Mena Today

Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, has expressed profound sorrow at the passing of Pope Francis describing him as a “distinguished humanitarian and dear friend.”

An old Italian saying warns against putting faith, or money, in any presumed front-runner ahead of the conclave, the closed-door gathering of cardinals that picks the pontiff. It cautions: "He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal".

The world is mourning the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88, leaving behind an enduring legacy of humility, compassion, and unwavering advocacy for peace and interreligious harmony.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will visit China on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, ahead of a third round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington due on Saturday in Oman. 

Tunisian police on Monday detained Ahmed Souab, a prominent lawyer and fierce critic of the country's president, lawyers told Reuters, raising human rights groups' concerns that a crackdown on dissent will go ahead.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said on Monday, ending an often turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of a March attack on Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a message group that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.

The Israeli Air Force conducted a series of intense airstrikes on Sunday targeting Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, hitting areas between Bassalia and Jbaa (Nabatiyeh), as well as the outskirts of Mlita, Jabal Safi (Iqlim al-Touffah heights), and Sojod (Jezzine).

Syria’s Latakia port welcomed its first major shipment of wheat since the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces in December 2024. 

Democratic Republic of Congo suspended former President Joseph Kabila's political party and ordered his assets seized over accusations of supporting Rwandan-backed rebels in the east, the government said.

In a bold move that’s sending ripples through diplomatic circles, South Carolina’s Rep. Joe Wilson took to X in April 2025 to demand a seismic shift in U.S. policy on the Western Sahara. 

Several multinational energy companies, including U.S. giant Chevron, have pulled out of their oil and gas exploration blocks in Egypt’s Red Sea after failing to make any viable discoveries, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum confirmed this week.