Middle East & North Africa

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: The Blue and White party has opened up a significant lead over Likud, according to a new poll published today, right-wing news outlet Arutz Sheva reported.

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: The Foreign Minister of Jordan said on Monday that Israel will pay the price for its disregard for the international community and international law, Quds Press has reported. Ayman Al-Safadi made his comment during an emergency meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers in Amman.

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: The head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Hossein Salami yesterday vowed to take revenge from the killers of members of security forces who died during the fuel protests which have ripped through the country.

“We will take revenge for the martyrs defending security from the global arrogance forces and their agents in the country,” Salami said, warning those involved that they will not escape the intelligence community’s grip.

JERUSALEM, Nov 26 (NNN-MA’AN) – Nearly half of Israeli women suffered technological violence by their spouses, according to a survey published by Israel’s leading organisation for education and social services.

The survey, published by the Women’s International Zionist Organisation (WIZO), ahead of the annual International Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women, shows that, 48 percent of women in Israel, aged 20 to 60, have experienced technological violence by their spouses, at least once.

JERUSALEM, Nov 26 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Despite many attempts to challenge the court’s decision, Israel is set to expel the Jerusalem-based director of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

On Nov 5, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Omar Shakir, against a decision to deport him and gave him 20 days to leave the country.

Israeli authorities accuse Shakir of supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which Israel has criminalised.

Dubai, Nov 26 (AFP/PTI) Saudi Arabia has detained at least nine academics, writers and activists, campaigners said, the latest in a series of crackdowns on intellectuals over the past two years.

The detention of liberals in the midst of a much-hyped liberalisation drive underscores what observers call increasing repression and authoritarianism under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's de facto rule as he consolidates his grip on power.

KOBANE /Syria/, November 25. /TASS/: Doctors from a Russian special medical unit have started to arrive at a Russian military police base near the city of Kobane in northern Syria in order to provide medical assistance to civilians. Medical equipment and medications are also being delivered to the area.

BAGHDAD, Nov 25 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mohammed al-Hakim, hailed relations between China and Iraq, describing the bilateral ties as “excellent.”

Al-Hakim made the remarks during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Tao, where he praised the stable and developed Iraqi-Chinese relations, said a statement by the Chinese embassy in Iraq.

TEHRAN, Nov. 24 (NNN-IRNA) – A senior Iranian military official, said that, the Iranian ground forces have become self-sufficient in drone technology.

“The Iranian ground troops have so far conducted some development plans, in order to provide all army units with hardware to stand up to any possible threats,” Kiumars Heidari, commander of Iranian Army Ground Forces, said, in a meeting with senior army officials.

Heidari said earlier that, a new prototype of the Farpad hand-propelled UAV had been built and delivered to operational units.

DAMASCUS, Nov 25 (NNN-SANA) – The Syrian army captured the town of Misherfah, in the southern countryside of Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria, from the al-Qaeda-linked rebels.

The capture came after “intense battles” with the groups in the southern countryside of Idlib, with the army destroying the rebels’ weaponry.

It noted that many of the rebels fled the town towards other rebel-held areas in the south of Idlib.