Middle East & North Africa

ORAN, Algeria, Aug 27 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron visited a celebrated record shop in Algeria on Saturday, an apparent overture to young Algerians during a trip aimed at easing what he called the "painful" history shared by the two countries.

The trauma of French colonial rule in Algeria and the bitter independence war that ended it in 1962 has haunted relations between the two countries for decades and played into a diplomatic dispute that erupted last year.

TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday that Iran and the parties to the Vienna talks are close to a deal, but it may require a new round of meetings, Iran Front Page news website reported.

Fadahossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said "the United States has given a response that will make a new round of talks inevitable."

Officials cannot say when the deal will be reached, Maleki said, adding the U.S. side must show more seriousness than before in the nuclear talks.

TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Nigeria signed agreements here on Saturday to expand energy cooperation, Iran's Oil Ministry's news service Shana reported.

The agreements were signed in the presence of Iranian Petroleum Minister Javad Owji and Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva.

Owji said on the sidelines of a meeting with Sylva that the documents included the exports of Iranian technical and engineering services and petrochemical product of urea to the African country.

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — African heads of state, representatives of international organizations and private business leaders gathered in Tunisia on Saturday for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, a triennial event launched by Japan to promote growth and security in Africa.

Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a food crisis worsened by Russia’s war in Ukraine, and climate change are among the challenges facing many African countries expected to define the two-day conference.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi warned Saturday that the political crisis in the country is threatening security achievements made in past years.

Al-Kadhimi’s warning is a clear indication of the dangers of one of Iraq’s worst political crises since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. It is the result of disagreements between followers of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and rival Iran-backed groups since last year’s parliamentary elections.

CAIRO (AP) — Deadly clashes broke out Saturday in Libya’s capital between militias backed by its two rival administrations, portending a return to violence amid a long political stalemate.

At least 13 civilians were killed and over 95 wounded, the Health Ministry said. It added that 64 families were evacuated from areas around the fighting.

26 August 2022; MEMO: Two hundred Israeli medical residents resigned yesterday in protest against the 26-hour shifts they are having to carry out.

The head of the Medical Residents Organisation (Mirsham), Dr. Rey Biton, said that some 200 medical residents are resigning in the first stage of the protest, with many more coming if the crisis is not solved.

26 August 2022; MEMO: The Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Ziad Al-Nakhala, said the Palestinian people only want freedom and liberation from the Israeli occupation that besieges them in the Gaza Strip.

26 August 2022; MEMO: Lebanon received 511.7 tons of food Thursday that was provided by Turkiye on a ship that arrived at the Tripoli Port, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The aid, the fourth in 2022, was provided by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), based on directives by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

26 August 2022; MEMO: Chief of the Israeli Mossad, David Barnea, described the emerging Iranian nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers as "a strategic disaster" for Israel, and that "Israel has already begun preparations for a military strike against Iran if such action is deemed necessary."