Middle East & North Africa

DARBASIYAH, Syria (AP) — A senior Syrian Kurdish official says the creation of a so-called “safe zone” in northeastern Syria is off to good start, with U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces pulling back from an initial part of the border with Turkey.

But she says calm can only prevail if Turkey also removes its troops.

Ilham Ahmed of the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Council says details are still being worked out but an understanding was reached last month between Ankara and Washington.

3 Sep 2019; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked ultra-right-wing party Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) to drop out of Israel’s upcoming general election, the second such demand in less than a week.

Tehran, Sept 3 (AFP) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday ruled out holding any bilateral talks with the United States, saying the Islamic republic is opposed to such negotiations in principle.

In an address to parliament, Rouhani also said Iran was ready to further reduce its commitments to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal "in the coming days" if current negotiations yield no results by Thursday.

DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept 3 (NNN-SANA) – Chinese companies taking part in the ongoing Damascus International Fair, see a promising market in Syria, in the post-war era, Chinese business representatives said.

At the Chinese pavilion in the Damascus’ fair, several companies showcased their products, which are mainly related to the reconstruction process in Syria.

Jing Zhichun, business manager of Shanghai Shangqi Group, said, she is optimistic about her business in Syria.

ANKARA, Turkey, Sept 3 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Russia and Iran should ensure the full implementation of the Idlib deal “immediately,” Turkish Presidential Spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, stressed on Monday.

“The regime (Syrian government) should stop its attacks carried out in Idlib now,” said the spokesman, at a conference held in Turkey’s central province of Konya.

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept 3 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi government, suspended the offices of the U.S.-sponsored al-Hurra TV channel for three months, over a programme, about alleged corruption among Sunni and Shiite religious clerics.

A statement by Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC), said, “The CMC Board of Trustees decided to suspend the work of al-Hurra TV’s offices in Iraq for three months, and suspend its activities until it re-corrects its attitude towards dealing with Iraq affairs.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As the U.S. tries a new way to protect shipping across the Persian Gulf amid tensions with Iran, it finds itself sailing into uncertain waters.

For decades, the U.S. has considered the waters of the Persian Gulf as critical to its national security. Through the gulf’s narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, 20% of all crude oil sold passes onto the world market. Any disruption there likely will see energy prices spike.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemeni medics said on Monday they pulled dozens of bodies from the rubble of a Houthi rebel-run detention center that was hit a day earlier by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, killing over 100 people and wounding dozens.

The attack was one of the deadliest in more than four years of war in Yemen that have claimed tens of thousands of lives, thrust millions to the brink of famine and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban claimed responsibility for a large explosion in the Afghan capital Monday night, just hours after a U.S. envoy briefed the Afghan government on an agreement “in principle” with the insurgent group that would see 5,000 U.S. troops leave the country within five months.

2 September 2019; AFP: An escalation between Israel and Hezbollah has ended after a brief exchange of fire, but tensions remained high along the Lebanese border Monday after a series of accusations from the two enemies.

Burnt fields could be seen in the border area and a new military checkpoint was set up outside the Israeli community of Avivim.