Middle East & North Africa

Yemen's Houthis launch a new batch of drones against Israel -statement

CAIRO, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthis launched a new batch of drones against sensitive targets inside Israel on Monday, according to a statement from their armed forces broadcast by TV channel Al Masirah.

The statement said the targets of the drones were "varied and sensitive" and led to halting the movement in the targeted bases and airports for hours.

Turkish parliament dumps Coke, Nestle from menus over alleged Israel support

ANKARA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament removed Coca-Cola (KO.N) and Nestle (NESN.S) products from its restaurants on Tuesday over their alleged support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza, according to an official statement and a source who named the two companies.

The two companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The products of companies that support Israel will not be sold in restaurants, cafeterias and tea houses in the parliament campus," Turkey's Grand National Assembly said, without identifying the companies.

Iran ready to host OIC parliamentary meeting on Palestine: speaker

TEHRAN, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Tuesday voiced the country's readiness to host a top-level parliamentary meeting among the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to explore practical solutions to Palestinian issues.

He made the remarks in a phone call with Speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria Ibrahim Boughali, during which the two sides also discussed the latest developments in Gaza, according to the Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency of the Iranian parliament.

Israelis overwhelmingly are confident in the justice of the Gaza war, even as world sentiment sours

JERUSALEM (AP) — At a time when world sentiment has begun to sour on Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza, the vast majority of Israelis, across the political spectrum, are convinced of the justice of the war.

Still under rocket and missile attacks on several fronts, they have little tolerance for anyone railing against the steep toll the conflict has exacted on the other side. They have rallied to crush Hamas, which breached the country’s borders from the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,400 people and taking over 240 hostage in an Oct. 7 rampage that triggered the war.

A month into war, Israel envisions an ‘overall security’ role in Gaza indefinitely

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel will take “overall security responsibility” in Gaza indefinitely after its war with Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, the clearest indication yet that Israel plans to maintain control there one month into a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and leveled swaths of the territory.

Explosions Reported At U.S. Base In E. Syria Amid Escalating Tensions

DAMASCUS, Nov 6 (NNN-SANA) – Sounds of powerful explosions reverberated through a U.S. base, in Syria’s north-eastern province of al-Hasakah last night, a war monitor reported.

The explosions were heard at the Qasrak base, in the countryside of al-Hasakah, followed by the presence of unmanned aerial vehicles hovering over the area, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Observatory said, uncertainty looms over the nature of the explosions, whether they were the consequence of routine military drills or deliberate targeting.

Qatar Hails Growing Energy Cooperation With China

DOHA, Nov 6 (NNN-QNA) – Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, yesterday, hailed the country’s growing cooperation with China, in the energy sector.

Minister Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, also president and CEO of QatarEnergy, highlighted the development in his keynote speech at the Sinopec Forum, held on the sidelines of the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai yesterday.

In Turkey, Blinken discusses efforts to expand aid in Gaza

ANKARA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara on Monday to discuss efforts to expand humanitarian aid in Gaza, and to prevent the war between Israel and militant Palestinian group Hamas from spreading.

Blinken is touring the region aiming to calm tensions over the war. Underlining Turkey's sharp criticism of Israeli and U.S. policy during the conflict, crowds gathered outside the meeting venue demanding Blinken and his delegation leave.

Pro-Palestinian crowds try to storm air base housing U.S. troops in Turkey

ADANA, Turkey, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Turkish police used tear gas and water cannon as hundreds of people at a pro-Palestinian rally on Sunday tried to storm an air base that houses U.S. troops, hours before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due in Ankara for talks on Gaza.

Turkey, which has stepped up its criticism of Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened, supports a two-state solution while hosting members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Since the Israel-Hamas war started, protests have erupted across the country.

Gaza loses over 60 pct of employment in latest conflict: labor organization

BEIRUT, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza Strip has lost at least 61 percent of its employment, equivalent to some 182,000 jobs, since the start of the current Israel-Hamas conflict, said a report released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on Monday.

The conflict in Gaza also caused a loss of 24 percent of employment in the West Bank, equivalent to 208,000 jobs.

"The total estimated 390,000 job losses in the two areas ... translate into losses of 16 million U.S. dollars in daily labor income," the report said.

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