BBC News Middle East

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Egypt has four months' worth of wheat in strategic reserve, prime minister Mostafa Madbouly has announced.

Ukraine and Russia have traditionally met 80% of the world's largest wheat importer's needs, but not since Russia invaded its neighbour last February.

Ukraine has offered to transport part of four contracted shipments to Poland by train, which Egypt says would increase shipping costs dramatically.

Egypt is buying 500,000 tonnes from India, which has now banned exports except for paid-up contracts.

Mr Madbouly's government has made it compulsory for Egyptian farmers to sell their wheat to it.

On Wednesday, the UN Secretary General warned that the war in Ukraine is increasing the risk of a global food shortage unless Russia releases grain stored in Ukrainian ports for export.

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A military court in Tunisia has issued prison sentences to four MPs on charges of assaulting policemen last year.

Those sentenced include Saif Eddine Maklouf, who heads the Karama Party in the dissolved parliament.

A prominent critic of President Kais Saied, he has been sentenced to five months in jail - three other members of the party received similar sentences.

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There's been a brief outbreak of factional fighting in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

Members of an eastern faction arrived overnight in an attempt to claim power.

They then left the city after several hours of clashes.

The armed escort had accompanied Fathi Bashagha, who was named as prime minister by a parliament based in eastern Libya.

He has been trying to take over from Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who was appointed prime minister after UN-brokered negotiations last year.

Mr Bashagha says his western rival forfeited his claim to office when he failed to hold elections as scheduled.

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Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets in the capital, Tunis, on Sunday to protest against President Kais Saied's political measures and rising food prices.

A co-ordinator from the Citizens against the Coup coalition – one of the protest organisers – told the state broadcaster that they rejected the country's "new constitution" that was "drawn up unilaterally" by Mr Saied.

Islamist Ennahda Movement official Ali al-Arid told the channel that protests would continue in the form of sit-ins, marches and hunger strikes.

The protesters assembled on central Tunis thoroughfare chanting the slogan "Leave", state news agency TAP reported.

It also published photos of the crowds waving Tunisian flags and loaves of bread, a reference to rising food prices.

Mr Saied has pushed through a series of moves expanding his powers and dismantling elected institutions since last year, when he suspended parliament.

Earlier this month, he announced a plan for a "new republic" in Tunisia which would be put to referendum on 25 July.