Monday, November 23, 2009 BAGHDAD: An Iraqi bank has opened a branch entirely dedicated to and operated by women in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, Geo news reported on Sunday.Director of the bank, Amira Issa said the branch was opened in October to meet the needs of women in the city."The idea of opening a women bank has come upon a request from female businesswomen as other ordinary banks are very crowded," Issa said.Even the head of the bank is not allowed to enter the branch because he is male.The only men working for the branch are security guards stationed outside.The branch provides regular bank services including loans and savings accounts in both Iraqi dinars and US dollars. One client, Um Hussein, described the all-female concept as "a good thing bestowed by almighty God"."Now Muslim women can freely conduct our business in this bank as it is run by female staffers," she added.The bank is considering expanding the new model to other parts of Iraq.
BEIRUT: Thousands of people converged Saturday on central Beirut to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafiq Hariri.Waving Lebanese flags and carrying pictures of the slain leader, men, women and children gathered under sunny skies in Martyr's Square where members of the parliamentary majority were to address the crowd. The rally comes as final preparations are underway in The Hague for the launch of the international tribunal set up to bring Hariri's killers to justice. It also comes as the country prepares for legislative elections in June that will pit Western-backed political parties against a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Syria and Iran.Hariri died in a massive car bombing on February 14, 2005 that also killed 22 others. The assassination was widely blamed on then Lebanese power-broker Syria, which has denied any involvement. The attack on the Beirut seafront was one of the worst acts of political violence to rock Lebanon since t...
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