Middle East & North Africa

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Few Palestinians in the occupied West Bank get to board an airplane these days. The territory has no civilian airport and those who can afford a plane ticket must catch their flights in neighboring Jordan. But just outside the northern city of Nablus, a pair of twins is offering people the next best thing.

Khamis al-Sairafi and brother Ata have converted an old Boeing 707 into a cafe and restaurant for customers to board.

AMMAN, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian forces moved into an opposition enclave in the Syrian city of Deraa on Tuesday to try to avert an army assault on a stronghold that has defied state authority since it was retaken three years ago, witnesses, residents, and army sources said.

Their entry brought a halt to shelling by pro-Iranian army units who have encircled the enclave, where protests first erupted in 2011, and had attempted to storm the area on Monday in the latest drive to force former rebels to surrender.

TEHRAN, Aug 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The head of Iran’s prison service has apologised after hackers leaked videos showing the abuse of detainees at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.

The hackers released security footage showing guards beating prisoners and dragging one along a floor.

On Tuesday, Prisons Organisation chief Mohammad Mehdi Haj-Mohammadi said he took responsibility for the “unacceptable behaviour”.

Many political prisoners and dual and foreign nationals are held at Evin.

ANKARA, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The Taliban have asked Turkey for technical help to run Kabul airport after the departure of foreign forces but insist that Ankara's military also withdraw fully by the end-August deadline, two Turkish officials told Reuters.

The conditional request by the Islamist Taliban, who swept back to power in Afghanistan 20 years after they were ousted in a U.S. invasion, leaves Ankara with a difficult decision over whether to accept a hazardous job, one official said.

DAMASCUS, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Parliament Speaker Hammouda Sabbagh on Tuesday slammed the Western sanctions imposed on Syria as a violation of international Law, calling for lifting such measures completely, according to the state news agency SANA.

Sabbagh, during his meeting with a visiting delegation from the European Parliament headed by French politician Thierry Mariani, voiced appreciation for Mariani's stances in supporting Syria, affirming the importance of conveying what Syrians have been suffering to the public in France and Europe.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told the New York Times yesterday that there would be no peace with the Palestinians and the Israeli siege on Gaza will continue as long as Hamas rules the coastal enclave.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: Egyptian authorities have been pressuring Hamas to cancel planned demonstrations at the fence separating Israel from the besieged enclave, Al Maydan News revealed yesterday.

Reporting a Palestinian source, Al Maydan said that the closure of the Rafah Crossing, which came into effect on Monday, is part of efforts to pressure Hamas.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: South Sudan's defense minister yesterday said that Turkey has agreed to strengthen and support the unification of forces after years of conflict in the African state, Anadolu Agency reports.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: Egypt has announced that doctors, government employees, teachers, university professors, admin workers and students above the age of 18 will get the coronavirus vaccine in September.

The decision comes ahead of restrictions which will be brought in in October to restrict people entering public institutions unless they can provide proof that they have had the vaccine.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: An Arab Israeli lawmaker died from a heart attack in southern Israel today, according to a statement by his party.

Said Al-Harumi, 49, from the Ra'am Party, was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart attack but he was pronounced dead, local media outlets reported.

"May God have mercy on Said and guide him in peace. We extend our condolences to Said's family and the people of the Negev," the party said in a statement.