BEIJING -- China will continue to play a constructive role in ceasing hostilities, easing the crisis and restoring peace between Ukraine and Russia, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang said Thursday.

Talking via phone with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Qin said China-Ukraine relations have maintained a development momentum since the two countries established diplomatic ties 31 years ago. (China-Ukraine-FM)

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TEHRAN -- A senior Iranian diplomat said on Thursday that Iran will soon send its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ali Bagheri Kani, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs, said that Iran has appointed the envoy and the process of dispatching him to Abu Dhabi is going through its final stages, reported the official news agency IRNA. (Iran-UAE-Ambassador)

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RAMALLAH -- Four Palestinians were shot dead on Thursday by Israeli soldiers who stormed the northern West Bank city of Jenin, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

Another 20 Palestinians were wounded, four of whom were in serious conditions, the statement added. (Palestine-Israel-Clash)

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ALGIERS -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday appointed a new foreign minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle, the spokesperson for the presidency announced.

Ahmed Attaf was named to replace Ramtane Lamamra as the foreign minister, said the spokesman in a statement. Attaf served as foreign minister in the 1990s and was an ambassador for Algeria to the United Kingdom. (Algeria-Partial Cabinet Reshuffle)