News

Hariri 'held for refusing to confront Hezbollah'

Nov 12 2017
Lebanon
Source: 
Al Jazeera

From the moment his plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday, November 3, Saad Hariri was in for a surprise.

There was no line-up of Saudi princes or ministry officials, as would typically greet a prime minister on an official visit to King Salman, senior sources close to Hariri and top Lebanese political and security officials said. His phone was confiscated, and the next day he was forced to resign as prime minister in a statement broadcast by a Saudi-owned TV channel.

Vers la création d’un nouveau bloc d’alliance au parlement.

Nov 11 2017
Tunisia
Source: 
Tunisie Numerique.

Selon les sources de Mosaïque FM, il va y avoir au début de la semaine prochaine, l’annonce de la création d’une nouvelle alliance parlementaire au sein de l’ARP, qui regroupera les députés d’Ennahdha, de Nidaa Tounes et de l’UPL, de Slim Riahi.

Cette nouvelle alliance tentera de par le nombre de ses membres de couper l’herbe sous les pieds de ceux qui avaient annoncé la création du nouveau bloc centriste.

LM 

In a first, Emir appoints 4 women to Shura Council

Nov 10 2017
Qatar
Source: 
Qatar Tribune

In a historic move, Qatar has appointed four women to the Advisory (Shura) Council, one of its most important consultative bodies, for the first time.
On Thursday, the Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani issued the Emiri Decision No. 22 of 2017, renewing the membership of some Advisory Council members and appointing 28 new members, including four women, to the council.
The four women will sit on the council, which is responsible for discussing draft laws approved by the Cabinet, general government policy and the state's draft budget.

L’ARP ouvre pour la troisième fois les candidatures à la présidence de l’ISIE.

Nov 09 2017
Tunisia
Source: 
Tunisie Numerique.

Le bureau de l’Assemblée des représentants du peuple  (ARP),  a annoncé jeudi 09 novembre 2017, l’ouverture des candidatures au poste de président de l’Instance supérieure indépendante des élections (ISIE) à compter de ce jeudi jusqu’au 11 novembre courant.

Après la réception des dossiers, l’ARP tiendra mardi 14 novembre une plénière destinée à fixer le programme de l’élection du président de l’ISIE.

Kurdistan Region Parliament calls on Baghdad to speed up the opening of dialogue in accordance with the Constitution.

Nov 08 2017
Iraq
Source: 
National Iraqi News Agency

The parliament of the Kurdistan Region called , on Wednesday, to speed up the date of dialogue with Baghdad in accordance with the Iraqi constitution to resolve the differences and outstanding issues between the two sides. 

Saudi Arabia 'imposed' Lebanon PM's resignation, says Hezbollah chief.

Nov 05 2017
Lebanon
Source: 
Reuters

The leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has accused Saudi Arabia of forcing its prime minister to step down. Saad al-Hariri's resignation threatens to reignite sectarian divisions in the country.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of dictating Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's resignation, which threatens to throw the Middle East nation into chaos.

Lebanese PM Saad Hariri resigns citing Iranian meddling

Nov 04 2017
Lebanon
Source: 
Al Jazeera

Saad Hariri has announced his resignation as Lebanon's prime minister and implicitly blamed Iran and its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, for his decision.

In a televised speech on Saturday, he said he suspected there were covert plans to target his life, but he did not elaborate.

Hariri, who made the statement during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said Iran planted "disorder and destruction" in the country and meddled in the internal issues of Lebanon as well as other Arab countries.

Emergency state does not adversely affect freedom of candidacy

Nov 04 2017
Egypt
Source: 
Egypt Today

CAIRO – 4 November 2017: Egypt's 2018 Presidential Election Observatory argued that the Parliament’s move to enforce an emergency state across the country is not adversely impacting the freedom of the candidacy. 

In its second report regarding the procedures and environment surrounding the electoral process, the observatory argued that the candidacy process provides fair competitiveness and that there are no complaints reported by any candidates about any possible disruptions. 

Iranian State Officials Clash Over Allowing Religious Minorities in Local Elections

Nov 04 2017
Iran
Source: 
Payvand

The head of Iran's judiciary has sided with proponents of banning religious minorities from local elections while the Rouhani government has reiterated their rights as citizens under the Constitution. 

In his October 31 remarks, Chief Justice Sadegh Larijani said that the ban was the Guardian Council's prerogative as the country's highest authority in determining legislative compliance with Islamic principles.

"Mourakiboun" calls to opt for sole candidate to ISIE presidency.

Nov 03 2017
Tunisia
Source: 
Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

TAP – The Mourakiboun network called Friday the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) members to opt for a sole candidate to lead the authority.

“This decision should help unblock the electoral process and settle the crisis affecting the authority,” Mourakiboun said in a press release.

The network expressed deep concern about the deterioration of the situation at the authority calling on ISIE to speed up the organisation of draws for renewing the one third of the authority members.

Machrou Tounes : Le bureau politique approuve la fusion avec le parti de la Nation unifié.

Nov 02 2017
Tunisia
Source: 
Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis, 2 nov 2017 (TAP) -  Le bureau politique du parti Machrou Tounes a approuvé la fusion avec le parti de la Nation unifié après une série de consultations entre les deux partis, a déclaré Khaoula Ben Aicha, membre de Machrou Tounes et députée à l'Assemblée des Représentants du Peuple (ARP), jeudi soir à l'agence TAP.

"La fusion du parti de la Nation avec Machrou Tounes sera effective après l'achèvement des procédures de dissolution du parti au plan national et local", a-t-elle précisé.

Bahrain charges opposition leader with 'spying'

Nov 01 2017
Bahrain
Source: 
Al Jazeera

Bahrain has charged the leader of the country's outlawed main opposition party with "spying" and suggested the 2011 Arab Spring protests that gripped the country were instigated by a "foreign country".

Bahrain's public prosecutor charged Ali Salman, secretary-general of the al-Wefaq party, and Hassan Sultan, a former member of parliament, of colluding with Qatar to carry out "hostile acts" in Bahrain and damage its "prestige", a statement on the state news agency BNA said on Wednesday.

Iraqi cabinet sets date for upcoming parliamentary election

Nov 01 2017
Iraq
Source: 
The Baghdad Post

The Iraqi cabinet set on Wednesday the date for the upcoming parliamentary election on May 15, 2018.   

In a statement, the cabinet said that the federal government would be responsible for providing a secure environment to hold the elections and help displaced persons return to their districts. 

Electronic voting will be available. Political parties taking part in the elections are not supposed to have armed wings, it noted.

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