François Hollande’s victory in the French presidential elections has been cheered by Arabs as a positive prospect to improve relations. However, while some countries hope to see in the new president an ally or an asset, Arab analysts and bloggers warned that his presidency would not make tangible changes in the French policy.
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A Saudi national found guilty of hitting his wife has been sentenced to reading two books that explain relations between spouses in Islam. He will later sit for a test on what he learned from the books. The husband was also told to memorize five of the 30 parts of the Quran, and 100...
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The implementation of the five-day working week in Saudi Arabia’s private sector could start in early 2013, a labour ministry official has said. The study of the idea by the ministry, commercial chambers, the Supreme Economic Council, business people and company owners is expected to be over within six months, the ministry source told...
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Two Saudi religious scholars have warned that players who fool referees to score goals or to obtain penalties or fouls are committing a sin and blighting ethics. “Cheating is deceiving and usurping other people’s rights and as such it is wrong. This is not allowed in Islam and it is haram,” Dr Abullah Al...
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A Bahraini activist has been remanded in custody for one week as authorities investigate his case. Nabeel Ahmad Abdulrasul Rajab, who was arrested on Saturday upon his return from Lebanon, appeared the next day before the Lower Criminal Court to face charges of using social networking sites to incite illegal rallies and marches.
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Kuwait’s police have arrested an Indian national for allegedly setting tyres ablaze near Rahya. A large fire broke out last month in the area where millions of used tyres are dumped, causing an environmental catastrophe and sparking calls by lawmakers to hold a special session to discuss the matter.
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Kuwait is getting ready for a show down in parliament on Tuesday when a motion filed by a lawmaker to grill the deputy prime minister and interior minister will be debated. MP Mohammad Al Juwaihal on April 24 made the formal move to have Shaikh Ahmad Al Humood answer questions on naturalisation, dual citizenship,...
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Religious figures need to have proper licences to be able to deliver their sermons and speeches, a lawmaker has said. “The figures need to successfully undergo training sessions before they are given the licence that allows them to address the people,” MP Hassan Bukhammas said.
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Qatar-based Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) has launched two community schools in the Khost Province in eastern Afghanistan. With funding support from ROTA, CARE International in Afghanistan began in October 2011 implementing a three-year project that draws on its extensive experience and lessons learned in community-based education.
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Qatar Charitable Society has launched a housing project in the city of Van, in eastern Turkey, for the benefit of the communities affected by last year’s earthquake. The QR 6.5 million project, funded by the State of Qatar, was executed in four months and 150 families who lost their homes will benefit from it.
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