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Arab World

Morocco Receives 4 mln Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine from India

An elderly Moroccan woman receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation center in the city of Sale on January 29, 2021. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
An elderly Moroccan woman receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation center in the city of Sale on January 29, 2021. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
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Morocco Receives 4 mln Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine from India

An elderly Moroccan woman receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation center in the city of Sale on January 29, 2021. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
An elderly Moroccan woman receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation center in the city of Sale on January 29, 2021. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Morocco received a second batch of 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on Thursday.

The shipment of vaccines, manufactured by India's Serum Institute, arrived on a Royal Air Maroc flight in Casablanca.

“This new batch would enable a steady continuation of Morocco’s national vaccination campaign,” said Said Afif, a member of the health ministry’s scientific committee.

The latest batch of AstraZeneca vaccines follows 2 million doses received last month and 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm.

By Wednesday Morocco had vaccinated 746,116 people and reported 476,689 coronavirus infections and 8,436 deaths.

The country has ordered enough vaccines for 33 million people and aims to inoculate 80% of the population.

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Arab World

Sudan’s Currency Tumbles to New Low as War Hammers Economy

People stand at a market in Omdurman, Sudan, September, 19, 2026. (Reuters)
People stand at a market in Omdurman, Sudan, September, 19, 2026. (Reuters)
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Sudan’s Currency Tumbles to New Low as War Hammers Economy

People stand at a market in Omdurman, Sudan, September, 19, 2026. (Reuters)
People stand at a market in Omdurman, Sudan, September, 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Sudan's currency ‌hit a new low of 10,000 Sudanese pounds to the dollar on Wednesday in parallel market trading, continuing a dramatic fall over recent months as wartime conditions take their toll on the economy.

The rapid 60% depreciation has heaped hardship on Sudanese still trying to regain their footing after devastating conflict and ‌forced displacement caused ‌by the war between ‌Sudanese ⁠armed forces and the ⁠paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, putting basic food items out of reach.

Sudan's official exchange rate remains stuck at 4,200 SDG to the dollar, a rate last seen on the parallel market ⁠in army-controlled areas in May.

A large ‌portion of ‌that fall has happened over the past month, ‌as the pound fell from a ‌previous low of 8,000, depreciating 20%. Prior to the start of the war in April 2023, the rate was about 600 ‌pounds to the dollar.

Currency traders cited import demands as a ⁠chief ⁠factor as the government increased the tightly controlled customs dollar, used to calculate duties, to more than 5,600 this week.

As the war continues Sudan has decreased production of key dollar earners while its chief export, gold, has increasingly been smuggled abroad. Meanwhile, the army-controlled government has said the war and reconstruction efforts require dollar-draining imports.

Arab World

France Says to Hold Conference for Lebanese Forces after Israeli Elections

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks to members of the media on the day of the 9th Annual One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) Summit, in Lusail, Qatar, 21 October 2026. EPA/BENOIT TESSIER
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks to members of the media on the day of the 9th Annual One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) Summit, in Lusail, Qatar, 21 October 2026. EPA/BENOIT TESSIER
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France Says to Hold Conference for Lebanese Forces after Israeli Elections

French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks to members of the media on the day of the 9th Annual One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) Summit, in Lusail, Qatar, 21 October 2026. EPA/BENOIT TESSIER
French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks to members of the media on the day of the 9th Annual One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) Summit, in Lusail, Qatar, 21 October 2026. EPA/BENOIT TESSIER

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that this country will organise a conference to support the Lebanese armed forces after the Israeli elections this month, as truce talks between the two sides stall.

"We will also coordinate to carry out this work of support for the Lebanese armed forces and a conference will be set up in the coming weeks by France... I think it is useless to do it before the Israeli elections, but we will organise such a conference because it is unavoidable," he told reporters in Qatar.

Israel goes to the polls on October 27.

Lebanese authorities last year committed to disarming Hezbollah after months of cross-border hostilities culminated in a 2024 war between the group and Israel.

But Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war this year by attacking Israel, which responded with heavy strikes and a ground invasion.

In June, Lebanese and Israeli authorities signed a framework agreement which involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from territories it occupies, and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the area.

Hezbollah has rejected surrendering its weapons and the direct negotiations with Israel.

Arab World

Syria: Israeli Forces Shell Quneitra Countryside

An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo
An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo
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Syria: Israeli Forces Shell Quneitra Countryside

An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo
An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo

Israeli forces fired several artillery shells on Wednesday at the area around eastern Tell al-Ahmar in the southern Quneitra countryside in southern Syria.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said that “occupation forces fired two projectiles that landed on agricultural land around eastern Tell al-Ahmar, causing no injuries".

Israel continues to violate the 1974 Disengagement Agreement through repeated incursions into southern Syria, raids on and arrests of civilians, land bulldozing and shelling, among other attacks, the agency said.

Syria has repeatedly called for Israeli forces to withdraw from its territory, stressing that all measures taken by Israel are null and void and have no legal effect under international law. Damascus has also urged the international community to fulfil its responsibilities and compel Israel to withdraw fully from southern Syria.