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17 Sep 2019; MEMO: US President Donald Trump said yesterday that America has become such a big oil producer that it no longer needs petrol from the Middle East.

Writing on Twitter, Trump said: “Because we have done so well with Energy over the last few years (thank you, Mr. President!), we are a net Energy Exporter, & now the Number One Energy Producer in the World.

17 Sep 2019; MEMO: The Saudi-led military coalition battling Yemen’s Houthi movement said on Monday that the attack on Saudi Arabian oil plants was carried out with Iranian weapons and was not launched from Yemen according to preliminary findings, Reuters reports.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said that an investigation into Saturday’s strikes, which had been claimed by the Iran-aligned Houthi group, was still going on to determine the launch location.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, will not face any supply disruption after a reduction in production at its No. 2 supplier Saudi Arabia, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

"Following the attacks on the oil stablization centres of @Saudi_Aramco, top executives of Aramco have been contacted," he tweeted. "We have reviewed our overall crude oil supplies for the month of September with our OMCs. We are confident there would be no supply disruption to India. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation."

BOSASSO, Sept 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Arab Emirates no longer plans to establish a military airport in Somaliland and the facility currently being built will be turned into a civilian airport, the region’s president said.

Somaliland said last year that the UAE would train military in the semi-autonomous region, part of a deal to host a UAE base in the region.

“The Berbera airport which was being built by the UAE and designed to be a military base will become a public airport for civilians,” Muse Bihi Abdi said.

BEIRUT, Sept 17 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, called for a stronger commitment to the Palestinian cause and warned about Israel’s “conspiracy” plans in the region, Lebanese presidency’s website, said.

“Israel believes that, circumstances are very suitable now to implement its plans in Arab countries, such as the ‘Deal of the Century,’ in light of fragmentation among Arab countries,” Aoun said.

KHARTOUM, Sept 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that France will press to drop Sudan from the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism and to support efforts to reintegrate the country into the international community.

Le Drian was in Khartoum for a one-day visit on Monday, the first such trip to Sudan by France’s top diplomat in more than a decade.

His visit comes as the northeast African country transitions to civilian rule after decades of authoritarianism.

CARACAS, Sept 17 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The Government and the opposition of Venezuela signed on Monday an agreement and installation of the National Dialogue Table for Peace, in accordance with the principles of sovereignty and self-determination of the South American country.

With the purpose of contributing to a political solution among Venezuelans, both parties agreed to deal with the promptness and urgency of the case, the new formation of the National Electoral Council and the guarantees that must accompany the voting processes.

HAVANA, Sept 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — US sanctions on oil shipments to Cuba are causing a fuel shortage in the Caribbean nation, said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

Rodriguez denounced the imposition of stiff fines on vessels and shipping lines that supply fuel to Cuba, saying they were part of a larger plan to harm Cuba.

ISTANBUL; 16 Sep 2019; AA: Turkey's economy saw an annual hike in total turnover in July, the nation’s statistics authority announced Monday.

"Calendar adjusted total turnover index including industry, construction, trade and services sectors increased by 12.6% in July 2019 compared with the same month of the previous year," Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said.

ANKARA; 16 Sep 2019; AA: The Turkish president on Monday met his Iranian counterpart in the capital Ankara, ahead of the trilateral summit on Syria later in the day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the presidential mansion and held a closed-door meeting that lasted almost two hours.