CARACAS: Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro announced 30 days of electricity rationing Sunday, after his government said it was shortening the working day and keeping schools closed due to blackouts.Angry Venezuelans meanwhile took to the streets of Caracas to protest the power cuts and water shortages.The measures are a stark admission by the government — which…
JERUSALEM: An Israeli cyber watchdog said Monday it has uncovered a network of fake online accounts backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and slandering opponents ahead of next week’s general election.In a new report the Big Bots Protect, which describes itself as a campaigner against social media abuse, said posts used “lies, libel and rumormongering” to…
ANKARA/ISTANBUL: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered stunning setbacks in local elections as his ruling AK Party lost control of the capital Ankara for the first time since the party’s founding in 2001, possibly complicating his plans to fight back recession.Both the AKP and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) claimed victory in Istanbul,…
ANKARA/ISTANBUL: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered stunning setbacks in local elections as his ruling AK Party lost control of the capital Ankara for the first time since the party’s founding in 2001, possibly complicating his plans to fight back recession.Both the AKP and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) claimed victory in Istanbul,…
RIYADH: Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the minister of culture, visited the King Fahd National Library (KFNL) in Riyadh on Sunday.Prince Badr inspected the library’s facilities and programs to identify its future needs, in line with the ministry’s vision that places great importance on the development of public libraries.“The library’s cultural content made it…
GROZNY: The Islamic nation has endured the negative and dangerous impact of classification and exclusion, including takfir, said Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), during the Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque in Grozny, Chechnya.In a first in the history of Russia, the Muslim World League (MWL) launched an…
RIYADH: Spring snowfall has swept in to the deserts and mountains of north-west Saudi Arabian, turning the sand white and delighting residents.Tabuk residents shared their videos and photos of the rare weather conditions on social media. Some made it to Jebel Al-Lawz, near the Jordanian border, which was covered in snow. ثلوج اللوز اليوم…
‘Creation’ Abdulhalim Radwi, Saudi Arabia Radwi is regarded as one of the most significant artists in Saudi Arabian history, as one of the pioneers of modern art in the Kingdom. Much of his work referenced the historical architecture, folklore and lifestyle of his homeland. His 1989 painting, “Creation,” was exhibited at Art Dubai last week…
DUBAI: In the four-plus years since it has been open, the luxury resort of Cape Weligama has raked in numerous international awards and prestigious accolades. It’s not hard to see why — take the unparalleled location, perched at the edge of a headland right on the tip of the southern coast of Sri Lanka, to…
MIAMI: Orange streamers rained down while Roger Federer held another championship trophy aloft, his familiar grin as wide as ever.For the ageless Federer, winning never gets old.Now 37, Federer became tennis’ first repeat champion of 2019 when he won his 101st career title Sunday by beating a hobbled John Isner in the Miami Open final,…
Ferrari dominate as Charles Leclerc takes first pole position for Bahrain Grand Prix SAKHIR, London: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc confirmed he is to be reckoned with by taking his first career pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.Leclerc topped all three sections of qualifying, having already been quickest in two of the three…
DUBAI: The World Bank has downgraded on Monday its growth outlook for the Philippines this year and 2019, but remained positive despite internal and external factors that could affect economic expansion. “Amidst lingering global and local uncertainties, the Philippine economy is poised to grow at 6.4 percent in 2019 and 6.5 percent in 2020 and…
DUBAI: The World Bank has downgraded on Monday its growth outlook for the Philippines this year and 2019, but remained positive despite internal and external factors that could affect economic expansion. “Amidst lingering global and local uncertainties, the Philippine economy is poised to grow at 6.4 percent in 2019 and 6.5 percent in 2020 and…
TOKYO: Oil prices rose on Monday, adding to gains in the first quarter when the major benchmarks posted their biggest increases in nearly a decade, as concerns about supplies outweigh fears of a slowing global economy.Brent crude for June delivery was up by 43 cents, or 0.6 percent, at $68.01 a barrel by 0214 GMT,…
MANILA: Two extremists have been arrested with guns, explosives and Daesh group-style black flags in a northern Philippine province far from the traditional territory of militants in the volatile south, police said Monday. But national police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the arrest on Thursday of the two militants in Baggao town in Cagayan province…
NEW DELHI: An Indian rocket on Monday placed domestic and foreign satellites in three different orbits on a single flight, a first for the nation and a low-cost option that could burnish its reputation for pioneering affordable options in space.The launch of a domestic intelligence satellite and 28 foreign ones came less than a week…
KABUL, Afghanistan: An Afghan official says the Taliban stormed two checkpoints in northern Sari Pul province, killing at least five members of the security forces and setting of an hours-long gunbattle.Zabihullah Amani, spokesman for the provincial governor, say the attack in the province's Sozma Qala district started late on Sunday night. The fighting lasted until…
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Over the weekend, Gaza’s Hamas rulers marked a year of bloody, weekly protests that have failed to break the Israeli blockade. Rocket attacks brought a wave of Israeli airstrikes and unprecedented protests broke out against the Islamic militants’ increasingly unpopular rule.And yet Hamas’ control over Gaza is tighter than ever.The militants’…
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Over the weekend, Gaza’s Hamas rulers marked a year of bloody, weekly protests that have failed to break the Israeli blockade. Rocket attacks brought a wave of Israeli airstrikes and unprecedented protests broke out against the Islamic militants’ increasingly unpopular rule.And yet Hamas’ control over Gaza is tighter than ever.The militants’…
Arab conference in Boston’s Harvard to shed light on refugees, healthcare and governance CAMBRIDGE: The Arab Conference at Harvard, the largest pan-Arab conference in North America, will shed light on obstacles the Arab world faces in terms of identity, healthcare and governance, on Friday in the US’s Cambridge, Massachusetts. The conference, which runs for three…
