Middle East & North Africa

8 June 2019; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that “Turkish Cypriots in Northern Cyprus have rights in the eastern Mediterranean and we cannot allow anyone to confiscate these rights”.

Erdogan voiced his opinion in a press statement yesterday, adding that “the Turkish Cypriots have the same right to the Mediterranean’s natural and underground resources as the Greek Cypriots, in accordance with international law”.

8 June 2019; DW: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas arrived Saturday in Iraq, where he is set to hold talks with Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Salih over the increasing tensions between Iran and the US. Maas's Iraq trip was previously not announced due to security reasons.

"There is a clear danger of miscalculations, misunderstandings, provocations leading to unforeseeable consequences in this highly tense region," Maas said as he arrived in Baghdad.

Dubai, Jun 7 (PTI) A first of its kind 'Gandhi cycle rally for peace' was organised by the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Friday as part of the celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Over 150 participants from all walks of life, cultural and ethnic identities participated in the cycle rally organised in the Saudi capital Riyadh and remembered Mahatma Gandhi and relevance of his message of peace on the occasion, the Indian Embassy tweeted.

ADEN, Yemen, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen launched an armed attack on a mosque in Yemen's government-controlled southern province of Dhalea on Friday, a security official told Xinhua.

"A group of gunmen believed to be extremists attacked a mosque in Azariq district of Dhalea province, killing at least five worshippers at the scene," the security source said on condition of anonymity.

Local residents told Xinhua that a prominent social figure was among the injured in the attack.

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Ethiopia’s prime minister urged “courage” as he met separately with Sudan’s ruling generals and protest leaders on Friday in a bid to revive negotiations amid a crackdown on demonstrations that has killed more than 100 people since Monday.

7 June 2019; MEMO: The Attorney General at the Israeli government, Avichaï Mandelblit, rejected a request submitted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to postpone the hearing scheduled for next July on charges of suspicion of corruption.

“Mandelblit justified his rejection on the basis that the hearing has been previously postponed in February and declared the session will be held on the due date,” according to Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

Dubai, Jun 7 (PTI) At least eight Indians were among the 17 people killed when a tourist bus rammed into a signboard here, the Indian Consulate said Friday.

Nine persons were seriously injured when the driver of the bus, bearing an Omani number plate, wrongly entered a road not designated for buses towards Al Rashidiya metro station here on Thursday.

"We are sorry to inform that as per local authorities and relatives it is so far confirmed that 8 Indians have passed away in Dubai bus accident," the Indian Consulate in Dubai tweeted.

BEIRUT (AP) — The father could hardly bear seeing his 18-month-old daughter’s panic every time the Syrian government warplanes flew over their home. Every day for a month, she ran to him to hide in his arms, tearful and breathless.

Abdurrahim had refused to flee his hometown throughout years of violence, and he was determined to hold out through the new, intensified government offensive launched in April against Idlib province, the last significant territory held by Syria’s rebels.

But now he had his first child, Ruwaida, to think about.

BAGHDAD (AP) — The Latest on rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran (all times local):

2:45 a.m.

International investigators believe last month’s attacks on oil tankers in a United Arab Emirates port were led by a foreign state using divers on speed boats who planted mines on the vessels.

They did not name Iran, which the U.S. has blamed for the attacks.

That’s what United Nations ambassadors from the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Norway told a closed meeting with U.N. Security Council members on Thursday.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iran has chosen to “step back and recalculate” after making preparations for an apparent attack against U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region, but it is too early to conclude the threat is gone, the top commander of American forces in the Mideast said Thursday.

In an interview with three reporters accompanying him to the Gulf, Gen. Frank McKenzie said he remains concerned by Iran’s potential for aggression, and he would not rule out requesting additional U.S. forces to bolster defenses against Iranian missiles or other weapons.