Middle-East
Saudi prince's reform: Car race, concerts, but no criticism
Saudi Arabia, Dec 22 (AP/UNB) — Women, some without headscarves, drove themselves to a Formula-E car race where thousands of young Saudis and hundreds of international visitors partied into the night at concerts by Enrique Iglesias, The Black Eyed Peas and DJ David Guetta.
Israel urges UN to condemn Hezbollah over tunnels
Jerusalem, Dec 20 (AP/UNB) — Israel on Wednesday urged a special session of the U.N. Security Council to condemn the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and designate it a terrorist organization following the discovery of cross-border tunnels stretching into Israel.
In 2019, Mideast economic troubles loom as wars wind down
Amman, Dec 18 (AP/UNB) — As the Middle East ushers in 2019, the decade's ruinous conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Iraq seem to be winding down after exacting a painful price — many thousands killed, millions uprooted from their homes and entire cities reduced to rubble.
Saudi Arabia rejects US Senate's 'interference' in kingdom
Riyadh, Dec 17 (AP/UNB) — Saudi Arabia says it rejects last week's U.S. Senate resolution that put the blame for the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi squarely on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Sudan president lands in Syria in 1st visit by Arab leader
Damascus, Dec 17 (AP/UNB)— Sudan's president on Sunday became the first Arab League leader to visit Syria since civil war erupted there nearly eight years ago.
Iraq lays cornerstone to rebuild iconic Mosul mosque
Mosul, Dec 17 (AP/UNB)— Iraqi religious leaders have laid the cornerstone to rebuild Mosul's landmark al-Nuri mosque, which was blown up in the battle with Islamic State militants in 2017.
Australia recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel's capital
Sydney, Dec 15 (AP/UNB) — Australia has decided to formally recognize west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but won't move its embassy until there's a peace settlement between Israel and Palestinians, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Saturday.
After manhunt, Israel kills Palestinian behind deadly attack
Jerusalem, Dec 13 (AP/UNB) — Israeli security forces tracked down a Palestinian accused of killing two Israelis and shot and killed him on Thursday, ending a two-month manhunt hours after troops killed another Palestinian wanted in a separate attack.
4 journalists, a newspaper are Time's Person of the Year
New York, Dec 12 (AP/UNB) — Time magazine on Tuesday recognised journalists, including the slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as its 2018 Person of the Year in what it said was an effort to emphasize the importance of reporters' work in an increasingly hostile world.
UN: 20 million Yemenis are hungry, 250,000 face catastrophe
United Nations, Dec 11 (AP/UNB)— Twenty million people in war-torn Yemen are hungry — a staggering 70 percent of the population and a 15 percent increase from last year — and for the first time 250,000 are facing "catastrophe," the U.N. humanitarian chief said Monday.