Middle East & North Africa

MAARAT AL-NUMAN, Idlib, Syria, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The smell of gunpowder is still fresh and the tracks of tanks and armored vehicles are still clear on the muddy road to Maarat al-Numan, the second-largest city in Idlib province, northwestern Syria.

The Syrian army captured the city recently, scoring an important victory against the rebel groups in their last major stronghold in Idlib and clearing part of the way toward securing the entire road connecting the capital Damascus in the south with Aleppo in the north.

BEIRUT, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin said on Saturday that U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah is hurting Lebanon amid its current crisis, local media reported.

"We should work on uniting the efforts of counties that are keen on keeping Lebanon away from conflicts because the country is currently experiencing a serious crisis," Zasypkin was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

Zasypkin said Russia and France are keen to support Lebanon while the U.S. insists on taking measures against Hezbollah.

CAIRO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Arab foreign ministers voiced rejection on Saturday to the recently released U.S. Middle East peace plan, while expressing their support for Palestine which emphatically refused the new peace plan upon its announcement.

"Rejection of the U.S.-Israeli Deal of the Century comes as it does not fulfill the minimum rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people," said the final communique issued by the foreign ministers following the meeting.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Former communications minister Mohammed Allawi was named prime minister-designate by rival Iraqi factions Saturday after weeks of political deadlock.

The choice comes as the country weathers troubled times, including ongoing anti-government protests and the constant threat of being ensnared by festering U.S.-Iran tensions.

The selection of Allawi, 66, to replace outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi was the product of many back-room talks over months between rival parties.

01 Feb 2020; MEMO: Thousands of people in the Idlib Governorate have become homeless, as a result of the Syrian regime’s campaign against opposition-held areas.

01 Feb 2020; MEMO: An Egyptian journalist was found by her family hanged inside her own home in Cairo, amid reports speculating suicide.

The family of journalist, Rehab Badr, broke into their daughter’s home to find out why she had not answered their calls, before finding her suspended from the ceiling.

01 Feb 2020; MEMO: Yemen’s Houthi military spokesman said on Friday the group had launched 26 rocket attacks in the past week against airports in southern Saudi Arabia, facilities belonging to oil giant Saudi Aramco and “two sensitive targets deep in” the kingdom, reports Reuters.

01 Feb 2020; MEMO: Israel has imposed a ban on the import of agricultural products from Palestine, local media reported on Friday.

“[Israeli] Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Friday that Israel would implement a ban on importing agricultural products from the Palestinian Authority,” according to Israeli daily Jerusalem Post.

United Nations, Feb 1 (AFP/PTI) The United Kingdom sent its fellow Security Council members an amended draft resolution on Libya Friday, calling for the withdrawal of mercenaries from the country, according to the text, seen by AFP.

The draft expresses the Council's "concern over the growing involvement of mercenaries in Libya," despite commitments made on January 19 at an international summit in Berlin, including "ceasing all support for and withdrawing all armed mercenary personnel."

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced Hisham al-Ashmawy, a former special forces officer turned Islamist militant, and 36 others to death after they were convicted of terrorism, court officials said.

Ashmawy was captured in the eastern Libyan city of Derna in late 2018 and transferred by authorities loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar to Egypt in May last year.