Turkey says opening frontier for migrants will not hurt ties with West
Turkey does not believe its decision to allow some of the millions of migrants it hosts to cross into Europe will have an impact on its ties with the West, Turkey’s communications director said on Friday.
Coronavirus fears lead Holy Land Catholic churches to give communion by hand only
Roman Catholic authorities in Jerusalem have instructed their priests to give communion by hand only, rather than placing the wafers on worshippers’ tongues, and to empty holy water fonts – as precautions against the spread of the coronavirus.
Vatican joins IBM, Microsoft to call for facial recognition regulation
The Vatican joined forces with tech giants Microsoft and IBM on Friday to promote the ethical development of artificial intelligence (AI) and call for regulation of intrusive technologies such as facial recognition.
Afghan officials discuss prisoner swap with Taliban ahead of U.S. troop withdrawal agreement
Afghan officials met Taliban members in Qatar on Friday to discuss a prisoner swap plan ahead of the U.S. and Taliban deal that will set the timeline for the withdrawal of American troops who have been fighting in Afghanistan for 18 years.
Turmoil reshapes Malaysian politics with Mahathir role in doubt
Malaysia edged nearer a political turning point on Friday with uncertainty over the fate of both 94-year-old Mahathir Mohammed and rival-turned-ally Anwar Ibrahim, 72, who have vied for power for a generation.
Dubai’s ruler loses appeal to stop publication of judgments in UK court battle with ex-wife
London’s Court of Appeal ruled on Friday that two judgments in the legal battle between Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and his former wife over the wardship of their two children should be made public.
Geneva car show axed; coronavirus wipes $5 trillion off world markets
The rapid spread of coronavirus raised fears of a pandemic on Friday, with countries on three continents reporting their first cases and Swiss authorities cancelling the giant Geneva car show.
Quarantine measures taken at two Abu Dhabi hotels after Italian guests contract coronavirus: WAM
Guests at two Abu Dhabi hotels who interacted with two Italians diagnosed with coronavirus have been placed under quarantine in the hotels, the state news agency of the United Arab Emirates WAM reported on Friday.
‘The world is on fire,’ Greta Thunberg tells UK climate rally
Greta Thunberg denounced politicians and the media on Friday for ignoring a looming climate cataclysm, saying that they were failing her generation with their inaction in the face of a world on fire.
Greece tightens border with Turkey as migrants approach
Greece tightened controls at its borders with Turkey on Friday after warnings from Turkey that it would lift restrictions on thousands of refugees stuck in the country under a 2016 accord with the EU.
