ARABINFOCUS

        SYRIA CONTINUES NORMALIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Syria continues with the process of normalization of its international relations, opened with its return to the Arab League as a full member. The last step was the trip to Beijing of the president,  Bashar al-Assad, i where he met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. This visit is marked, in particular, with the relaunch of economic relations with the Asian giant; while at the political level, Beijing upholds the territorial integrity of Syria. Within the framework of the general assembly of the United Nations, the Syrian representative, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh, demanded the lifting of the coercive measures imposed on it and on a number of countries, as it is considered economic terrorism. Ambassador Long-standing friendship relations have linked Syria and China over decades, based on a long legacy of common principles related to consecrating truth, justice, and balance in international rela...

                                          CAN SAUDI ARABIA RECOGNIZE ISRAEL? The question is on the lips and minds of analysts and the general public. In an interview with FOX NEWS, Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman said: “We got to see where we go. We hope that it will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, that Israel becomes a player in the Middle East.” Do these words mean the next normalization between Riyad and Tel Aviv? Some media outlets, such as ARABNEWS, take it almost for granted, pointing out that “If the Biden administration brokered an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, it would be the largest agreement since the end of the Cold War. But it must be taken into account that the Prince has also highlighted that the cause of the Palestinian people "is still very important for Saudi Arabia" - The peace plan presented at an Arab Summit by S...

                                    MORE THAN 11,000 DEAD IN LIBYA In Derna, thousands of corpses washed up or decomposed under the rubble. In this port city, the most affected by the dramatic floods that occurred in Libya after the passage of storm Daniel, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian associations urged the Libyan authorities to stop burying the flood victims in mass graves. And for good reason, the fear of the proliferation of diseases transmitted by water is great. In a statement released on Saturday, September 16, the WHO said the bodies of 3,958 people had been found and identified in Derna, and that “more than 9,000 people” were still missing. The toll exceeded 11,000 victims this Sunday, even if the Red Crescent denies the estimate given by the United Nations. Buried under the rubble, strewn among the ruins or floating on the water, the remains present a terrib...

                                          THE SITUATION IN LIBYA IS DISTRESSING The situation in Libya takes on a terrifying profile after Hurricane Daniel. No one knows exactly how many thousands of bodies there are in the streets. There is a lack of bags to store the dead and the threat of serious epidemics cannot be ruled out. The authorities emphasize that they are in a situation that exceeds the fears they had at the beginning. The fear of the proliferation of diseases. Rescuers present in Derna, the most affected by the dramatic floods in Libya, launched an appeal on Tuesday, September 13, for more body bags. Thousands of people have died in this port city, and many corpses have been washed away by sea or litter the streets, raising fears of an epidemic. According to the mayor of Derna, the most affected city, the death toll there amounts to at least 20,000.

                                      THOUSANDS DEAD IN LIBYA DUE TO FLOODS Natural disasters continue to hit the African continent. In Libya, the severe floods currently taking place have already caused the death of more than 5,000 people according to figures provided by various non-governmental organizations. The city of Derna, in the east of the country, is the one that has suffered the most from the effects of intensive rains that have destroyed containment works without being able to channel the torrential waters. Cut roads, landslides and floods prevented relief from reaching the population who had to use rudimentary means to recover bodies buried by the dozens in mass graves, according to images posted on social networks. Derna and other towns are virtually cut off from the rest of the world despite authorities' efforts to restore mobile phone and internet networks. The authorities in ...

                EARTHQUAKES WILL CONTINUE TO HIT NORTH AFRICA The North of the African continent, from its Atlantic part, in the Agadir area in Morocco, to its Mediterranean coastline, will continue to suffer earthquakes such as the one that occurred last Friday in the province of Al-Haouz. It is a situation that comes from two major seismological faults. The African plate is moving very slowly northward, colliding with the Eurasian square. Seismologists know this perfectly. Africa is moving up and plate tectonics will continue to produce these large earthquakes. The great French seismologist, the late Harun Terzieff, calculated that each year Africa moves upward by 5 to 6 centimeters; This seems trivial, but on a tectonic scale it is an important movement. In Algiers, an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale (the same intensity as this one in Al-Haouz) took place in May 2003, causing 2,266 deaths and 10,261 injuries. If the balance of wha...

                                   COUNTRIES HELP MOROCCO AFTER EARTHQUAKE Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Spain and the United Kingdom have sent relief teams to Morocco to support the efforts of Moroccan teams in the search for survivors of the earthquake, force 6.8 on the Richter scale, which occurred last Friday. Rescue efforts continue, while messages of solidarity and offers of help continue to arrive in Rabat from numerous countries around the world. So far the toll is 2,000 dead and a similar number of injured. It should be recalled that search and rescue teams from Spain, the United Kingdom and Qatar are currently deployed, alongside Moroccan rescue teams, in the disaster areas. Recourse to the offers of support and aid presented by the various friendly and brotherly countries is made on the basis of a precise assessment of the needs on the ground by the Moroccan authorities. The earthquak...

                                             MOROCCO: THE PAIN OF A PEOPLE You can't fight nature. Nature imposes its own laws and you have to accept them with resignation. Morocco has suffered one of the worst earthquakes, probably the worst of all, that have occurred in its territory. Until now it was remembered the quem took place in Agadir, 63 years ago (February 29, 1960), which claimed 12,000 victims. The latest census of the one that took place last Friday in Marrakech amounts to more than 2,000 people dead and a similar number of injured, many of them seriously. The fragile houses in the area affected by the earthquake could not withstand the violence of the shock and collapsed without time for their inhabitants to be saved. In this region, where thousands of families with few resources live, there are no anti-seismic buildings. For this reason the damage balances a...

  ERDOGAN LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST MACRON DECISION TO BAN ABAYA The president of Turkey, Racip Erdogan, is leading the open campaign in some Arab countries against the decision of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to ban the use of the “Abaya” by Muslim schoolgirls, due to the secular nature of the country. The “Abaya” is a traditional female dress, which consists of a long, wide garment that covers the body. Its use is common in Arab countries, the Arabian Gulf and the Maghreb. Macron justifies his decision by the fact that in France religion does not have any decision-making power, as a secular country. And for this reason, in educational establishments you cannot display an item that shows the religion of the wearer. Some French Muslim families had approached the Council of State to annul Macron's decision, but this higher body has ratified it. School girls and young women have not been able to wear the Abaya since the beginning of last August. In the Gulf countries, the Abay...

                              NEW SAUDI AMBASSADOR SETTLES IN TEHRAN In a new step in strengthening relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the new Saudi ambassador, Abdullah bin Saud Al-Anazi, settled in Tehran this Tuesday, it was officially reported. The representative of Riyadh emphasized that the instructions he has received are to intensify communication and working meetings with the Iranian authorities, seeking all possibilities of carrying out coordinated actions between the two governments. Al-Anazi stressed that economic relations will be a very important part of the new bilateral cooperation structure with Tehran.