MIDDLE EAST

Israel’s Netanyahu ‘determined’ to continue Gaza operation

Israel postpones Netanyahu graft trial over virus

4:59 pm March 15, 2020

Jerusalem: An Israeli court on Sunday postponed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s graft trial over coronavirus, as the premier relaunched his appeal for an emergency unity government to tackle the crisis. Netanyahu, the first Israeli prime minister ever indicted in office, had been scheduled to stand trial from Tuesday over alleged bribery, fraud and breach of […]

Afghan foreign minister likely to visit India this month

Afghan government delays Taliban prisoner release plan

10:23 pm March 14, 2020

Kabul: The Afghan government has postponed its plan to release Taliban prisoners, a senior official said Saturday, throwing a precarious peace process between the insurgents and Kabul into deeper crisis. President Ashraf Ghani earlier this week announced that the authorities would free 1,500 insurgents as a “gesture of goodwill” before negotiations begin, in an attempt […]

UAE ready to fly stranded Indians if they test negative for coronavirus: Envoy

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends travel ban to EU, 12 nations including India

11:45 pm March 13, 2020

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has extended its travel ban to include the European Union and 12 other countries, including India, as the number of coronavirus cases in the Kingdom jumped to 62, according to media reports on Friday. Saudi health officials on Friday announced 17 new coronavirus cases, raising the number of cases in the country […]

US to hit all of Iran's financial sector with sanctions

Iran imposes lockdown to check all citizens for virus

11:29 pm March 13, 2020

Tehran: Iran said Friday the security forces will clear the streets nationwide within 24 hours so all citizens can be checked for coronavirus — its toughest measure yet to combat the outbreak. The COVID-19 epidemic in Iran — a nation of more than 80 million people — has now claimed over 500 lives and infected […]

Donations for Ayodhya mosque made tax-free

Religious services curbed across Mideast over virus fears

7:33 pm March 13, 2020

Jerusalem: Religious authorities moved to cancel or limit weekly prayer gatherings across the Middle East on Friday to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as they encouraged the faithful to pray for those afflicted by the global pandemic. Iran, which is mired in the worst outbreak in the region, meanwhile announced another 85 […]