Middle East & North Africa

Iran's future should not be tied to nuclear talks with world powers: Khamenei

12 April 2022; MEMO: Iran's Supreme Leader said, on Tuesday, that his country's future should not be tied to the success or collapse of nuclear talks with world powers, Iranian state media reported, adding that the negotiations to revive a 2015 nuclear deal "are going well", Reuters reports.

Turkey: Panic home buying increases in Istanbul

13 April 2022; MEMO: Panic buying and selling of houses in Turkey's largest populated city, Istanbul, creates sharp increase in house prices in the second-hand market, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, Turkish Statistical Institute's report shows that the increase has been lingering at around 60 per cent.

Sudan postpones trial of ex-President Omar Al-Bashir

13 April 2022; MEMO: A court in Sudan yesterday postponed the trial of ousted President Omar Al-Bashir in a case connected to the 1989 military coup that brought him to power.

The trial has been postponed to 19 April.

In May 2019, the Sudanese prosecution opened an investigation into charges against Al-Bashir of undermining the country's constitutional order over the coup.

Death of all US leaders would not avenge Soleimani killing: Iran Guards commander

13 April 2022; MEMO: The killing of all American leaders would not be enough to avenge the US assassination of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' top commander Qassem Soleimani two years ago, a senior Iranian Guards commander said today, Reuters reported.

Israel suspicious of Chinese gift to minister

13 April 2022; MEMO: Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, raised suspicions on Tuesday that a gift from the Chinese Embassy to an Israeli minister was "bugged," local media have reported. According to Haaretz, the cup was sent to Israel's Science, Technology and Space Minister, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, and apparently set off an alarm during a routine security check.

A search was made of other government offices to see if similar cups had been sent to other officials. None were found.

UN, African Union ask Sudan authorities to end political crisis

13 April 2022; MEMO: The UN, African Union (AU) and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) called on Tuesday for the Sudanese authorities to end the political crisis gripping the country, it has been reported.

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the three asked the Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, to adopt measures which will create a suitable atmosphere for a serious dialogue to end the crisis.

Israel bans meetings between Sheikhs Ekrima Sabri and Raed Salah

13 April 2022; MEMO: Israel's occupation authorities have banned the Grand Sheikh of Al Aqsa Mosque, Ekrima Sabri, from meeting with Sheikh Raed Salah and seven other leading Arab Israeli activists for three months, Arab48.com reported on Tuesday. As well as Salah, the ban covers Sheikh Kamal Al-Khatib, Suleiman Aghbariyeh, Mohammed Amarah, Fawwaz Aghbariyeh, Salim Awawdeeh, Majdi Al-Khatib and Tamer Shalaatah.

Iraq PM instructs security services to pursue traders, price manipulators

13 April 2022; MEMO: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has instructed the security services to monitor and prosecute traders and price manipulators and hold them accountable, following the sharp rise in prices in local markets driven by the Ukrainian crisis, Anadolu reported.

Palestine: Students wounded in Israeli raid at university

Two Palestinian students were shot and wounded when a large number of Israeli occupation forces raided the campus of Palestine Technical University — Kadoorie in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, Quds Press has reported.

Wafa news agency added that the Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the students while on campus. At least sixteen of the young people suffered breathing difficulties as a result.

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