Mena Today

U.S. President Donald Trump indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, hours before it was set to expire, to allow the two countries to continue peace talks.

Lebanon's prime minister and French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss on Tuesday how to strengthen the country's hand in possible direct negotiations with Israel in the United States later this week, as Beirut turns to a trusted European ally.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, accusing the Iran-backed group of violating a ceasefire ahead of U.S.-mediated talksbetween the Israeli and Lebanese governments this week.

The foreign ministers of Niger and Mali have accused neighbouring countries of sponsoring terrorism, but said they were willing to cooperate on some matters with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, from which they formally split last year.

President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the U.S. was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.

European countries including Spain and Ireland pushed on Tuesday for suspending a European Union pact governing its relationship with Israel, but the bloc remained divided on whether to take action.

Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Tuesday he will lead a minority government to ensure that reforms needed to tap European Union funds are met, in comments a day after the leftist Social Democrats (PSD) - his coalition's biggest party - withdrew their support.

Lebanon’s parliament speaker warned on Tuesday that Israeli forces occupying parts of the country's south would face resistance if they fail to withdraw, signalling a risk of renewed confrontation ahead of U.S.-mediated talks this week.

The United States expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran would go ahead in Pakistan and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining, but significant hurdles and uncertainty remained as the end of a ceasefire loomed.  

With global energy markets in turmoil and the world scrambling for alternatives to Gulf supplies, Algeria has moved decisively, launching an international bidding round for new hydrocarbon concessions at precisely the right moment.

The Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza told Reuters on Monday that he was “fairly optimistic” a plan for disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza can be agreed but cautioned that it will still take time.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats voted to withdraw their support for Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Monday and called on him to resign, likely triggering months of instability that will jeopardise EU funds and the country's credit rating.