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Gulf

UAE Ambassador to Syria Takes Post in Damascus

President Bashar al-Assad welcoming Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Damascus, November 2021. (Syrian Presidency)
President Bashar al-Assad welcoming Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Damascus, November 2021. (Syrian Presidency)
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UAE Ambassador to Syria Takes Post in Damascus

President Bashar al-Assad welcoming Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Damascus, November 2021. (Syrian Presidency)
President Bashar al-Assad welcoming Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Damascus, November 2021. (Syrian Presidency)

The first United Arab Emirates ambassador to Damascus in nearly 13 years took up his post on Tuesday.

Syrian state media said the country’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad received Ambassador Hassan Ahmad al-Shihi’s credentials.

The UAE embassy was reopened in Syria in late 2018 and a charge d’affaires has been in charge of the diplomatic mission since then.

Al-Shihi will be the first UAE ambassador to Syria since 2011.

Al-Shihi served as the UAE's ambassador to Iraq since 2015 and held a previous post as the ambassador to Sudan.

The reopening of the UAE embassy in Syria in December 2018 ended seven years of strained relations following the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria's membership and severe ties with the country.

The UAE is the first Arab country to restore ties with Damascus. In November 2021, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In March 2023, al-Assad arrived in the UAE for an official visit, accompanied by his wife. Assad held talks with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during which they discussed on bilateral ties.

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Gulf

GCC Secretary-General Affirms Gulf Stability as a Cornerstone of Global Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
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GCC Secretary-General Affirms Gulf Stability as a Cornerstone of Global Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi stressed during a working session before the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) that Gulf–European relations are more important than ever amid current regional and international challenges, and called for elevating them from consultation to a more practical partnership, SPA reported.

Albudaiwi, who is holding a series of meetings with senior officials in Brussels, explained that recent security developments in the region, along with threats to maritime routes, supply chains, and energy and food security, confirm that Gulf stability is not merely a regional matter, but a fundamental element of global stability.

He emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and secure under international law, particularly UNCLOS (1982).

He also praised the EU’s condemnation of Iranian attacks on GCC states and its efforts to contain escalation through urgent diplomatic engagement.

Gulf

Makkah Police Arrest Resident over Fraudulent Hajj Ads

A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
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Makkah Police Arrest Resident over Fraudulent Hajj Ads

A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)

Makkah Region police arrested an Egyptian resident for fraud after posting advertisements on social media offering fake permits to enter the holy sites and fraudulent Hajj services, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Legal action was taken against him and he was referred to the Public Prosecution.

The General Directorate of Public Security urged citizens and residents to adhere to Hajj regulations and guidelines and to report violators.

On Tuesday, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced the penalties that will be imposed on violators of the regulations requiring a permit to perform Hajj.

A fine of up to SAR20,000 will be imposed on any individual found performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit.

A fine of up to SAR100,000 will be imposed on any person who applies for the issuance of a visit visa of any type for an individual who performs or attempts to perform Hajj without a permit.

Infiltrators, including residents and those who overstay their visas, will be deported back to their countries and banned them from entering the Kingdom for 10 years.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Distributes 29,000 Hot Meals in Gaza

KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Distributes 29,000 Hot Meals in Gaza

KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)

The central kitchen operated by Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip, as part of the Saudi public campaign to provide relief to the Palestinian people, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

This initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication, through KSrelief, to supporting the Palestinian people in times of crisis.

On Monday, KSrelief distributed 1,196 food baskets to the most vulnerable groups in Gaza's city of Khan Younis, benefiting 7,176 individuals.