Middle East & North Africa

AMMAN, July 16 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordanian Education Minister, Tayseer Nuaimi, said on Wednesday that, the country’s students will return to school on Sept 1.

The 2020/2021 academic year will be as usual, but its nature will be determined by the pandemic situation, Nuaimi said, adding, his ministry could resort to online education, if needed.

A guidance and protocol will be prepared in tandem with the health ministry, to ensure safe and sound return for students, he noted.

16 July 2020; MEMO: A senior Hamas delegation headed by its chief in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdul-Hadi, met on Wednesday with Cuba’s Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Moraga, a statement disclosed.

16 July 2020; MEMO: Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty asserted that the allegations that Egypt receives the lion’s share of the Nile water are inaccurate: “Because we get a minimum quantity.”

16 July 2020; MEMO: Turkey and Russia have agreed to resume flights between the two countries starting yesterday, Turkish transport and infrastructure minister announced.

Adil Karaismailoglu said that the decision was made during a recent phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

16 July 2020; MEMO: Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced on Wednesday that Israel needs a miracle to avoid full lockdown to deal with COVID-19, Arab48.com reported.

16 July 2020; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the number of churches and synagogues in Turkey is twice the number of mosques in any European country.

16 July 2020; MEMO: The Sudanese State of Law and Development Party revealed on Wednesday that a military intelligence force arrested the party leader, Mohamed Ali Al-Jazouli.

16 July 2020; MEMO: Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas’ close aide, announced on Wednesday that 23 European Union (EU) countries stand with Palestine against the Israeli plan to annex large swathes of occupied West Bank, Al Watan Voice reported.

The only two European states which have not yet announced their stance are Austria and Czech Republic.

16 July 2020; MEMO: Shop owners in Libya are refusing to accept cash after the seizure of more than $8 billion worth of counterfeit notes which had alleged been printed in Russia to support renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar, Al Jazeera reported.

RIYADH, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC countries decided in a meeting on Wednesday to move to the second phase of their agreement to cut oil output by easing restrictions on production.

Entering the second phase, the cuts will be reduced from 9.6 million barrels per day (bpd) to 7.7 million bpd starting August until the end of the year, according to an OPEC statement released after the online meeting.