The General Arab Conference "United Against Normalisation" of Morocco yesterday called to end normalisation deals with Israel. The conference stressed, in a statement on International Quds Day, that "resisting normalisation and boycotting the [Israeli] enemy is the task of the honourable people of the nation and the free people of the world." In 2020, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco normalised ties with the occupation state of Israel. In its statement, the body said: "The Palestinian people unity on the ground confirmed that resistance is the most effective way to defeat the occupier," stressing that "the Palestinian Arab people are continuing their resistance and struggle which appeared during […]
Middle East Monitor
11568 posts
Jordanian Crown Prince, Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II, was sworn in yesterday as deputy king. Al-Mamlaka quoted local sources as saying that the prince had taken the constitutional oath "in the presence of the ministry body" to cover the duties of the king during his absence from the kingdom. The sources added that the Jordanian king had left "on a private visit with his wife, Queen Rania," adding that they would later head on a "working visit to the United States." Twenty-seven-year-old Al-Hussein, the king's eldest son, has been sworn in for the position on previous occasions. WATCH: Jordan Prince Hamzah […]
Tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets in nationwide rallies on Friday to mark International Quds Day, an annual event to express solidarity with the people of Palestine, Anadolu News Agency reports. This year's rallies came after a two-year hiatus and saw the participation of top Iranian government and military officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi, Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqar Ghalibaf, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief, Hossein Salami. In the capital, Tehran, people marched on different streets, carrying posters and banners with pro-Palestine messages and chanting anti-Israel slogans, […]
Saudi Arabia has arrested 234 state employees across eight ministries on charges of "bribery, forgery and power abuse," the country's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) announced yesterday. "The authority has carried out 4,286 rounds of oversight, and investigated 634 cases, resulting in detecting crimes of bribery, abuse of power, and forgery," Nazaha said in a statement. It added that the crimes were committed by employees in the defence, interior, national guard, foreign affairs, health, justice, housing and education ministries. In mid-February, Nazaha arrested the 30 civil servants as part of an investigation into 16 corruption cases related to "bribery, abuse of […]
At least 12 people were injured on Friday in an Israeli police intervention with plastic bullets and sound bombs after dawn prayer, Anadolu News Agency reports. Israeli police intervened after Palestinian youths entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem from Bab Al-Maghrib, one of the gates to the Mosque, and threw stones after performing the dawn prayer. First aid was given to 42 injured people, and 22 of them were hospitalised, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a statement. Also, the police reportedly prevented the teams of the Palestine Red Crescent Society from entering the Mosque complex. Israeli police […]
Palestinian worshippers performed the last Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque despite Israeli restrictions, Anadolu News Agency reports. "160,000 worshippers performed the fourth Friday prayer of the month of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque," Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, Director-General of the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, told Anadolu Agency. Thousands of Israeli troops were deployed in East Jerusalem and in its Old City near Al-Aqsa. Early on Friday, clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces inside Al-Aqsa. Forty-two Palestinians were injured, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. On Thursday, the Israeli authorities denied access to Al-Aqsa […]
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and senior shadow cabinet ministers are said to be on a charm offensive to woe Britain's Jewish community by canvassing for next week's local elections with officials from Israel's Labor Party. That's according to a report in the Guardian which said that a delegation from Israel were taken door-knocking in Barnet, north London, which has a large Jewish community, in what seems to be an attempt to show Labour's commitment to Israel. Starmer and Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner hosted nine officials including the Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv, Chen Arieli, the party's chief executive, Nir Rosen, and […]
The appointment of new Palestinian Waqf guards at the Al-Aqsa Mosque is being rejected by Israel occupation authorities amid escalating tension in the compound during the holy month of Ramadan. The Jordan-run Islamic Waqf urgently needs new security to oversee the compound and maintain the safety of Palestinian worshippers during the prayers. According to Israel Hayom, a Palestinian official has been informed that Israel first requires a list of the guards' names to run them through a security check. However, the Islamic Waqf is refusing. Israel's objection to the new guards comes after Jordan had notified Washington that it was ready […]
Two non-governmental organisations said they have recorded an "alarming" increase in the application of the death penalty in Iran with a rise of 25 per cent in 2021 compared to the previous year. The 14th annual report on the death penalty issued by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and France-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) said at least 333 people were executed in 2021, a 25 per cent increase compared to 267 in 2020. Death sentences in Iran, which has one of the highest executions rates in the world along with China and Saudi Arabia, are carried out by […]
More than 3,000 people died or went missing while trying to cross into European countries in 2021, an official from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday, and Anadolu News Agency reports. The people died or went missing while attempting to cross the Central and Western Mediterranean and Atlantic to Europe, UNHCR spokesperson, Shabia Mantoo, said at a press briefing in Geneva. Mantoo was citing a new UNHCR report which also called for urgent help "to prevent deaths and protect refugees and asylum seekers who are embarking on dangerous journeys by land and sea." In 2021, according to the report, […]
Egypt's Ministry of Religious Endowments should end all arbitrary restrictions on religious gatherings, prayers and practices during the final days of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid celebrations, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said today. Earlier this month the ministry announced a ban on special Ramadan night prayers and imposed restrictions on celebrations during Eid Al-Fitr, the religious holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. Dr Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, Egypt's minister of religious endowments, used social media on 15 April to issue a complete prohibition on the Itikaf practice and Tahajjud prayers, Islamic rituals commonly performed during the last evenings of Ramadan. Itikaf involves […]
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held meetings with King Salman and Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, late on April 28, in his first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2017 after the killing of dissident Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, on the premises of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Erdogan was accompanied by a large delegation, including ministers and senior officials, Anadolu News Agency reports. After the talks, Erdogan said on Twitter: "We believe that it is in our common interest to increase our cooperation with Saudi Arabia in areas such as health, energy, food safety, agricultural technologies, defence industry and finance." Körfez Bölgesi'ndeki kardeşlerimizin […]
The Iraqi Sadrist movement, led by Muqtada Al-Sadr, yesterday denied media reports claiming it had held political meetings with the Coordination Framework forces to discuss forming the next government. The head of the Sadrist parliamentary bloc, MP Hassan Al-Adhari, described in a statement the media reports as false, adding that "the purpose of these continuous lies is to destabilise the tripartite alliance, and we tell them that it is a solid alliance that will not be shaken by such allegations, and we call on them not to repeat them in the future." The tripartite alliance, also known as Enkath Watan, consists […]
Pakistan's new Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is visiting Saudi Arabia this week in a bid to strengthen ties with the Kingdom and possibly gain more financial support, in what is his first foreign trip since assuming office earlier this month. Landing in the Islamic holy city of Madinah yesterday, where he and his delegation were welcomed by regional officials, Sharif stated on Twitter that "Today I am embarking on a visit to Saudi Arabia to renew & reaffirm our bonds of brotherhood and friendship". He added that the Kingdom "has a special place in all our hearts". The itinerary of the […]
Fearing possible suicide attacks on soft targets, Iraqi authorities on Friday announced a state of high alert for the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, Anadolu News Agency reports. "The Iraqi forces will enter a state of alert level C (maximum) starting from 1 May to 5 May, to secure the Eid prayers, entertainment areas, markets, restaurants and cemeteries," Baghdad Operations Commander, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Salim told the official Iraqi News Agency. "There is information that there are suicide bombers who seek to target markets and crowded places during the days of Eid," he added. Iraqi security and intelligence services will implement […]
A landmark mosque in the ancient city of Jaffa, adjacent to Tel Aviv, was vandalised overnight by a group of right-wing Israelis, reported Wafa news agency. Ahmed Abu Ajweh, imam of Hassan Bek Mosque, shared two photos on Facebook to show the Star of David and the Israeli flag spray-painted on the mosque's walls. He slammed the act of vandalism as a "fascist assault" and held Israeli forces responsible for the attack, since an army patrol was deployed nearby, but stood idly by. Palestinians living in Israel accuse Israeli police of negligence in prosecuting perpetrators of such attacks. Hassan Bek Mosque, located in […]
A stampede broke out at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv when American tourists tried to take an unexploded shell through security as a 'souvenir', local media reports. According to the report, passengers in the departure lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv rushed for the exits after staff slammed the alarm. When the American tourists appeared with the hefty undetonated shell piece at security, airport guards thought the family may be terrorists and launched an emergency evacuation. Despite urging passengers to leave the terminal 'slowly', the alarm prompted a melee, in which hundreds sprinted in all directions. An injured […]
The Israeli Supreme Court today approved the construction of a 31-unit six-storey settler apartment complex in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, known as the Hezekiah Quarter. The court rejected a petition submitted by the Peace Now rights group and the Municipality of Hebron against the complex, which is built on Palestinian land in the heart of the occupied city. Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the new complex is part of a larger plan that includes building 60 settlement units in the wholesale market area in Hebron. It pointed out that work on the scheme began several years ago before it was temporarily frozen, […]
Turkish Embassy in Pretoria and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), on Friday, delivered food packages in the KwaZulu-Natal state in eastern South Africa to assist hundreds of families affected by floods that wreaked havoc on the region on 11 April, Anadolu News Agency reports. An aid distribution ceremony was held in the Umgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal with the participation of Turkish Ambassador, Aysegul Kandas, Social Development Deputy Minister, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, State Social Development Council member, Nonhlanhla Mildred Khoza, TIKA's Pretoria Coordinator, Abdulkadir Abukan, and local representatives. Ambassador Kandas stated that Turkish officials visited the flood-hit areas and took the initiative […]
Russia has withdrawn around 1,200 of its mercenaries from Libya, amid a series of setbacks in its offensive in Ukraine and the pressure it has reportedly put on its military manpower. According to the Financial Times, unnamed Libyan officials told it that 200 Russians belonging to the mercenary Wagner Group and 1,000 Syrians hired by Moscow had left Libya in recent weeks. The report clarified, however, that 5,000 of the Russian mercenaries still remain in the country. The Wagner Group – reportedly managed and financed by an oligarch named Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has close ties with Russian President, Vladimir Putin – […]
Around 500 Palestinian administrative detainees, detained without trial or charge, have been boycotting Israeli military courts for the 113th consecutive day, the Palestinian Prisoners Club announced on Friday. The administrative detainees are taking the measure to underscore the need to end this cruel, unjust practice that helps maintain Israel's apartheid system against Palestinians. "Palestinian human rights defenders, journalists, academics and others have suffered from this cruel and inhuman practice and have been protesting it for decades, including through hunger strikes," Saleh Higazi, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, shared. He added: "This boycott is a renewed […]
Thousands of Palestinians have challenged the Israeli closure of the occupied city of Jerusalem, putting themselves in danger trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque. During his stay inside the third holiest place for Muslims, a Quds Press reporter met with several Palestinians who faced dangerdue to the Israeli siege imposed on Jerusalem. Israeli authorities announced easing measures for Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank and Gaza wanting to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan; however, this was not true. On their way to Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians were denied entry through Israeli checkpoints and crossings to the occupied city […]
Former Israeli Defence Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon announced on Friday that Israel is not currently facing an "external, but internal" threat, the Akka news website reported. Ya'alon, who served thirty-seven years in the Israel Defence Forces, rising to the position of chief of the general staff, posted on Twitter: "I do not think that there are external existential threats to Israel. We must understand that the current existential threat is not external, but internal." He added: "The existential threat is represented in incitement, division, deception culture and corruption." The former official stressed: "This issue is left for us… It is our […]
There are certain foods that signal Ramadan and are pretty much consumed during that month and forgotten the rest of the year, like atayef and sambousa. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, I think they make these dishes extra special. One of the desserts that is an immediate sign of Ramadan for me are mshabak. It reminds me of Jerusalem, as the white and pink strings of mshabak were always the first signs of Ramadan for me, and they always bring back fond memories. Every culture has their versions of desserts made of fried dough, like doughnuts, awameh, churros, beignets, just […]
The Islamic Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas announced on Friday: "Jerusalem will remain the pivot of the struggle until the liberation of Palestine and return to our homeland." Marking International Quds Day, Hamas stressed: "The Israeli occupation crimes will not lead to the implementation of the Judaisation of Jerusalem, desecrating it or dividing it." Hamas also pledged that it: "Will continue adopting a comprehensive approach to defend Jerusalem and liberate Palestine." International Quds Day is observed annually on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, proposed by Iran. "On this day," Hamas said, "all the people in the Arab […]
US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden congratulated Muslims worldwide on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, reports Anadolu Agency. The first day of Eid falls on Monday for most Muslim-majority nations. "As Muslims in the United States and around the world concludes the month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid al-Fitr, Jill and I extend our warmest wishes to all who are celebrating this joyous occasion," said Biden in a statement. The president said he keeps millions of displaced people and refugees in his thoughts, adding: "As a nation, we […]
Chief Commander of the Quds Brigade in the Iran Revolutionary Guards Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani revealed on Friday that Iran had carried out a successful drone mission in Israel, Arabic Post reported. According to Arabic Post, Iranian media reported Ghaani stating that 41 Israeli fighter aircraft failed to intercept the two Iranian drones that carried out the mission. Ghaani stated that Israel justified its military moves relating to the failed interception with military drills. "It is better for you to return to your original countries before it is too late," Ghaani warned, addressing Israel. READ: Report: 'Alarming' rise in Iran executions in […]
Syria's continued failure to remedy outstanding issues prevents the international community from confirming the elimination of its chemical weapons programme, a top United Nations (UN) disarmament official told the Security Council on Friday. During the Security Council meeting, members traded allegations that the work of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is being politicised to suit national interests. Izumi Nakamitsu, the high representative for disarmament affairs, expressed regret that there has been little to no change in the past month on issues related to the Syrian chemical weapons file. Nakamitsu said that it is unfortunate that, today, many […]
Egypt and Israel have been at odds over the "provocative" situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque, senior Palestinian sources told Rai Al-Youm on Friday. The sources stated that Egypt had threatened Israel that it would stop its mediation between the Israeli occupation state and the Palestinian resistance. The sources shared that the reason behind tension is the "provocative" situation in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli occupation authorities are allowing Israeli settlers to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the authorities carry out raids and attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem almost daily. Over the last few days, the Egyptian intelligence services spoke with Israel on the […]
Hundreds of Palestinians mourned a youth killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports. A 27-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces in the city of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank on Saturday, according to the Health Ministry. The circumstances of his death were not yet clear. Hundreds of mourners participated in a funeral held for the young man before he was laid to rest in his hometown of Azzun, east of Qalqilya. Speaking to the state-run Palestine TV, Qalqilya Governor Rafe Rawajbeh termed the killing as an "assassination." "The young man was […]
Sudan braces for protests on Saturday to mark the third anniversary of a deadly sit-in dispersal, in which dozens of protesters were killed, Anadolu Agency reports. More than 60 protesters were killed when security forces violently dispersed a protest camp outside the army headquarters in the capital Khartoum on June 29, 2019. The day coincided with the 29th day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Opposition groups, however, say more than 128 people were killed in the dispersal. The popular resistance committees, which spearhead the current wave of protests against the military, called for protests on Saturday to mark the […]
An Egyptian opposition television channel has announced that it is pulling out from its offices in Turkey, as Ankara and Cairo continue to move towards re-establishing full diplomatic ties. In a statement released by the channel Mekameleen yesterday, it announced that it had decided to leave its base in Turkey and transmit its broadcast from other countries "Due to circumstances that are not hidden from anyone, and out of anxiousness to maintain the channel's media mission of conveying the whole truth". An Urgent Statement from Mekameleen Satellite Channel pic.twitter.com/x8qyCm7aQ3 — قناة مكملين الفضائية (@mekameleentv) April 29, 2022 Although it did not […]
Authorities in the German capital Berlin have banned all pro-Palestine protests until 2 May, alleging that some protesters have made antisemitic remarks. A protest in support of Palestinians was scheduled to take place in Berlin yesterday – titled 'protest against Israeli aggression in Jerusalem' – but was cancelled by the city's police over "unacceptable antisemitism" at another protest last week, in which several of the protesters made alleged antisemitic statements. "Based on experiences from the recent past," police officials said, there is "the immediate danger" that such events could happen during pro-Palestinians protests again. Berlin's Interior Minister Iris Spranger also stated […]
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Saturday warned of an "impending environmental disaster" as a result of oil leaks due to lack of enough storage capacity for crude oil, Anadolu Agency reports. "We have lost a lot of storage capacity and therefore we will not be able to store all the quantity (of crude oil)," the NOC said in a statement. "We are at risk of losing the amount of crude and the line carrying it, due to its waxy nature or the leakage of crude oil from the tanks at the (Zuwetina) terminal," it added. In mid-April, the state-owned company […]
As International Workers' Day approaches in the besieged Gaza Strip, the precarity of the fishing industry evokes a sense of persistence and insistence amid obvious anguish and hardship. Fishing along the blockaded coastal enclave is one of the most dangerous professions in the world, as fishermen can come under Israeli gunboat fire at any time. Fishermen are not allowed to travel beyond three nautical miles from the shoreline, even to feed their families. The Israeli occupation navy actively patrols the fishing areas in the sea lanes bordering Palestine, maintaining the blockade by sea as well as by land. One of the […]
When Bayan Abu Salameh enrolled in a mechanical engineering degree, she was one of only four women in an intake of more than 70 students at Birzeit University, north of Ramallah. Her career choice had previously encountered doubts among her schoolteachers and peers, who questioned whether it was suitable for a girl or even realistic. Despite the discouragement, she persevered. The 25-year-old from a small village near Jenin called Faqua was awarded the Chevening Scholarship, funded by the British government, to study at Queen Mary University, where she successfully designed and analysed what she hopes will be the first Palestinian cube […]
Harvard University's student-run daily newspaper has announced its support for and endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against the Israeli occupation, making it one of the most significant steps by an American university against the occupation. The Harvard Crimson Editorial Board announced in its paper yesterday that it now "proudly" endorses the BDS movement, stating that "We are proud to finally lend our support to both Palestinian liberation and BDS — and we call on everyone to do the same." The paper's Editorial Board admitted that where it previously held a "sceptical" stance on the matter, it has […]
I read with some incredulity that a former three-star general in the Afghan National Army is planning to launch a new war against the ruling Taliban eight months after the movement's victory which brought an end to a brutal 20-year conflict involving US-led NATO forces. According to defeated Lieutenant General Sami Sadat, his new offensive will begin after Eid when he plans to return to Afghanistan. "I would do anything and everything in our power to make sure Afghanistan is freed from the Taliban and a democratic system is re-established," he told the BBC. Normally I would have laughed at his […]
Tunisia's powerful labor union on Sunday renewed its call for President Kais Saied to launch a national dialogue to resolve crises in the North African nation before "it is too late," Anadolu reports. "The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) renews its call for the president to…immediately launch national dialogue before it is too late," UGTT Secretary-General Noureddine Taboubi said in a speech marking the International Workers' Day. National dialogue "is the last lifeboat," he added. Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25, 2021, when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, […]
Egypt's Suez Canal Authority said Sunday that its monthly revenues hit all-time high in April, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Suez Canal Authority said the international waterway made $629 million in revenues in April, an increase of 13.6% from $553.6 million last year. The strategic waterway raised the transit fees for ships since last year amid a boom in global trade movement. In 2021, the Suez Canal recorded its highest revenues, raking in $6.3 billion. Last year, navigation in the Suez Canal was interrupted when the giant shipping vessel Ever Given ran aground and blocked the waterway for nearly six […]
Five Palestinians were injured Sunday in an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank, according to local medical sources, Anadolu reports. Israeli forces raided a number of homes in the Jalazone refugee camp near Ramallah, triggering clashes with angry residents, eyewitnesses said. Israeli forces used tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and live fire to disperse Palestinian protesters, injuring five people, medical sources said. Israeli forces also detained three Palestinians during the raid, including an Islamic Jihad leader, witnesses said. Tensions have been running high across Palestinian territories since last month amid repeated Israeli arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank and […]
A Turkish soldier was killed during an anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, Turkiye's National Defense Ministry said on Sunday, Anadolu reports. Mumin Carkci, an infantry specialist sergeant, was killed in an explosion caused by an improvised explosive device on Saturday, according to the ministry. In a statement, it extended condolences to Carkci's family and wished them strength and patience to bear the loss. Turkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock last week to target PKK hideouts in Iraq's Metina, Zap and Avasin-Basyan regions. It preceded Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle, which were launched in 2020, to root out terrorists who hide in northern Iraq and […]
Oman's Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik has issued a special pardon to over 300 inmates ahead of Eid Al-Fitr which will be celebrated tomorrow for much of the Muslim world. According to Oman News Agency (ONA), "His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik , the Supreme Commander, issues his special pardon to a group of prison inmates convicted in various cases. An official source in the Royal Oman Police stated that those who were honoured with the royal pardon reached 304 inmates, including 108 foreigners." In January, the sultan pardoned 285 prisoners, including 118 foreign nationals to mark the first anniversary of his […]
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as part of his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Anadolu reports. Sharif arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday on his maiden visit to the UAE, the second leg of his Gulf tour, which took him to Saudi Arabia. The two leaders, who met at the Qasr Al Shati' Palace, "discussed advancing the longstanding relations between the two nations, and the prospects of propelling cooperation on various fronts as well as reviewed a number of regional and international issues of common […]
Tunisia's Ennahda movement has blamed the country's authorities for the rising threats against political opponents in the country, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Ennahda reiterated its rejection of attempts to divide Tunisians and incitement against political opponents. It held the Tunisian authorities responsible for "the rising threats against political figures opposing the coup," without providing details about the nature of threats against opposition politicians. There was no comment from the Tunisian authorities on Ennahda's statement. Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25, 2021, when President Kais Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed […]
The UAE will send an astronaut on a long-term mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, becoming the first Arab state to do so. After purchasing a seat on a SpaceX rocket from private firm Axiom Space, the UAE will take part in the six-month mission. The Emirati astronaut will be part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission, scheduled for launch in the first half of 2023 at the Kennedy Space Centre in the US State of Florida. Announcing the move on Friday, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) stated it will be "the first Arab long-duration space mission." […]
Spain's gas bill is bound to rise sharply if Algeria follows through on its threat to terminate supplies, according to an analyst, Anadolu reports. Algeria warned this week it would halt supplies if Madrid sold any Algerian gas to other countries, referring to a Spanish plan to export gas to Morocco via a pipeline. Algeria's relations with neighboring Morocco have sharply deteriorated in recent years due to their festering dispute over the Western Sahara, with Madrid drawing its ire for backing Rabat's autonomy plan for the former Spanish colony. Algeria deactivated the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, which carried gas to Spain and […]
The Yemeni army announced yesterday evening that it had monitored 130 violations of the ceasefire committed by the Houthis in seven governorates, in just one day. A statement issued by the army's media office said: "The Iranian Houthi militia continues its violations of the declared ceasefire on all fronts of the fighting in the governorates of Al-Dhale, Taiz, Lahij, Al-Hudaydah, Hajjah, Al-Jawf and Marib." "Our forces have monitored 130 violations of the ceasefire committed by the Houthi militia on Monday, in these governorates," the statement said, adding that the violations included launching ground attacks and targeting army positions with heavy weapons, […]
Egypt's former presidential candidate and leader of the Strong Egypt Party has been assaulted in his prison cell, according to a Facebook post written by his family. According to the post, Aboul Fotouh was attacked by guards after trying to file a complaint about why he was refused family visits. Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh was arrested in February 2018 with six other Strong Party members and accused of leading an outlawed group, harming national interests and spreading false news inside Egypt and abroad. The Cairo Criminal Court placed him on a terror list for five years, banned from travelling and froze his assets. […]
The Tunisian Foreign Ministry announced its rejection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements regarding the dissolution of the Tunisian Parliament. According to Russia Today the ministry expressed its great astonishment at the recent statement made by the Turkish president. The ministry said in a statement that it "considers this statement as an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs, and it completely contradicts the fraternal ties that unite the two countries and nations, as well as the principle of mutual respect in relations between countries." The ministry added that while Tunisia is committed to the principles of its foreign policy and is keen […]
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday announced that his country's wheat stock for domestic consumption was "sufficient for the next four months." "Egypt's total wheat trade amounts to 18 million tonnes annually on average," Al-Sisi told reporters, adding that around two million tonnes are being "lost annually as a result of storage-related reasons." Egypt is the largest wheat importer in the world, with an annual average of 13.8 million tonnes in imports, mostly from Russia and Ukraine. READ: Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking wheat shipment bound for Egypt Since the start of the Russian war on Ukraine, Egyptians have been concerned […]
The Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday expressed its "deep regret and concern" over the recent dissolution of the Tunisian parliament. "Keeping parliaments open around the world is the biggest gain for countries," AKP spokesperson, Omer Celik, told reporters in the Turkish capital Ankara, denouncing President Kais Saied's decision to dissolve the Tunisian parliament on 30 March. Describing Tunisia as a country with a "constitutional experience that was referred to as a model for other countries to emulate," Celik stressed that the move must not "compromise the democratic gains of the Tunisian people." "Tunisia has made significant steps toward democracy […]
War is not only about the killing of innocent people; it also involves big business. Russia's invasion of Ukraine illustrates the knock-on effects of war with the unprecedented social, cultural, political and sporting isolation of the Russian people. The political establishment in Moscow headed by President Vladimir Putin and his cronies, including the oligarchs, is under attack. The Russian oligarchs have for many years stolen wealth which is then enjoyed in Europe and America. So why is action only being taken now? I grew up in apartheid South Africa and was influenced by the antiracist activism of Hassan Howa, who coined […]
A non-profit founded by a Syrian refugee is welcoming Ukrainians into neighbouring Romania, which shares a 650-kilometre border with Ukraine. Refugee4Refugees is welcoming people escaping the Russian invasion and offering them food, clothes, legal advice and a place to stay, reports ABC News. Omar Alshakal fled the fighting in Syria in 2014 when he was 17 and arrived in Greece after swimming for 14 hours from the Turkish coast. "What we're trying to provide here [is] a safe area where people can come to rest for a few hours or a night," Omar told ABC News. Just two days after Russia invaded Ukraine […]
Muslims in the Sultanate of Oman who are found eating in public in the daytime during the holy month of Ramadan will be jailed and fined. According to the Penal Code, "A Muslim who publicly breaks the fast during the day in Ramadan shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine of OMR1 to OMR5, or one of these two penalties for [breaking fast] without a legitimate reason." Prison sentences can range between no less than ten days and a year. Actions which are punishable are those which violate the fast, such as eating, drinking and smoking. The ruling does not […]
Sudanese authorities yesterday blocked bridges across the capital city of Khartoum and declared an official holiday ahead of expected protests on the anniversary of the popular uprising. In an official statement, the Khartoum State Security Coordination Committee said that all bridges over the Nile would be "closed on Wednesday, except for the Soba and Halfaya bridges," calling on citizens to change their course of movements across the capital accordingly. The Sudanese Council of Ministers also announced that today would be an "official holiday across the country." The announcement came after the Sudanese Professionals Association called for protests to overthrow what they […]
It is inconceivable that last week's Negev Summit could have taken place without Saudi Arabia not only knowing about the meeting but also blessing it. Since the Abraham Accords were signed, in the name of peace between Arabs and Israel, Saudi Arabia has been the silent party and the virtual signatory of the Accords, waiting for the right moment to make its position public. The Accords, in part, are as much about building an anti-Iran coalition as they are about regional peace, while sidelining the oppressed Palestinians. To counter Iran with Israeli cooperation, the Saudis do not have to openly normalise […]
The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan is doing all it can to stop the normalisation of ties between the kingdom and Israel, Observer-General of Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, Abdul Hamid Al-Thneibat, said yesterday. The Muslim Brotherhood "is protecting Jordanians along with the Arab people from the ideological, intellectual and cultural penetration of the normalisation," he said. Al-Thneibat said he regretted the official institutions' rush towards normalisation with the Israeli occupation, citing the recent water and electricity deals. "During the past few months, we rushed towards normalisation with the occupation while it continues its settlement policies, crimes against our brothers in Palestine and targeting Jerusalem […]
Director of Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji Al-Sourani, yesterday condemned the international community's double-standards in relation to implementing international law, citing Israeli violations against Palestinians and Russia's war on Ukraine. "The West and Europe took immediate action against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while we, the Palestinians who stand against every occupation, have been waiting serious international action since 1948," Al-Sourani said in a statement. The member of International Commission of Jurists stressed: "Human suffering is indivisible. Scenes of destruction and death in Ukraine are no different to the scenes of destruction and death in Gaza." "The scenes of displacement in Ukraine are not different from the scenes of […]
The Palestinian Authority (PA) said yesterday that Israel conditioned "incentives" in Jerusalem to Palestinian "submission" to Israeli "coexistence" in the occupied city. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the PA said that the so-called "incentives are not more than a show off measures aimed to whitewash the Israeli occupation and its brutal violations against Palestinians." The statement cited the ongoing Israeli "torture, violation, terrorism and crackdown campaigns which are being practiced by the state of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people." Israel is going after prominent Palestinian figures and officials in Jerusalem, the statement said, as well as […]
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) yesterday adopted a resolution which stated that all Israeli procedures aiming to change the identity of the holy city of Jerusalem and its legal status quo are null and void, Xinhua reported. During its 214th session held in Paris, UNESCO's Executive Council unanimously adopted the resolution which was put forward by Jordan in coordination with Palestinians and Arab and Islamic groups. "The resolution calls on Israel to stop its provocations and unilateral illegal procedures against Haram Al-Sharif … including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls," the news […]
Iran has moved all its equipment used to manufacture components for centrifuges from its workshop at Karaj to the Natanz nuclear plant, just six weeks after it established another site in Isfahan to manufacture the parts, Reuters reported citing a UN nuclear watchdog. The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement summarising a confidential report to member states yesterday that on 4 April, "agency inspectors verified that these machines remained under agency seal at this location in Natanz and, therefore, were not operating." Last December, Iran granted IAEA inspectors access to Karaj to reinstall surveillance cameras after a months-long […]
Saudi Arabia supports the establishment of zones free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction as the first step towards the complete elimination of such weapons, the Kingdom's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Mohammed Al-Ateeq, has said. Speaking at the UN Disarmament Commission in New York, Al-Ateeq added that Saudi Arabia still believes in the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and in achieving a balance between disarmament and non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. He pointed out that Riyadh was quick to sign the treaty and engage in all efforts to rid the world of nuclear […]
Turkish Ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, yesterday met with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL), Weam Al-Abdali, and discussed the return of Turkish companies working in the energy field to complete suspended projects in Libya. A statement issued by GECOL said the two sides discussed cooperation in the energy field, supporting the General Electricity Company and the Turkish companies returning to Libya to complete the suspended projects. Al-Abdali urged the Turkish companies operating in Libya to increase the pace of work and expedite the completion of contracted projects and overcome the difficulties […]
A Tunisian delegation will travel to Washington on 18 April for a week of talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Economy Minister Samid Saied said yesterday. Saied added that the reform plan prepared by the Tunisian government is ready and will be discussed with the IMF team. In early April, Saied said the government had no alternative but to reach an agreement with the IMF to obtain a loan. Tunisia is seeking to secure a $4 billion loan from the IMF. In March, an IMF team held discussions in Tunisia about a financing programme. It said reducing the Tunisian budget deficit has […]
If the Israeli army had been able to win its battles against the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, it would not have delayed launching a second "Operation Guardian of the Walls" against the territory, even for a moment. It would have launched a sweeping attack as soon as possible and would have taken no notice of the international community and the reaction of Arab regimes. The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Aviv Kochavi, would not have been content with merely issuing threats and promises of a second such offensive. Apartheid Israel is accustomed to quick, easy victories, and […]
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Wednesday that the Independent High Authority for Elections will supervise any future polls, "but not in its current structure," Anadolu has reported. Saied did not clarify what that means. The election authority is a constitutional body that has supervised elections since October 2011. It consists of nine "independent, neutral, qualified" members who are elected by parliament with a two-thirds majority. They perform their duties for six years and, every two years, one third of its members are renewed. Rather than explain what he means by "not in its current structure" the president went on to […]
So-called Jewish Temple Mount groups have called for organising mass stormings of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish Passover holiday in mid-April and to offer animal sacrifices in its courtyards. These calls came as dozens of right-wing Israelis stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque this morning, through the Mughrabi Gate, while under the protection of occupation forces. The Waqf Department reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa's courtyards this morning, receiving explanations about the alleged "Temple" on the site and performed Talmudic rituals on the eastern side and opposite the Dome of the Rock before leaving the squares through the Bab Al-Silsila […]
Yemeni journalists and media professionals have called on the United Nations to include the four journalists sentenced to death by the Houthis in any future prisoner exchange deal. "For the seventh year in a row, the terrorist Houthi militia continues to kidnap our journalists and forcibly hide them inside its dark basements in the occupied capital, Sanaa, where it physically and psychologically tortures them and exposes them to imminent danger that may end their lives," they said in a joint statement. "We demand the United Nations and its committees specialised in [prisoner] exchange operations include the four journalists kidnapped by the […]
What is important is not how we die, but how we live. This well-known maxim is embodied in the people when they persist in resistance, unaware of the magnitude of the sacrifices they make at the altar of their freedom. The most prominent resistance images in that vein are without doubt those of the resistance of the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip. The circumstances are similar to those in different places and times, and are an inspiration to everyone who refuses to submit to tyranny. The steadfastness seen in Gaza is being replicated in Kyiv, notwithstanding the different geopolitical […]
Sheikh Kamal Al-Khatib, deputy chief of Islamic Movement in Israel, yesterday called on Palestinians to increase their presence in Al-Aqsa Mosque to "undermine planned Jewish religious rituals," Al-Resalah newspaper reported. Al-Khatib said that right-wing Israelis and rabbis are preparing to "practice animal sacrifice" inside the Islamic holy site on the occasion of the Passover holiday, which falls between 17-23 April, which coincides with days 16-22 of the Muslim month of fasting Ramadan. He also revealed that the Israeli occupation is preparing to build the so-called third Jewish Temple in place of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-Khatib added that the numerous raids of the Muslim holy […]
Arab-Israeli MK Sami Abou Shehadah said yesterday that Balad Party will not be "lifeline" to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Speaking to the Nazareth-based Radio Al Shams, Abou Shehadah said that his party "will not provide a safety net" for Bennett. He said that the party will meet in the coming days to discuss "all the options available to us," stressing that his party will also not help former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Joint List party Chief, Ayman Odeh, said that all the Arab parties "will not be a lifeline" for Bennett. "We are apparently heading for elections," Odeh told the leading Israeli daily Haaretz. These remarks came as the Israeli government was thrown […]
The UAE has identified huge potential to extend its influence on the African continent, allocating a special minister to it. According to the French Africa Intelligence website, the UAE has close relations with presidents and senior officials in the countries of the continent, through which it looks forward to resolving the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis. The report monitored the role of the new UAE Minister of State for African Affairs, 32-year-old Sheikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan, in the first few months of his tenure, which came after the departure of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash from the position. […]
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are to offer support to Lebanon, whose government declared the state and its Central Bank was bankrupt earlier this week. According to a report yesterday by Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, quoting a diplomatic source, the GCC countries will provide economic aid despite the rift that took place in October last year, when comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticising the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, resulted in Riyadh expelling Lebanon's ambassador, recalling its own envoy and banning Lebanese imports amid the country's on-going economic crisis. Similar moves were followed by the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait in solidarity. However, the source said that […]
Israeli Defence Minister, Benny Gantz, said Israel is ready to expand its "civil measures" for the Palestinians, Anadolu News Agency reports. This came in a phone call Gantz made Tuesday evening with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, to congratulate him on the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. "Tonight, I spoke with Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, and I congratulated him and the Palestinian people on the month of Ramadan," Gantz said in a Twitter post. The Israeli Minister said he told Abbas of Israel's readiness "to expand its civilian measures during and after Ramadan as long as security stability allows." Gantz said […]
Japan, on Wednesday, said it will cooperate with Qatar on efforts to stabilise global energy markets reeling due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Anadolu News Agency reports. Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, discussed, in a phone call, the Ukraine situation and its impact on global energy supplies, with Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to a statement by the Japanese Premier's office. The two leaders vowed to "act in cooperation in our responses to the matter" and "confirmed that Japan and Qatar will cooperate towards stabilising the world's energy market," the statement said. "As for how to address the sharp […]
Join us for a live conversation with Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh to discuss the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's 14th annual report on Islamophobia. Ambassador Sheikh is a career diplomat from Pakistan with over two and a half decades of experience. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC (August 2015 – November 2019). Before joining the embassy in Washington DC, Ambassador Sheikh served as Joint Secretary at the National Security Division, Islamabad where he was primarily engaged in drafting Pakistan's first National Security Policy. MORE MEMO in Conversation With Source link
Iconic pop band, UB40, has joined more than 37,000 others in backing the rapper and Palestine solidarity campaigner Kareem Dennis, better known by his stage name Lowkey, against the attempt by a pro-Israel lobby group to have the artist removed from Spotify. "We Believe in Israel", a British pro-Israel lobby group, has been leading a campaign against the rapper. It claims that the move is part of its efforts to remove "dozens of instances of problematic material, including Lowkey's [2010 song], 'Long Live Palestine – Part 2'. The song that the pro-Israel group is campaigning to ban features Palestinian hip-hop group, DAM, British-Palestinian […]
Lebanon's Bakery Union, on Wednesday, warned of a bread crisis in the Arab country as several wheat mills halted operation due to lack of funding, Anadolu News Agency reports. In a statement, the Bakeries Syndicate said bread bakeries face a shortage of wheat flour in several Lebanese areas. "A number of bakeries have stopped making bread, while others have limited quantities of wheat flour that are sufficient for only one day," it added. The Union blamed Lebanon's Central Bank for the crisis. "Banque du Liban is delaying the payment of wheat shipments for unknown reasons," he alleged. There was no comment […]
While Israel is watching developments in the war in Ukraine with the political and economic implications in mind, it is also looking forward to the export deals that are likely to boost its arms industry. Israel's military exports totalled $9 billion last year, up from $8.3bn in 2020, amounting to three per cent of global military spending. Those exports are expected to rise again this year due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Israel is now the world's 10th largest arms exporter according to a recent report. The occupation state's high-tech industry will hope to follow suit. Some of the arms exports […]
The World Bank, on Wednesday, signed a $400 million loan agreement with Tunisia to help the country mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Anadolu News Agency reports. The agreement was signed by Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Saied, and the World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia, Alexandre Arrobbio. Wednesday's loan agreement was the second, after the World Bank provided the North African nation with a loan of $300 million last week to finance the emergency project for social protection, bringing the total funding to $700 million. Minister of Social Affairs, Malek Ezzahi, said the funding will help around […]
Turkish exports to Saudi Arabia spiked by 25 percent in the first quarter of 2022, as the two countries continue to make efforts to reconcile and improve relations after years of tension. According to data released by the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) this week, Turkiye's exports increased from around $55 million in the first three months of last year to almost $70 million during the same period this year. The Assembly also recorded a 215 per cent year-on-year increase, with $58 million in exports being made in March – the most profitable month – this year in comparison to $18.5 million […]
The Tunisian Ennahda movement confirmed that the Court of Auditors' proposal to abolish the membership of all its lists in all governorates, except for the governorates of El Kef and Siliana, is a first instance decision, and that Ennahda will appeal it before the judiciary. In an exclusive statement to Arabi21, Ennahda deputy, Imad Khamiri, said: "What has happened, so far, is that the judge rapporteur decided to abolish the lists of the Ennahda movement in Parliament, except for the lists of El Kef and Siliana until now, and we will appeal this decision. We have faith that the judgment of […]
Iran has handed over documents related to outstanding issues to the UN nuclear watchdog, Iranian nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, said on Wednesday, as Tehran demands closure of the Agency's investigation into uranium particles found at three undeclared sites, Reuters reports. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), last month, agreed a three-month plan to try to resolve a long-stalled issue over uranium particles found at old but undeclared sites in the country. Resolving the issue would remove an obstacle to the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. "We have handed over the documents on 20 […]
The Israeli occupation's police today issued an order banning Amjad Abu Asab, head of the Family Committee of the Jerusalemite Prisoners, from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City's Bab al-Amoud (Damascus Gate) area for several weeks, the Palestinian Information Centre reported. According to local media sources, the police released Abu Asab on condition that he stay away from Al-Aqsa Mosque and Bab Al-Amoud for one month. Abu Asab was detained by police yesterday while he was at the Moskobiya detention centre as he was waiting for the release of Jerusalemite prisoner Shadi Ash-Sharfa. READ: OIC condemns Israel's violent escalations against Palestinians Source link
Turkey is to appoint a new ambassador to Egypt, after leaving the position vacant for almost nine years, as the two countries approach closer reconciliation. According to an anonymous senior Turkish official who spoke to the news organisation, Middle East Eye, the diplomat to be appointed as ambassador to Cairo will be Salih Mutlu Sen, Ankara's former representative to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Efforts towards reconciliation taken by the two countries accelerated last year, after almost nine years of tensions, deterioration of diplomatic ties and regional rivalry. That period stemmed from Turkey's refusal to recognise the rule of Egyptian […]
The Israeli occupation authorities detained more than 9,000 Palestinian children between 2015 and the end of March 2022, including 1,300 last year alone, an increase of 140 per cent on the figure for 2020. Indeed, since the outbreak of the Aqsa Intifada (Uprising) in September 2000, around 19,000 Palestinian children have been arrested by the Israeli occupation state, including children under 10 years old. The details are in a report released on Monday by the Palestinian Prisoners' Club to mark the occasion of Palestinian Children's Day, which falls on 5 April every year. It pointed out that 160 Palestinian children are […]
An Emirati Court has sentenced an Israeli woman to death on drug charges, her lawyer said on Wednesday, as Israel's Foreign Ministry vowed to work with its new Gulf partner to spare her, Reuters reports. Fidaa Kiwan was arrested in Dubai last year for allegedly dealing 50 grams (0.11 pounds) of cocaine and 500 grams (1.1 pounds) of marijuana, her lawyer, Tami Ullmann, said. "The State of Israel cannot live with one of its citizens getting the death sentence – all the more for an offence which is on a scale that, in the State of Israel, would entail receiving a […]
Factions aligned with Sudan's military have drawn up a deal to form a transitional government that would cement the army's control and bypass pro-democracy groups it shared power with before an October coup, according to a document seen by Reuters and three sources familiar with the agreement. The draft deal comes with the military under pressure from a deteriorating economy and frequent protests that have continued despite a lethal crackdown by security forces, Reuters reports. The military takeover derailed a transition that had raised hopes in Sudan of an end to decades of autocracy, civil conflict and economic isolation after former […]
Ukraine received almost 30 times as much defence industry equipment from Turkey in the first quarter as it did a year earlier, while it prepared for and fought against Russian invasion, official data showed, and Anadolu News Agency reports. According to the report, Turkey exported $59.1 million of such products to Ukraine in the period, compared with $1.9 million in the first quarter of 2021, data published by the Turkish Exporters' Assembly showed. The Assembly, an industry association, did not specifically identify the equipment, the report added. Last year, Ukraine bought more than 20 Bayraktar TB2 armed drones from Turkish company, […]
Turkiye detected a third floating naval mine in its waters in the Black Sea and military diving teams were working on defusing it, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday, amid the war in Ukraine and Reuters reports. NATO member, Turkiye, borders the Black Sea, as do Russia and Ukraine, which Moscow invaded on 24 February. The Black Sea is vital for shipping grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkiye, as well as Ukraine and Russia, which have been at war since President Vladimir Putin's troops invaded his southern neighbour. Ukraine and Russia have […]
The volume of real estate sales in the Jordanian market during the first quarter of this year increased by 37 per cent compared to the same period last year, to 1.41 billion dinars ($1.9 billion). According to a statement released today by the Department of Land and Survey, government revenues from real estate sales amounted to 63.1 million dinars ($88.9 million), an increase of 48 per cent compared to 2019. The figures for 2020 are not included in the comparison period due to the consequences that the coronavirus pandemic had on real estate sales in the country. The statement indicated that […]
The vendors of the Old City of Jerusalem are looking forward to a successful economic season in the month of Ramadan, but the uncertainty of the field and political scene casts doubt on their expectations this year. Hundreds of thousands of worshippers from the West Bank and Arab cities and towns in Israel flock to East Jerusalem during Ramadan. On their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque and while leaving it, the worshippers pass through the Old City markets, which the vendors consider a valuable opportunity to market their goods. Thousands of worshippers also shop and buy their iftar meals from the town's […]
President Kais Saied stressed on Tuesday that he rejects any kind of "interference" in Tunisia's internal affairs. In a statement issued after a meeting with his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Othman Jerandi, the Tunisian president added that he is ready to "strengthen relations with brotherly and friendly countries" as long as there is "mutual respect and common interest." France, meanwhile, has expressed its concern at Saied's decision to dissolve parliament. The French called on all political forces to participate in a comprehensive dialogue and avoid all forms of violence. Officials in Paris conveyed the hope that Tunisia's state institutions will return […]
Pakistan is going through a constitutional crisis after Prime Minister Imran Khan avoided a no-confidence vote on Sunday which was initiated by opposition legislators late last month in an attempt to oust him amid accusations of economic mismanagement and spiralling inflation. In response, Khan claimed that a "foreign conspiracy" was being hatched by the US to overthrow his government over its "independent" foreign policy posturing which was steering the country away from the West and closer to the Sino-Russian axis. The opposition, led by political dynasties the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), said that they have the […]
The head of the Israeli government coalition, Member of the Knesset Idit Silman from the Yamina Party, announced today her withdrawal from the government headed by Naftali Bennett, which means that the coalition does not have a majority in the Knesset, according to Israeli media. Silman decided to withdraw from the coalition, due to what she described as "ideological" differences with partners in the government from the Israeli left-wing parties. She will formally hand in her resignation later today, but she is not expected to resign from the Knesset. It is likely that what speeded up her decision to resign from […]
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh yesterday received the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in his office in Ramallah. According to a statement released by the PM's office, Shtayyeh and Wennesland discussed the latest political developments and their impact on Palestine. Shtayyeh called on the international community to stop using double standards in applying international law when it comes to Palestine. He also highlighted that the upcoming Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) meeting taking place in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on 10 May, to discuss the comprehensive reform plan prepared by the Palestinian government, will […]