On Saturday authorities said six migrants drowned off northern Morocco trying to reach Spain. Mohamed Zendour, of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), told AFP a boat went down near Dakhla, in the disputed Western Sahara, on Monday, resulting in the latest fatalities.

Amnesty International expressed concern over the crackdown launched by Iran against women deemed to have violated the Islamic republic's dress rules. Iran was roiled by months of unprecedented protests triggered by custody death of Mahsa Amini in September last year, who had been arrested by the morality police for breaking...

During Tuesday's protest, Ennahdha spokesman Imed Khemiri denounced "the return of a policy of intimidation... which restricts freedom of expression and impacts the media".

Tehran, Iran - Iranian authorities have arrested several followers of the Bahai faith accused of spying for Tehran's arch-foe Israel, local media in the Islamic republic reported on Tuesday. The Bahais, Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority, are not recognised by the state and often targeted over alleged ties to Israel --...

"The United Nations has begun an operation to defuse what might be the world's largest ticking time bomb," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. "A complex maritime salvage effort is now underway in the Red Sea off the coast of war-torn Yemen to transfer one million barrels of...

Violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year has killed at least 201 Palestinians, 27 Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian. They include, on the Palestinian side, combatants as well civilians and, on the Israeli side, three members of the Arab minority.

The conflict broke out in the capital Khartoum on April 15 and spread to Darfur, leaving at least 3,000 dead across Sudan and hundreds of thousands displaced. The war has pitted army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the paramilitary RSF forces.

Authorities in Iraq -- a key conduit for the amphetamine-type drug -- regularly announce such operations in which large hauls of captagon are seized, often coming from Syria with which it shares 600-kilometre (370 miles) porous border.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition allies approved the bill in a Knesset vote boycotted by opposition lawmakers, some of whom shouted "shame, shame". Critics charge the judicial revamp could open the way to more authoritarian government by removing checks and balances on the Israeli executive.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that CZ confirmed that $70,000 worth of Bitcoin, traded on Binance US's launch day, originated from its affiliated entities. This allegation surfaces merely two months after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched a comprehensive lawsuit against Binance.

The library has continued to preserve cultural heritage in Jerusalem through their restoration and digitisation, with support from local and international organizations.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to bring his controversial proposal to curb the power of judges to a vote in the Knesset as soon as Monday. The proposal triggered dueling protests over the weekend between supporters of the proposal and those who fear it will undermine Israel's democracy.

On Sunday, around 300 people demonstrated in the region's second city Sulaimaniyah against the new sentence imposed on Sherwani. NGO Community Peacemaker Teams said Saturday Sherwani did not get a fair trial, but a Kurdistan government body, after reviewing the proceedings, said Sunday that powers of attorney between prisoners were...

The forum was agreed during talks between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus earlier this month as regional concern mounts over an influx of the banned stimulant captagon from Syria. Jordanian security forces have tightened border controls in recent years and occasionally announce thwarted...

The president met with a string of leaders from the Arab world and the European Union and discussed ways to deepen partnerships with these countries. During the meetings, Sheikh Mohamed explored ways with the leaders to support and develop these relations for the benefit of the people of all countries...

Italy and the European Commission have sought to step up engagement with Tunisia, promising funding if the country undertakes to stem emigration from its territory. According to the UN, more than 100,000 migrants arrived by sea to Europe -- most to Italy -- in the first six months of 2023,...

His latest health scare comes with lawmakers set to debate the reforms bill in parliament on Sunday to be followed by a vote on Monday. On Saturday, tens of thousands rallied in Tel Aviv, the country's commercial center, and near parliament in Jerusalem ahead of the final vote.

The demonstrators marched through the Swiss city in opposition to the 1923 treaty, while organisers urged the international community to reconsider the agreement and its consequences for the Kurdish people. The demonstrators, who came from across Europe, gathered by Lake Geneva before marching uphill to the Palais de Rumine where...

According to lawyers and medics, rocket fire on residential areas of one of Darfur's main cities and shelling near hospitals in North Kordofan state killed at least 20 civilians. The doctors' union said that shells had struck near four hospitals killing four civilians. In the South Darfur rocket fired killed...

JERUSALEM- More than 1,100 Israeli air force reservists -- including fighter pilots -- threatened to suspend volunteer service as protests intensified on Saturday ahead of final votes on a bill that aims to overhaul Israel's judiciary. The judicial revamp has split the nation and sparked one of the biggest protest...

NABLUS, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said on Saturday, in what the army described as a "car ramming attempt" near here. Fawzi Mukhalifa, 18, "was killed by the occupation (Israeli) bullets in the town of Sebastia" late on Friday,...

NEW DELHI, INDIA – The UAE is committed to playing an active role in global efforts to shape a better future for societies and people through creating jobs, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization said. He said the UAE is also committed to enhancing human resources’...

DUBAI, UAE - Authorities in Yemen have identified a suspect in the killing of a World Food Program official in the southern Taez province, a security official has told AFP. Moayad Hameidi, the head of the UN food agency's office in Taez, was killed in a shooting on Friday in the...

The member nations of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) agreed on a two-year roadmap for the adoption of deep sea mining regulations, in spite of exhortations by conservationists for a moratorium on extraction. The ISA has spent the last decade trying to work out a mining code for the possible...

Baghdad, Iraq -- Demonstrators marched in the Iraqi and Iranian capitals Friday to denounce Sweden's permission for protests that desecrate the Quran, as Stockholm withdrew staff from its Baghdad embassy. Hundreds of people gathered in Baghdad's Sadr City after Friday prayers, chanting "Yes, yes to Islam, yes, yes to the Quran",...

Representatives from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI were to join US President Joe Biden later Friday to announce the commitments, which include developing "robust technical mechanisms" such as watermarking systems to ensure that users know when content is AI-generated, according to a White House official.

Until now, Palestinians with United States citizenship could not enter Israel through Ben Gurion airport without obtaining visas, but had to enter through Jordan. Citizens of 40 countries are exempt from visas for short stays in the United States for leisure or business.

Parliament's law committee approved the proposal, which would limit the "reasonability" clause that allows the judiciary to strike down government decisions, in a marathon debate that ended late on Wednesday. After the panel's endorsement, "with nine Knesset members supporting and seven opposing" according to a statement from parliament, the bill...

Iraqi riot police fired water cannon to disperse demonstrators away from the embassy while security forces armed with electric batons chased protesters, an AFP photographer on the scene said. Some protesters had raised copies of the Koran into the air, while others held portraits of Mohamed al-Sadr, an important religious...

AMMAN, JORDAN - The United Nations' World Food Program has announced it would reduce cash assistance to nearly 120,000 Syrian refugees in Jordanian camps, saying the move was "unavoidable as funds run precariously low". The UN logs about 650,000 Syrians in Jordan who fled their native country since war broke out...

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes also targeted positions of the Syrian army's elite Fourth Division near the airport in the town of Dimas. One Syrian pro-regime fighter and two foreign, Iran-affiliated combattants were killed in the strikes, the Observatory said.

The Spanish islands have long been a draw for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, with many boats setting off from the coastline of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal. But the Atlantic route to the Canaries is particularly dangerous due to the strong currents, with migrants travelling in...

China's President Xi Jinping has pledged stronger ties with Algeria, highlighting the importance of their comprehensive strategic partnership. Algeria, Africa's largest natural gas exporter, has been seeking to join the BRICS economic group, and China has shown support for this goal.

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a law (No. 16 of 2023) to regulate urban planning in Dubai. The law seeks to create an integrated and effective urban planning system that promotes investment, sustainable development, prosperity, and an improved quality of life for...

Kishida and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed "developments related to energy security and supplies," the Qatari leader said in a statement. They will attend a Japan-Qatar meeting that aims to "promote cooperation in energy security and in the field of clean energy and decarbonization," said Japan's foreign ministry.

The G20 talks come after Russia on Monday refused to extend a deal allowing critical Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, sparking outrage from the United Nations, which has warned millions of the world's poorest would "pay the price". World Bank president Ajay Banga said he feared a lack...

Demonstrators holding Israeli flags and chanting "democracy, democracy" also entered the stock exchange building in Tel Aviv and staged a rally there, an AFP correspondent said. Josh Drill, a spokesman for the protest movement, said pressure on the government would continue through "non-violent acts of civil disobedience".

Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of the drone manufacturer which is co-run by one of Erdogan's sons-in-laws, in a tweet called the deal "the biggest defence and aviation export contract in the history of the Turkish Republic". The value of the deal has not been made public.

Putin has been threatening to pull out of the arrangement, arguing that elements of the deal allowing the export of Russian food and fertilizers have not been honored. Russia also accuses rich countries of profiting from the bulk of Ukrainian exports. But Zelensky says that "60% of the volumes" were...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has embarked on a three-state Gulf tour, beginning with Saudi Arabia, as he seeks to attract foreign investment in Turkey's ailing economy. The visit comes as Turkey battles currency collapse and soaring inflation. The Saudi-Turkish business forum was aimed at enhancing trade and investment relations.

Dubai, UAE--Morocco said that Israel has recognized its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara and is mulling opening a consulate there, according to media reports. A statement from Morocco's Royal Palace said Israel's position was expressed in a letter to King Mohammed VI from Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin...

The move by Moscow will "strike a blow to people in need everywhere", Guterres said. "Hundreds of millions of people face hunger and consumers are confronting a global cost-of-living crisis. They will pay the price," the UN chief said.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Arabia and Japan issued a joint statement on Lighthouse Initiative for Clean Energy Cooperation. The statement is as follows: On July 16, in Jeddah, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Kishida Fumio,...

DUBAI, UAE – The city has registered a strong year-on-year growth of 44 percent in business event bid wins in the first half of 2023. The outstanding growth in the number of global events being hosted by the city contributes further to its economic growth in line with the goals...

Many journalists at the Libyan-Tunisian border saw migrants who were visibly exhausted and dehydrated, sitting or lying on the sand and using shrubs to try and shield themselves from the scorching summer heat that topped 40 degrees Celsius. The group were in an uninhabited area close to Al-Assah, a town...

As Egypt said more than 250,000 people crossed in from Sudan -- fleeing ceaseless air strikes, street battles, rampant looting and sexual violence -- property owners in Cairo saw an opportunity. Inflation in Egypt hit a record high of 36.8 percent in June, and the pound has lost half its...

The deal between the two countries will include partnership on irregular migration, economic development and renewable energy. Tunisia has been criticized over its treatment of migrants after President Kais Saied accused "hordes" of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries of a "plot" to change the country's demographic makeup.

GAZA CITY, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israel returned a boat to a Gaza fisherman it had seized for allegedly breaching the limits of the Palestinian enclave's fishing zone, an NGO said on Sunday, following an Israeli court order. Israeli authorities had called for the vessel, belonging to fisherman Mohammad al-Hissi, to be permanently...

They discussed "reinforcing cooperation between the two countries in various sectors... in addition to joint efforts to fight back against terrorism", a statement from Assad's office said.

Tripoli, Libya - Oil production has resumed at two major Libyan oil fields, the oil ministry said Sunday, after a brief shutdown by demonstrators protesting the arrest of a former minister. "Operations have resumed in the Al-Sharara and Al-Fil oil fields... after they were suspended" Thursday, said the ministry, part of...