A senior US foreign affairs official gave one of the most awkward press conference responses ever witnessed in response to a question about Saudi Arabia’s attitude to democracy. Having served as US Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq – and been in Al Anbar Province in 2004, as it became the deadliest region for US forces in Iraq – Stuart Jones might have been considered more than able to fend off questions about Saudi Arabia’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for elections. Instead the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East Affairs Bureau, freshly returned from accompanying President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Saudi Arabia, seemed completely stumped by the relatively straightforward reporter’s question.
Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, faced fierce criticism in Taiwan Wednesday after it reportedly banned cabin crew from wearing the island's flag on their uniforms due to pressure from China. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had lodged protests with Emirates in both Dubai and Taipei. The airline's cabin crew traditionally wear the flag pin of their own country on their uniforms.
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