Middle East & North Africa

04 Apr 2023; MEMO: The ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and Iraq held a meeting in the Gulf country of Oman on Tuesday, according to Iraqi Ambassador, Qais Saad Al-Amiri, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The diplomats exchanged views about regional affairs during the meeting hosted by Al-Amiri "in an atmosphere of optimism and familiarity among the attendees," the Iraqi Embassy in Muscat tweeted.

ANKARA, April 4 (Reuters) - A second-time presidential candidate who lost out to Tayyip Erdogan in a 2018 vote could push Turkey's May election to a second round, potentially boosting the president's prospects of winning, according to analysts and polls.

Muharrem Ince, formerly of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), joined the fray last month and secured a spot on the ballot at the weekend, fuelling concerns among Erdogan's opponents about a split in the opposition vote.

ADDIS ABABA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has appealed for urgent funding to respond to growing humanitarian calamities in drought and conflict-affected parts of Ethiopia.

The UN body, in its latest situation update on Ethiopia issued late Monday, said an estimated 714 million U.S. dollars has so far been contributed toward the 2023 Ethiopian Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP-2023), corresponding to 18 percent of the HRP requirements.

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Europe must “re-industrialize” to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on third countries for energy and key raw materials, Spain’s prime minister said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Petro Sanchez said after talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in the Cypriot capital that Europe needs to be “strategically autonomous,” especially in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

BEIRUT (AP) — A drone strike carried out by the American-led coalition in northwestern Syria has killed a senior member of the Islamic State group who was in charge of planning attacks in Europe, the United States military said Tuesday.

The man killed Monday in the strike was identified by a U.S. military statement as Khalid Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri. The military statement added that his death “will temporarily disrupt the organization’s ability to plot external attacks.”

Dubai, Apr 4 (PTI) The Dubai Court of Cassation has rejected the appeal of Sanjay Shah, a British national wanted by Danish authorities on charges of fraud and money laundering, and has upheld the Dubai Court of Appeal’s ruling to grant Denmark’s request for his extradition, a statement said.

Shah, 52, a hedge fund trader, was arrested by Dubai Police in June last year in response to Denmark’s extradition petition, and his extradition was referred to the Dubai Courts by the Attorney General.

03 Apr 2023; MEMO: Dozens of American military vehicles and containers arrived in the United States' bases in the Syria's Al-Hasakah from northern Iraq yesterday.

03 Apr 2023; MEMO: The Israeli government yesterday approved the formation of a National Guard under the control of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The cabinet agreed to a 1.5 per cent cut in the budgets of all ministries in order to fund Ben-Gvir's National Guard. This would provide around 1 billion shekels ($278 million) to Ben-Gvir.

Hebrew media reported several ministers in the cabinet expressing opposition to the 1.5 per cent cut in the budgets.

03 Apr 2023; MEMO: Tunisia's Health Minister Ali Murrabit, yesterday refused to comment on the news circulating on social media about the health of President Kais Saied.

The minister chose to remain silent when asked about the news of the president's illness.

Several Facebook users, as well as some of Saied's opponents, shared news suggesting that he suffered a health setback, preventing him from carrying out his usual activities.

03 Apr 2023; MEMO: A former police chief in Israel warned on Saturday that the "National Guard" unit to be formed and run by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir could be used to carry out a coup against the government. Moshe Karadi led Israel's police service between 2004 and 2007. Ben-Gvir "will use [the unit] against him one day," he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.