Middle East & North Africa

BEIRUT (AP) — A European judicial team questioned Lebanon’s caretaker finance minister on Friday in an investigation related to corruption probes of the country’s Central Bank governor, officials said.

The questioning is part of a probe by a delegation from France, Germany, and Luxembourg, now on its third visit to Lebanon to interrogate suspects and witnesses in the case. Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh is being investigated abroad over several financial crimes and the laundering of some $330 million.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Early in his political career, a devastating earthquake and economic troubles helped propel Recep Tayyip Erdogan to power in Turkey. Two decades later, similar circumstances are putting his leadership at risk.

The highly divisive and populist Erdogan is seeking a third consecutive term as president on May 14, after three stints as prime minister, which would extend his rule into a third decade. He already is Turkey’s longest-serving leader.

04 May 2023; MEMO: The Secretary-General of the Arab League said Syria's return to the organisation is possible before its upcoming summit in Riyadh on 19 May, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Speaking to Egypt's El-Sharq TV on Wednesday, Aboul Gheit said "there is a specific legal context in the Arab League Charter for Syria's reinstatement into the Arab League.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Israeli authorities yesterday demolished a residential building comprising 25 apartments and located in the Palestinian town of Anata in occupied Jerusalem. 

04 May 2023; MEMO: Hamas has welcomed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a "transparent investigation" into the death of Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan who died in an Israeli jail after 86 days on hunger strike.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Turkiye's Parliament Speaker, on Thursday, called for a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, saying the war that broke out last year in February threatens security of the Black Sea region, Anadolu News Agency reports.

"The war left behind hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded, devastated cities, millions of people displaced from their homes and a completely paralysed Black Sea.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Mass demonstrations and civil disobedience actions have continued across Israel against the controversial judicial reform plan and right-wing policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Thousands of Israelis joined for the 18th week several rallies across Israel to protest controversial government plans to change the judicial system.

Demonstrators gathered at the protests in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Kfar Saba, and Netanya.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Argentinian football player, Lionel Messi, is reportedly in talks to joi the Saudi Pro League for an annual contract worth $400 million.

According to the Telegraph, Saudi Arabia is preparing the offer as Messi is set to leave France's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) club and become a free agent this summer.

04 May 2023; MEMO: Technical personnel from Turkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations will meet on Friday to discuss a deal that allows the exports of Ukrainian grains on the Black Sea, Turkish Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, said, Reuters reports.

04 May 2023; MEMO: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member states are set to implement a unified visa for tourists and businesspeople from dozens of countries, in an initiative comparable to the European Union's Schengen zone visa.