Tel Aviv, Feb 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The head of Russian presidential property management department has confirmed that the Kremlin will be soon equipped with a helicopter landing pad to help top officials avoid Moscow's heavy traffic jams.

Kabul, Feb 17 (IANS) Afghan police have seized nearly 1,250 kg of drugs in the country's southern province of Helmand, in the latest raid against narcotics and drug trafficking in the country, police said Sunday.

Kabul, Feb 16 (IANS) Afghan President Hamid Karzai reiterated Saturday that the Afghan security forces are entirely ready to ensure national security after NATO-led forces withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.

Jerusalem, Feb 7 (IANS) Israel is building a first-of-its-kind underground hospital in the northern city of Haifa that will protect patients and staffers from any missile attack, whether biological or chemical, a media report said.

Jerusalem, Feb 6 (IANS) US President Barack Obama's visit to Israel next month will be made without any preconditions, the American ambassador to Israel said Wednesday.

Jerusalem, Feb 6 (IANS) Leading Israeli defence companies will showcase an array of their newest technologies at the 2013 Aero-India Air Show, including the Iron Dome anti-rocket defence system.

Kabul, Feb 5 (IANS) Newspapers in Afghanistan were Tuesday pessimistic about a summit of President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari and Britain's David Cameron aiming to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Tel Aviv, Feb 5 (IANS) You may dismiss pea aphids as irritable insects, but their skills could teach aerospace engineers a thing or two about flight control, says an Israeli research.

Kabul, Feb 3 (IANS) The Afghan government should urgently adopt meaningful steps to end the widespread use of torture in government detention centres, Human Rights Watch said Sunday.

Ramallah/Jerusalem, Feb 2 (IANS) Israeli security forces used force Saturday to disperse Palestinian activists attempting to set up a camp in West Bank in protest of Israeli expansion of settlement, witnesses and medics said, reported Xinhua.

Ramallah, Feb 2 (IANS) Palestinian activists erected "tent village" to the north of a West Bank village Saturday to protest against Israeli plans to confiscate the land for settlement expansion.

Kabul, Jan 31 (IANS) A total of 1,400 soldiers Thursday graduated from the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC) and were commissioned into the Afghan National Army.

Tel Aviv, Jan 31 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The demand for gas masks almost tripled in Israel in January amid concerns about the safety of the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile.

Tel Aviv, Jan 29 (IANS) Being in power actually makes people happier and more contented at the workplace and in interpersonal relationships, even though stereotypes would suggest otherwise, says an Israeli study.

Jerusalem, Jan 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The proposed signing of two Russian Muslim footballers has sparked a racism row in Israeli football with the deputy prime minister saying he was shocked and ashamed by the furious reaction of some fans.

Tel Aviv, Jan 24 (IANS) High levels of oxygen reverse brain damage caused by a stroke, traumatic injury or metabolic disorder even years after the event, an Israeli study says.

Jerusalem, Jan 22 (IANS) Israel's education ministry is trying to encourage army recruitment in high schools across the country by giving economic benefits to those teachers that motivate more students to join the military draft.

Kabul, Jan 21 (IANS) A brazen suicide attack mounted Monday morning by heavily armed Taliban rebels who seized the four-storeyed traffic police headquarters here ended after a fierce gun battle that left at least three police personnel dead and 22 injured. All attackers were also killed.

Kabul, Jan 21 (IANS) The Taliban Monday seized the traffic police office in the Afghan capital Kabul following a suicide attack in which at least two militants were involved.

Kabul, Jan 20 (IANS) Four Taliban leaders and several armed insurgents were arrested Sunday during separate military operations, said the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces.

Tel Aviv, Jan 17 (IANS) Charles Dickens' works may have gone a long way in influencing social attitudes towards the physically disabled and the mentally ill in Victorian England, says an expert.

Kabul, Jan 16 (IANS) Six suicide bombers who targeted a compound of Afghanistan's intelligence agency here Wednesday were killed, police said. Several civilians who were injured were in critical condition.

Kabul, Jan 16 (IANS) A powerful blast rocked Afghan capital Kabul Wednesday leaving over a dozen people dead and injured, Xinhua reported, citing witnesses.

Jerusalem, Jan 13 (IANS/WAM) A total of 100 flood-affected Palestinian families have benefited from assistance provided by UAE-based non-governmental aid agency Human Appeal International (HAI).

Jerusalem, Jan 2 (IANS) Israel will train teenagers on cyber-warfare to prepare them for their future role in the military and intelligence community.

Kabul, Dec 26 (IANS) At least four people were killed Wednesday when a suicide bomber drove a minibus packed with explosive into a NATO military base in Aghanistan's Khost province, said officials.

Jerusalem, Dec 24 (IANS/EFE) Spanish Development Minister Ana Pastor Sunday opened the door to Spanish businesses and experts to participate in big infrastructure projects that Israel will put up for bidding in the near future at a total cost of more than 10 billion euros ($13.2 billion).

Kabul, Dec 24 (IANS) A huge fire razed two markets in Kabul Sunday and turned over 600 shops to ashes, police said.

Jerusalem, Dec 19 (IANS) Israel has announced the launch of an online library with high definition pictures of the Dead Sea Scrolls to preserve the documents and expand the knowledge of the oldest known biblical text in the world.

Kabul, Dec 17 (IANS) At least 10 children were killed and two wounded Monday when a bomb went off in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, police said.

Sderot (Israel), Dec 16 (IANS) The skies are clear. The air raid sirens have stopped wailing and so has the rain of rockets. The pack of journalists too has gone from the hillock overlooking Gaza Strip on the edge of this western Negev city of 24,000 in Israel. But the residents are sure the rockets would start falling again sooner or later as they have for years.

Ramallah/Gaza, Dec 15 (IANS) The Islamic Hamas movement and its rival Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday traded blame over failing to set up a specific date for resuming the reconciliation talks to end their ongoing internal division.

Kabul, Dec 15 (IANS) The combat mission of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) will end in 2013 and Afghan forces will take the charge of security of the entire country, President Hamid Karzai said Saturday.

Kabul, Dec 12 (IANS) US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Wednesday paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to consult with NATO military commanders and President Hamid Karzai about the future role of the US in the country as coalition troops pull out by 2014, media reports said.

Jerusalem, Dec 11 (IANS) Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will post ads in European newspapers as part of a campaign, showing Palestinian National Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal as war mongers, Xinhua reported.

Tel Aviv, Dec 11 (IANS) Adults avoiding commitment in a romantic relationship may be trying to live out experiences from their childhood needs, says an Israeli research.

Jerusalem, Dec 10 (IANS) The biggest dream of Israeli President Shimon Peres is to go to India, if he gets an invitation, said one diplomat. Shimon Peres would very much enjoy his visit to India, said another.

Kabul, Dec 10 (IANS) Najia Siddiqi, a senior official, was shot dead Monday in Afghanistan's Laghman province, the authorities said.

Tel Aviv, Dec 9 (IANS) Anat Bernstein-Reich wears many hats - lawyer, businesswoman, educator, journalist. But admittedly her passion is India.

Jerusalem, Dec 7 (IANS) Thieves have stolen several F-16 fighter-jet engines from an airbase in central Israel, media reports said.

Jerusalem, Dec 5 (IANS) Jerusalem-based Teva Pharmaceuticals and US-based Galena Biopharma are set to begin major clinical trials of a breast cancer treatment that holds promise of vaccination against several varieties of the disease, Xinhua reported.

Tel Aviv, Dec 5 (IANS) Fish oil promotes healing in bed sores of critically ill patients, too, says an Israeli research.

Jerusalem, Dec 3 (IANS) In a historical verdict, an Israeli court has allowed a gay couple to divorce, media reports said.

Kabul, Dec 2 (IANS) More than 50 people, most of them militants, have been killed in Afghanistan since Saturday morning, Xinhua reported Sunday.

Tel Aviv, Dec 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Israel is halting tax payments it collects for the Palestinians in response to their successful bid to raise their UN status, local media reported Sunday, citing Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.

Kabul, Dec 2 (IANS) At least 14 people, including nine Taliban men, were killed Sunday when militants wearing suicide vests stormed a major NATO base in Afghanistan, media reports said.

Kabul, Dec 2 (IANS) At least 11 people, including nine Taliban men, were killed Sunday when militants wearing suicide vests stormed a major NATO base in Afghanistan, media reports said.

Ramallah, Nov 27 (IANS) The remains of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have been exhumed as part of an investigation into his death.

Ramallah, Nov 27 (IANS) Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's remains have been exhumed for poison tests, a Palestinian source said Tuesday.

Ramallah, Nov 27 (IANS) Palestinian engineers Tuesday dug up the tomb of late leader Yasser Arafat to take samples from his remains for poison tests, sources said.