Middle East & North Africa

Tehran, Nov 18, AFP/GANASHAKTI:  Iran condemned the United States' support for "rioters" in a statement issued late Sunday, after two days of violent protests in the Islamic republic against a petrol price hike.

The foreign ministry said that it was reacting to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's "expression of support... for a group of rioters in some cities of Iran and condemned such support and interventionist remarks".

18 November 2019; AFP: Iran has slammed a US show of support for "rioters," after violent protests sparked by a decision to impose petrol price hikes and rationing in the sanctions-hit country.

Major roads have been blocked, banks torched and public buildings attacked in the nationwide unrest that has left at least two dead -- a civilian and a policeman.

ANKARA (Reuters) - A pro-Kurdish opposition party is considering withdrawing lawmakers from Turkey’s parliament due to mounting pressure it is facing, and as an act of protest against the government’s decision to oust 24 of its mayors in the past three months.

Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers, mayors and local officials will gather on Wednesday in Ankara to discuss the situation and make a decision on how to respond, HDP’s deputy chairman told reporters.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon is like a sinking ship that will go under unless action is taken, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was quoted as saying on Monday, referring to the country’s deep economic and political crisis.

Newspaper al-Joumhuria cited Berri, an ally of the Shi’ite group Hezbollah, as telling visitors that efforts to form a new government were “completely frozen” and awaiting developments at any moment.

TRIPOLI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Immigration Control Department in the eastern city of Benghazi on Sunday announced the deportation of 62 illegal immigrants to Chad and Sudan.

The immigrants were deported by land through the southern borders with Chad and Sudan, the department said in a statement.

The International Organization for Migration recently said that Libya has more than 650,000 illegal immigrants with 6,000 of them, including women and children, being held in detention centers.

GAZA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas chief, said on Sunday that the battle with Israel is "not over" although the new wave of violence in the Gaza Strip is over.

Haniyeh made the remarks after he gave his condolences to the Abu Malhous family which lost eight of its members in the last round of violence between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday cautiously backed the government’s decision to raise gasoline prices by 50% after days of widespread protests, calling those who attacked public property during demonstrations “thugs” and signaling that a potential crackdown loomed.

16 Nov 2019; MEMO: On Friday the United Nations Work and Refugee Agency (UNRWA) mourned the death of a student at one of its schools, a statement, a copy of which was sent to MEMO, detailed.

17 Nov 2019; MEMO: Former Lebanese finance minister Mohammad Safadi withdrew his candidacy to be the next prime minister on Saturday, saying that he saw that it would have been difficult to form a “harmonious” cabinet supported by all parties.

16 Nov 2019; MEMO: WhatsApp yesterday blocked access to hundreds of Palestinian journalists and activists who were providing live updates during the Israeli offensive on Gaza, Safa news agency reported.

This came less than 24 hours after the end of the two-day Israeli offensive which resulted in the death of 34 Palestinians and wounded 111 others.