Middle East & North Africa

CAIRO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi agreed on Sunday to boost bilateral ties between the two countries in Islamabad, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan is the fourth stop of Shoukry's Asian tour starting on March 13, that also included Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

During the talks, the two foreign ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation at all levels, and discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels unleashed a barrage of drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia that targeted key facilities including natural gas and desalination plants early Sunday, Saudi state-run media reported, temporarily cutting oil production at one site.

The pre-dawn salvo marked the latest escalation in the rebels’ attacks on the kingdom as the war in Yemen rages into its eighth year and peace talks stall.

20 March 2022; MEMO: Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji said in televised remarks on Saturday that he will try to raise Iran's oil and condensates exports to 1.4 million barrels per day as set out in an annual state budget, Reuters reported.

"In parliament, lawmakers decided to raise the ceiling of exports of oil and condensates from 1.2 million barrels (per day) to 1.4 million barrels. The Oil Ministry will do everything in its power to realise the level set in the budget," Owji told state television.

19 March 2022; MEMO:The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Friday has condemned the Israeli crackdown on peaceful anti-settlement demonstrations, as well as the abuse of unarmed civilians taking part, Anadolu Agency reported.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, the PA announced: "The Israeli crackdown on the peaceful protests is a clear attempt to break the will of the Palestinian people in order to oblige them to surrender to settlement as a fait accompli."

19 March 2022; MEMO: Daesh has documented its attacks using tanks and armoured vehicles on Assad regime sites in the Homs governorate, central Syria.

On Thursday, the organisation released a video showing its operatives using tanks, a BMP vehicle, a 23mm cannon and 57mm guns.

This indicates the organisation's increased military and war capabilities and its transition from rapid attacks and ambushes to a new strategy in the war.

19 March 2022; MEMO: Tunisian President Kais Saied's online survey aimed at asking voters for their political views has failed despite the large investment in its development, the Tunisian Workers' Party disclosed on Friday.

20 March 2022; MEMO: US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking and Hollywood actress and Special Envoy for the UNHCR Angelina Jolie agreed to work to ease the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Anadolu Agency reported.

"The two Special Envoys agreed to work together to ease the humanitarian crisis & help end the #Yemen conflict," said a Twitter post on The US State Department – Near Eastern Affairs account.

ISTANBUL, Mar 19 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Runway fashion shows have made a major comeback in Istanbul, Turkey’s cultural and financial hub, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

More than two dozen Turkish designers put new collections on show, at Fashion Week Istanbul yesterday, the closing day of the 4-day event, with this year’s edition featuring hybrid events of film screenings, runway shows, and collection presentations, under social-distancing measures.

TUNIS, Mar 19 (NNN-TAP) – The Tunisian maritime guard, yesterday, found 12 bodies of illegal immigrants of African and Syrian nationalities, off the Nabeul coast in north-eastern Tunisia.

These illegal immigrants might have lost their lives when their boat sank, during the trip towards the European coasts, the private radio station, Mosaique FM, reported.

Since the beginning of 2022, some 870 illegal immigrants have managed to reach the Italian coasts, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) revealed, on Wednesday.

ADEN, Mar 19 (NNN-YPA) – A senior commander of the Yemen-based al-Qaeda branch was killed, in armed confrontation yesterday, with the Houthi militia for seizing key areas in the country’s oil-rich province of Marib, a military official said.

“Ferocious fighting erupted between the Houthi rebels and some fighters belonging to the al-Qaeda group, in the southern parts of Marib, during the past several hours,” the local military source said, on condition of anonymity.