JEDDAH: The Consulate General of Italy in Jeddah hosted a celebration of the country’s National Day with a two-day cultural event, part of which focused on music from the Middle Ages. This an era from which it is easy to spot similarities and shared mutual influences between Western Christian and Arab Islamic music. To illustrate this, musician Stefano Albarello performed…
RIYADH: A former detainee on Wednesday told of torture and murder in the jails and camps of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias and called for international human rights organizations to inspect the conditions of thousands of detainees across Yemen. Addressing a crowded press conference at the Yemen Embassy in Riyadh on Wednesday, Gamal Al-Maamri, a Yemeni activist released by Houthi militias…
RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday urged the international community to pressure Iran to respect the UN Charter, stop providing ballistic missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi Arabia, and stop meddling in the affairs of Arab states. “The GCC countries want a Middle East free from all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons,” said…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Spain have renewed their pledge to boost cooperation in several areas, especially in civil aviation, labor and social development, culture, science and technology, as well as the defense industries. “The agreements to promote cooperation in these identified sectors were signed during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Spain recently,” said Alvaro Iranzo, the Spanish…
RIYADH: Dates are a staple food in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, both in their own right and as a common ingredient in local dishes. In particular, they form an important part of the diet of Muslims during Ramadan, when they are traditionally eaten every evening to break the fast. The Kingdom is the second-largest producer of dates in…
RIYADH: Sales of miswak — the teeth-cleaning twig popular around the Muslim world — will treble in Saudi Arabia as people turn to the traditional hygiene method during Ramadan. Worshippers fasting during the holy month use miswak several times a day to ensure mouth freshness and protect dental health. Mubarak Al-Oraizi, a miswak seller in Riyadh city center, said he expected…