Saudi Arabia to Begin Implementation of Personal Status Law System

A personal status court in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A personal status court in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia to Begin Implementation of Personal Status Law System

A personal status court in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A personal status court in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, approved the Kingdom’s implementation of the Personal Status Law system starting Friday.

The Saudi government had approved the 41-article law in March 2022.

Crown Prince Mohammed has stressed that the law is based on Islamic Sharia laws. The preparation of the law was also based on modern international legal and judicial practices.

The new law will help protect families and their stability given that familial ties are the foundations of society.

The law will help improve the situation of families and children and help reduce discrepancies in various judicial rulings.

The law sets the legal age for marriage at 18. It grants women the right to annul a marriage unilaterally if the right conditions are met. Other articles are in line with the demands of the modern era and are designed to resolve problems that had been persistent in families and marriages, effectively elevating the status of the Saudi woman in society.



2 Dead, 3 Wounded as Missile Intercepted in Abu Dhabi

People walk along the corniche area in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)
People walk along the corniche area in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)
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2 Dead, 3 Wounded as Missile Intercepted in Abu Dhabi

People walk along the corniche area in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)
People walk along the corniche area in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)

Two people were killed and three were wounded by falling debris after air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, the government media office said on Thursday.

"The incident resulted in the deaths of two unidentified individuals, three injuries, and damage to a number of cars," the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a post on X.


Crown Prince, UK PM Address Global Economic Crisis; Starmer Condemns Iran’s Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
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Crown Prince, UK PM Address Global Economic Crisis; Starmer Condemns Iran’s Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received a phone call on Wednesday from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who condemned Iran’s continued assaults against Saudi Arabia.

Starmer expressed his country’s strong condemnation of Iran’s attacks highlighting their threat to security and stability, during the phone call with the Crown Prince.

The two leaders discussed regional security amid the ongoing military escalation, its impact on regional and global stability, and the associated risks to international maritime security and the global economy.


UN Rights Council Slams ‘Egregious’ Iran Strikes on Gulf, Demands Reparation

Smoke rises from Kuwait international airport after a drone strike on fuel storage in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Friday, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
Smoke rises from Kuwait international airport after a drone strike on fuel storage in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Friday, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
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UN Rights Council Slams ‘Egregious’ Iran Strikes on Gulf, Demands Reparation

Smoke rises from Kuwait international airport after a drone strike on fuel storage in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Friday, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
Smoke rises from Kuwait international airport after a drone strike on fuel storage in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Friday, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo)

The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday condemned Iran's "egregious attacks" on Gulf countries and demanded full "reparation" for all victims of its strikes.

The 47-member council backed a resolution brought by the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan demanding Iran immediately "cease all unprovoked attacks.”

The resolution was adopted by consensus.

The resolution "condemns in the strongest terms the egregious attacks" by Iran, condemns Tehran's actions aimed at closing the Strait of Hormuz and voices "grave concerns at the Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure.”

It demands Iran "immediately and unconditionally cease all unprovoked attacks" against the GCC states and Jordan and "provide full, effective and prompt reparation to all victims for the damage and injury caused by its attacks.”

Saudi Arabia welcomed the UN Human Rights Council’s unanimous adoption of the resolution, which reflects the international community’s rejection of Iranian attacks and its condemnation of these brutal acts as grave violations of human rights.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said Iranian attacks on the Kingdom and other countries in the region “constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and a clear breach of international conventions and international law.”

“Targeting countries that are not party to the conflict is a blatant act of aggression that cannot be justified or accepted,” it added.