Morocco Raids Protest Camp in Territory Under Dispute Moroccan forces on Monday raided a protest camp in the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Unrest then spread to a nearby city, with buildings set on fire and protesters roaming the streets. At least three Moroccan security officials and one demonstrator were killed, reports said. Moroccan officials moved into the camp at dawn, and there were reports that they used tear gas and pressure hoses to dismantle the camp. Once unrest reached the city of Laayoune, images broadcast by Spanish television showed black smoke pouring from at least four tall buildings and an explosion that sent flames into the air. Gazprom Finds Gas in Algeria, Eyes Africa Gazprom has made its first commercial African gas discovery in Algeria, a move that could enable it to expand gas sales into Spain and Portugal. Algeria “is extremely important” as it could enable Gazprom to expand to the only remaining areas of Europe where it's not present, Boris Ivanov, head of the company's global exploration and production unit Gazprom EP International, said Wednesday in an interview at the Africa Upstream conference. Gazprom, Russia's state-owned gas export monopoly, controls about 30 percent of Europe's gas supplies and has the world's largest gas reserves. Tunisia sets timetable for lifting currency controls Tunisia set out a timetable on Sunday for switching to a fully convertible currency by 2014, a move likely to reassure investors that it is pressing ahead with its promise to lift currency controls. Financial analysts say Tunisia, which has one of the most stable and developed economies in the Middle East and North Africa, could unleash a surge in investment once it makes its dinar currency fully convertible. President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali pledged six years ago to liberalize the dinar by 2009, but last year postponed the reform and set a new deadline of 2014. Oil price jumps after Libya talks of $100 Oil jumped more than $1 per barrel on Tuesday after OPEC member Libya said oil producers would find prices of $100 a barrel more comfortable because of higher food prices and a weaker dollar. Benchmark U.S. crude for December rose to a high of $84.14, up $1.19, before slipping back to trade at around $83.94 by 1331 GMT, adding to gains of nearly 2 per cent on Monday. ICE Brent climbed 82 cents to $85.44. Kerry optimistic on Sudan breakthrough US Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) says he is hopeful that a new White House offer he relayed to Sudan's leaders will break the impasse over fulfilling a 2005 peace accord that is in danger of fraying. Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made an unannounced trip to Sudan over the weekend to meet with its vice-president and leaders of south Sudan. He carried a U.S. offer to hasten Sudan's removal from the list of state sponsors of terror if Khartoum complies with the peace accord. BM
