Middle East & North Africa

BEIRUT (AP) — The 160-year-old palace withstood two world wars, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the French mandate and Lebanese independence. After the country’s 1975-1990 civil war, it took 20 years of careful restoration for the family to bring the palace back to its former glory.

“In a split second, everything was destroyed again,” says Roderick Sursock, owner of Beirut’s landmark Sursock Palace, one of the most storied buildings in the Lebanese capital.

BEIRUT (AP) — World leaders and international organizations pledged nearly $300 million in emergency humanitarian aid to Beirut in the wake of the devastating explosion, but warned on Sunday that no money for rebuilding the capital will be made available until Lebanese authorities commit themselves to the political and economic reforms demanded by the people.

BEIRUT, August 9. /TASS/: The task force of the Russian Emergencies Ministry completed the search and rescue effort at the blast scene in the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut, the crisis center told TASS on Sunday.

"The search and rescue works in Beirut are over," the crisis center reported, adding that the emergency relief effort was ongoing.

09 Aug 2020; MEMO: Lebanese President Michel Aoun called on Arab countries today to support Lebanon in the wake of a massive explosion at the Beirut port, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Lebanon needs any help in every field, and there is great hope in the brotherly Arab countries,” Aoun said in statements following a meeting with Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, at the presidential palace in Beirut.

09 Aug 2020; MEMO: Thousands of Israelis rallied outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Saturday as anger mounted over corruption allegations and his handling of the coronavirus crisis, Reuters reports.

“Your time is up”, read the giant letters projected on to a building at the protest site, as demonstrators waved Israeli flags and called on Netanyahu to resign over what they say is his failure to protect jobs and businesses affected by the pandemic.

09 Aug 2020; MEMO: Some Lebanese called on Sunday for a sustained uprising to topple their leaders amid public fury over this week’s devastating explosion in Beirut, and the country’s top Christian Maronite cleric said the cabinet should resign, Reuters reports.

BEIRUT, August 9. /TASS/: It took several hours for riot control special formations to push protesters out of the center of the Lebanese capital. By the midnight law enforcement officers had completely forced aggressively disposed activists out of Beirut’s business part, regaining full control of the capital’s Martyrs’ Square, TASS reports from the spot.

According to the civil defense, 490 people were injured in clashes, including around 70 police officers. Five protesters were detained.

BAGHDAD, Aug 9 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, will pay an official visit to the U.S. to meet with U.S. President Trump, on Aug 20, for talks on bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields.

Al-Kadhimi would head a government delegation, which came at an invitation from the United States, said a statement by the Premier’s office.

The visit will include discussing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as, bilateral relations and means to enhance cooperation in the fields of security, energy, economy, and investment.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco’s Chief Executive Amin Nasser said on Sunday that he sees oil demand recovering in Asia as economies gradually open up after the easing of coronavirus lockdowns.

“Look at China, their gasoline and diesel demand is almost at pre-COVID 19 levels. We are seeing that Asia is picking up and other markets (too),” he told reporters on a conference call after Aramco reported results. “As countries ease the lockdown, we expect the demand to increase”

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi state oil group Aramco’s profit plunged 73% in the second quarter of the year, as a slump in energy demand and prices due to the coronavirus crisis hit sales at the world’s biggest oil exporter.

All major oil companies have taken a hit in the second quarter as lockdowns to contain the coronavirus limited travel, which reduced oil consumption and sent prices tumbling to levels not seen in nearly two decades.