Middle East & North Africa

Dubai, May 8 (PTI) Thirteen Indians onboard a burning cargo ship were rescued Wednesday by a team of quick-acting firefighters at Khalid Port in Sharjah.

The vessel was loaded with 6,000 gallons of diesel, 120 exported vehicles and 300 vehicle tyres - all of which were gutted in the massive blaze.

No casualties have been reported as the firefighters reached the site immediately and evacuated the crew members in time, Col Sami Al Naqbi, director-general of Sharjah Civil Defence was quoted as saying by the Khaleej Times.

8 May 2019; MEMO: The main points of US President Donald Trump’s much-derided plan for the Middle East, the so-called “deal of the century,” were leaked by a Hebrew-language news outlet in Israel yesterday. Israel Hayom published the main points of the deal from a leaked document circulated by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

The US has said it will reveal its deal after the Muslim month of fasting comes to an end in early June.

7 May 2019; AFP: Violence in the northwestern Syrian region of Idlib has displaced more than 150,000 people in the past week, the UN said Tuesday, as the regime and Russia upped deadly bombardment of the jihadist bastion.

The uptick in strikes and shelling on the region dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate has also knocked 12 hospitals and 10 schools out of action, it said.

TEHRAN, May 8 (Xinhua): Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday in letters to five world leaders that Iran will scale back more compliance with a 2015 nuclear agreement in 60 days unless they keep promises with the deal, according to media reports.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s president says the Islamic Republic will keep its excess enriched uranium and heavy water, setting a 60-day deadline for new terms for its nuclear deal.

Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that if that deadline passes without better terms, Iran will begin higher enrichment of uranium.

He made the comments in a live address on Wednesday, the anniversary of President Donald Trump pulling America out of the accord.

SEVASTOPOL, May 7. /TASS/: Three children of terrorists eliminated in Syria have been rescued from refugee camps on the territory of the republic and are currently undergoing rehabilitation in Russia, member of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Dmitry Sablin told TASS on Tuesday.

Tehran, May 7, IRNA – Iran will overcome psychological warfare of the enemies, Iran's Defense Minister Amir Hatami said Tuesday.

ANKARA; 7 May 2019; AA: Turkey has condemned Washington's recent statement on Ankara-led drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean continental shelf.

"Turkey has made its position explicitly clear regarding its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean since 2004," said a Foreign Ministry statement on Monday.

7 May 2019; DW: Turkey brushed off criticism from the European Union and the United States on Monday, defending its plans to drill for natural gas and oil off Cyprus.

"The legitimate rights of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus over the energy resources of the Eastern Mediterranean are not debatable," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Ankara.

6 May 2019; MEMO: A state of cautious calm prevailed in the Gaza Strip on Monday, two days after an Israeli military onslaught against the blockaded territory left 25 Palestinians dead – including two infants and three women – and scores more injured, reports Anadolu Agency.