Middle East & North Africa

Pakistan reaches Asia Cup final after Shah’s last-over sixes

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Pakistan teenager Naseem Shah smashed back-to-back sixes in the last over against Afghanistan on Wednesday for a one-wicket victory that sets up the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka.

Needing 11 off the last over and only one wicket in hand, the 19-year-old Shah clobbered consecutive sixes off fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi off the first two deliveries to take Pakistan to 131-9.

German court rules sacking of Palestinian journalist using IHRA was unlawful

06 Sep 2022; MEMO: Palestinian journalist, Farah Maraqa, has won an unfair dismissal case against Deutsche Welle (DW) seven months after being suspended by the German media network over allegation of anti-Semitism. A German court ruled today that her dismissal on charges of anti-Semitism was "legally unjustified" after the initial hearing on 20 July 2022.

US collects details of Israeli battalion serving in occupied West Bank

07 Sep 2022; MEMO: The US State Department is working on a report about an Israeli army battalion operating in the occupied West Bank following the killing of Palestinian-American grandfather Omar Asad, 80, at the beginning of this year, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.

Arab League committee calls for action against Israeli measures in Jerusalem

07 Sep 2022; MEMO: The Arab League's Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem has called for stronger joint action against Israeli measures to change the historical and legal status quo in the occupied city of Jerusalem, Anadolu has reported. The committee made its call after its fifth meeting in Cairo on Tuesday on the fringe of the 158th regular session of the League's foreign ministers.

Israel to legalise farm outposts across occupied West Bank

06 Sep 2022; MEMO: Israel's Civil Administration is working towards legalising farm outposts based across the occupied West Bank using new regulations, reported Haaretz.

Around 30 to 35 illegal outposts meet the basic criteria which includes being located on "state-owned land".

The implementation of the new system will require the approval of Defence Minister Benny Gantz and the Israeli Ministry of Justice.

Israel air attack damages Syria's Aleppo Airport

06 Sep 2022; MEMO: An Israeli air attack on Syria's Aleppo Airport on Tuesday has damaged the runway and taken it out of service, Syrian state media quoted a military source as saying, Reuters reports.

The Israel missile attack was launched from the Mediterranean Sea, west of the coastal city of Latakia, at 8:16 p.m. local time (1716 GMT), the source said.

Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli missiles, downing several of them, the Syrian state news agency, (SANA), reported earlier on Tuesday.

Qatar telecommunications company will sell Myanmar unit to Singapore

06 Sep 2022; MEMO: Qatari telecommunications company, Ooredoo, plans to sell its Myanmar operations to Singapore-headquartered technology firm, The One Matrix Ventures (TOMV), according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters reports.

According to the report, TOMV is in talks with several potential partners in Myanmar to join the deal to help secure regulatory approval, without providing further details.

Gulf States demand Netflix pull content deemed offensive

06 Sep 2022; MEMO: Gulf Arab states have demanded that US streaming giant, Netflix, remove content deemed offensive to "Islamic and societal values" in the region, Saudi Arabia's media regulator said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

It did not specify the content but mentioned that it included content aimed at children. Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya TV, in a programme discussing the issue, showed blurred-out animation clips that appeared to show two girls embracing.

Jordan, Morocco Vowed To Boost Ties, Facilitate Border Entry Procedures

AMMAN, Sept 6 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, yesterday met with visiting Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Amman, on ways to advance bilateral relations as well as, regional and international developments.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Safadi said, the two sides are keen to bolster cooperation in various fields, especially in the private sector. He added that, they also discussed ways to facilitate the issuance of visas and entry procedures for citizens of the two countries.

Turkey's Erdogan says 'Europe reaping what it sowed' on energy crisis

ISTANBUL, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Russia is cutting natural gas flows to Europe in retaliation for sanctions, adding that Europe is "reaping what it sowed".

Fears in Europe have increased over a potentially bleak winter after Russia announced it was keeping its main gas pipeline to Germany shut.

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