Middle East & North Africa

Presence of even one American in Iraq too much, says Iran's Supreme Leader

Tehran, IRNA- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has slammed the US military presence in Iraq, saying, “The presence of even one American in Iraq is too much.”

"Americans are not friends with anyone and are not even loyal to their European allies," Ayatollah Khamenei said as he received Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid during a meeting in Tehran on Saturday.

Kuwait deports 11,000 expats violating residency laws

29 Apr 2023; MEMO: The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior deported 11,000 residency law violators, of different nationalities, between January and April.

On Friday, local newspaper Al Rai quoted security sources confirming that the deportation of violators comes within the framework of regulating the demographics and prosecuting violators of residency and employment laws.

40,000 refugees flee Sudan in search of safety; UN

29 Apr 2023; MEMO: The United Nations (UN) revealed on Friday that at least 40,000 refugees had fled the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, in search of a safe place, following armed clashes in mid-April.

This statement was made in a speech delivered by the UNHCR Representative in Sudan Axel Bisschop, at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Bisschop warned of the dangers facing the forcibly displaced people in Sudan and those fleeing the intensified fighting, including refugees in Sudanese cities.

UAE evacuates citizens, others from Sudan by plane

ABU DHABI, April 29 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates evacuated its citizens, other nationalities and humanitarian cases from Sudan by plane on Saturday, part of the flow of people fleeing a conflict which broke out two weeks ago.

Around 128 evacuees, including British and U.S. citizens, landed in the capital Abu Dhabi where they were greeted by officials.

The UAE will host the evacuees until they can be transferred to their own countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.

Iranian president to visit Syria: official

TEHRAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will pay a visit to Syria, a senior Iranian official confirmed on Saturday.

During Raisi's visit to Syria, the Iran-led Resistance Front's victory against the United States in West Asia following a "tense period of geopolitical change" will be celebrated, tweeted Mohammad Jamshidi, deputy chief of staff for political affairs to the Iranian president.

Erdogan unveils Turkey’s first astronaut on election trail

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s first astronaut will travel to the International Space Station by the end of the year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday after an illness forced him to cancel several days of appearances.

Air force pilot Alper Gezeravci, 43, was selected to be the first Turkish citizen in space. His backup is Tuva Cihangir Atasever, 30, an aviation systems engineer at Turkish defense contractor Roketsan.

Egypt: As battle for Sudan continues, civilian deaths top 400

CAIRO (AP) — Gunfire and heavy artillery fire persisted Saturday in parts of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, residents said, despite the extension of a cease-fire between the country’s two top generals, whose battle for power has killed hundreds and sent thousands fleeing for their lives.

UK: BBC chairman resigns after row over loan deal for former PM Boris Johnson

London, Apr 28 (PTI) BBC chairman Richard Sharp resigned on Friday after a report found he broke the rules by failing to disclose the role he played in helping former British prime minister Boris Johnson secure an 800,000-pounds loan.

The 67-year-old former Goldman Sachs banker, who has been the chairman of the UK taxpayer-funded licence fee-backed British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), said the investigation found he had breached the governance code for public appointments.

Israel soldier jailed for 'selling weapons to Palestinians'

28 Apr 2023; MEMO: An Israeli court yesterday sentenced an Israeli soldier to seven and half years in prison for selling weapons to Palestinians in Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, local media reported.

The Israeli soldier allegedly impersonated an officer and sold weapons to Palestinians in Hebron two years ago, Channel 14 reported.

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