Middle East & North Africa

10 Jan 2023; MEMO: Yemen's recognised government has raised the US dollar exchange rate used to calculate customs duties on non-essential goods by 50 per cent, effective Tuesday, a document and traders said, Reuters reports.

The decision applies only to south Yemen, which the government controls, including the port city of Aden. The country's main entry point for commodities, Hodeidah port, is held by the Houthi Movement, which has a different exchange system.

10 Jan 2023; MEMO: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday warned against any Israeli assault on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu News Agency reports.

In a statement following an extraordinary meeting, the Jeddah-based organisation called for imposing sanctions on far-right Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, for violating the sanctity of the flashpoint site.

11 Jan 2023; MEMO: The Syrian regime's Military Intelligence Directorate has arrested six officers of different ranks on charges of "treason" after information was leaked to third parties that led to the assassination of a senior Iranian colonel last November near the capital, Damascus.

11 Jan 2023; MEMO: Seventeen people have died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Algeria over the past 24 hours, the Algerian Civil Defence said yesterday.

Nine people from one family were found dead on Monday evening in their home in Bou Saada, about 250 kilometres south of Algiers, the Civil Defence said.

The family consisted of the father, mother, five children, and two guests.

TEHRAN, Jan 10 (NNN-IRNA) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday that, negotiations on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal are continuing through relevant channels at both sides’ request.

Nasser Kanaani made the remarks at a weekly press conference, without further elaborating on “relevant channels.”

Kanaani added, Iran’s policy towards the nuclear issue is clear, and the country is acting within the same political framework.

He said, Iran is ready for the conclusion of the nuclear talks, based on the European Union’s proposed package.

10 Jan 2023; MEMO: Turkiye needs to fully control the city of Aleppo in northern Syria in order to solve the Syrian refugee issue, the presidential adviser said yesterday.

"The only solution scenario in Syria is to give Turkey control over Aleppo, or rather, for Aleppo to be under the Syrian opposition's control," Yasin Aktay, chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said.

10 Jan 2023; MEMO: Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has described demonstrators who have been protesting following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody as "traitors", claiming they "receive support from outside Iran".

Iran has been rocked by popular protests following the death of the 22-year-old in September.

10 Jan 2023; MEMO: Pope Francis called for preserving the historical and legal status quo in the occupied holy city of Jerusalem, the Wafa news agency reported.

Speaking during his annual meeting with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican, Pope Francis expressed concern about the increase in violence in the holy land, which has led to more victims.

09 Jan 2023; MEMO: The mountains in and around the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia have turned green after weeks of heavy rain and last month's flash floods, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. The agency shared a video clip on Twitter last Thursday showing the effect of the excessive rainfall.

09 Jan 2023; MEMO: American National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, are planning to visit Israel by the end of January, Israeli media and news agencies have reported.

The London-based Arabic newspaper, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, said that US officials will meet with senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi.