Middle East & North Africa

01 September 2023; MEMO: Israel has summoned the Belgian ambassador for dressing down after a minster said that “entire [Palestinian] villages are being wiped off the map by the Israelis.” A letter of protest has also been sent to the Belgium Foreign Ministry claiming that the remarks are “libelous and defamatory.”

The comments were made by Belgium’s Minister for International Development, Caroline Gennez. Speaking to the Flemish daily De Morgen, Gennez said:

DUBAI, Aug 31 (NNN-WAM) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced yesterday, a 14.4 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase, in the country’s non-oil foreign trade in the first half (H1) of this year.

The country’s non-oil foreign trade reached a record 1.239 trillion UAE dirhams (about 337 billion U.S. dollars) in H1, and is projected to exceed 2.5 trillion dirhams this year, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

BEIRUT, Aug 31 (NNN-NNA) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), yesterday said, it is seeking 15.5 million U.S. dollars, to address the emerging needs arising from armed clashes in Ain Al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp, in southern Lebanon.

“Thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes, which were damaged or destroyed. All eight UNRWA schools, providing education for 5,900 children, have been occupied by armed militants and severely damaged,” the agency said in a statement.

DUBAI, Aug 31 (NNN-WAM) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will send 140 athletes to the 19th Asian Games, hosted by Hangzhou, China, from Sept 23 to Oct 8.

The UAE National Olympic Committee announced yesterday that, its delegation includes 102 male and 38 female athletes. They will compete in events such as shooting, equestrian, athletics, swimming, cycling, archery, judo, taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu, fencing, boxing, wrestling, basketball, rugby, sailing, rowing, chess, golf, esports, and triathlon.

BEIRUT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Beirut Thursday for an official visit to Lebanon after wrapping up his tour in Syria, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Upon his arrival at the airport, the Iranian diplomat told the press that his country called on the international community to help Lebanon, which has been mired in a major financial crisis and political impasse, according to the NNA.

DAMASCUS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad and his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdollahian jointly warned on Wednesday the United States against its reported military buildup along the Syrian-Iraqi border.

In a press conference held in the Syrian capital of Damascus, the two ministers expressed concerns over the apparent U.S. efforts to amass forces and allied rebel groups along the Syrian-Iraqi border, from the northeastern Syrian province of Hasakah to the southeastern region near the U.S. base in al-Tanf.

CAIRO, Aug 30 (NNN-MENA) – Egyptian President, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, and visiting Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, yesterday discussed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the Sudanese crisis.

An Egyptian presidential spokesman said in a statement that, during the meeting, at the coastal city of New Alamein, Sisi attached great importance to the historical bonds and deep relations between his country and Sudan, at the official and popular levels.

CAIRO, Aug 30 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt is planning to drill 35 new natural gas wells in the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile Delta, in the next two fiscal years, to boost its natural gas production, the Egyptian Cabinet said in a statement yesterday.

The country already drilled ten natural gas wells during the fiscal year 2022-2023, which ended on Jun 30, 2023, the statement quoted Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El-Molla, as saying.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi court has sentenced a man to death over his posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and his activity on YouTube, the latest in a widening crackdown on dissent in the kingdom that has drawn international criticism.

The judgement against Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, seen Wednesday by The Associated Press, comes against the backdrop of doctoral student Salma al-Shehab and others facing decadeslong prison sentences over their comments online.

29 August 2023; MEMO: Bahrain has granted an increase in some human rights for those incarcerated within its prison system, amid a mass hunger strike involving hundreds of prisoners in the country.