Middle East & North Africa

09 Dec 2019; MEMO: The Jordanian House of Representatives agreed to refer two former ministers to court on charges of abusing their job jurisdictions.

This came during a session held by the parliament, on Sunday, as 119 members (out of 130 deputies) voted to approve the permission to prosecute the former Minister of Public Works and Housing Sami Halasa and former Minister of Environment Taher Al-Shakhshir, reported Anadolu Agency.

09 Dec 2019; MEMO: The Algerian Movement of Society for Peace (the largest Islamic party in the country) announced on Sunday that it would not support any of the candidates for the presidential elections scheduled for next Thursday.

This came in a statement, seen by Anadolu Agency, the party issued after a series of consultations between Executive Office and the movement’s leadership bodies.

09 Dec 2019; MEMO: Russian and Syrian regime fighter jets on Saturday struck what is supposed to be a cease-fire zone in northwestern Syria, leaving at least 19 civilians dead, according to the opposition aircraft observatory, reports Anadolu Agency.

The observatory said Russian jets struck settlements in villages in Idlib, Syria in the southern Marratinnuman district, while regime forces mounted air and ground attacks on the town of Kafranbil and other local villages.

09 Dec 2019; MEMO: Restaurants in Saudi Arabia will no longer need to maintain entrances segregated by sex, the authorities said on Sunday, further eroding some of the world’s strictest social rules as sweeping reforms take hold.

Previously, Saudi Arabia required all restaurants to have one entrance for families and women, and another for men on their own. The ministry of municipalities and rural affairs announced on Twitter this would no longer be mandatory.

TRIPOLI, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Interior Minister of the UN-backed government of Libya, Fathi Bashagha, issued Sunday an order to start an immediate investigation into "mistreatment" of a captured pilot of the rival east-based army.

On Saturday, the UN-backed government forces announced shooting down a fighter jet of the east-based army in the western city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli, and capturing its pilot.

BAGHDAD, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four Katyusha rockets struck a military base near Iraq's capital Baghdad, leaving six military personnel wounded, the Iraqi military said Monday.

The rockets landed at the military base near Baghdad airport at the southwestern edge of the city, according to a statement by the media office affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

KHARTOUM, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said Sunday that his recent visit to the United States achieved headway in the effort to normalize ties between the two countries.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — For decades, the people of Bethlehem have watched tour buses drive up to the Church of the Nativity, disgorge their passengers for a few hours at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel.

But in recent years a new form of tourism has taken root, focused on the West Bank town’s Palestinian residents, their culture and history and their struggles under Israeli occupation.

BEIRUT (AP) — A possible candidate for prime minister of Lebanon said Sunday he is withdrawing from consideration for the post, prolonging the country’s political crisis.

Samir Khatib said the country’s top Sunni religious authority told him the community supports the re-appointment of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who resigned Oct. 29 under fire from anti-government protesters.

08 Dec 2019; MEMO: The Taliban on Saturday resumed formal peace talks with the US in the Qatari capital, Doha, the group confirmed in a statement, Anadolu reports.

Suhail Shaheen, the insurgents’ Qatar office spokesman, said on social media that Mualla Baradar Akhund, the group’s deputy head, led the Taliban delegation.

“Talks with the US negotiating team began from where they left off,” he said.