Middle East

Catholic Church’s Pope Francis admits priests, bishops sexually abused nuns

  by Catherine Marciano Agence France Presse The Catholic Church’s Pope Francis admitted Tuesday that priests and bishops had sexually abused nuns, the latest scandal to rock the church. “There are some priests and also bishops who have done it,” the pontiff said in response to a journalist’s question on the abuse of nuns, speaking on the return flight from his trip to the United Arab Emirates. The papal admission followed a rare outcry last […]

Turkey to set up Syria ‘security zone’ after Trump call

by Fulya OZERKAN Agence France-Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Ankara would set up a “security zone” in northern Syria suggested by US President Donald Trump. Erdogan’s comments came a day after he had a telephone conversation with Trump to ease tensions after the US leader threatened to “devastate” the Turkish economy if Ankara attacks Kurdish forces in Syria. Turkey has welcomed Washington’s planned withdrawal of some 2,000 US […]

Trump appears to slow Syria troop pullout plan

by Sebastian Smith Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack Monday on shock plans for an immediate pullout of US troops from Syria, but said his drive to end American involvement in wars made him a “hero.” The shift came a day after a senior Republican senator said Trump had promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of defeating the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. Trump […]

Khashoggi murder: What we know about Saudi suspects

  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered on October 2 in his country’s consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was drugged, dismembered and then transferred out of the consulate, Riyadh’s public prosecution said on Thursday. Here is what we know about the Saudi nationals allegedly involved in the murder that has provoked an international outcry. – 21 suspects – – […]

Saudis issue charges but exonerate crown prince in Khashoggi murder

  by Anuj Chopra with Paul Handley in Washington Agence France Presse RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — The Saudi government exonerated the country’s powerful crown prince of involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Thursday as death-penalty charges were announced against five men and the US placed sanctions on 17 suspected of involvement. Riyadh prosecutors announced indictments against 11 people and said a total of 21 individuals were in custody in connection with the […]

Saudi rejects ‘baseless’ murder claims over missing journalist

  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia dismissed on Saturday accusations that Jamal Khashoggi was ordered murdered by a hit squad inside its Istanbul consulate as “lies and baseless allegations”, as Riyadh and Ankara spar over the missing journalist’s fate. As the controversy intensified, the Washington Post reported Turkish officials had recordings made from inside the building that allegedly proved their claims Khashoggi was tortured and killed at the consulate. A Saudi delegation arrived […]

Four years of coalition strikes on Syria kill 3,300 civilians: monitor

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — More than 3,000 civilians have been killed in US-led coalition air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria since they began four years ago, a monitor said on Sunday. The Washington-led alliance puts the toll at just over 1,000 civilians in both Syria and neighbouring Iraq, and says it does all it can to prevent civilian deaths. The coalition began bombing IS targets in Iraq in August 2014 after the […]

Qatar announces plan to expand small and medium enterprises

  By Vidamar Agrimano EBC Qatar, Eagle News Service DOHA, Qatar (Eagle News) — Qatar’s Ministry of Energy and Industry recently announced the country’s major economic zone expansion in a meeting held at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha. According to H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, the Minister of Energy and Industry, the expansion is to be accomplished in the first quarter of 2019. During the meeting, the ministry also announced the addition of an […]

Saudi-led coalition admits ‘mistakes’ in deadly Yemen bus strike

  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — The Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels in Yemen admitted Saturday that “mistakes” had been made in an August air strike that killed 40 children. The bombing on a crowded market in part of northern Yemen held by Huthi rebels killed a total of 51 people, according to the Red Cross. Fifty-six children were also among the 79 people wounded in the August 9 strike on Saada province, a stronghold of […]

Israel welcomes end of US funding for UN Palestinian refugee agency

JERUSALEM (AFP) —  Israel welcomed Saturday a US decision to end funding for the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), accusing the organisation which supports some five million Palestinians of perpetuating the Middle East conflict. Israel and the United States have accused the nearly 70-year-old agency of maintaining the idea that many Palestinians are refugees with a right to return to the homes from which they fled or were expelled during the 1948 war that accompanied […]

Palestinian anger as US ends funding for UN agency

  by Hossam Ezzedine Agence France Presse RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Palestinians reacted angrily Saturday to a US decision to end all funding for the UN agency that assists millions of refugees, seeing it as a new policy shift aimed at undermining their cause. Washington, which until last year was by far the biggest contributor to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), announced on Friday that it would no longer […]

Four questions on Iran’s legal challenge to US sanctions

  by Jan Hennop Agence France-Presse THE HAUGE, Netherlands (AFP) — Iran’s legal challenge against renewed sanctions by the United States goes before the UN’s International Court of Justice on Monday. Here are four key questions regarding the case: What is the case about? Iran’s attempt to block the reinstatement of sanctions, announced by US President Donald Trump earlier this year, is the latest in a series of court battles that Tehran and Washington are fighting […]