Middle East & North Africa

TRIPOLI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday called on the Libyan rival parties to end the ongoing armed conflict in the country.

"Today marks one year since the forces of Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Haftar launched their offensive to seize Tripoli, Libya's capital," the UNSMIL said in a statement.

"What resulted is a needless conflict that shattered the hopes of many Libyans for a peaceful political transition," it added.

04 April 2020; MEMO: The World Bank has announced a grant worth $5.8 million for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in support for its battle against the coronavirus, Safa News Agency reported on Friday.

The forces of the internationally-recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) shot down three Sukhoi fighters belonging to Haftar’s forces on Friday, reported Anadolu Agency.

04 April 2020; MEMO: According to Anadolu Agency, the GNA forces also destroyed several vehicles and heavy weapons, during the operation that was launched about a week ago.

The sources revealed that three Sukhoi-22 warplanes were shot down.

04 April 2020; MEMO: Chinese ambassador to Cairo, Liao Liqiang, announced on Thursday that his country will soon be providing a batch of medical supplies to Egypt, in response to the Egyptian government’s efforts to help China confront the coronavirus pandemic.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Transit through Bahrain International Airport is open again for international travelers, Manama-based Gulf Air said on Saturday, though entry to the country is limited to Bahrainis and other residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In compliance with the new regulations issued by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority, we are welcoming back transit passengers through Bahrain International Airport. Arrival into Bahrain remains restricted to nationals and residents,” the airline said on Twitter.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak climbed to 3,452 on Saturday, with 158 more fatalities recorded over the past 24 hours, Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpur said.

The total number of cases diagnosed with the disease reached 55,743, of whom 4,103 are in critical condition, he said on state TV. Iran is the country worst affected by the pandemic in the Middle East.

DUBAI/MOSCOW (Reuters) - OPEC and Russia have postponed a meeting planned for Monday until later next week, OPEC sources said on Saturday, as a row intensified between Moscow and Saudi Arabia over who is to blame for plunging oil prices.

The meeting’s delay came despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, to urgently stabilize global oil markets.

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi authorities announced a lockdown and a partial curfew in seven neighborhoods of the Red Sea city of Jeddah, starting on Saturday, as part of measures to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, the interior ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said residents in those neighborhoods could only go out for grocery shopping and medical care, between 6 a.m (0300 GMT) and 3 p.m. Entering and exiting the neighborhoods will be restricted, it added.

JERUSALEM, Apr 4 (NNN-MA’AN) – A total of 571 people in Israel were tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 7,428, the Israeli Ministry of Health said.

Of the 681 patients being treated in hospitals across Israel, 113 were in serious condition and 155 in moderate condition, it said.

TEHRAN, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. "cruel and illegal" sanctions against Iran have caused difficulties for ordinary Iranians' access to medicine and medical equipment and services amid the COVID-19 spread, Esmaeil Baqaei Hamaneh, Iran's envoy to the UN office in Geneva, said on Friday.

"The sanctions have blocked Iran's banking interaction with other countries in the purchase of commodities required in the fight against the coronavirus," Baqaei Hamaneh said in a letter to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, state TV reported.