Middle East

Ras Tanura, Jun 17: This port, on the calm blue waters of the Persian Gulf, operates with military-like precision. Black and red-hulled super oil tankers must ask for permission to load months in advance. Detailed records go back 30 years to trace any vessels that have broken the rules by dumping oil or using substandard equipment. High-tech radar constantly scan for potential troublemakers, like

kabul, Jun 17: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed at least 25 people in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar. The group's Amaq website said the attack on Saturday targeted "a gathering of Afghan forces" in Nangarhar, but gave no details. According to Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's

Beirut, Jun 16: : Syrian regime shelling on an opposition-held southern region has killed at least six civilians, hours after US warning not to jeopardize talks on the area's fate, a monitoring group said Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the casualties, who included two children, were killed in shelling on two villages in the north of Daraa province. The Britain-based monitor

Jeddah/Dubai, Jun 15: Muslims in most of the middle eastern countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates on Friday celebrated the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Saudi King offers prayers in Makkah King Salman performed the Eid Al-Fitr prayer in Makkah’s Grand Mosque. He also received Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri; the

Jeddah, Jun 15: More than 2 million worshippers gathered at Makkah’s Grand Mosque to attend the last night of the Qur’an recitation during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The prayers, during which verses of the Qur’an were recited, were led by Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of worshippers flocked to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah from all

Dubai, Jun 14: The crescent of the Shawwal moon has been sighted in Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, the International Astronomy Center announced on Thursday. This means Eid Al Fitr should begin tomorrow. The crescent was seen using the technique of astronomical imaging, and the moon wasn't spotted with the naked eye, the astronomy centre added. The final announcement will be made when the moon-sighting

United Nations, Jun 14: The UN General Assembly has adopted by a strong majority of 120 countries an Arab-backed resolution condemning Israel for Palestinian deaths in Gaza and rejected a US bid to put the blame on Hamas. At least 129 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during protests near the border with Gaza that began at the end of March. No Israelis have died. The resolution put

Dubai, Jun 13: Popular Indian origin Chef Atul Kochhar on Wednesday said he was ‘deeply upset’ by a Dubai hotel’s decision to cut ties with him, following his inflammatory tweet that caused outrage on social media amid accusations of racism, bigotry and Islamophobia. “The decision by JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is deeply upsetting, however I fully accept the great pain I have caused and the

Dubai, Jun 13: The Saudi Air Defense Force intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militias from Saada province, Yemen, towards Saudi territories, UAE state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday. The official spokesman for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Col. Turki Al-Maliki, stated that at 3:46am the Saudi Air Force intercepted a missile launched by the Iran

Dubai, Jun 13: A popular Indian-origin chef in the United Arab Emirates has landed in a controversy after he allegedly posted an anti-Islam tweet, triggering calls for his sacking, a media report said on Tuesday. Atul Kochhar, a Michelin-Star chef well known here for his Rang Mahal Indian restaurant at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel, received flak after taking a dig at Bollywood actor Priyanka