Middle East & North Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar plans to send 10,000 cabins and caravans from last year’s World Cup to provide shelter for survivors of the Turkish earthquakes, officials said.

The gas-rich Gulf nation says it had always planned to donate the mobile homes. They were needed to help house some of the 1.4 million fans who descended on the small country during soccer’s biggest tournament.

An initial batch of 350 structures was shipped out on Sunday, the Qatar Fund for Development said.

13 Feb 2023; MEMO: Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi is set to embark on a three-day visit to China on Tuesday, in what will be the first state visit by an Iranian leader to the country in almost two decades, reports Anadolu Agency.

The high-profile visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, will test the relationship between Tehran and Beijing after a diplomatic row over a joint statement by China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in December.

14 Feb 2023; MEMO: Egyptian media reported that the government is set to sell 20-30 per cent stakes in seven state-owned hotels to investors, most of whom are potentially coming from the Arab Gulf region, amid a severe economic crisis.

Habi newspaper quoted the Managing Director of the Holding Company for Tourism and Hotels (HOTAC), Adel Wali, as saying that the government is seeking to offer shares through a newly established holding company that will own a portfolio of seven five-star hotels.

14 Feb 2023; MEMO: Iran has smuggled new and advanced combat drones to Russian forces through the use of boats and state-owned airlines, a report has revealed.

14 Feb 2023; MEMO: The regional offices of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) announced yesterday organising protests in several governorates against the security arrests of many trade unionists and the policies of the authorities.

Demonstrations are due to take place from 18 February in the governorates of Bizerte, Sfax, Kairouan, Nabeul, Jendouba and Monastir. Other areas are expected to join later.

ANKARA, Feb 13 (NNN-AMNA) – Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, visited Türkiye yesterday, in a show of support as massive earthquakes hitting the country have left more than 24,000 killed.

“We will continue to do our best to overcome difficult times, both at bilateral and the level of the European Union,” Dendias said, in a joint press statement with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in the quake-hit southern province of Hatay.

ANKARA/DAMASCUS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the twin earthquakes that rocked Türkiye and Syria on Feb. 6 has climbed to 29,605 and 1,414 respectively as of Sunday evening.

The number of wounded, meanwhile, rose to over 80,000 in Türkiye and 2,349 in Syria, according to official figures.

FAULTY CONSTRUCTION

Türkiye has issued arrest warrants for 134 suspects involved in the faulty construction of buildings that collapsed in the earthquakes, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Sunday.

CAIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The sixth session of Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPS), one of the leading oil expos in the Middle East and North Africa, kicked off on Sunday in the Egyptian capital Cairo with hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe.

The opening ceremony of the three-day expo was attended by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and leaders of global energy, oil and gas companies.

NICOSIA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Former Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides won the runoff election on Sunday and will be the next president of Cyprus, Chief Returning Officer Costas Constantinou announced after the counting of all ballot papers.

Christodoulides, who ran as an independent received 51.97 percent of the votes, compared to 48.03 percent received by his opponent, Andreas Mavroyiannis, who also ran as an independent and had the support of the left-wing AKEL party.   

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian man was killed and at least seven others were wounded Monday during a shootout with Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian officials said.

It was the latest death in a surge of Israeli-Palestinian violence that shows no signs of slowing.

The Israeli military said it carried out raids across the West Bank overnight, and that troops came under fire during the arrest of two men suspected of killing an Israeli soldier in October. The army said the two wanted men were injured the shootout and arrested.