Middle East

Baghdad, Nov 17: Iraqi forces, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, on Friday captured the border town of Rawa, the last remaining town under Islamic State control. Recapturing it means that IS has largely been neutralized in Iraq. However, pockets of resistance still exist and the group does control some territory in the deserts of western Iraq, reports CNN. Government troops and paramilitary units

Riyadh, Nov 17: More than 330, 000 expatriates working in Saudi Arabia are over the age of 60 years as of the first half of this year, according to statistics published by “Mal” magazine and quoted by “Okaz” newspaper. This prompted some Saudi Twitter users to demand an age limit for foreigners. Others called on the GCC countries to limit the residency of foreigners to three periods of (six years)

JEDDAH, Nov 16: The first ever Women Sports Forum will be held next month in Jeddah under the patronage of Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan, vice president of the General Authority of Sports and Planning. The forum is being organized by various sports organizations to help Saudi women who wish to pursue athletics, Al-Watan Arabic newspaper reported on Wednesday. The forum also aims to honor

Doha, Nov 15: Months into a dispute that has seen Doha cut off from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Qatar’s Emir said Tuesday his country was “a thousand times better off” without them. In a speech to the Shura Council, the upper house of Parliament, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said his government had nonetheless put in place contingency plans as he expected the bitter political dispute with

Dubai/Kuwait, Nov 13: Mild tremors felt several parts of United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Israel after a powerful earthquake struck near Iraq-Iran border killing dozens in the Islamic Republic last night. In Kuwait, people rushed out of their homes in panic after the felt the tremors. Kuwait National Seismic Network too confirmed the people felt tremors for a few seconds. Several UAE residents

Nov 13: Lebanese Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri, in his first public comments since his surprise November 4 resignation, dismissed speculation that he was held against his will in Saudi Arabia and said he plans to return home within days. “I am free in the kingdom,” the Lebanese leader said in an interview from his home in Riyadh, aired by his Future TV. Speaking with a Lebanese flag in the

Tehran, Nov 13: More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a 7.3-magnitude earthquake shook the mountainous Iran-Iraq border triggering landslides that hindered rescue efforts, officials said Monday. The quake hit 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan at around 9.20 pm (1820 GMT) on Sunday, when many people would have been at home, the US Geological

Riyadh, Nov 12: The Saudi Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources has tightened security at all its oil facilities following the Bahrain pipeline attack, it announce on Saturday. It also suspended pumping oil to Bahrain after the attack on the crude oil pipeline. The Energy Ministry also condemned this cowardly act. Saudi Aramco said no casualties were reported in the incident. The area

Riyadh, Nov 10: Saudi Arabia said Thursday 201 people are being held for questioning in a massive anti-graft swoop on the elite, with at least $100 billion estimated to have been lost through corruption and embezzlement over several decades. "A total of 208 individuals have been called in for questioning so far. Of those 208 individuals, seven have been released without charge," a statement issued

Nov 10: Qatar has appointed 28 new members to one of its most important consultative bodies, including four women, a royal decree announced. The women will sit on the 45-strong Shura Council, which is responsible for discussing draft laws, general government policy and the state's draft budget, state media said on Thursday. "Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued an emiri decree