Saudi minister denies any plans for crown prince to meet Israeli PM
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Thursday denied media reports of a possible meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid speculation about normalizing ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
Turkey says it will hit groups violating Idlib ceasefire
Turkey will use force against rebel groups violating a ceasefire in Syria’s northwest Idlib region, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday, in an apparent response to Russian criticism.
Coronavirus not spreading ‘dramatically’ outside China except on cruise ship: WHO
Cases of coronavirus are not rising dramatically outside China apart from passengers on a cruise liner now quarantined off a Japanese port, a senior World Health Organization official said on Thursday.
Say it with sanitiser: Beijing florist takes on coronavirus for Valentine’s Day
It’s the eve of Valentine’s Day and flower seller Cai Xiaoman is enclosing a special gift – a small bottle of hand sanitiser to ward off coronavirus – as she sends out her last few bouquets to customers in Beijing.
U.S. rejects U.N. database of companies in Israeli-controlled territories: Pompeo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said the U.S. government would not furnish any information for a database of companies operating in Israeli-controlled territories that the United Nations’ human rights office released, and said the compi…
Shelterless Syrians burn refuse for warmth in bitter Idlib winter
Families fleeing air strikes and advancing troops in Syria’s Idlib province are sleeping rough in streets and olive groves, and burning toxic bundles of rubbish to stay warm in the biting winter weather, aid workers say.
Looking to moderate image, Italy’s Salvini says his League party isn’t far right
Italy’s Matteo Salvini denied on Thursday that his League party is a far-right group, instead portraying it as a moderate force that wants to broaden its appeal to metropolitan voters who have previously shunned it.
Sinn Fein path to power blocked as Fianna Fail rules out deal: lawmaker
Ireland’s largest party Fianna Fail has ruled out going into government with Sinn Fein, a senior lawmaker said, in a move that is likely to prevent the left-wing nationalists from entering power for the first time.
Cambodia says no passengers on castaway cruise ship have coronavirus
None of the 20 passengers on board a cruise ship which docked in the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville on Thursday have the coronavirus, a spokesman for the Southeast Asian country’s health ministry told Reuters.
Sudan agrees to compensate families of USS Cole victims: state news agency
Sudan has agreed to compensate the families of sailors killed in an al Qaeda attack on the USS Cole warship 20 years ago, state news agency SUNA said on Thursday, part of government efforts to remove the country from a list of state sponsors of terrori…
