Middle East & North Africa

Israel: 'Arabs cannot be partners in coalition government': Lieberman

18 Jan 2021; MEMO: Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman declared on Sunday that the Arab Joint List could not be partners in a government coalition, Al-Watan Voice reported.

According to Al-Watan Voice, Lieberman was speaking to Israeli radio station 103 FM as he stressed on the necessity not to support the Arab Joint List in the elections.

Chairman of Israel opposition ready to form government coalition with Arabs

18 Jan 2021; MEMO: Chairman of the Israeli Opposition and Yesh Atid party MK Yair Lapid announced on Saturday that he is ready to form a government supported by the Arab Joint List, RT reported.

Speaking to Israeli TV Channel 12, Lapid revealed that he was planning to add Arabs to his party's electoral ticket.

Iran lifts last remaining restriction on nuclear program

18 Jan 2021; MEMO: Iran has lifted the last remaining limitation imposed on its nuclear program, announcing that its nuclear facilities have begun the process of producing uranium metal, Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper reported.

The paper disclosed that Iranian Permanent Envoy to International Organisations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi has recently announced that Tehran is beginning the process of improving fuel for the production of uranium metal.

2 US bombers fly over Israel towards Persian Gulf

18 Jan 2021; MEMO: Two American Boeing B-52 Stratofortress military bombers were spotted on Sunday flying over Israeli airspace heading to the Persian Gulf, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Anadolu Agency reported.

"This is the fifth time in recent months American aircraft of this particular model were seen passing in the area", the newspaper said, without giving further details.

Rainwater floods prisoner cells in Israel's West Bank prison

18 Jan 2021; MEMO: Heavy rainwater has flooded prisoners' cells on Sunday in the Israeli Huwwara Detention Centre located in the occupied West Bank, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)'s Committee for Prisoners and Freed Prisoners revealed.

Rainwater flooded a number of the prisoners' cells, Al-Mugtama Magazine reported, stating that the clothes of the prisoners and their blankets, mattresses and other personal properties were submerged in water.

Egyptian President Pledges Support For Afcfta’s Activities

CAIRO, Jan 18 (NNN-MENA) – Egyptian President, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, reiterated his country’s support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which commenced earlier this month.

Sisi’s remarks came, during his meeting in Cairo with Wamkele Mene, secretary general of AfCFTA, Egyptian Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Sisi affirmed Egypt’s full support for the activities and work of AfCFTA, which represents a promising start towards continental integration in Africa.

Saudis vowed to stop executing minors; some death sentences remain, rights groups say

DUBAI (Reuters) - Five people who committed crimes in Saudi Arabia as minors have yet to have their death sentences revoked, according to two rights groups, nine months after the kingdom’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced an end to capital punishment for juvenile offenders.

The state-backed HRC in April cited a March royal decree by King Salman stipulating that individuals sentenced to death for crimes committed while minors will no longer face execution and would instead serve prison terms of up to 10 years in juvenile detention centers.

Iran asks watchdog not to publish ‘unnecessary’ nuke details

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran urged the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to avoid publishing “unnecessary” details on Tehran’s nuclear program, state TV reported Sunday, a day after Germany, France and Britain said Tehran has “no credible civilian use” for its development of uranium metal.

The report quoted a statement from Iran’s nuclear department that asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to avoid publishing details on Iran’s nuclear program that may cause confusion.

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