Middle East & North Africa

CAIRO, Jul 8 (NNN-MENA) – Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, yesterday, urged citizens to adhere to health measures against COVID-19, during the Eid al-Adha holiday, due to the recent rise in infections.

Madbouly called on citizens to adhere to the precautionary measures against the virus, especially wearing medical face masks, the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement.

His remarks came, days after senior health officials said that, Egypt’s daily infections have increased by seven to eight percent recently.

RAMALLAH, Jul 8 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, yesterday met with Israeli Minister of Defence, Benny Gantz, in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

During the meeting, at the presidential headquarters, Gantz extended congratulations to Abbas and the Palestinian people, on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

Abbas explained to Gantz the importance of creating a political horizon and respecting the peace agreements signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims from around the world raised their hands to heaven and offered prayers of repentance on the sacred hill of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Friday, an intense day of worship considered to be the climax of the annual hajj.

Multitudes stood shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, for the emotional day of supplication in the desert valley where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and unity among Muslims.

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The European Commission vowed Friday to step up its work with Morocco to fight human smugglers who are using “new, extremely violent methods” — a move that comes two weeks after 23 people died at the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla.

08 July 2022; MEMO: The Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals yesterday sentenced Israeli woman, Fida Kiwan, to life over possession of an illegal substance, after commuting her death sentence last week, her defence team said.

07 July 2022; MEMO: Israeli Defence Minister, Benny Gantz, said Thursday, Israel has signed arms deals worth more than $3 billion with countries in the region since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020 with Arab countries, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Gantz said Israeli Defence Ministry personnel held about 150 meetings with "their counterparts in regional countries, excluding Egypt and Jordan," according to Haaretz newspaper.

07 July 2022; MEMO: An Israeli soldier was arrested by the military on Tuesday after looting property belonging to Palestinians during a nightly raid near Hebron, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced yesterday.

The army said that the arrest was made during a military investigation of looting from Palestinian homes by soldiers in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

07 July 2022; MEMO: Qatar's World Cup stadium stands are set to be alcohol-free, with beer sales outside arenas only allowed before and after some matches, a source with knowledge of plans for the soccer tournament said, Reuters reports.

This year's World Cup is the first to be held in a Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, presenting unique challenges for organisers of an event often associated with beer drinking fans and sponsored by global brewing brands.

08 July 2022; MEMO: The United Nations Security Council yesterday called to expedite the formation of a new government in Lebanon, to implement the necessary reforms, Anadolu reported.

The press statement issued by Council President Ronaldo Costa Filho said the members of the Security Council took note of the appointment of Najib Mikati as the new prime minister designate on 23 June, as well as the presentation by the latter of his government line-up to the President of the Republic of Lebanon on 29 June.

07 July 2022; MEMO: Israel's regional cooperation minister said today that he had asked Saudi Arabia to admit direct flights from Tel Aviv for Muslim pilgrims, pointing to a possible new accommodation by Riyadh ahead of next week's visit by US President Joe Biden, Reuters reports.

Israeli officials have also been seeking expanded permission for their airlines to fly over Saudi soil to Asian destinations.