Sirajuddin Qureshi, who heads the New Delhi-based India Islamic Cultural Center (IICC), has launched a major initiative to ensure a fair trial for Muslims languishing in Indian prisons following his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

New collections, new designs and a brand new season. Are shoppers in Saudi Arabia keeping up? Seems so as Basicxx fast-fashion brand has now topped other top apparel brands in the Kingdom, when it comes to average sales per store thanks to its “affordable, copycat versions” of the latest fashions and trends.

Ramadan in Saudi Arabia provides a unique flavor of the holy month experienced nowhere else in the world. In fact, what may be called Ramadan flavor is in evidence everywhere — on the roads, inside shops and hypermarkets, in mosques and adjacent tents erected for breaking fast as well as offices and at homes.

Retail giant Lulu Hypermarkets have launched a high-profile mega promotion offering customers the opportunity to win five BMW sedan cars, 25 new-look Samsung tablets, high-quality 50 LED televisions and 25 cell phones.

Saudi Arabia experienced the longest day of 2014 on Saturday June 21 totaling nearly 13 hours and 48 minutes of daylight. “All the countries located in the northern hemisphere including the Gulf states had the longest day on June 21,” said Zaki Abdulrahman Mustafa, a senior astronomer at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), here on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia have called on their nationals to apply for machine-readable passports (MRPs) as soon as possible to avoid last minute rush.

Joseph W. Westphal, ambassador of the United States to Saudi Arabia, met Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari on Thursday to discuss strengthening of educational relations between the US and Saudi Arabia.

Sanctions imposed on Dutch companies by Saudi Arabia following the distribution of anti-Islamic stickers by populist politician Geert Wilders are now biting, and could further hurt business interests of the Netherlands, said Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia has finalized plans to set up a panel to be entrusted with the task to propose and draft a legislation that will require all schools to check bullying and to recognize it as a nationwide issue. The proposed law will spell out policies and procedures to prevent bullying and ensure that all schools will educate students and faculty about bullying and its harmful effects.

A probe challenging the failure of the Pakistan Embassy to constitute a managing panel and to check the alleged irregularities of the Riyadh-based Pakistan International School (English Section) has been initiated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. This was disclosed here Monday by a group of aggrieved Pakistani parents, who approached the apex court and sought its intervention to streamline the affairs of the school.

The Health Ministry reported five new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) on Saturday. Four of them were detected on Friday evening, it said.

A top Saudi rights activist has called for the establishment of a higher council for family affairs to address concerns over the growing number of physical and sexual abuse cases and the lack of shared community spirit to protect children.

Foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have labeled the elections in Syria as a farce. They dismissed the vote as a way for President Bashar Assad to stay in power and prolong the country’s bloody three-year conflict.

Foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met here Monday evening to discuss key regional issues including Iran's nuclear program, the Syrian crisis and the ongoing reconciliation initiatives between Qatar and other member states.

j Which particular aspect (s) of Saudi Arabia do you like the most? Friendship and generosity. j What is your favorite and oft-repeated Arabic word?

The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has strongly condemned Russia and China for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution to refer the Syrian crisis to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigation into possible war crimes.

The shisha cafe culture may further exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, said a senior physiology professor at King Saud University (KSU) on Wednesday.

Germany's flag carrier Lufthansa, which operates a record number of 24 flights a week on Saudi-German sector, has launched a $50 billion fleet expansion plan. This fleet expansion project will enable Lufthansa to acquire 295 latest-version of airplanes, including ultramodern Boeing 777-9x and new airbus A350-900 in a staggered schedule until 2025.

A top Indonesian diplomat sought here Thursday to change the perception Saudis have of his country, saying that it is the world’s 10th largest economy, and not merely a labor-exporting nation.

Spanish King Juan Carlos is set to arrive in Jeddah on Saturday to hold talks with top Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Salman, minister of defense, and Prince Muqrin, second deputy premier.

Saudis and expatriates are increasingly flocking to gyms springing up all over the country, adopting the latest fad diet or exercise craze to lose weight.

• Which particular aspect of Saudi Arabia do you like the most? Saudi Arabia is full of welcoming and highly interesting people. • Can you tell us about your favorite and oft-repeated Arabic word?

Defense ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will hold consultative talks with US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who begins his tour to three Middle East countries, including the Kingdom, on Monday.

LuLu Hypermarkets in Saudi Arabia launched a mega melon promotion called “Melonic Festival” on Wednesday, which will continue until May 13,.

RIYADH/JEDDAH: Security forces have busted a 62-member Al-Qaeda terrorist cell that was planning to assassinate leaders and attack government targets in the Kingdom with other organizations.