Western Asia

Turkey says Saudi refusal to extradite Khashoggi suspects ‘disappointing’

Turkey's presidential communications director, Fahrettin Altun, reiterates calls for an international probe on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Iraq marks anniversary of victory over Daesh

Iraq celebrated the anniversary of its costly victory over Daesh, which has lost virtually all the territory it once held but still carries out sporadic attacks to hang on to its last enclave in Syria near the Iraqi border.

Is the US seeking new YPG-free alternatives in northern Syria?

A US special envoy to Syria recently held a meeting with the Kurdish opposition to the YPG in Turkey's south, sparking speculations about Washington’s long-term goals.

Israel says Oman will open its airspace to Israeli carrier

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said granted El Al permission to pass through its airspace during the Israeli leader's surprise visit to the country in October.

Nearly 17,000 civilians killed or injured in Yemen war - Amnesty report

Amnesty International warns that those countries who continue to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia risk being complicit in war crimes in Yemen.

'I can't breathe' - Jamal Khashoggi's last reported words

CNN cites source, who they say had read the translated transcript of the audio recording from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by a hit squad on October 2.

Armenia premier's bloc winning vote, early returns show

The Republican Party, that controlled the old parliament before election frontrunner Nikol Pashinyan led massive protests that forced the government to step down earlier this year, is struggling to overcome a 5-percent threshold.

Qatar emir skips Saudi-hosted summit with Gulf rivals

Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, severed diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and fostering close ties with their regional rival Iran. Doha denies the allegations.

Saudis reject extradition of Khashoggi’s suspects to Turkey

"We don't extradite our citizens," said Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Adel al Jubeir, days after a Turkish court issued arrest warrants for two former Saudi officials in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Polls close in Armenia's snap parliamentary elections

Acting PM Nikol Pashinyan who led protests against the government for months, is expected to get a majority in the new legislature. He vowed to make Armenia "an industrial, high-tech, export-oriented country" and work closely with the EU and US.

Saudi Arabia hosts GCC Summit amid several tensions

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to focus in on security issues, including the Yemen war and Iran's regional activities but tensions such as the diplomatic row with Qatar and journalist Jamal Khashoggi 's killing might also be on the agenda.

European Union preventing extension of Turkstream to Greece: Tsipras

At a joint conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras voiced his country’s interest to be part of the natural gas pipeline project, but pointed out EU's "double standards" were preventing it.