Middle East & North Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday claimed without evidence that recent protests across the Islamic Republic over government-set gasoline prices rising were part of a “conspiracy” involving the U.S., as authorities began to acknowledge the scale of the demonstrations.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the comment while addressing members of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force, which help put down the demonstrations.

WEST BANK, Nov 27 (NNN-WB) – A Jewish settler struck four Palestinians, in a hit-and-run, in northern West Bank.

The incident took place on Wednesday morning, in the West Bank village of Nabi Elias, Israeli police spokesperson, Luba Samri, said in a statement.

The driver hit the four Palestinians, while they were walking along the side of the road, and fled the scene, Samri added.

The four pedestrians sustained slight injuries and were moved to a West Bank hospital, she added.

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait, Nov 27 (NNN-XINHUA) – Kuwait has successfully conducted the country’s first heart transplant surgery, Kuwaiti Minister of Health, Bassel Al-Sabah, said, Tuesday.

The first heart transplant surgery was performed at the Salman Al-Dabbous Heart Centre, of Adan Hospital, Al-Sabah said, hailing it a milestone achievement.

The surgery was conducted on a patient, who suffered from severe heart failure, he noted, adding, the heart was transferred from a dead woman.

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s government is using a secretive security agency designed to fight terrorism to detain peaceful protesters, journalists and critics on trumped-up charges without trial, Amnesty International said in a report released Wednesday.

The 60-page report by the London-based rights group details how Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution, or SSSP, has become increasingly central to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s sweeping crackdown on dissent.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Three simultaneous explosions rocked Baghdad late Tuesday, killing five people and wounding more than a dozen, Iraqi officials said, in the first apparent coordinated attack since anti-government protests erupted nearly two months ago.

It was not immediately clear who has behind the bombings, which bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. Iraq declared victory over the extremists nearly two years ago, but they still maintain a presence in parts of the country and carry out sporadic attacks.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Thousands of Palestinian protesters took part in a “day of rage” across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, with some groups clashing with Israeli forces to protest the U.S. announcement that it no longer believes Israeli settlements violate international law.

Around 2,000 people gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah by midday, where they set ablaze posters of U.S. President Donald Trump as well as Israeli and American flags. Schools, universities and government offices were closed and rallies were being held in other West Bank cities.

Tehran, Nov 26, IRNA – Iran's Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Reza Rahmani said on Tuesday that if his ministry makes sure that a certain item of goods produced in Iran has a reasonable quality, the government is to ban it's import.

Reza Rahmani said in a meeting about domesticization of electrical, electronic, and telecommunication devices that this approach is acceptable and is the main strategy for solving problems like unemployment and inflation.

JEDDAH, Nov 26 (APP): Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was a platform uniting the Muslim world.

Talking to media persons after her arrival at Jeddah, she said that Pakistan was the founder member of the OIC which played its due role for strengthening social, cultural and religious values among the member countries, said a press release issue here Tuesday.

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: Commander of Lorestan province’s Law Enforcement Police Brigadier General Haji Mohammad Mahdian Nasab announced that his forces have identified and arrested 17 leaders of protests against fuel price rises in the western province.

State-run IRNA news agency quoted Nasab as saying that “17 rioters and anarchists who perpetrated and executed attacks on public and private properties have been identified and arrested.”

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reappointed his son’s father-in-law and old friend, Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hijazi, to work on a number of political and strategic files including restructuring the state-owned media.