Middle East & North Africa

(AP) --- Families of passengers who died in the crash of a Boeing 737 Max in Ethiopia can seek damages for the pain and terror suffered by victims in the minutes before the plane flew nose-down into the ground, a federal judge has ruled.

The ruling means that lawyers for the families will be able to call experts to testify about the victims’ pain and suffering before the 2019 crash, which killed everyone on board.

31 May 2023; MEMO: Real Madrid captain, French-Algerian star Karim Benzema has received a $214.5 million offer to join Saudi's Al-Ittihad Club.

The Spanish radio station, Cadena COPE, revealed that Benzema had agreed to join the Saudi club, which won the league title this year, starting next season.  Benzema is contracted with Real Madrid until 2024 but there are reports that the club would allow him to leave should he choose to accept the offer.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Iranian intelligence has arrested a new espionage cell consisting of 14 spies linked to the Israeli occupation, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Monday.

According to Kan, Iranian media reported an Iranian judicial official confirming that the 14-member cell had planned to carry out assassinations for Israel.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Western countries have been putting considerable pressure on Ankara for a year and a half to impose sanctions on Russia but Ankara, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told Al-Khabar TV yesterday.

"They … demand sanctions, and ask why we are cooperating with the Russian Federation," he added. "But we did not listen to anyone, and we celebrated … delivering the first fuel shipment to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant."

30 May 2023; MEMO: The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Israeli forces assassinated a Palestinian Authority officer yesterday during an Israeli raid on the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Ashraf Sheikh Ibrahim was an officer in the Palestinian Authority's intelligence services.

The Fatah movement said Ibrahim was killed while confronting the Israeli occupation's aggression as it stormed the city of Jenin, according to Reuters.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Iranian Brigadier General Hamza Qalandari said his country wants to strengthen the Syrian Army by modernising the country's air defence systems, Iran's Fars News Agency reported yesterday.

In an interview, General Qalandari said although the Syrian government possesses missile defence and air defence capabilities, the "Syrian brothers" will be supported by "upgrading some equipment and tactical changes."

30 May 2023; MEMO: Scores of public sector employees in Syria have resigned due to poor wages that do not meet their basic needs, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.

According to the paper, the province of As-Suwayda recently recorded 400 resignations.

The Syrian citizens' purchasing power has decreased greatly in regime-controlled areas, due to the significant drop in the exchange rate of the Syria lira against the US dollar.

30 May 2023; MEMO: Sudan's warring factions have agreed to extend a ceasefire truce for a further five days, as the initial imperfect agreement, nevertheless, enabled aid to be brought into the country.

In a joint statement yesterday by the United States and Saudi Arabia, the two main mediators in the conflict, the week-long ceasefire, which initially began on Monday last week, has now been extended by five days.

30 May 2023; MEMO: A Libyan Court in the north-western city of Misrata has sentenced 23 people to death for membership in the Daesh terrorist group, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Court also slapped 14 others with life sentences on the same charges, the Attorney-General's office said in a statement.

30 May 2023; MEMO: An Israeli settler was shot and later died of his wounds from an attack in the Occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to local Israeli media, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Israeli Army Radio said the attack took place close to the illegal Hermesh settlement near the occupied Palestinian city of Tulkarm. It did not mention his name but said he was in his thirties.

Israeli forces launched a manhunt for the attacker.