Middle East & North Africa

TEHRAN, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior advisor from Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has been killed in Syria, the IRGC said in a statement on Wednesday.

Davood Jafari, an officer of IRGC's Air Force, was killed by a roadside bomb near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Tuesday, it read.

The statement blamed Israel for killing Jafari, saying that Israel will receive a response for "the crime."

Iran has confirmed the presence of its military advisors in Syria at the request of the Syrian government since 2011. 

JERUSALEM (AP) — Two blasts went off near bus stops in Jerusalem at the height of morning rush hour on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least 18, in what police said were suspected attacks by Palestinians.

The first explosion occurred near a bus stop on the edge of the city, where commuters usually crowd waiting for buses. The second went off about half an hour later in Ramot, a settlement in the city’s north. Police said one person died from their wounds and at least three were seriously wounded in the blasts.

22 Nov 2022; MEMO: The US restart called on Yemen's Houthis to stop their threats against international maritime trade and return to the negotiating table to end the war.

In a statement, US Ambassador to Yemen, Stephen Fagin, said he had concluded a one-day visit to the interim capital, Aden, and met with the head of the internationally backed government, Maeen Abdul Malik Saeed, and other government officials.

22 Nov 2022; MEMO: Iran said Tuesday, 40 foreigners had been arrested for their role in the ongoing protests over the death of an Iranian woman in police custody, Anadolu News Agency reports.

"So far, 40 foreign nationals have been arrested for their involvement in the protests," Iran's judiciary spokesman, Masoud Setayeshi, told a televised news conference cited by the state news agency, IRNA.

He, however, did not provide details about their nationalities.

23 Nov 2022; MEMO: Far-right Israeli parties Jewish Power and Religious Zionism, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich respectively, are "exploiting" Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu with their conditions to join the government coalition, Al-Resalah reported on Tuesday.

"Extremist Israeli parties are exploiting Netanyahu to get sovereign ministries at the expense of the Likud," Israeli affairs specialist Ayman Al-Rafati was quoted as saying. "They insist on getting the defence ministry and interior ministry."

23 Nov 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia is in discussions with Turkiye to deposit $5 billion in the Turkish Central Bank, Reuters reported a spokesman of the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh as saying on Tuesday.

"We are in final discussion to make a $5bn deposit with the Central Bank of Turkiye," the spokesman said in an emailed response to Reuters.

A Turkish official said that discussions are at the final stage with Saudi Arabia over a swap or deposit agreement. However, the Central Bank declined to comment on the issue.

22 Nov 2022; MEMO: Right-wing parties in Israel have demanded that Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu should push through legislation that would enable the Knesset to override rulings against politicians by the High Court of Justice.

22 Nov 2022; MEMO: Archaeologists in Bahrain have uncovered what they believe to be the remains of a Christian monastery or bishop's home under the ruins of an ancient mosque. The discovery dating back between the sixth and eighth century may shed more light on the island's pre-Islamic, Christian heritage.

Saudi Arabia has declared a public holiday on Wednesday as it celebrates the national team's sensational FIFA World Cup win against Argentina, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The ‏national holiday will be for all employees in "government and the private sector, as well as students in all educational stages," according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

ANKARA, November 22. /TASS/: Ankara may carry out a cross-border ground operation in the near future, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday.

"We know the names, whereabouts and profiles of the terrorists. We even know who provides them with shelter and weapons and who encourages them. God willing, we will soon use our tanks and artillery to destroy terrorist roots," he said, speaking at a dam opening ceremony in the Artvin Province, which was broadcast by TRT.