Middle East & North Africa

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: Chairman of the Libyan High Council of State Khaled Al-Mishri said yesterday that only the elected authorities can decide how long foreign troops remain in the country.

The media office of Libya's High Council said in a statement that Al-Mishri met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Turkish capital, Ankara, and discussed bilateral relations as well as issues that concern both countries.

The officials discussed the presence of mercenaries in Libya and the need to remove them as soon as possible.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: Bahrain's national airline, Gulf Air, will for the first time launch direct flights to Israel's Tel Aviv on 30 September, the carrier said in a Twitter post yesterday, Reuters reports.

"We are excited to announce that we will be flying to Tel Aviv starting 30 September 2021 with two weekly flights," the tweet said.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: The Popular International Committee to Support Palestine has called on the international community to provide protection for the Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli prisons.

The commission's head, Dr. Essam Youssef said in a statement that occupation authorities violate all international laws and covenants by escalating acts of oppression and abuse against Palestinian prisoners.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: Loading operations at the Libyan oil terminals of Al-Sidr and Ras Lanuf resumed today after a stoppage, National Oil Corporation (NOC) and two engineers at the ports said.

Exports were still halted at a third terminal, Hariga, where people have blocked loading operations, an engineer there said.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates said today residents who had been fully vaccinated with a shot approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) could return as of 12 September from a list of previously suspended countries.

Dubai, one of the UAE's seven emirates, is due to open the Expo 2020 world fair on 1 October after a year-long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. The regional business and tourism hub is relying on the fair to give its economy a boost.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: The General Secretariat of the Moroccan Justice and Development Party (PJD) yesterday announced that all its members had resigned from their posts, including the party's Secretary-General and outgoing Prime Minister, Saad Eddine El Othmani, following their defeat in the elections this week.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi yesterday received United States Central Command (CENTCOM) chief, General Kenneth McKenzie, in Baghdad and agreed to hold another meeting of the American and Iraqi technical military committees to finalise plans to end the US combat presence by the end of the year.

10 Sep 2021; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Saied plans to suspend the constitution and may amend the political system via a referendum, one of his advisers told Reuters yesterday in the first clear indication of his plans after moves his critics have called a coup.

SILAT Al-DHAHR, West Bank (AP) — More than two weeks after the attack, Tareq Zubeidi still spends most of his time in bed, too scared to leave home even if the wounds on his feet allowed him to walk normally.

The 15-year-old is haunted by the memory of what he describes as a brutal attack by Israeli settlers, who he says beat him with clubs, tied him to a tree and burned the soles of his feet.

“When I sit by myself I start thinking about all of them, and then I start sweating and my heart rate starts to increase,” Zubeidi said.

DAMASCUS, Sept 9 (NNN-SANA) – The Syrian army, yesterday hoisted the Syrian flag, in Daraa al-Balad, in the southern province of Daraa, following a Russian-mediated agreement with the armed rebels in that area.

The army hoisted the Syrian flag, after scores of rebels laid down their weapons and surrendered themselves, while others chose to be transported to rebel-held areas in northern Syria.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Russians have put in a lot of efforts, to ensure success, a deal for defusing the months-long tension in Daraa.