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Arab World

Iraq Completes Procedures to Connect Power Grids with Gulf States

Abadan oil refinery in southwest Iran pictured from the Iraqi side of Shatt al-Arab in al-Faw (Reuters)
Abadan oil refinery in southwest Iran pictured from the Iraqi side of Shatt al-Arab in al-Faw (Reuters)
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Iraq Completes Procedures to Connect Power Grids with Gulf States

Abadan oil refinery in southwest Iran pictured from the Iraqi side of Shatt al-Arab in al-Faw (Reuters)
Abadan oil refinery in southwest Iran pictured from the Iraqi side of Shatt al-Arab in al-Faw (Reuters)

The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced completing all procedures to connect its electricity grid with GCC Grids.

The ministry's spokesman, Ahmed Moussa, said in a press statement that 87 percent of the understandings that were put forward between Iraq and the Gulf countries on the electrical linkage had been completed.

Moussa indicated that the project still needs a memorandum of implementation for the power lines that connect the al-Faw power plant with Kuwait's al-Zour power plant.

Moussa added that the capacity will be 500 megawatts in the first phase and will begin transferring to Basra Governorate in the summer of 2022.

The Ministry of Electricity also aims to transfer solar energy projects to work at 7,500 megawatts, especially since an initial agreement was signed with the Chinese company (PowerChina) at a value of 2,000 megawatts.

Iran often deliberately cuts off gas and electricity supplies to Iraq unilaterally, according to Moussa.

He indicated that supplies were cut off in July and Tehran claimed the country needs electricity. It has a binding agreement with Baghdad based on Iraq's permission to import gas and electricity as an exception to the US sanctions imposed on Iran.

Iran cuts off supplies due to Iraq's failure to pay its $5 billion in debts, said the spokesman, which Baghdad cannot transfer due to the US sanctions.

The electricity ministry said Wednesday that Iranian gas supplied to the central and southern regions was reduced to 8 million cubic meters per day from 49 million, causing a risk of severe power shortages.

A reduction in Iranian gas supplies led the Iraqi national power system to lose about 5500 megawatts, the ministry said.

The ministry has contacted the Iranian energy ministry and Iran's embassy in Baghdad to clarify the reasons for the reduction.

The statement added that the ministry took urgent measures, including high coordination with the Ministry of Oil to pump additional quantities of alternative fuels to compensate for the losses, which could affect the maintenance of the production.

The Oil Ministry announced that the total imports of oil sales for the past month amounted to more than $6 billion due to the high oil prices and the increase in Iraq's exports from the oil fields between the governorates of Basra and Kirkuk.

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Arab World

Rescue Teams Search for Survivors in Building Collapse that Killed at Least 2 in Northern Lebanon

A Lebanese flag is pictured, in the aftermath of a massive explosion, in Beirut's damaged port area, Lebanon August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
A Lebanese flag is pictured, in the aftermath of a massive explosion, in Beirut's damaged port area, Lebanon August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
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Rescue Teams Search for Survivors in Building Collapse that Killed at Least 2 in Northern Lebanon

A Lebanese flag is pictured, in the aftermath of a massive explosion, in Beirut's damaged port area, Lebanon August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
A Lebanese flag is pictured, in the aftermath of a massive explosion, in Beirut's damaged port area, Lebanon August 17, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

At least two people were killed and four rescued from the rubble of a multistory apartment building that collapsed Sunday in the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, state media reported.

Rescue teams were continuing to dig through the rubble. It was not immediately clear how many people were in the building when it fell.

The bodies pulled out were of a child and a woman, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Dozens of people crowded around the site of the crater left by the collapsed building, with some shooting in the air.

The building was in the neighborhood of Bab Tabbaneh, one of the poorest areas in Lebanon’s second largest city, where residents have long complained of government neglect and shoddy infrastructure. Building collapses are not uncommon in Tripoli due to poor building standards, according to The AP news.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced that those injured in the collapse would receive treatment at the state’s expense.

The national syndicate for property owners in a statement called the collapse the result of “blatant negligence and shortcomings of the Lebanese state toward the safety of citizens and their housing security,” and said it is “not an isolated incident.”

The syndicate called for the government to launch a comprehensive national survey of buildings at risk of collapse.

Arab World

Israel to Take More West Bank Powers and Relax Settler Land Buys

A view of Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, in the West Bank, Sunday, June 18, 2023. (AP)
A view of Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, in the West Bank, Sunday, June 18, 2023. (AP)
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Israel to Take More West Bank Powers and Relax Settler Land Buys

A view of Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, in the West Bank, Sunday, June 18, 2023. (AP)
A view of Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, in the West Bank, Sunday, June 18, 2023. (AP)

Israel's security cabinet approved a series of steps on Sunday that would make it easier for settlers in the occupied West Bank to buy land while granting Israeli authorities more enforcement powers over Palestinians, Israeli media reported.

The West Bank is among the territories that the Palestinians seek for a future independent state. Much of it is under Israeli military control, with limited Palestinian self-rule in some areas run by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA).

Citing statements by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz, Israeli news sites Ynet and Haaretz said the measures included scrapping decades-old regulations that prevent Jewish private citizens buying land in the West Bank, The AP news reported.

They were also reported to include allowing Israeli authorities to administer some religious sites, and expand supervision and enforcement in areas under PA administration in matters of environmental hazards, water offences and damage to archaeological sites.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the new measures were dangerous, illegal and tantamount to de-facto annexation.

The Israeli ministers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The new measures come three days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet in Washington with US President Donald Trump.

Trump has ruled out Israeli annexation of the West Bank but his administration has not sought to curb Israel's accelerated settlement building, which the Palestinians say denies them a potential state by eating away at its territory.

Netanyahu, who is facing an election later this year, deems the establishment of any Palestinian state a security threat.

His ruling coalition includes many pro-settler members who want Israel to annex the West Bank, land captured in the 1967 Middle East war to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties.

The United Nations' highest court said in a non-binding advisory opinion in 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there is illegal and should be ended as soon as possible. Israel disputes this view.

Arab World

Arab League Condemns Attack on Aid Convoys in Sudan

A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
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Arab League Condemns Attack on Aid Convoys in Sudan

A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)
A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters (Reuters)

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit strongly condemned the attack by the Rapid Support Forces on humanitarian aid convoys and relief workers in North Kordofan State, Sudan.

In a statement reported by SPA, secretary-general's spokesperson Jamal Rushdi quoted Aboul Gheit as saying the attack constitutes a war crime under international humanitarian law, which prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians and depriving them of their means of survival.

Aboul Gheit stressed the need to hold those responsible accountable, end impunity, and ensure the full protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, and relief facilities in Sudan.