Middle East & North Africa

BAGHDAD (AP) — Islamic State group militants attacked an Iraqi army position in the northwestern governorate of Kirkuk early Saturday killing four soldiers, security sources and a local government official said.

IS fighters in the district of Dibis took the soldiers’ weapons and communications gear and left the scene, security sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give statements to the media.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — Negotiators say they have struck a potential breakthrough deal on the thorniest issue of United Nations climate talks in Egypt: the creation of a fund for compensating poor nations that are victims of extreme weather worsened by rich countries’ carbon pollution.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Gianni Infantino said he feels gay. That he feels like a woman. That he feels like a migrant worker. He lectured Europeans for criticizing Qatar’s human rights record and defended the host country’s last-minute decision to ban beer from World Cup stadiums.

The FIFA president delivered a one-hour tirade on the eve of the World Cup’s opening match, and then spent about 45 minutes answering questions from media about the Qatari government’s actions and a wide range of other topics.

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: The US has granted Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman sovereign immunity in a lawsuit over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The decision means that despite the near certainty of the US intelligence community that the 37-year-old authorised the brutal murder of Khashoggi in 2018, any prospect for holding the crown prince legally accountable for the killing is blocked.

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: Iran has imposed a ban on the import of French automobiles due to "unprofessional behaviour" of the country, the Industry, Mine and Trade has announced, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Omid Qalibaf, a Ministry spokesman, said in a statement that the government has not issued any fresh license for importing French cars "over the past few months", underlining growing bilateral tensions.

19 Nov 2022; MEMO: The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) on Friday announced the ban on selling alcoholic drinks in World Cup stadiums and their vicinity, stressing that the decision was made with the host country Qatar.

19 Nov 2022; MEMO: Extremist Israeli MK and Head of the Religious Zionism party Bezalel Smotrich has refused to back down on his demand for the defence minister position and has rejected compromises with Likud party Head Benjamin Netanyahu.

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: The biggest tournament in football will begin on Sunday as host, Qatar, will play the opening match against Ecuador, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The opener of the 29-day tournament will start at 1600 GMT at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium in the city of Al Khor, 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) north of Doha.

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: Israeli occupation authorities have banned Palestinians from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied city of Hebron, the Palestinian Ministry of Endowment announced yesterday.

"The occupation authorities will close the Ibrahimi Mosque, starting Friday afternoon until Saturday evening," the ministry said in a statement, noting that the move had come under the pretext of "celebrating the Jewish Sabbath holiday."

18 Nov 2022; MEMO: Newly released security camera footage shows alleged Istanbul bomber Ahlam Albashir near the scene of Sunday's terror attack more than a week earlier.

The footage of Albashir apparently scouting Istanbul's busy Istiklal Street emerged during the official investigation into the 13 November terror attack which killed six people, including children, and injured 81 others.

In the footage from 4 November, Albashir is wearing jeans and a headscarf and is walking down the street around 5:30pm local time.