Middle East & North Africa

07 Nov 2022; MEMO: Oman recorded a budget surplus of $2.92bn (OR1.12), the country's Finance Ministry says, local media reports.

According to the report, the high price of oil and an increase in gas revenue contributed to public revenue, according to the monthly report by the Finance Ministry.

There was a 43.4 per cent increase in revenue, as OR10.64bn ($27.6bn) was measured against OR7.4bn ($19.2bn).

08 Nov 2022; MEMO: Algeria has officially applied to join the BRICS economic group, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The bloc of emerging economies includes Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa.
Foreign Ministry official, Leyla Zarruki, said the North African country has requested membership of the economic bloc, the State radio reported.

07 Nov 2022; MEMO: The Head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called for a global standard on carbon pricing, emphasising the goal to reach stated climate goals by the year 2030.

08 Nov 2022; MEMO: A US citizen was killed on Monday in central Baghdad, after a failed attempt to kidnap him, Iraqi police sources said, Reuters reports.

The body was taken to a hospital in the capital's Karrada district, and an initial hospital report indicated that the death was caused by a bullet, the sources added.

A police source said the victim was carrying an identity card showing his job was an English teacher.

08 Nov 2022; MEMO: Tunisian Ennahda Movement expressed its solidarity with Qatar which has been facing "racist defamation campaigns" as its preparing to kickstart World Cup 2022.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Ennahda said: "Brotherly state of Qatar has been subject to a racist defamation campaign as it is preparing to kickstart the World Cup 2022, football tournament."

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 7 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that due to relief and rehabilitation of the flood affected people, Pakistan has revised its budget estimates.

He expressed these views during the meeting with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieve held here on the sidelines of COP-27 Summit.

The Prime Minister said that saving people’s lives and rehabilitation of the flood affected masses was the first priority of government.

CAIRO (Egypt), Nov 7 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, who rarely travels abroad except to friendly countries, Sunday landed at the Egyptian port city of Sharm el-Sheikh to participate in the COP27 Climate Summit.

Maduro pointed out through Twitter that “we will have an extensive working day to present Venezuela’s firm position against the destructive and polluting onslaught of the capitalist system on our planet Earth.”

SANAA, Nov 7 (NNN-YPA) – Yemen’s government forces said yesterday that, it shot down two bomb-laden drones, launched by the Houthi militia over the past 24 hours.

In a statement aired by Yemeni TV, the army said, one drone was downed in the central province of Marib, while the other was intercepted near Al-Hazm, the capital city of the north-eastern province of Al-Jawf.

BEIRUT, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's House Speaker Nabih Berri said Monday that Lebanon can no longer bear the consequences of leaving the presidency vacant for long periods, the National News Agency reported.

"Lebanon cannot bear longer periods of presidential vacancy, and the Lebanese cannot endure further deterioration," Berri said during his meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Press Syndicate.

BEIRUT, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht on Sunday announced new support from her country to the Lebanese army in maritime surveillance and training.

Lambrecht's remarks came during her visit to Lebanon to follow up on her country's maritime force operating with the United Nations Interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to the National News Agency.