Washington Post announces Arabic-language Global Opinions section, on anniversary of Khashoggi murder

The Washington Post has remembered its former columnist Jamal Khashoggi, by launching an Arabic-language Global Opinions page on the 100th day anniversary of the Saudi journalist's murder.

The US daily said on Thursday the section will feature Arabic-language translations of columns and op-eds that are relevant to readers in the Arab world.

"The mission of the Global Opinions section has always been to give readers around the world a platform where they can find a variety of perspectives on the most pressing issues affecting their region," said Washington Post's Editorial Page Editor. 

"This page will make it easier for more readers to access free and independent commentary about the cultural and political topics that most impact them. The importance of this has become more evident since the murder of our own colleague Jamal Khashoggi, who saw very clearly the need for a forum such as this."

The translations will include commentary from writers from the Middle East, and follows Khashoggi's hugely influential columns in the Washington Post. The daily translates op-eds into Spanish, Farsi and Turkish.

The newspaper published Khashoggi's final column in English and Arabia, two weeks after he disappeared. He is presumed murdered but his body has not been found.

Khashoggi was murdered on 3 October, after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after he attempted to complete some routine paperwork for his planned marriage.

He is thought to have been murdered by death squad sent over from Saudi Arabia, due to his critical writing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Khashoggi had been living in the US - after fleeing Saudi Arabia during a regime clampdown on dissent - at the time of his murder.

Despite some countries - including Germany - making moves to punish Saudi Arabia over its alleged role in Khashoggi's murder, President Donald Trump has not penalised the Riyadh regime.

On Wednesday, the 100 day anniversary of Khashoggi's death, US politicians remembered the Saudi journalist and slammed Trump's administration for not doing more to punish those responsible for the killing.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said morals should come before money, referring to Trump's reluctance to go down hard on Riyadh, as it could damage US business interests in the kingdom.

"There are some in our country who were saying that it was really a commercial interest, should override our values and how we speak out and act upon those values," Pelosi said.

"If we decide that commercial interest should override the statements that we make and the actions that we take, then we must admit that we have lost all moral authority to talk about any atrocity."