Middle East

Dubai, April 21: Dozens of protesters clashed with police across Shiite villages close to the circuit where Bahrain's controversial Formula One Grand Prix takes place this weekend, witnesses said on Saturday. Dozens of people took to the streets late on Friday and set alight tyres near the villages of Damistan, Karzakkan, Malkiya and Sadad, all less than four kilometres from the Sakhir circuit

Jeddah, April 21: Thieves who illegally encroach on government lands will come under electronic surveillance by a number of government departments using aerial photos taken by satellites, local Arabic daily Al-Watan reported yesterday quoting the director of the media center of the Jeddah municipality. "The aerial photos are updated daily by the Geographical Data System Department (GDSD) which is

Dubai, April 20: The Second consultative ministerial meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue II today unanimously adopted the ‘The Manila Communique’ at the conclusion of its work at the International Convention Center here in Manila. In a speech at the closing session, UAE Minister of Labour Saqr Ghobash expressed thanks and appreciation of UAE’s leadership and government to the Philippines President

Riyadh, April 19: The Ministry of Labor has set four conditions for foreign workers to transfer their iqamas from red or yellow companies to green companies, taking advantage of the Nitaqat Saudization program. Only those workers who have been in the Kingdom for over six years can avail of this, a ministry source told Arab News. It is also required that the worker must complete at least two years

Jeddah, April 18: Civil Defense chief said yesterday that 18 people —16 Saudis and two Sudanese — died in flash floods as a result of torrential rains in different parts of the country over the past week. Lt. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijri urged Saudis and expatriates to keep away from valleys at times of flooding. “Crossing flooded valleys in vehicles is a dangerous act,” he said, adding that no force can

Abu Dhabi, April 18: A 10-year-old Indian boy in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) is doing his own bit to save the environment. Every day, he makes paper bags and distributes them to supermarkets, stores and malls. Abdul Muqeet started his project when he was only eight. Abdul's father explained to him the negative impact the non-biodegradable plastic bags have on nature. This led Abdul to think

Cairo, April 18: Clashes erupted near the electoral commission here following rejection of the presidential candidature of Salafist politician Hazim Abu Ismail, officials said. Supporters of Ismail clashed last evening with Central Security Forces tasked with guarding the headquarters of the Presidential Election Commission in Heliopolis, they said. The Commission confirmed that 10 candidates have

Palestine, April 17: About 1,600 Palestinian prisoners have begun an open-ended hunger strike in the Israeli jails across the occupied territories to protest imprisonment without charge and solitary confinement exercised by the Tel Aviv regime. Palestinian prisoners began the hunger strike on Tuesday, April 17, which marks the Palestinian Prisoners Day. Meanwhile, thousands of people held

Dubai, April 17: Dubai will give visitors and residents a chance to get soaked in its history, culture and arts through a gamut of activities during the annual Heritage Week until April 21. Visitors take a look at a display at the Falcon Centre in Nad Al Sheba. Along with Dubai Culture, the Architectural Heritage Department of the Dubai Municipality is also holding different activities to mark

New Delhi, April 17: The Supreme Court on Monday favoured doing away with the practice of sending goodwill delegation to Saudi Arabia during the Haj in a phased manner, saying that the move started in 1967 was no more required in the present scenario. A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desa said that the goodwill delegation was required after partition to counter Pakistan