Middle East & North Africa

Houthis to 'expose Mossad's activities in Yemen' after detaining agent

9 June 2021; MEMO: The spokesman for the Houthi-aligned Yemeni armed forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced yesterday that a new documentary will be airing in the coming days, which will reveal the extent of Israel's Mossad spy operations in the war-torn country.

Israel: Right-wing march through Old City rescheduled for next week

9 June 2021; MEMO: Israeli officials announced today that they will allow a far-right march through Jerusalem's Old City to go ahead next week, despite cancelling the event yesterday due to fears of renewed tension between the occupation state and Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza. Hamas had warned against allowing the so-march through the Old City's Muslim quarter.

Palestine's debt jumps 26% in April to $3.7bn

9 June 2021; MEMO: The public debt amassed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) has jumped by 26 per cent to $3.7 billion due to a combination of factors including the economic slowdown and Israel's brutal military occupation.

The extent of the debt crises was revealed today after the Ministry of Finance issued the PA's budget. It showed that internal and external public debt reached $3.7 billion by the end of April. The public debt in the corresponding period of 2020, was $2.9 billion.

Turkey proposes to take over Kabul airport from NATO

9 June 2021; MEMO: Turkey proposed that it guard and run Kabul's airport after the United States and other NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan, Reuters reports.

US officials say Ankara is imposing conditions which need to be resolved as their leaders prepare to meet next week.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Monday that Ankara's offer was contingent on backup from its allies, political and financial.

Egypt delegation visits Sudan to discuss Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam

10 June 2021; MEMO: Egypt's Ministers of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Aty yesterday visited the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to discuss bilateral cooperation and issues of common interest including Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam, local media outlets reported.

Israel army chief refuses cuts to military budget

10 June 2021; MEMO: The Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi has categorically rejected the Ministry of Defence's budget cuts.

"The IDF [army] has many tasks. To win the war – we are developing methods that we enjoy the fruits of. The State of Israel must and will continue to ensure the power of the IDF. In the quality of the servants first and foremost, and secondly in reasonable budgets … It is impossible to do all this without money," he said.

US: Iran nuclear talks to resume over the weekend

10 June 2021; MEMO: Negotiations between Iran and the world powers on how to revive the 2015 nuclear accord will resume this weekend, Reuters reported US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman as saying on Wednesday, adding that Iran's June 18 presidential election was a complicating factor.

"I know that the negotiation will start again over this coming weekend," Sherman said during a virtual event organized by the German Marshall Fund think tank.

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