Middle East & North Africa

JAKARTA, Nov 21 (NNN-ANTARA) – The United States and Indonesia pledged to edge up trade volume by twice, in the next five years, as the two nations still have more business opportunities, which can be explored further, officials of the two nations, said.

Deputy for the Coordination of International Economic Cooperation, at the Coordinating Ministry of Economy, Rizal Affandi Lukman, said here that, both countries have committed to drifting up trade volume to 60 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, from the current level of 30 billion U.S. dollars.

RAMALLAH, Palestine, Nov 21 (NNN-WAFA) – Prime Minister, Mohammad Ishtaye, urged international community, to take measures against Israelis living in West Bank settlements with dual nationality.

Ishtaye held an urgent cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening, in the wake of U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo’s remarks, over the legality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov 21 (NNN-SPA) – The Saudi-led coalition, involved in a war in Yemen, denied on Wednesday, allegations of Houthi militia, of shooting down one of Saudi’s F-15 fighter jets.

The spokesperson of the coalition, Turki Al Maliki, described in a statement, the claims as “baseless and unfounded.”

He said that, the allegations were based on a previous failed attempt, in July, 2018, highlighting that, what the militia published is a continuation of its “deliberate falsification methodology.”

21 Nov 2019; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly agreed yesterday that Likud’s bill which stipulates annexation of the Jordan Valley should be passed to the Knesset for approval, Israeli media reported.

21 Nov 2019; MEMO: Jordan’s Interior Ministry has cancelled the “Interfaith Peace” conference scheduled to begin today because Israeli representatives were due to take part.

The Governor of Amman, Saad Shehab, announced the cancellation of the conference “Interfaith Peace”, which was organised by the United Initiative for Religions Working in Jordan.

21 Nov 2019; MEMO: Israeli police today detained Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith, according to eyewitnesses.

The detention came after police raided Ghaith’s residence in Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbourhood, the eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency.

Ghaith has been detained several times in recent months as part of Israel’s ongoing violations against Palestinian officials, activists and institutions in occupied Jerusalem.

DAMASCUS, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the Israeli airstrikes on Syrian military sites on Wednesday has risen to 23, including two civilians, a war monitor and state media reported.

The state-run SANA news agency said two civilians were killed in the after-midnight airstrikes carried out by Israeli warplanes from outside the Syrian airspace on positions around the capital Damascus.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 21 fighters, including five Syrians, were killed as well as two civilians, a man and his wife.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Six conservationists working to save the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah have been sentenced to prison on internationally criticized espionage charges in Iran, activists said Thursday, even as protests and unrest continue in parts of the country amid a government-imposed internet shutdown.

The case against members of the nonprofit Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation show how spying charges and convictions can be levied against dual nationals and those with Western ties in Iran in closed-door trials before its Revolutionary Court.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief rival announced Wednesday that he had failed to form a new government, dashing his hopes of toppling the long-time Israeli prime minister and pushing the country closer toward an unprecedented third election in less than a year.

BEIRUT (AP) — On one of Beirut’s main commercial streets, store owners are cutting salaries by half or considering shutting down. Shops advertise sales, but still can’t draw in customers. The only place doing a thriving business: the store that sells safes, as Lebanese increasingly stash their cash at home.

It’s a sign Lebanese fear their country’s financial crisis, which has been worsening for months, could tip over into disaster.