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08 Dec 2022; MEMO: Algeria's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, called on Wednesday for reform of the UN Security Council so that Africa can have two permanent seats. Lamamra made his call during the ninth conference of senior African officials about peace and security across the continent held in the Algerian city of Wahran.

08 Dec 2022; MEMO: The White House yesterday responded to Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia by warning that Beijing's attempt to spread influence worldwide is "not conducive" to international order.

Asked about Xi's visit, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Saudi Arabia remains a crucial US ally, but he issued a warning over China.

08 Dec 2022; MEMO: Libya's Tripoli-based government, on Wednesday, accused Greece of exploiting the Libyan crisis for imposing a fait accompli on their maritime border, Anadolu News Agency reports.

In a statement, the Libyan Foreign Ministry decried Greece's "irresponsible behaviour" of striking a deal with international companies to start research and exploration for oil and gas in the Libyan-Greek maritime borders.

07 Dec 2022; MEMO: Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, cut the January official selling price (OSP) for its flagship Arab Light crude for Asian buyers on concerns over faltering demand and a potential increase in Russian competition, Reuters reports.

According to the report, the price for January-loading Arab Light to Asia was trimmed by $2.20 a barrel from December, to $3.25.

08 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Syrian football and basketball federations, which are run by the Bashar Al-Assad regime,  yesterday announced the suspension of all their sporting activities due to the fuel crisis that the regime-controlled areas are suffering.

The official Syrian news agency SANA reported that the football and basketball federations announced the postponement of the general league for all age groups.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: Trade and investment ties between China and Gulf Arab States are expected to feature prominently in President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia this week, as the region increasingly looks East to drive economic transformation at home for a post-oil era, Reuters reports.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Federation of the Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC) and the Turkish Exporters Association (TIM) held meetings between 100 Israeli businessmen and 400 Turkish exporters in Istanbul, Arutz Sheva reported yesterday.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: A letter provided by Russian insurer, Ingosstrakh, enabled the first oil tanker to sail through Turkish waters in recent days after tougher regulations were imposed by Turkish authorities, a document showed, Reuters reports.

This has led already at least 20 oil tankers backed up in the Turkish Straits as they do not have the right paperwork.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: An Iranian tanker carrying about 2 million barrels of ultra light-oil arrived this week in Venezuelan waters, non-government organisation, United Against Nuclear Iran, said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Venezuela and Iran have recently expanded cooperation mainly through a swap that provides Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA, with light oil for refining and diluents to produce exportable crude grades. PDVSA, in return, supplies Iran with Venezuelan heavy oil and fuel.

05 Dec 2022; MEMO: The President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nayhan, has made a surprise visit to Qatar at the invitation of the Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The brief trip was Bin Zayed's first to Doha since the three-and-a-half year Saudi-led embargo imposed on Qatar ended early last year. The UAE was one of a number of Gulf and other states involved in the embargo.