Middle East & North Africa

CAIRO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Tuesday discussed means of promoting bilateral ties at different levels, and the recent developments in the region, the presidential office said in a statement.

"The Gulf's security is linked with the Egyptian national security," Sisi said, hailing the important role Qatar plays in addressing the challenges facing the Arab world.

ISTANBUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Ukraine have concluded their fresh round of face-to-face peace talks here on Tuesday, which lasted for approximately three hours, according to media reports. 

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Morocco on Tuesday to discuss recent shifts in the diplomatic dynamic in the Middle East and North Africa that could upend some of the region’s long-standing disputes.

A day after an unprecedented gathering in Israel’s Negev Desert with the Israeli foreign minister and their counterparts from four Arab nations that have normalized relations with Israel, Blinken held talks with senior Moroccan officials to look at opportunities for expanding those ties.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire in a crowded city in central Israel late Tuesday, killing at least four people in the second mass shooting rampage this week. The shooter was killed by police.

ISTANBUL (AP) — Soccer club owner. Ally of Vladimir Putin. Sanctioned oligarch. Could diplomatic go-between be added to the resume of Roman Abramovich?

The 55-year-old billionaire has swapped the skybox seat he once proudly occupied at his beloved Chelsea soccer club in Britain for a spot on the sidelines of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow aimed at ending Russia’s bloody war in Ukraine.

29 March 2022; MEMO: The Formula 1 season opened over the weekend with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but not without a major controversy as drivers threatened to boycott the race. Unease and dissent over the decision to go ahead with the race despite Friday's bombing ten miles from the circuit has once again pit commercial demands against ethical and safety concerns.

29 March 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's suspended parliament said it will convene on Wednesday to "abolish" exceptional measures taken by the country's President, Kais Saied, Anadolu News Agency reports.

In a statement on Monday, the assembly said it will hold another session on Saturday to discuss the financial, economic and social conditions in the North African nation.

28 March 2022; MEMO: In what is being portrayed as a ground-breaking summit, top diplomats from Israel, US and four Arab countries, discussed the creation of new security architecture earlier today.

28 March 2022; MEMO: OPEC+ will likely stick to plans for a modest increase in oil output in May, several sources close to the group said, despite a surge in prices due to the Ukraine crisis and calls from the United States and other consumers for more supply, Reuters reports.

Several consuming nations, including the United States, have urged producers to raise their output by more as crude prices have surged, hitting their highest since 2008 this month, at over $139 a barrel.

28 March 2022; MEMO: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked a flurry of Western sanctions on Moscow, at least one oligarch and thousands of other Russians have arrived in Turkey, seen as a safe place to stay, invest and hold assets despite its NATO membership, Reuters reports.

Acting as a safe haven raises risks for Turkey's government, banks and businesses that could face tough decisions and penalties if the United States and others ramp up pressure on Moscow with broader "secondary" sanctions.