Mena Today

A United Nations official warned on Monday that efforts to repair divisions and stabilise southern Syria have stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in a Druze-majority province shook the country. 

Lebanese Kataeb party chief Samy Gemayel drew a hard line Monday, declaring that Lebanese sovereigntists would never accept living alongside an armed Hezbollah, regardless of what is agreed in the US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

Last month, Ali Rizkallah, a commander in the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, was welcomed to Sudan’s capital Khartoum and given a uniform and a rank in the armed forces he had spent about three years fighting.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's former transport minister, Jose Luis Abalos, was sentenced on Monday to 24 years in prison for a slew of offences involving corruption, the first verdict in a series of court cases linked to the ruling Socialist Party.

Lebanon's Finance and Budget Committee approved Monday a government bill establishing a "golden visa" scheme, offering wealthy foreigners and expatriates the opportunity to obtain Lebanese residency and a preferential tax regime in exchange for a minimum investment of $500,000.

Spain's ruling Socialist Workers' Party faces several court cases involving allegations of graft, influence-peddling and other crimes that have implicated members of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's inner circle. 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel Tuesday through Thursday to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, on a trip that will give the Trump administration a chance to sell its preliminary Iran accord directly to Gulf Arab allies.

The United States authorized Iranian oil sales on Monday, easing decades-old sanctions as it pushes toward a final peace deal with Tehran in return for commitments on nuclear inspections and free transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he was quitting, paving the way for what is expected to be an orderly transfer of power to frontrunner Andy Burnham, who could become Britain's seventh leader in 10 years as early as next month.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Monday talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland had laid a "good foundation" for a final peace deal, despite tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon.

Iranian and American negotiators have reached agreement on mechanisms to halt fighting in Lebanon and secure the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan and Qatar announced Monday following the first round of formal negotiations at the Bürgenstock resort in the Swiss Alps.

Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured after an explosion at Qatar's massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural (LNG) gas complex which occurred as workers were restarting operations halted after an Iranian attack in March.