Gulf

Saudi Arabia hold its breath following Biden’s election

Saudi Arabia, which may have more to lose from Joe Biden's U.S. election victory than other Arab states, has taken its time to comment after the defeat of Donald Trump…

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Dealing with Trump presidency nemesis Iran won’t be ‘quick, easy’ for Biden

When reality TV star Donald Trump took office he quickly cast Iran as a main villain of his presidency - ultimately abandoning a landmark deal aimed at stopping Tehran from…

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Iran temporarily releases jailed rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Iran has temporarily released Nasrin Sotoudeh, an internationally renowned human rights lawyer who was jailed two years ago on spying and propaganda charges, the judiciary's news agency reported on Saturday.…

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UAE cancels lenient penalties for ‘honour killings’

The United Arab Emirates said on Saturday it was cancelling lenient penalties for so-called “honour killings” and amending inheritance laws for residents as part of a reform of personal and…

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Iran reports record daily COVID-19 cases, announces new curbs

Iran announced new lockdown curbs on Saturday after registering a record daily number of COVID-19 cases and another 423 deaths from the disease in the Middle East's worst-hit country. The…

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Saudi Arabia to relax foreign workers’ sponsorship terms in March ’21

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced new plans to ease foreign workers' contractual restrictions, improving a controversial seven-decade-old sponsorship system known as kafala. The plans, to take effect in March 2021,…

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UAE State-owned flydubai to start Tel Aviv flights this month

United Arab Emirates airline flydubai on Wednesday said it would start direct fights to Israel this month with twice daily services between Dubai and Tel Aviv. The announcement comes after…

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Emirates airline asks some pilots to take 12 months unpaid leave

Dubai's Emirates airline is asking some pilots to take a year of unpaid leave as it seeks to cut costs due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The aviation…

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Iran’s Rouhani says U.S. policies important, not who becomes president

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday the result of the U.S. election was not important for the country's clerical rulers, but that the next president in Washington should respect…

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Foul play not suspected in dos Santos’ husband death in Dubai

Police in Dubai say they don’t suspect foul play in the death of Sindika Dokolo, the husband of the embattled Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos, after his death free diving…

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Gas pipeline blast in southern Iraq kills 2, injures 51, police say

At least two people were killed and 51 injured after a gas pipeline explosion in southern Iraq, police sources said on Saturday. The blast occurred on Friday night near the…

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Iran’s coronavirus cases surpass 600,000

Iran’s confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed the 600,000 threshold on Friday with 8,011 infections identified in the past 24 hours, a Health Ministry spokeswoman told state TV, as the country’s death…

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UPDATED: Man arrested in Jeddah after attacking guard at French consulate “with sharp tool”

A Saudi man was arrested in the Red Sea city of Jeddah after attacking and wounding a security guard with a "sharp tool" at the French consulate on Thursday, local police said.…

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World should look at all options to reduce emissions, Saudi energy min says

Saudi Arabia's energy minister said on Monday the world should be looking at all options to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases in its fight against climate change, but that getting…

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Iran reports COVID-19 death every five minutes, hospitals struggle

Hospitals in many Iranian provinces are running out of capacity to handle COVID-19 cases, health authorities say, with novel coronavirus now killing around 300 people a day or one person…

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Saudis launch national artificial intelligence strategy, signs MoUs with IBM, Alibaba and Huawei

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday launched a national artificial intelligence strategy aimed at making it a global leader in the field as it seeks to diversify its oil-based economy. The National…

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Etihad lays off more flight staff

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways is removing four staff roles on its flights - including some on the catering side as well as butlers and nannies - with some affected employees…

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ISIS calls on its fighters to target westerners in Saudi Arabia

An ISIS spokesman called on the militant group’s supporters to target westerners, oil pipelines and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. “Targets are plenty ... Start by hitting and destroying oil…

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Israel, Bahrain formalise ties

Bahrain and Israel signed a joint communique to formalise nascent ties during a visit by an Israeli and U.S. delegation to Manama on Sunday to broaden cooperation that Washington has…

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Iran sees no arms buying spree as it expects U.N. embargo to end

Iran said it was self-reliant in its defense and had no need to go on a weapons buying spree as a United Nations conventional arms embargo was due to expire…

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Saudi Arabia allows citizens, residents to perform prayers in Al-Haram Mosque

Saudi Arabia allowed its citizens and residents inside the kingdom to perform prayers in one of the most holy religious sites in Islam, Al-Haram mosque in Mecca, for the first…

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Photo of new born baby ‘trying to remove’ doctor’s mask becomes symbol of hope

A picture of a new born baby tugging at a doctor’s surgical mask is being interpreted as a symbol of hope as the world continues to overcome the coronavirus pandemic…

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Israel sends treaty delegation to Bahrain

An Israeli delegation accompanied by the U.S. treasury secretary flew to Bahrain on Sunday to formalise nascent relations and broaden Gulf cooperation that Washington has promoted as an anti-Iran bulwark…

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Iranian ports targeted in cyberattack

One of the targets of large cyber attacks on two Iranian government institutions this week was the electronic infrastructure of the country’s ports, an Iranian news agency reported on Friday.…

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Turkey’s army presence in Qatar is an element of instability – UAE

Turkey's army in Qatar is an element of instability in the Gulf region, a senior official of the United Arab Emirates has said, adding that it contributed to negative polarisation.…

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Gas explosion kills 5, destroys building in Iran

A suspected gas explosion flattened a building and shops in a marketplace in southwest Iran on Sunday, killing at least five people, a fire official said, in the latest in…

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Expats working in Saudi declined by 19,000 after lockdown measures

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) said the number of expats in the labour market declined by 19,000 on a net basis in Q2 as lockdowns forced many out of work, local…

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Kuwait’s new Crown Prince takes the oath of office

Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah waves as he arrives to take the oath of office at the Kuwait Parliament, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on Thursday 08 October…

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Kuwait names Sheikh Meshal as new crown prince

Kuwait's new ruler Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Wednesday named Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad, deputy head of the country's National Guard, as crown prince of the U.S.-allied OPEC member state.…

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Iran warns Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict could turn into regional war

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday warned of the danger of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict turning into a regional war. “We must be attentive that the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan…

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Israel and UAE foreign ministers to meet in Germany

The foreign ministers of Israel and the United Arab Emirates will meet in Germany on Tuesday to discuss further steps in normalizing relations, officials said on Monday. Israel and the…

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Saudi business leader calls for boycott of goods from ‘hostile’ Turkey

The head of Saudi Arabia's Chambers of Commerce has called for a boycott of Turkish products amid reports from merchants that animosity between Ankara and Riyadh is hindering the flow…

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Umrah pilgrims return to a Mecca stilled by COVID-19 slump

Mecca slowly stirred from a seven-month hibernation on Sunday as pilgrims trickled in after Saudi Arabian authorities partially lifted a coronavirus ban on performing umrah - a pilgrimage to Islam’s…

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Kuwait’s new emir meets senior U.S., Iranian officials

Kuwait’s new Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah met on Sunday with senior U.S. and Iranian officials who separately paid respects over the death of the Gulf Arab state’s former ruler.…

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Photo story: The Museum of the Future in Dubai

A handout photo made available on 03 October 2020 by the Government of Dubai Media Office shows Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE…

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Schools and mosques closed in Tehran as COVID-19 infections rise

Schools, libraries, mosques and other public institutions in Tehran were closed for a week on Saturday as part of measures to stem a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases, state media…

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Documentary film on assassination of Jamal Khashoggi released

A documentary film featuring the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was released Friday at the Zurich Film Festival. “The Dissident,” directed by award-winning American director Bryan Fogel, received a lot…

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U.S. won’t hesitate to protect soldiers in Iraq

The United States will not hesitate to act to protect its personnel in Iraq, where it considers Iranian-backed militias that have attacked U.S. targets to be the country's "single biggest…

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Saudi economy shrank by 7% as coronavirus hit

Saudi Arabia's economy shrank by 7% in the second quarter, a sign of how deeply the new coronavirus hit both the oil and non-oil sectors, official data showed on Wednesday.…

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UAE plans to land a spacecraft on the moon by 2024

The ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has announced a plan to land a spacecraft on the moon and study its surface by 2024.…

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Kuwait mourns Emir Sheikh Sabah, veteran defender of Arab unity

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah died on Tuesday aged 91, plunging his country into mourning for a leader regarded by many Gulf Arabs as a savvy diplomatic operator and…

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Kuwait mourns Emir Sheikh Sabah

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah died on Tuesday aged 91, plunging his country into mourning for a leader regarded by many Gulf Arabs as a savvy diplomatic operator and…

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Saudi Arabia to hold virtual G20 summit on Nov 21-22

The G20 leaders summit will be held virtually on Nov. 21-22, Saudi Arabia said on Monday, as the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted Riyadh's hopes of hosting the gathering in the kingdom…

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Iran says ready to facilitate talks

Iran has called for an end to the fighting and said it was ready to facilitate talks and a ceasefire between its two neighbours. Iran “is closely following the military…

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Saudi Arabia to resume tourist visas by early 2021

Saudi Arabia plans to resume tourist visas by early 2021 after months of suspension amid strict government measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the kingdom's tourism minister told Reuters.…

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Iranian president accuses U.S. of savagery after new sanctions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States on Saturday of “savagery” for inflicting $150 billion of damage on Iran due to sanctions, and said Iranians should direct their anger…

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Earthquake of magnitude 5.2 strikes north-eastern Iran

An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 struck northeastern Iran on the border with Turkmenistan on Saturday, state Iranian TV reported. It gave no immediate information on possible casualties or damage from…

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UAE introduces equal pay for men and women in private sector

The United Arab Emirates will introduce equal pay for men and women working in the private sector on Sept. 25, the state news agency (WAM) reported. “Female employees shall receive…

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UAE reopens all seven regions to foreign visitors

The United Arab Emirates will resume issuing visas to foreign visitors to all seven of its regions as of Thursday after a six-month suspension imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic,…

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Oman to resume international flights on October 1

Oman said on Thursday it will resume scheduled international flights on Oct. 1 with strict measures to protect the country and aviation staff from the coronavirus, the Gulf state's aviation…

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UAE Central Bank urges banks to step up anti-money laundering efforts

The United Arab Emirates central bank said banks should increase anti-money laundering efforts to safeguard financial stability in the country. "To mitigate the risk of financial crimes ... banks are…

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Iran says it is ready to swap all prisoners with U.S

Iran is ready for a full prisoner exchange with the United States, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a virtual address to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York…

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Dubai’s Habtoor Group to open representative office in Israel

Dubai conglomerate Al Habtoor Group is to open a representative office in Israel, it said on Sunday. The United Arab Emirates and Israel last week agreed to establish bilateral diplomatic…

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Britain, France, Germany say U.N. sanctions relief for Iran to continue beyond Sept. 20

Britain, France and Germany told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that U.N. sanctions relief for Iran - agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal - would continue beyond Sept. 20,…

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Israel, Dubai diamond exchanges begin strategic collaboration

The Israel and Dubai diamond exchanges said on Thursday they have signed a strategic agreement to promote cooperation and dialogue between the two bourses. The agreement was announced two days…

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UAE and Bahrain to sign ‘normalisation’ agreement with Israel

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Tuesday will become the latest Arab states to break a longstanding taboo when they sign agreements toward normalizing relations with Israel in a…

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Saudi Arabia to partially lift international flight suspension

Saudi Arabia will partially lift its suspension of international flights as of Sept. 15 to allow "exceptional categories" of citizens and residents to travel, the state news agency SPA said…

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