Middle East

Cairo, Mar 26: Saudi Arabia denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency said early on Tuesday. “Attempts to impose fait accompli do not change the facts,” the statement said. It said the Golan Heights was an “occupied Syrian Arab land in accordance with the relevant international resolutions”.

Tel Aviv, Mar 26: Israeli air strikes hit sites across the Gaza Strip on Monday in retaliation for a rare rocket attack that hit a house near Tel Aviv, before Hamas said a ceasefire was reached. Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, said Egypt had brokered the ceasefire following the escalation that came just two weeks before Israel's April 9 elections. Israel, whose strikes began

Dubai, Mar 25: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Kenyan teacher, Peter Tabichi, on winning the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize in Dubai on Sunday. With Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, as this year's chief guest at the glitzy ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed

Dubai, Mar 23: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has praised the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her support to the Muslim community after last week's Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 50 worshippers. He also praised New Zealand's communities for standing in solidarity with their Muslim neighbors

Mosul, Mar 22: Almost 100 people, mostly women and children, died Thursday as a ferry packed with families celebrating Kurdish New Year sank in a swollen river in the former Daesh stronghold of Mosul, in Iraq’s worst accident in years. There was an outpouring of grief among residents who only this year resumed the annual festivities on the banks of the Tigris after the northern city’s recapture

Dubai, Mar 21: A company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said an employee was fired and deported after he allegedly celebrated the mass killing of Muslims in New Zealand last week. At least 50 people were killed and dozens wounded by a lone gunman at two mosques in Christchurch on Friday in what is the country's worst modern mass shooting. Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white

Riyadh, Mar 20: Saudi Arabia launched an ambitious $23 billion project on Tuesday to create vast open green areas in the capital, Riyadh, including the world’s biggest city park. Construction will begin this year on four schemes — King Salman Park, Sports Boulevard, Green Riyadh and Riyadh Art — which will create sustainable communities, drive action against climate change and provide up to 70,000

Occupied Jerusalem, Mar 20: A new ad with an elegantly dressed minister using "fascist" perfume drew online outrage on Tuesday, the latest in a social media war ahead of an Israeli election that has also featured a flatulent hippo. Israeli law prevents political ads from being aired on television until two weeks before the April 9 election, so parties have flooded social media with clips instead

Beirut, Mar 18: Eight years of war in Syria have left more than 370,000 people dead including 112,000 civilians, a monitor said on Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of sources across the country, said more than 21,000 children and 13,000 women were among the dead. The conflict flared after unprecedented anti-government protests in the southern city of Daraa on

Abu Dhabi, Mar 18: President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a cable of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, on the death of Princess Al Bandari bint Abdulrahman bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Sheikh Khalifa expressed his heartfelt grief and sympathy with King Salman and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest