Middle East & North Africa

(Reuters) --- Iran said on Saturday that it would bar travellers from India over a COVID-19 variant to avert its spread in the already stricken country.

Officials, however, did not say if any cases of the variant first identified in India in late March had been detected in Iran, the epicentre of the pandemic in the Middle East.

“The Indian coronavirus is a new threat we face,” President Hassan Rouhani said in remarks broadcast on state TV.

24 Apr 2021; MEMO: The United Nations (UN) has reiterated the importance of all Palestinians in all occupied Palestinian territories participating in the elections, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told journalists on Thursday.

23 Apr 2021; MEMO: An Iraqi military airbase, which houses US forces, has been targeted by three Katyusha rockets, a police officer said today, Anadolu Agency reports.

A Baghdad police officer said the three rockets targeted the Martyr Muhammad Ala Air Base inside the Baghdad airport.

The officer, who preferred not to be named, said: "It is not clear until now whether there were any casualties or injuries due to the attack."

24 Apr 2021; MEMO: The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources on Friday announced the rise in price of all three types of fuel by 4 per cent, while fixing diesel prices for the period between April and June.

The ministry announced in a statement that the new prices went into effect as of 10 a.m. on Friday morning (8:00 GMT).

24 Apr 2021; MEMO: Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has cancelled the construction of the Dal and Kajbar dams north of the country, in response to local rejection of the projects previously approved by the regime of ousted President Omar Al-Bashir.

24 Apr 2021; MEMO: Israeli occupation police on Friday prevented hundreds of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from entering occupied Jerusalem to pray during the second Friday prayer of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Anadolu Agency reported.

24 Apr 2021; MEMO: Fourteen Syrian candidates have announced their nomination for the presidential elections slated for next month, in addition to current President Bashar Al-Assad, RT reported on Friday.

Until Thursday, the People's Assembly of Syria had received 12 application for the presidency, as well as the application filed by Al-Assad.

23 Apr 2021; MEMO: Saudi Arabia will ban fruits and vegetables originating from Lebanon from entering or passing through the kingdom due to an increase in drug smuggling, Reuters reportedSaudi state media saying today.

The measure could increase economic pressure on Lebanon, already on the verge of financial collapse because of a shortage of foreign currency.

TEHRAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The recent change in the method of 60-percent uranium enrichment in Iran's Natanz nuclear facility is a "technical decision," which the International Atomic Energy Agency was informed of, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's ambassador to the international organizations in Vienna, said on Friday.

"There is no need for odd speculations. Change in the mode of 60-percent enrichment is a technical decision," Gharibabadi tweeted.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Tensions in Jerusalem sparked the worst round of cross-border violence between Israel and the Gaza Strip in months on Saturday, with Palestinian militants firing at least 30 rockets and Israel striking back at targets operated by Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

Skirmishes have spiked in recent days in Jerusalem, which has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Residents braced for possible further unrest as police stepped up security and the U.S. Embassy appealed for calm.