92 million pounds ($140 million) for the Thomas Cook stake and will seek to double its holdi...

Erdogan blames speculators, US dollar for lira fall

ISTANBUL: President Tayyip Erdogan blamed an “interest rate lobby” of speculators for the Turkish lira’s slide and said he would discuss its decline with the country’s embattled central bank and the government’s economy czar.The lira briefly recovered from record lows following his comments, with investors encouraged that h...

Major banks in US pass first phase of stress tests

WASHINGTON: The 31 largest banks in the US passed the first phase of regulatory stress tests, the US Federal Reserve announced.But the three leading investment banks Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley were among the worst performers, mainly because of their greater exposures to capital markets.In tests of thei...

Prospects in Francophone Africa bright despite risks

ABIDJAN: French-speaking West and Central Africa are generating strong revenues and could emerge as top investment destinations despite pockets of turmoil and uncertainty over a series of looming elections, Citibank said.A track record of coups and civil wars has historically made many investors wary of the region, which is...

Nissan recalls more Altimas for hood latch problem

DETROIT: Nissan is recalling 640,000 more cars in the US and Canada to fix a growing problem with faulty latches that can allow hoods to fly open while cars are being driven.The latest recall covers Altima midsize sedans from the 2013 through 2015 model years, bringing the total number of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles recall...

OPINION »

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed

Iraq becoming a sectarian minefield

Confronting the self-ascribed Islamic State (IS) in Iraq is inevitable because u...

Harun Yahya

Europe: Right fight, wrong weapon

The world is experiencing drastic ideological shift, profound effects of which c...

Alexey Malashenko

IS and the Caucasus

In September 2014, the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State in Iraq...

Rachel Finn & David Wright

Big brother is watching you

Drones, it seems, are suddenly everywhere. They have buzzed through the plot lin...

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ART & CULTURE »

3-D art fest kicks off in Dubai

DUBAI: The Middle East’s first three-dimensional pavement art festival, starring works by international artists that appear to rise from the ground, kicked off this week in Dubai, its organizers said.
The Dubai Canvas Festival features 3-D artworks in chalk or paint, many of them depicting eye-catching images of the Emirati city.
Kurt...

Ba9ma Banat: Reviving the Prop...

Dubai gets its first taste of...

Saudi steals show with his art...

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY »

Fossil jaw sheds more light on early hum...

NEW YORK: A fragment of jawbone found in Ethiopia is the oldest known fossil from an evolutionary tree branch that eventually led to modern humans, scientist reported Wednesday.
The fossil comes from very close to the time that the early human branch split away from more ape-like ancestors best known for the fossil skeleton Lucy. So it giv...

Dawn on Ceres: Nasa probe to v...

Solar plane passes new test ah...

Dress color debate: So, it is...

FASHION »

Wedding designers impress with innovativ...

Wedding is one of the most important events in a person’s life. It is the time when the air is filled with nothing but happiness and love. For the woman, the wedding day is usually a dream to make every single detail perfect for that one day or one night that would change her married life forever.
There are several wedding designers who al...

Warm up your feet in ‘The Moji...

All you need to know about hai...

Femininity gets a rethink duri...

TRAVEL »

Malaysia Muslim travelers’ top choice

SINGAPORE: Malaysia is the most preferred global destination in the fast-growing Muslim travel market, despite two catastrophic air disasters that hit the country’s flag-carrier in 2014, a survey showed Wednesday.
Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Indonesia followed Malaysia in the ranking of choice holiday destinations for Muslim tr...

Wonders of Arizona’s Red Rock...

Edinburgh: A city of history a...

Johannesburg: Heart of S. Afri...

FOOD & HEALTH »

Bridal beauty: How to work out a fitness plan

Planning a wedding can be a hectic time in every bride’s life. The mind is consumed with roses, tulips or peonies, the perfect shade of white, sequins or lace, short or long veil, pearls or diamonds, a day or night wedding, the guest list… the lists are endless. It’s a time consuming task until the day arrives and everything is perfect. Brides tend to lose themselves in the process and forget to take care of their mental and physical health as well, ironic actually since the most important people of the wedding are both bride and groom. A bride must find the serenity and balance in order for everything to go smoothly; exercise is always a great medication.We’ve all heard of these intense...

WHO declares war on hidden sugars in fight against obesity

Geneva: The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged a dramatic drop in the consumption of sugar, “hidden” in everything from sodas and ketchup, as it steps up the fight against obesity.The UN health agency had previously issued guidelines that sugars should make up less than 10 percent of a person’s total daily energy intake, but in a new twist urged countries to strive for half that.Setting the bar at five percent would mean people should consume no more than 25 grams, or the equivalent of six teaspoons of sugar a day — less than the 10 teaspoons in your average can of soda.Health-hazardous free sugars, in the form of table sugar, fructose or glucose for instance, are added to foods...

A taste of Lebanon in every bite

When I first heard that Em Sherif has franchised to Dubai, I couldn’t stop myself from booking a table there. The Lebanese restaurant will also open its doors in Jeddah soon. Located in the outdoor area of the Address Downtown hotel in Dubai and overviewing the Dubai Mall’s famous dancing fountain, the restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating for 300 diners at once. The outdoor seating area comprises white steel chairs and marble tables with romantic candlelight set up. Shisha is also served here. The inside decor features a Mediterranean touch, with silver blue walls, beautiful coral chandeliers and black wooden tables with velvet armchairs and black wooden chairs with blue...

OFFBEAT »

Media uproar after Germany Eurovision hopeful bows out

BERLIN: The Eurovision song contest has had its fair share of controversy, but a shock move on live national TV by Germa...

Bollywood ‘a bunch of thieves,’ says Archer

LONDON: Jeffrey Archer, renowned novelist and former British MP, has accused Bollywood directors of stealing his storylines, The Guardian reported.In an interview with Indian news site DNA, Archer was asked whether his novels would make good Hollywood film adaptations. “Forget Hollywood, just look at your Bollywood!” he replied. “These bunch of thieves have stolen several of my books without so much as a by your leave.” He cites the films “Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl” and “Khudgarz “as plagiarising his novels “Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less” and “Kane and Abel” — something that the Times of...

Top circus group vows elephant-free shows soon

POLK CITY, Florida: Animal rights activists were stunned and pleased when the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced it would eliminate elephants from its circus performances by 2018. But activists soon focused on the timing, questioning why it will take three years to phase out the elephants from the traveling circus shows.“Many of the elephants are painfully arthritic, and many have tuberculosis, so their retirement day needs to come now,” wrote Ingrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, in a statement. “If the decision is...