Middle East & North Africa

DOHA, Sept 23 (NNN-QNA) – Qatar and Turkey, on Sunday, discussed means to boost military and defence relations, the Qatari Ministry of Defence said.

“The two sides took up bilateral cooperation in the military sphere, during a meeting between Qatari Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah and Turkish Chief of General Staff, Yasar Guler, who is currently on a visit to Doha.”

Qatari-Turkish relations have seen a strong push in all fields and the two sides have become close allies in the political, economic and security domains.

TRIPOLI, Sept 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States, declared support for the National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya’s UN-backed government.

“We fully support Libya’s NOC as the country’s sole independent, legitimate and nonpartisan oil company,” said a joint statement issued by these countries.

DUBAI, Sept 23 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Emirates confirmed that the Dubai International Airport was closed from 12.36pm to 12.51pm local time Sunday due to suspected drone activity in the surrounding airspace, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported the airline’s spokesperson as saying.

As a result, flight EK 433 from Brisbane and Singapore to Dubai International Airport was diverted to Dubai World Central and flight EK 511 from Delhi to Dubai International Airport was diverted to Sharjah International Airport.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s president called Sunday on Western powers to leave the security of the Persian Gulf to regional nations led by Tehran, criticizing a new U.S.-led coalition patrolling the region’s waterways as nationwide parades showcased the Islamic Republic’s military arsenal.

Hassan Rouhani separately promised to unveil a regional peace plan at this week’s upcoming high-level meetings at the United Nations, which comes amid heightened Mideast tensions following a series of attacks, including a missile-and-drone assault on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Arab bloc in Israel’s parliament abandoned its usual hands-off stance Sunday and endorsed former military chief Benny Gantz for prime minister, potentially giving him the edge over hard-line incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu.

The historic move marked the first time in nearly three decades that the Arab parties backed a candidate for prime minster, reflecting their contempt for Netanyahu, who was accused of fomenting hatred of the Arabs during his re-election campaign.

22 September 2019; AFP: Egyptian security forces clashed with hundreds of anti-government protesters in the port city of Suez on Saturday, firing tear gas and live rounds, said several residents who participated in the demonstrations.

A heavy security presence was also maintained in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicentre of Egypt's 2011 revolution, after protests in several cities called for the removal of general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

22 Sep 2019; MEMO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday his country is ready to extend a hand of friendship to all neighbours and “forgive their past mistakes”.

“Wherever Americans have set foot, they increased insecurity, as it was proved in cases of Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said in a speech marking the 39th anniversary of the Iraqi-Iranian war.

22 Sep 2019; MEMO: Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced on Friday that his country will stand firm against the monopolisation of Cyprus’ wealth, Anadolu News Agency reported.

ADEN, Sept 22 (NNN-SABA) – Yemen’s newly-appointed ministers of finance and foreign affairs were formally sworn in on Saturday.

The swearing-in took place at the presidential office in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, where high-ranking Yemeni government officials are temporarily based, along with Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The ministers thanked Hadi for his trust and vowed to exert hard efforts in performing their missions.

DAMASCUS, Sept 22 (NNN-SANA) – The Syrian army brought in reinforcements to areas in southern Syria, close to the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on Saturday, a war monitor reported.

The military reinforcements were sent to the towns of Jamleh and Abdeen, in the western countryside of Daraa province in southern Syria, close to the Syrian border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.