MIDDLE EAST

Trump hosting Turkey’s Erdogan, ‘too busy’ to watch impeachment hearing

8:12 pm November 14, 2019

Washington: President Donald Trump greeted his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House for a high-stakes meeting Wednesday that underlined his claim to be ignoring the impeachment drama unfolding simultaneously in Congress. The two leaders were to hold several hours of meetings, including lunch, before giving a joint news conference. While Congress listened to evidence against Trump from two […]

Atomic watchdog: Iran’s stockpiles of uranium still growing

9:45 pm November 11, 2019

VIENNA: The UN atomic watchdog says Iran’s stockpiles of low-enriched uranium are still growing in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal. In a confidential quarterly report distributed to member states, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium still exceeds the amount allowed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. […]

Briton who helped found Syria’s White Helmets dies in Turkey

9:36 pm November 11, 2019

ISTANBUL: A former British army officer who helped found the White Helmets volunteer organization in Syria, was found dead in Istanbul early Monday, Turkish officials and the group said. James Le Mesurier’s body was found near his home in the Beyoglu district by worshippers on their way to a mosque, the state-run Anadolu news agency […]

US stocks open sharply lower amid pressure on oil market

Iran announces discovery of massive oil field

8:06 pm November 10, 2019

Tehran: Iran has discovered a massive new oil field, President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday, a find that would boost its proven reserves by about a third in a rare piece of “good news” for an economy battered by US sanctions. In a speech aired on state TV, Rouhani said the country’s economy had stabilised despite […]

Israel court rejects Russian ‘hacker’ appeal against US extradition

7:36 pm November 10, 2019

Jerusalem: Israel’s top court upheld Sunday an extradition order of a Russian alleged hacker to the United States, where he is wanted for fraud. The justice ministry had last month finalised the extradition of Aleksey Burkov, who has been held in Israeli custody since 2015, without providing a date. Burkov appealed the decision to the […]