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18 March 2022; MEMO: Massive price spikes for food and energy sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine will push over 40 million people into extreme poverty, the Centre for Global Development (CGDEV) said on Friday, warning against export curbs and sanctions on Russian food production, Reuters reports.

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) India announced a USD 1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka on Thursday as part of its financial assistance to help the island nation deal with its economic crisis.

After an agreement to extend the line of credit was inked, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has always stood with the people of Sri Lanka and will continue to extend all possible support to the country.

Rourkela, Mar 18 (PTI) The managing director of a private microfinance firm has been arrested in Odisha's Sundargarh district for allegedly embezzling over Rs 100 crore on the pretext of giving loans, police said on Friday.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Odisha Police arrested Deepak Kindo, who was absconding for over a year and a lookout circular was issued, from his native Lulkidihi village in Talasara block of Sundargarh district on Thursday.

17 March 2022; MEMO: An Emirati-flagged cargo ship carrying cars has reportedly sunk off the coast of Iran's Assaluyeh port in the southern Bushehr province, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the local port authority, the heavily loaded cargo sunk early on Thursday, 30 miles from the Assaluyeh port, situated on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf.

A team was immediately dispatched to rescue the 30-member crew onboard the ship, Anadolu Agency learned.

17 March 2022; MEMO: The UK Export Finance Agency has signed a €2.1bn loan guarantee deal to support the development of a major electric rail project in Turkey.

The agreement has been announced at today's "UK-Turkiye Green Finance Conference".

This agreement aims to build trading relationship between Turkiye and the UK, decarbonise travel and help Turkey to meet its zero emission target.

18 March 2022; MEMO: Israeli occupation forces yesterday closed the Old City of Hebron and attacked Palestinian citizens with stun grenades, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.

Local sources said occupation forces stormed the municipality plaza, sealed off the Old City and forced storekeepers to close their businesses. They fired stun grenades to force Palestinians out of the area.

17 March 2022; MEMO: Egyptian farmers will have to sell at least 60 per cent of their wheat to the government this season, or risk losing financial support, according to a document circulated by traders, amid efforts by the state to offset disruption to Black Sea wheat imports, Reuters reports.

17 March 2022; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates is keen to cooperate with Russia on improving global energy security, UAE Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said in Moscow on Thursday and Reuters reports.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has drawn a raft of Western sanctions and disrupted global energy markets, putting a spotlight on Gulf energy exporters, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as consumers look for supplies to replace Russian oil.

17 March 2022; MEMO: Thousands of Sudanese demonstrated in the capital, Khartoum, on Thursday to protest price hikes and poor living conditions, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Protesters gathered near the presidential palace in Khartoum, raising banners condemning difficult economic conditions, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter on the ground.

16 March 2022; MEMO: The United States and Britain are ramping up pressure on Saudi Arabia to pump more oil and join efforts to isolate Russia, while Riyadh has shown little readiness to respond and has revived a threat to ditch dollars in its oil sales to China, Reuters reports.

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, flew into the world's biggest crude oil exporter on Wednesday, a day after US Security Advisor, Brett McGurk, arrived with a US delegation.