Middle East

Washington, Jul 29: The US on Friday imposed new sanctions targeting Iran’s ballistic missile program, one day after Tehran tested a satellite-launch rocket — an act that Washington had called “provocative.” The US Treasury singled out six companies owned or controlled by Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), which it said was central to Iran’s missile program, freezing their US assets and

Amman, Jul 28: Thousands of worshippers surged into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday after Israel lifted security measures imposed at the site. Reuters reported at least 113 hurt in scuffles with Israeli police. Chaotic scenes unfolded as police used stun grenades to try to control crowds charging forward when the last gate Muslims use to enter Al-Aqsa was opened after a standoff lasting

Jerusalem, Jul 27: Palestinians have criticised an Israeli legislator who said he would "execute" a Palestinian assailant's family as revenge for an operation that killed three Israelis in an occupied West Bank settlement. In a video posted (Hebrew) over the weekend on his official Facebook account, which has more than 82,000 likes, Israeli Knesset Member MK Oren Hazan said he would demolish the

Jerusalem, Jul 27: Israel has removed more security installations from the entrance to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem after protest and deadly unrest in recent days. Newly installed railings, gates and scaffolding where cameras were previously mounted were removed from the entrance to the compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, reported Al Jazeera early on Thursday. On

Jeddah, Jul 26: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that pilgrims have started arriving in the Kingdom via land, air and sea ports. On Sunday, 325 pilgrims arrived at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah on the first Hajj flight from Pakistan, while three other Hajj flights from Pakistan arrived in Madinah with 651 pilgrims on board. More international flights followed. The

Madinah, Jul 25: The Haj 2017 season has begun, with the first flights arriving from Pakistan on Monday. The first group of 329 pilgrims from Islamabad arrived at Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Madinah. The group was received by Sajid Yousafani, director general of the Pakistan Haj Mission; Asif Memon, deputy consul general; and Ashraf Lanja, joint secretary at the Ministry of Religious

The last couple of weeks have seen daily demonstrations and confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories. Tensions have risen in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City after Israel shut down al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first time since 1969, after a deadly gun battle between Palestinian citizens of Israel and Israeli forces. The attack, which took

Kabul, Jul 24: At least 24 people have been killed and more than 40 wounded after a suicide car bomb targeted Afghanistan's capital Kabul, police said. The target of Monday's attack was unclear, Najib Danish, a police spokesman, told AFP news agency, adding that the casualty toll could rise. The attack came just before 7am and took place close to the house of Hazara leader Mohammed Mohaqeq. Al

Jerusalem, Jul 23: Two Palestinians have died in separate incidents after clashes with Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Oday Nawajaa, 17, died of his injuries on Saturday after being hit by Israeli live fire at al-Eizariya town east of Jerusalem, the ministry said. Palestinian leader freezes contact with Israel Another Palestinian

Lebanon, Jul 23: A Lebanese mediator was killed on Saturday in a second day of fighting between the powerful Hezbollah group and fighters near the border with Syria, the official news agency ANI said. "Ahmad al-Fliti, who was mediating between fighters and Hezbollah...was wounded when his car was hit by shelling of unknown origin in Juruod Arsal," ANI said. "He later succumbed to his wounds."