Andre Fletcher

  As deadly battles approach a third week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is dispatching an envoy to the Sudan area in response to the "unprecedented" circumstances there, his spokesperson announced on Sunday. The statement came as violence between the army and highly armed paramilitaries persisted in Khartoum despite a widely violated cease-fire being extended for another 72 hours. Martin Griffiths, the UN's emergency assistance coordinator and the envoy, said in a separate statement on Sunday that the "humanitarian situation in Sudan is reaching breaking point." I'm headed to the area to see how we can help the millions of people whose lives have been turned upside down over night, he added. However, widespread looting of warehouses and offices belonging to aid organisations had "depleted most of our supplies. We are looking into quick solutions to bring in and distribute more supplies," he added. He continued, "stopping the fighting...

  Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponed his election appearances for a third day after being unwell with an intestinal ailment, according to officials. In the Turkish presidential elections on May 14, Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for the last 20 years as prime minister and subsequently president, is running for a third term. In the southern city of Adana, he was scheduled to attend a political rally and a bridge opening, but his plans modified so that he would watch the opening ceremony online. Erdogan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke over the phone on Friday on a number of topics, including the grain and fertiliser deal they helped set up between Ukraine and Russia. According to him, they talked about "how to guarantee the improvement, expansion, and extension" of the contract, which is set to expire on May 18. Erdogan fell unwell on air on Tuesday night with what the health minister, Fahrettin Koca, eventually diagnosed as a "gastro...

  The second hearing between a European legal delegation and Marianne Hoayek, the assistant to the governor of the central bank of Lebanon , was concluded on Friday. In connection with a money laundering investigation concerning the European bank accounts of the governor Riad Salameh and his brother Raja Salameh, Hoayek is being questioned as a suspect. The assistant to Marwan Kheireddine, the head of Al-Mawarid Bank, Madeleine Shaheen was also questioned by the EU judicial mission. An investigator from Luxembourg as well as a public prosecutor from Munich are part of the team, which is headed by a French judge named Aude Buresi. "The delegation asked Hoayek about a hundred questions, and she answered all of them," a legal source told Arab News. Hoayek, who didn't have a lawyer present, was questioned about her involvement in the financial management of the Banque du Liban as well as her function as Salameh's executive adviser from April 2020. Both of the two sessions...

  According to UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, Arab countries may take the lead in finding a political solution to the war and humanitarian aid crises in Syria. Despite all the obstacles, including the impact of the recent devastating earthquakes, Pederson said there were encouraging signs of a way forward on Thursday during a special briefing of the UN Security Council. Pederson emphasised the roles that the leaders of various Arab nations, especially those from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, are now playing. There have been a number of high-profile talks with Bashar Assad, the president of Syria, to rebuild diplomatic ties and even see the nation recover its Arab League membership. "I continue to stress that the political solution is the only way to end the suffering of the Syrian people and (find a way) towards stability, security, and peace," Pederson added. In order to achieve sustainable change, he asserted that a political process that is "Syrian-led...

  Syrians trying to leave their war-torn nation into Turkey have been accused of being shot at, tortured, and subjected to excessive force by Turkish border guards, according to Human Rights Watch. It demanded that Ankara look into border guards, bring to justice those involved for "grave human rights violations, including unlawful killings," and put a stop to the "longstanding impunity for these abuses." Turkish border guards are "indiscriminately shooting at Syrian civilians on the border, torturing asylum seekers, and using excessive force against migrants trying to cross," according to a statement from the New York-based rights organisation. Since 2011, more than 500,000 people have died and millions have been displaced due to the violence in Syria. According to the UN refugee agency, Turkey, which has 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees, and Syria are separated by a lengthy border. According to HRW, Turkey's gracious hosting of a sizable number...

  More than 10,000 people of various nationalities have fled conflict-stricken Sudan and crossed the land border into neighboring Egypt through Qastal and Arqeen border crossings in just five days, according to a statement by Egypt's General Authority for Land and Dry Ports (GALDP). Between April 21 and 25, 1,297 individuals came through Qastal while 8,897 others crossed into Egypt through Arqeen, the statement revealed. GALDP has been working with relevant organizations to ensure that Egyptians and eligible foreigners who fled Sudan have access to all necessary facilities, according to the Xinhua news agency. Deadly clashes erupted between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum and other Sudanese regions on April 15, leading to more than 400 deaths and over 4,000 injuries, as per data from the Sudanese Health Ministry. Meanwhile, the warring parties have agreed to a three-day ceasefire, commencing at midnight on Monday, as numerous countries strive to ...

  In the most recent round of discussions between the leaders of Iran, Russia, Syria, and Turkey's defence and security services in Moscow on Tuesday, a senior Turkish official denied that Turkey had brought up the possibility of pulling its soldiers out of Syria.  The opening of the vital M4 highway, which opens the door for a resurgence of commerce between Syria and its neighbours, was also mentioned in the negotiations, according to the Syrian defence ministry. The highest-level meeting between the two nations since the war started took place in December in Moscow between the Syrian and Turkish military ministers. The official stressed that any Syrian communication saying differently would be at odds with the Turkish government's positive stance in the negotiations.  Since the 1980s, a battle between the Kurdish separatist group PKK and the Turkish government has been raging, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people. The PKK has been labelled a terrorist ...

  News reports suggest that Sudanese army chief of staff Mohammed Osman Hussein has been assassinated outside his residence in the capital, Khartoum. Have the authorities in Sudan confirmed his death? No. But if the reports come true, his death would be a severe setback to the efforts of bringing civilian rule in Sudan. Hussein played a crucial role in the transitional government which has been working to steer Sudan towards democracy since the 2019 military coup that toppled Omar al- Bashir's regime. It may even disrupt ongoing efforts to achieve peace in the country as a deadly conflict has been raging in Sudan for 12 days now. It is crucial for the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

  According to recent sources, there are army commanders in Sudan that have defected, and there will be significant changes at the high leadership level of the army. Concerns about the stability of the nation and its future have been sparked by this news. Protests against the military government have persisted. There may be divides inside the military, which might further destabilise the nation, as seen by the most recent defections among army leadership. The reason for these defections and the upcoming changes in the high leadership of the army are not yet known. The military, though, is thought to be engaged in a power struggle, and certain groups are dissatisfied with the present hierarchy. Given Sudan's history of military coups and political unrest, the situation there is alarming. The world has been paying careful attention to what is happening in Sudan, and many people are advocating for a peaceful end to the conflict. The military must make sure that any leadership changes ...

  A session in Beirut on Tuesday with European investigators looking into whether the brothers misappropriated and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in public monies over a decade was missed by the central bank governor of Lebanon's brother. Along with his brother Raja, Governor Riad Salameh is under investigation in Lebanon and at least five other European nations for allegedly stealing more than $300 million from the central bank by charging bond buyers commissions and then transferring the money to Raja's company, Forry Associates. The brothers dispute their guilt. A plea for comment on Tuesday went unanswered from Raja's, 62, attorney. Raja was scheduled to be questioned as part of the investigation on Tuesday morning by European investigators who arrived in Beirut on Monday. His lawyer briefly attended the session to inform the judge that the defendant was sick, according to a senior judicial source who spoke to Reuters. The governor, 72, has in the past refute...

  At one of the most famous robotics contests in the world, held in Houston, US, young Saudi students made another notable international accomplishment. The George R. Brown Convention Centre in the Texas city served as the venue for the 2023 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship from April 19–22. Over 974 student robotics teams from 59 different nations participated in FIRST programmes including the LEGO League, Tech Challenge, and Robotics Competition. For their outstanding design work, competitive play, research, business ideas, creativity, and collaboration, teams received awards. Saudi Arabia was represented by four teams this year. The first participant in the FTC Challenge category was QPS_Saudi from Jeddah. The second team, the Emerald League from Riyadh , participated in the FLL Challenge division. The third team, Saudi Maker-Jr, played in the FLL Explorer division under the direction of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. The...

  Military intelligence has liberated an Iraqi person who was abducted in Lebanon. Four days ago, Badr Dafar Sayer was kidnapped and held for ransom from an apartment in Jounieh, which is located north of Beirut. He was afterwards transferred to the Sherwana neighbourhood in Baalbek. His kidnappers let him go once they departed, making it impossible for the police to apprehend them. A wanted guy named M.J. and unidentified gunmen posing as security personnel abducted the Iraqi Badr Dafar Sayer from an apartment in the city of Jounieh and demanded a sizable ransom from his family, according to Army Command. Because of the country's struggling economy and high inflation, there has been an increase in kidnappings for ransom. It has become a weekly occurrence for images of abduction victims to appear on social media. Lebanese police statistics from the end of 2022 indicates a considerable rise in abduction for ransom along with an improvement in security indicators compared to 2021. An...

  Imad Odwan, a Jordanian lawmaker, was detained by Israel for reportedly attempting to smuggle gold and weapons into the occupied West Bank. An effort to transport the commodities was reportedly thwarted by Israeli police at the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby) border crossing, according to reports that circulated on social media. The things, according to the reports, were discovered in a car that belonged to the Jordanian legislator. The Jordanian government was informed of the politician's detention, an official source told Arab News on Sunday. The source, who asked to remain anonymous, declined to give the identity of the legislator who had been taken into custody but did say that the administration was attempting to secure his release. According to Sinan Al-Majali, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the event was being investigated. Andre Hawari, a Jordanian lawmaker, praised his colleague as a "hero" and said that he was supplying the ...

  When the likely 2024 presidential contender visits Israel this week, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, DeSantis stated on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. DeSantis will visit Israel, South Korea, Japan, and the UK while overseas. The trip to Israel takes place while demonstrations against Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposed restrictions on the Supreme Court of Israel are taking place. When questioned by CBS about meeting with DeSantis, Netanyahu responded, "Of course, I'll meet with everyone. Exactly why not? I'll meet with Democratic and Republican governors. An inquiry for comments was not immediately answered by DeSantis' office. Republican former president Donald Trump received the support of a number of Republican lawmakers in Florida this week. Trump launched his reelection campaign in November 2022. DeSantis has not officially registered his candidature, thus the endorseme...

  After months of increasing tension, an open military conflict erupted last week between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group. This conflict is particularly alarming given that both groups were once close allies and had worked together to seize control of the country after ousting former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. However, the relationship between the two groups has been deteriorating due to several reasons, including differing views on integrating the RSF into the military and a sensitive plan for a transition to civilian rule. The latest conflict has resulted in over 410 fatalities, with numerous hospitals going out of service and many people trapped in their homes. The situation has led to depleting essential supplies, and only a few humanitarian organizations are currently operating in Sudan . Countries like Germany, South Korea, and the US are struggling to find ways to evacuate their embassy staff, while ceasefires have n...

  A top leader of the extremist Islamic State organisation was killed early on Monday by an American helicopter strike in northern Syria, according to the U.S. military. Abd-al-Hadi Mahmud al-Haji Ali, the commander of IS, was cited by the U.S. Central Command as being "responsible for planning terror attacks in the Middle East and Europe." Along with al-Haji Ali, who was the objective of the raid, two other accused IS members were also slain, according to CENTCOM. There were no injuries to civilians or American soldiers, according to the statement. It was stated that the raid was carried out following the discovery by intelligence of an IS plot to "kidnap officials abroad as leverage for (IS) initiatives." The White Helmets of Syria , a civil defence organisation working in opposition-held regions of northern Syria, claimed to have transferred two victims of the raid to a nearby hospital, which subsequently reported that they had passed away. According to the White...

  Following last week's arrest of opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued a warning on Friday against Tunisia reversing course on the foundations of its democracy. Reporters were informed by Baerbock that Berlin was "extremely concerned" about Ghannouchi's detention and emphasised that Tunisia's "democracy achievements since 2011 must not be lost." The 81-year-old Ghannouchi, a former speaker of parliament, was detained on Monday following comments he made stating that the elimination of opposing ideologies, such as the left or political Islam, which his party sprang from, may cause a "civil war." His Ennahdha party, which is a part of the major opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front (FSN), claimed he had been detained on suspicion of "plotting against state security." Due to Tunisia's high levels of debt, unemployment, and inflation, some of its residents have attempted to...

  As anti-Syrian sentiment rises amid a terrible economic crisis, Lebanon has deported hundreds of Syrians back to the war-torn nation they fled, according to security authorities and a humanitarian source on Friday. According to a relative, one of the deported Syrians was an army defector who had been warned that "his life is in danger." According to an army officer who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, "the army has deported more than 50 Syrians from Lebanon in the past two weeks." Numerous Syrians, according to a different security officer, were removed. They said that the army intelligence unit of Lebanon had been harshly prosecuting illegal Syrians, detaining them, and then passing them over to border guards who evicted them from Lebanon. After the savage repression of anti-regime rallies in 2011 that started the country's civil war, hundreds of thousands of Syrians fled to the neighbouring co...

  The recent restriction by their union on media appearances not approved by the syndicate has attorneys in crisis-hit Lebanon more concerned because they claim it equates to political intervention. The restriction, according to lawyers and human rights advocates, also breaches rules governing free expression and silences their work on accountability. The alarm was raised once more on Thursday when Nizar Saghieh, a well-known activist lawyer, was subjected to a three-hour interrogation by the chairman of the Beirut Bar Association for breaking the law by speaking to the media without authorization. The leader of the monitoring organisation Legal Agenda, Saghieh, spoke to media in protest of the choice. Nadir Gasbard, the association's chairman, cited attorneys who routinely appear in the media and openly remark on ongoing cases as evidence that the ban, which was imposed in March, was necessary to avert what he called "chaos in the judiciary." Saghieh has criticised the g...

  In advance of celebrations commemorating the end of Ramadan, violence between the armies of two competing generals continued to erupt in explosions and gunfire Thursday in the capital of Sudan. Since violence broke out Saturday between soldiers loyal to Sudan's army leader Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who is in charge of the paramilitary Rapid Support soldiers (RSF), over 300 people have died. Five million people live in Khartoum, the capital city, where some of the bloodiest fights have occurred. The majority of these residents have been confined to their houses without access to food, water, or power. Nazek Abdalla, a 38-year-old from southern Khartoum, claimed that the sound of fighter planes and air strikes awakened him and his family. In the hopes that no stray gunshots would strike our building, "we locked our doors and windows." Hours after another cease-fire failed, the conflict started its sixth day with the sound of gunfire and ...

  The arrest of Rached al-Ghannouchi and other Tunisian opposition activists, whose detentions are a result of a widespread campaign against President Kais Saied's alleged detractors, alarmed the State Department on Wednesday.  Ghannouchi, the unpopular leader of the Ennahda party with moderate Islamist roots and the final speaker of parliament until Saied dissolved it over two years ago, was detained by Tunisian police on Monday evening. The arrest of Rached al-Ghannouchi and other Tunisian opposition activists, whose detentions are a result of a widespread campaign against President Kais Saied's alleged detractors, alarmed the State Department on Wednesday.  Ghannouchi, the unpopular leader of the Ennahda party with moderate Islamist roots and the final speaker of parliament until Saied dissolved it over two years ago, was detained by Tunisian police on Monday evening. About 100 plainclothes police officers allegedly searched the 81-year-old politician's home in Tunis...

  For six months, Tunisia has had a meagre trickle, drip, drip from the faucets every evening. The majority of the nation, including Tunis, the capital city, is subject to a state-ordered water rationing where spigots are shut off for seven hours between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. With the government suddenly ordering its citizens to restrict their water consumption from April to September — or suffer fines or jail time — Tunisians are on the front lines of a war against an increasingly severe drought, now in its fifth year in the north African nation. To bathe, use the bathroom and cook food late at night, households now require a supply of bottled water. Additionally, authorities have made it illegal to irrigate farms, water urban green spaces, and wash vehicles and streets using drinkable water. Nearly all of Tunisia's more than 30 dams have experienced a sharp decline in water levels, with some reaching as little as 17% of their storage capacity. Water for agriculture and tap water are ...

  The national airline of Egypt , EgyptAir, said on Tuesday that it will keep all flights to and from Sudan's Khartoum International Airport suspended owing to the ongoing turmoil in that country. EgyptAir announced in a statement that "the suspension will continue until further notice." After hostilities broke out between the Sudanese army and its paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Saturday, EgyptAir announced that all flights to and from the Khartoum International Airport would be suspended for 72 hours. Flights to and from Sudan have been cancelled by a number of airlines, including the flag carrier Saudia, Emirates, flydubai, and Air Arabia of the UAE. Following the announcement that one of Saudia's planes had been lost at the airport in Khartoum, the decision was made. Satellite photographs demonstrate the harm caused by recent fighting at Khartoum International Airport. According to a UN representative in Sudan, as of Monday, 185 people had died and 1,800 had ...

  According to his attorney, prominent Tunisian Islamist leader Rached Ghannouchi was taken into custody on Monday following a police search. The action against the 81-year-old former speaker of the house comes as social unrest and economic woes in Tunisia, the country that gave birth to the pro-democracy Arab Spring movement more than 10 years ago, are on the rise. Kais Saied, the president of Tunisia, is most frequently criticised by Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahdha party. Early on Tuesday, Tunisian police conducted a raid on the main offices of the Islamist Ennahda party and began evacuating everyone inside, according to party insiders who spoke to Reuters. Riadh Chaibi, a party official, said that the police escorted everyone outside and started searching the headquarters after displaying a court order. Following a police search, Ennahdha tweeted that Ghannouchi had been "taken from his home," adding that it "condemns this very dangerous development." The ...

  A leading activist emphasised on Monday as the world observed Prisoner's Day that the Palestinian Authority must make the release of all detained Palestinians a major priority. According to Qadura Faris, the leader of the Prisoners' Club, the Palestinian government and political parties are not doing enough to free the thousands of prisoners held by Israel. His comments came amid mounting anger about Israel's mistreatment of hundreds of Palestinian security detainees, including sick people, pregnant women, young children, and the elderly, as the campaign of arrests by the occupation forces goes on. Every April 17, Palestinians observe Prisoner's Day. In 1974, the Palestinian National Council declared the day a national day for prisoners, bringing together campaigns for their release. Israel is holding 4,900 prisoners, including 31 women, 160 minors, more than 1,000 administrative detainees, 19 journalists, and hundreds of elderly and ill inmates who are subjected to t...

  On Monday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reiterated its appeals for a quick ceasefire in Sudan and urged all sides to engage in discussion.  OIC Secretary General Hussein Ibrahim Taha voiced "his deep concern about the ongoing fighting and violence, which has led to many casualties and injuries." The OIC statement stated that a flare-up of hostilities "would have dire effects on civilians and the overall humanitarian situation in Sudan."   The OIC has asked the command of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to put an end to combat and turn to settlement and discussion. The OIC stated that it supports international efforts to maintain a cease-fire to permit the delivery of relief and the evacuation of the injured as well as those who have become stranded close to dangerous regions.

  The 5.2 million-person city of Khartoum was bombarded by airstrikes and artillery fire on Saturday, sparking fires and wreaking havoc as simmering tensions between Sudan's ruling factions reached a breaking point. Tanks and trucks with mounted machine guns started rolling through the streets. From Merowe in the north to El-Obeid in the south, fighting quickly spread over the whole country. The situation in the neighbouring country of Sudan is more than simply a security concern for Egypt. A Twitter post that appeared on Saturday afternoon showed three Egyptian troops being held hostage close to Merowe. Merowe airfield functioned as a site for joint military drills between the two militaries, and there had been several rumours concerning the Egyptian military's involvement there. The imprisoned soldiers were engaged in joint training exercises with the Sudanese military, not in hostilities, according to Ibrahim Al-Shwaimi, a former assistant minister of international affairs ...

  As fighting broke out with the military on Saturday, the biggest paramilitary force in Sudan claimed to have taken over the presidential palace, the army chief's home, and Khartoum International Airport in what appeared to be a coup attempt. A body of Sudanese doctors said that the violence claimed the lives of at least three people. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who claimed that the army had attacked them first, also claimed that they had taken control of the airports in the western city of El-Obeid and the northern city of Merowe. According to the army, operations are being carried out against the RSF by the Sudanese air force. A military aircraft was visible in the skies above Khartoum in footage from broadcasters, but Reuters was unable to independently verify the information. There were reports of firing in other cities from witnesses, and gunfire was audible in various locations across Khartoum. A Reuters reporter witnessed the deployment of artillery and armoured vehicle...

  According to the organisation, the Palestinian administration prohibited the establishment of a legal advocacy group that would have represented critics and opponents held in Palestinian jails. This action was denounced as the latest attempt by the administration to strangle civil society in the occupied West Bank. Lawyers for Justice might lose access to its finances and be forced to shut if it isn't properly registered. Director Mohannad Karaje claimed the organisation was informed that, although being incorporated as a "civil corporation," it had broken the law by carrying out charity activities and accepting foreign funding. Even though Lawyers for Justice has functioned as a civil corporation without incident for years, the Palestinian security forces refused to renew the registration, he said. The New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch criticised the procedural justification provided by the authority as a thinly veiled attack on an organisation that has defend...

  For Jerusalem Day, an annual demonstration of sympathy for the Palestinians, tens of thousands of Iranians marched through Tehran's centre on Friday as others shouted "death to America" and "death to Israel ." President Ebrahim Raisi and other senior Iranian leaders were present during the gathering. The protests commemorating what is also known as Al-Quds Day have generally been conducted on the final Friday of the holy month of Ramadan since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. East Jerusalem was taken by Israel during the Middle East War of 1967 and added to its capital. The Palestinians want Jerusalem's eastern sector to serve as their future capital. The Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, is located in Jerusalem. The complex, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is also considered to be the holiest place in Judaism. Mohammad Qalibaf, the speaker of the parliament, told protesters that Israel is the "root" of the issues in the a...

  Politicians in Lebanon played a game of football to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the nation's civil war, a 15-year struggle that claimed more than 120,000 lives and drove 1 million people from their homes. Nada Boustani, a former minister of energy and water, was one of the MPs from various political backgrounds that took the pitch in the friendly match versus Civil Defence personnel at a stadium in Dbayeh, north of Beirut. The football game, in the words of MP Simon Abi Ramia, communicated a "message of peace and love" that could be discussed in political gatherings and aid in finding answers at the national level. This is a chance to put aside political differences, he continued, so that future generations won't have to deal with strife, warfare, or other violent disputes. Community organisations in and around Lebanon also held cultural and social events to commemorate the start of the civil war on April 13, 1975. However, many Lebanese claimed they were to...

  When the West made the decision to overthrow Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, a country that was independent, sovereign, and a member of the UN, it required a justification for doing so. Instead of relying on a single justification, the capitals of Washington, Paris, London, and other nations made up a number of justifications for their invasion of Libya, including: a lack of freedom; the death of peaceful protestors; and, most importantly, the assertion that Gaddafi's Libya never had a constitution. Gaddafi must leave because, among other things, he no longer had "the legitimacy to rule," according to former President Barak Obama, and Western decision-makers and mainstream media controlled the media by making all kinds of statements about how bad Libya was under his reign. Since the United States, France, and the United Kingdom are three anti-Gaddafi international powers and have veto power on the UN Security Council, getting approval from the UN to take military actio...

  At least 14 people have died in the past three days of bloodshed in Sudan's long-troubled Darfur area, according to two activists on Tuesday. Conflicts broke out in the West Darfur area on Sunday, according to Adam Haroun, a local activist, after Arab motorbike gunmen in the isolated village of Fur Baranga assassinated a trader. According to Adam Regal, a representative for a local organisation that assists with the management of refugee camps in Darfur, the death precipitated a series of retaliatory attacks and looting between Arabic and African tribal groups. According to Haroun, the violence persisted on Tuesday and the death toll was certain to increase. The governor of West Darfur imposed a nighttime curfew over the whole state on Monday and proclaimed a state of emergency that would last for two weeks. Analysts attribute a rise in violence in recent months among various ethnic groups in Sudan's remote regions to a leadership vacuum and tensions brought on by political u...

  Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the president of Guinea-Bissau, undertook the Umrah pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah in western Saudi Arabia , according to a report from the state-run SPA news agency on Tuesday. A number of representatives from the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques and the special force for the Grand Mosque's security welcomed him upon his arrival at the mosque. He landed in Jeddah earlier on Tuesday, when the deputy governor of Makkah, Prince Badr bin Sultan, and other Saudi authorities met him at the King Abdulaziz International Airport.

  Before the end of Ramadan, Israel has outlawed non-Muslim visitors to the volatile Al-Aqsa Mosque site in Jerusalem. Approximately 800 Israelis were allowed to pray in the property on Tuesday morning, the sixth day of Passover, in violation of a long-standing agreement that forbids such activity during the last 10 days of the Muslim holy month. This sparked outcry, and Israeli security officials were forced to take action. It is still unknown if Israel's extremist settler movement, which is becoming more powerful, would adhere to the Al-Aqsa policy. One of its leaders, the notoriously religious bigot and far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has a criminal record for aiding terrorism and inciting bigotry, condemned the ban. When terrorism attacks us, he declared, "we must strike back with great force and not yield to its whims." "Israel wants to prove that they are the ones who decide what can and cannot happen at Al-Aqsa," said Sheikh Ekrima Said Sab...

  Early in May, the foreign ministers of Turkey , Russia, Iran, and Syria may convene as part of Russia's efforts to mediate a reconciliation between the governments of Turkey and Syria, the foreign minister of Turkey said on Monday. Turkey, a member of NATO, has dispatched its own forces into large portions of northern Syria and has been a significant supporter of the political and armed opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout a 12-year civil war. Minister Mevlut Cavusolu stated to broadcaster A Haber that the meeting "will most likely take place in early May, in Moscow," adding that it may result in a leaders' summit.

  The administration in Ankara said on Monday that Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is set to travel to Turkey once more this week and expressed hope that steps may be taken towards the reinstatement of envoys after relations broke down ten years ago. Mevlut Cavusoglu, the foreign minister of Turkey, told the private radio A Haber that his colleague would arrive soon—hopefully this week—and would provide further information on Wednesday. It's time to make a decision, he added. We can take efforts to nominate ambassadors while Shoukry is here. A decade after Egypt's then-president and Ankara friend Mohamed Mursi was overthrown, Cavusoglu paid a visit to Cairo this month. Shoukry also travelled to Turkey two weeks ago to express sympathy with the Turkish and Syrian people following the devastating earthquakes that claimed more than 50,000 lives.

  Infiltrating an upscale Beirut neighbourhood on a chilly night fifty years ago, an Israeli commando squad headed by a man posing as a woman shot and murdered three senior PLO leaders inside their residences. Although the anniversary is not widely publicized, the April 10, 1973 action is still relevant today. One of the first occasions Lebanon served as a venue for Israel and its adversaries to settle their differences was during the attack. It still is, as demonstrated by this week's cross-border exchange of rocket fire and airstrikes between Israel and Palestinian terrorist groups in Lebanon. The Lebanese were astounded by the killings' brazenness—carried out by an Israeli squad that entered and exited Beirut with no opposition. Two years before to the start of the civil war, their nation was mostly recognised as a popular tourist destination where people came to party, visit historical buildings, go skiing on snow-capped mountains, or sunbathe on sandy beaches. It ushered i...

  The rise in violence by Israel in Jerusalem and the continuous assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces have been denounced by the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi criticised the disrespect shown by Israeli soldiers throughout Ramadan and the breach of Al-Aqsa's sanctity. The sanctities of the sacred places were being violated, according to Albudaiwi, by Israeli violence throughout the holy month and the ongoing invasions at the mosque. He urged the international community to defend Palestinian citizens and thwart Israeli efforts to alter the legal status, racial makeup, and arrangements for the Islamic holy site in Jerusalem.  The GCC has listed specific breaches committed by Israeli soldiers, including as the shutting of the Ibrahimi Mosque and the intimidation, abuse, and ejection of worshippers.  According to Albudaiwi, such actions are provocative to Muslims worldwide, violate the legal standing of sacred sites, go...

  After expressing "grave concern" over the rapid escalation in Palestine and Lebanon, Egypt pleaded for calm on Friday. Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said in a statement that the region's recent hazardous and swift escalation "is a source of great concern." "Maximum restraint must be used by all parties." The Palestinian resistance organisation Hamas spoke with a top Russian official on Friday over the most recent Israeli onslaught. According to a statement from the group, Moussa Abu Marzouk, the head of the movement's international relations office, spoke with Mikhail Bogdanov, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, about "the Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and the need to stop it immediately, as well as the ongoing attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque." The representative from Russia stated "the position of his country in support of the rights of the Palestinians." Early on Friday, ...

  In the semi-autonomous Kurdish area of northern Iraq , an explosion occurred close to the Suleimaniyah International Airport on Friday, according to local authorities. The explosion happened a few days after Turkiye banned flights to and from the airport, claiming an alleged rise in militant Kurdish activities endangering flight safety. Turkiye has fought Kurdish rebels in the east for years. Large Kurdish populations may also be found in Syria and Iraq, which are nearby. The explosion was reportedly caused by a Turkish drone strike on Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the primary US-backed and Kurdish-led group in Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition war monitor. In northeast Syria, representatives of the SDF and the Kurdish regional administration disputed that Abdi was in Suleimaniyah at the time or had been attacked. Abdi is "carrying on his work and is in northeast Syria," according to Fethullah A...

  An agreement with lawmakers to restart the country's democratic transition, which was thwarted by a coup in 2021, has been delayed once more due to a conflict between Sudan's military and a paramilitary organization, a pro-democracy grouping said Wednesday. The contract won't be signed on Thursday as originally scheduled, according to a statement from the group, known as the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change. The group said that talks on a reform for the security and military sectors to be included in the final accord were still ongoing between the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Force. The rapid support force's incorporation into the military is a topic of discussion. The military and paramilitary force had made progress, according to the bloc, and just one issue remained. It didn't provide any more information. Sudanese parties missed a deadline set to sign the agreement between the generals and pro-democracy movements for the...

  President Kais Saied of Tunisia stated on Thursday that he would not accept "diktats" and that subsidy cutbacks may cause unrest, which was his most blatant rejection of the terms of a blocked $1.9 billion IMF rescue plan to yet. In September, Tunisia and the IMF agreed a staff-level agreement for the loan, but the country has already broken important deadlines, and donors worry that the state's finances are moving farther away from the numbers used to compute the deal. Tunisia would be in a severe balance of payments problem without a loan. The majority of debt is domestic, but Tunisia may fail on payments on its international loans that are due later this year, according to credit rating agencies. When asked if he would accept the loan's requirements, which include reducing public pay costs and reducing food and energy subsidies, Kais Saied said, "I will not hear diktats." He said, "Public peace is not a game," recalling the fatal riots that th...

  From April 7 to 12, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania will tour Japan on formal business.  Jordan's King and Queen will have a meeting with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Michiko while they are in Japan.  King Abdullah and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will visit and have supper together.  "Japan sincerely welcomes the visit of Their Majesties the King and the Queen and hopes the visit will further strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," read a government statement released by the foreign ministry in Tokyo. King Abdullah II of Jordan will be making his 12th trip to Japan in that capacity.

  As Palestinian worshippers surrounded the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City's sensitive complex and Israeli police used force to disperse scores of worshipers, violence broke out in Jerusalem for a second night in a row. Compared to the prior night, the disturbance was less severe. But as Jews started the seven-day Passover holiday and Muslims observed the holy month of Ramadan, the situation stayed explosive. Fears of a larger conflict were sparked by Palestinian rebels in the Gaza Strip resuming their missile attacks against Israel . At least six persons were hurt in the most recent fighting, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to separate the masses, according to the Islamic Waqf officials, who oversee the property. According to the Israeli police, "dozens of law-breaking juveniles" caused mayhem by pelting police with rocks and other items, forcing them to take action to reestablish "security, law, and order....