Middle East

Israeli Army has launched airstrike against 18 targets belonging to Hamas fighters in Gaza strip and killed at least two Palestinian teenagers. The Health Ministry in Gaza identified the victims as Salam Sabah and Abdullah Abu Sheikha, both 17. Palestinian eye witnesses said the two were killed east of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza on Saturday after Israel launched a series of airstrikes and

Riyadh, Feb 18: Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fast-growing private sector. The policy change, announced by the Saudi government on Thursday, also marks a major step away from the strict guardianship system that has ruled the country for decades. "Women can now launch their own businesses

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, has labelled Iran "the greatest threat to the world" in his address to the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Comparing Iran to Nazi Germany, Netanyahu said on Sunday that Iran advocates "master faith" just like Nazi Germany used to advocate "master race". "The commander of the Revolutionary Guard, [Mohammad] Ali Jafari, said: 'We are on the path to

Makkah, Feb 17: The Haramain rail project, or “Makkah-Madinah high-speed railway,” will create more than 2,000 jobs for Saudis, according to the former director general of the Haramain train, Dr. Bassam Gholman. Gholman said 12,000 passengers would be able to travel between Makkah and Madinah every hour, providing secure and comfortable transport for pilgrims and other users. It was possible to

Islamabad, Feb 16: In a major policy shift, Pakistan has decided to deploy troops in Saudi Arabia under bilateral security cooperation with the kingdom which is involved in the ongoing civil war in neighbouring Yemen. The Pakistan Army announced the decision after a meeting between Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al-Maliki, at army headquarters in

Jeddah, Feb 16: Two years ago, Jeddah-based health enthusiast Rasha Al Hambra founded Bliss Runners to encourage other Saudi women to adopt a healthy lifestyle through running. Health experts worldwide regard running as the best form of cardio, and Rasha is determined to promote a walking and running culture in Saudi Arabia. Rasha, a Saudi national picked up running while she was living in the

Jerusalem, Feb 14: In a setback to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli police have recommended that he be indicted for two case of corruption and breach of trust even as the beleaguered leader remained defiant and refused to step down. After a 14-month-long investigation, police announced on Tuesday that it found enough evidence to recommend the stateâs prosecution to indict 68-year

Kuwait City, Feb 14: Kuwait’s ruling Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah said on Wednesday that his nation will give $1 billion in loans and $1 billion in direct investments to help rebuild Iraq. The stunning donation, as only a decade ago Saddam Hussein invaded the small, oil-rich nation, shows the deep interest Kuwait has in making sure Iraq becomes a peaceful, stable country after the war

The Philippine government has officially put a stop to the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait on Monday. The move is in response to a series of incidents that led to the deaths and injuries of a number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state. The head of the country’s Department of Labour and Employment (Dole), Secretary Silvestre Bello III, issued an order to enforce the

Sharjah, Feb 12: Two children were among five people who were killed after a fire broke out in their apartment in Sharjah at 3 am on Monday. The two children are believed to have died of suffocation, according to preliminary investigations. However, the victims were living in different apartments. Eight seriously suffocated residents of the building have been admitted to the Kuwait Hospital. The