Mena Today

A new chapter in French football history opens Friday in Turkey's Nations League, marking Zinedine Zidane's debut as France's head coach, a major challenge for one of the sport's true icons.

The UAE has suspended all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the country from Thursday until further notice, its General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said, citing the US ban targeting Iranian carriers' access to airports worldwide.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen's Houthis, while Saudi's top religious authority told troops to be ready to lay down their lives to fight their Iran-aligned enemy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a forceful defense of Israel's actions in the region at the UN on Thursday, seeking to counter growing international isolation ahead of elections he could lose, as dozens of delegates streamed out.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed plans to hold legislative elections on November 28, the first such vote in 20 years despite serious domestic doubts it will go ahead, as he seeks to advance internationally backed reforms.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned 15 prisoners in a decree on Thursday that follows talks last week with an envoy for US President Donald Trump.

Iranian flights to Gulf neighbours including travel hub Dubai appeared to have been cancelled on Thursday after a US deadline passed for global firms to halt work with Iran's airlines, a major step in a campaign President Donald Trump calls "economic D-Day".

Israel's army radio (GLZ) announced Thursday a "significant" reduction in the number of brigades deployed in the occupied "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday, thwarting attacks on the southern province of Taif and Yanbu area on the Red Sea, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said.

Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces repelled overnight attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on a key supply route to the southern port city of Aden where the internationally recognised administration is based, government sources said on Thursday.

Thousands of newcomers are joining returning evacuees, a quiet verdict on who won the southern front.

A liberal, centrist party founded by an adviser to Morocco's king came out on top in parliamentary elections after a late boost from the man credited with leading the national football team to global fame, early results showed on Thursday.