Middle East & North Africa

04 Dec 2021; MEMO: Algeria's Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Friday described the Moroccan-Israeli defence deal as a "dirty military alliance," Quds Press reported.

Lamamra delivered his remarks during the 8th High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa on Thursday in Oran, Algeria.

"Every step taken by the Moroccan authorities related to this dirty alliance distances it more from Algeria and its people," he asserted.

Kanpur: A doctor from Kanpur was so stressed by Omicron that he killed his entire family.

In his suicide note, he wrote, 'Omicron will kill everyone'.

The doctor struck his wife on the head with a hammer and then strangled neck of his son and daughter.

The doctor informed his brother about this triple murder through WhatsApp. He later fled the scene.

Police found a diary at the scene. In which he would have written, 'No more Covid. This Covid will kill everyone. I can't count dead bodies anymore.'

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 3 (NNN-KUNA) – Kuwait’s armed forces remain prepared for any emergency, Kuwaiti Prime Minister, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said, yesterday.

He made the remarks during a visit to the land troops of the Kuwaiti Army, at Al-Udaire’ training range, in Jahra Governorate.

During the visit, the prime minister watched a drill carried out by the ground forces, with the new tank M1A2K, and was briefed about its specifications, and capacities to operate in various surroundings and terrains.

ISTANBUL, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A European human rights watchdog told Turkey on Friday it was preparing "infringement proceedings" over its failure to release imprisoned philanthropist Osman Kavala, a move that could lead to Ankara's suspension from the body.

The Council of Europe's warning, issued in line with a 2019 ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), prompted Turkey to accuse the Strasbourg-based body of meddling in the workings of its independent courts.

DAMASCUS, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Syrian agriculture officials and farmers have been complaining that the wheat seeds, recently provided by the United States for farmers in Syria's northeastern province of al-Hasakah, contain a high degree of nematode (plant-parasitic worm) infection that would harm the soil.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — France announced multibillion-euro deals Friday to sell fighter planes and combat helicopters to the United Arab Emirates, aiming to boost military cooperation with its top ally in the Persian Gulf amid their shared concerns about Iran.

The UAE is buying 80 upgraded Rafale warplanes in a deal the French Defense Ministry said is worth 16 billion euros ($18 billion) and represents the largest-ever French weapons contract for export. It also announced a deal with the UAE to sell 12 Airbus-built combat helicopters.

03 Dec 2021; MEMO: Israel's ministerial committee that oversees defence procurement on Sunday approved a deal that will allow the air force to purchase Lockheed Martin's CH-53k helicopters at a cost of $2.4 billion as part of preparations for an anticipated attack on Iran, Ynet News reported.

02 Dec 2021; MEMO: A Libyan court on Thursday allowed Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi to run for president, after accepting his appeal following a ruling that had him excluded from the 24 December presidential polls, Anadolu News Agency reports.

"The Sabha Court of Appeal accepted the appeal submitted by Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and returned him to the presidential elections race," private Libya Al-Ahrar TV wrote on Twitter.

02 Dec 2021; MEMO: Just as there is World Coffee Day on 1 October, Turkey wants to turn 5 December into "World Turkish Coffee Day" by giving everyone at New York's Times Square a taste of the traditional beverage, said a Turkish businessperson, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Murat Kolbasi, Chairman of Arzum Electrical Home Appliances, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Coffee Culture and Research Association, told Anadolu Agency that coffee bean companies recognise Turkish coffee.

03 Dec 2021; MEMO: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett yesterday asked the United States to "immediately halt" ongoing talks on Iran's nuclear programme taking place in Vienna, his office said in a statement.

The statement said Bennett spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and told him that Iran was utilising "nuclear blackmail" as a tactic and therefore the United States should initiate "an immediate cessation of negotiations."