Magreb

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, starting his first visit to post-Soviet Russia on Friday, will discuss opening a Russian naval base in Libya to counterbalance U.S. interests in the region, a paper reported.

GAZA, Oct. 29 – Hamas on Wednesday called on Egypt to open its border with Gaza Strip to allow movement of people in and out of Gaza Strip.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 29 – The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip is expected to last until after Israel’s upcoming early general election in mid-February, local news service Ynet reported Wednesday.

Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood movement says 32 members have been detained for joining protests aimed at breaking the Gaza Strip blockade.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Libya may agree to buy more than $2 billion worth of Russian weapons during a visit by Muammar Gaddafi to Moscow this month, Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing an unidentified source in Russia’s arms industry.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will on Friday announce it is cutting oil output to help lift crude prices that have dived 55 per cent since striking record highs in July, as a global economic slowdown slashes demand, analysts said.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian construction magnate Hesham Talaat Moustafa and a former police officer pleaded not guilty to murder and incitement charges Saturday at their trial for the killing of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya will withdraw $7 billion of assets in Swiss banks, cut economic ties with Switzerland and stop supplying it with oil to protest against poor treatment of Libyan diplomats and businessmen, Libyan news agency JANA said.

The people of Switzerland face possible fuel shortages as a result of the ongoing diplomatic row with Libya. The arguments erupted this summer when a son of Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi was arrested in Geneva, and charged with mistreating two domestic employees. Hannibal Gadaffi was released on bail. Libya threatened …

Egypt’s occasionally fragile sectarian ties have been shaken by the murder of a Muslim whose wife converted to Islam against her Christian family’s wishes.