Algeria

ALGIERS, Aug 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algeria said it was ready to divert all its Spain-bound natural gas exports via an undersea pipeline that bypasses Morocco, state media said, days after Algiers cut ties with its North African rival.

In a meeting with Spanish Ambassador Fernando Moran, Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab stressed “Algeria’s full commitment to cover all of Spain’s natural gas supplies through the Medgaz” pipeline, said a statement quoted by the official APS news agency.

25 Aug 2021; MEMO: Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, yesterday announced that his country has decided to cut ties with Morocco over what he called Rabat's "hostile tendencies" towards Algeria.

Lamamra told a press conference that Algeria's decision to cut ties with Morocco will be effective as of Tuesday, adding that the decision came under the guidance of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

21 Aug 2021; MEMO: Relations between Morocco and Algeria have taken a dangerous turn after Algeria militarised its border with Morocco. Observers have not ruled out the possibility of closing the airspace shared with its western neighbour.

The Algerian High Council of State, headed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, held an extraordinary meeting last Wednesday, and accused Rabat of threatening Algeria's stability and security in coordination with Israel.

13 Aug 2021; MEMO: Twenty-two people have been arrested in Algeria after being suspected of causing the wildfires that have killed 65 people, the president revealed yesterday.

Abdelmadjid Tebboune explained that some of the wildfires were a result of the unusually high temperatures, but most were the work of criminals.

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — At least 25 soldiers died saving residents from wildfires ravaging mountain forests and villages east of Algeria’s capital, the president announced Tuesday night as the civilian toll rose to at least 17.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune tweeted that the soldiers were “martyrs” who saved 100 people from the fires in two areas of Kabyle, the region that is home to the North African nation’s Berber population. Eleven other soldiers were burned fighting the fires, four of them seriously, the Defense Ministry said.

01 Aug 2021; MEMO: Algerian authorities on Saturday withdrew the accreditation of the Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya TV channel for propagating "misinformation", Anadolu Agency reports.

"A decision was reached to withdraw the accreditation of Al-Arabiya news channel for not respecting the rules of professional ethics and practicing media misinformation and manipulation," the Algerian Ministry of Communications said in a brief statement.

31 July 2021; MEMO: During his visit to Khartoum, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra will propose his country's mediation of the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Anadolu Agency reported on Friday.

Lamamra has started a diplomatic tour of several African countries to discuss a number of issues, including cooperation between Algeria and other members of the African Union (AU).

28 July 2021; MEMO: Algeria has deported more than 1,200 West African migrants, including Nigerians, to Niger since the reopening of land borders between the two countries on 14 July, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced Monday.

Algiers, July 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Algerian authorities have imposed partial lockdowns on 35 provinces amid a rapid surge in coronavirus infections in the country.

People have been instructed to stay at home from 20:00 to 06:00 local time for 10 days in the provinces believed to have the most infection rates including the capital Algiers.

All gatherings, social and cultural as well as sporting events will be banned to curb the spread of the virus.

19 July 2021; MEMO: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune pardoned nearly 14,000 prisoners on Sunday who are not accused of "terrorism crimes, vandalism, corruption or conspiracy against the state," Anadolu has reported.