Iran Seeks Ways to Defend Against US Sanctions

DUBAI, UAE — 

Iran is studying ways to keep exporting oil and other measures to counter U.S. economic sanctions, state news agency IRNA reported Saturday.

Since last month, when U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal that lifted most sanctions in 2015, the rial currency has dropped up to 40 percent in value, prompting protests by bazaar traders usually loyal to the Islamist rulers.

Speaking after three days of those protests, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the U.S. sanctions were aimed at turning Iranians against their government.

Other protesters clashed with police late Saturday during a demonstration against shortages of drinking water.

"They bring to bear economic pressure to separate the nation from the system ... but six U.S. presidents before him [Trump] tried this and had to give up," Khamenei said on his website Khamenei.ir.

With the return of U.S. sanctions likely to make it increasingly difficult to access the global financial system, President Hassan Rouhani has met with the head of parliament and the judiciary to discuss countermeasures.

"Various scenarios of threats to the Iranian economy by the U.S. government were examined and appropriate measures were taken to prepare for any probable U.S. sanctions, and to prevent their negative impact," IRNA said.

One such measure was seeking self-sufficiency in gasoline production, the report added.

Looking for buyers

The government and parliament have also set up a committee to study potential buyers of oil and ways of repatriating the income after U.S. sanctions take effect, Fereydoun Hassanvand, head of the parliament's energy committee, was quoted as saying by IRNA.

"Due to the possibility of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the committee will study the competence of buyers and how to obtain proceeds from the sale of oil, safe sale alternatives which are consistent with international law and do not lead to corruption and profiteering," Hassanvand said.

The United States has told allies to cut all imports of Iranian oil by November, a senior State Department official said Tuesday.

In the separate unrest, demonstrators protesting against shortages of drinking water in oil-rich southwestern Iran clashed with police late Saturday after officers ordered about 500 protesters to disperse, IRNA reported.

Shots could be heard on videos circulated on social media from protests in Khorramshahr, which has been the scene of demonstrations for the past three days, along with the nearby city of Abadan. The videos could not be authenticated by Reuters.

A number of protests have broken out in Iran since the beginning of the year over water, a growing political concern because of a drought that residents of parched areas and analysts say has been exacerbated by mismanagement.

Speaking before the IRNA report on the clash, Khamenei said the United States was acting with Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states, which regard Shiite Muslim Iran as their main regional foe, to try to destabilize the government in Tehran.

"If America was able to act against Iran, it would not need to form coalitions with notorious and reactionary states in the region and ask their help in fomenting unrest and instability," Khamenei told graduating Revolutionary Guards officers, in remarks carried by state TV.

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Jordan Army Delivers Aid to Syrians Stranded Near Border

AMMAN, JORDAN — 

The Jordanian army began delivering humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced Syrians who took shelter near its border when major fighting broke out in southern Syria this month, a government spokeswoman said
Saturday.

"This is in line with Jordan's stance to help our Syrian brothers," Jumana Ghunaimat told the state news agency.

Several thousand Syrians had gathered near a closed border crossing earlier on Saturday pleading to enter Jordan, which closed its borders after the Syrian army launched a major offensive this month, uprooting tens of thousands of people.

Social media footage showed large crowds of civilians, many children and women, facing Jordanian troops and tanks stationed along the heavily sealed border with Syria.

Tens of thousands of the more than 160,000 civilians who have been displaced, according to U.N. figures, have given up on entering Jordan and have instead headed west to the Israeli border.

Heavy fighting has taken place in Deraa city where rebels control the border stretch with Jordan and several mortars have fallen in Jordanian territory, but no casualties have been reported.

Public pressure is piling on Jordan to ease restrictions on entry of refugees. Some have criticized the kingdom's stance toward Syrians, many of whom have close kinship with Jordanians on the border.

"We are continuing to do everything to help civilians in the south on their land. We are moving in all directions to bring a halt in fighting and protect civilians," Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi tweeted Saturday.

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Iraq to Begin Manual Recount of May Election Votes on Tuesday

BAGHDAD — 

Iraq will begin a manual recount of May national election votes on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Independent High Electoral Commission said in a statement on Saturday.

Only those problematic ballots flagged in formal complaints or official reports on fraud allegations will be recounted, the statement said. The recount will start in Kirkuk province on Tuesday, and will extend to six further provinces: Sulaimaniya, Erbil, Dohuk, Nineveh, Salaheddin and Anbar, the statement said.

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Trump Says Saudi King Agreed to Raise Oil Production up to 2 mln Barrels

RIYADH — 

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Saturday that Saudi Arabia's King Salman had agreed to his request to increase oil production "maybe up to
2,000,000 barrels" to offset production from Iran and Venezuela.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.

The world's top oil exporter plans to pump up to 11 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) in July, an oil industry source told Reuters this week, after OPEC agreed with Russia and other
oil-producing allies to raise output by about 1 million bpd.

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Istanbul LGBT Pride March Will Go Ahead Despite Ban

Reports: 2 Palestinians Killed in Clashes at Gaza Border

UN: Humanitarian Catastrophe Ahead if Fighting Escalates in Daraa

US' Pompeo, Saudi Arabia's Al Falih Meet, Discuss Energy Security

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed energy security at a meeting with Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih on Friday in Washington, the department said.

No other details were provided in a department statement.

The United States has pushed for Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to add to oil supply to counter the U.S. effort to isolate Iran through renewed sanctions.

Saudi Arabia, the biggest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said it wants to boost production to 11 million barrels a day to offset declining exports from Iran.

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UN envoy: Yemen's Warring Parties Willing to Restart Talks

CAIRO — 

Yemen's warring parties have confirmed their willingness to restart negotiations after a two-year hiatus, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen said even as fighting raged along the country's west coast over a key port city.

Martin Griffiths told the U.N. radio late on Thursday that he plans to bring Yemen's Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, and the country's internationally recognized government backed by a Saudi-led coalition to the negotiating table within the next few weeks "at the very latest."

He said he hopes the U.N. Security Council will come up with a plan next week and present it to the Yemenis.

Griffiths has been talking to both sides to prevent an all-out bloodbath in Hodeida, which is a lifeline for Yemen's population.

He visited Yemen's President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi in the southern city of Aden, and he also met with the Houthis' chief negotiator Mohammed Abdul-Salam. He said he expects more talks with the Houthi side to take place within the next few days over the start of negotiations.

Griffiths attributed a lull in the fighting Friday "to the discussions we have been having with the parties."

Earlier this month, Yemeni forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition launched an offensive to retake Hodeida. Fighting has been concentrated at and around the city's airport, threatening to worsen Yemen's humanitarian situation.

Aid groups have repeatedly voiced fears that a protracted fight could shut down the port and potentially tip millions of people into starvation.

Recently, the Houthis offered to have the United Nations manage Hodeida's port, pending "an overall cease-fire" in the rebel-held city. This has been accepted by both sides, Griffiths said, adding that the U.N. role would begin "as soon as the parties" formally agree.

The civil war in impoverished Yemen has raged unabated since March 2015.

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UN Calls for Immediate End to Fighting in SW Syria

Israel Fires on Would-Be Infiltrators From Gaza, Teen Killed

The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza says a teenager has died after being wounded in Israeli shelling along the border.

The Israeli military says it identified two militants crawling toward the security barrier early on Thursday, trying to infiltrate into the country. An Israeli tank fired a shell in their direction and later discovered firebombs at the scene.

The health ministry says 17-year-old Abdel-Fattah Azzom later died in a Gaza hospital.

At least 125 Palestinians have been killed in nearly three months of intermittent anti-blockade mass protests along the Gaza frontier. The protests are organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers.

Israel says it is defending its border and nearby communities and accuses Hamas of using the protests as cover for attempts to breach the fence and carry out attacks.

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UK Committee Says Brits Knew of US Prisoner Mistreatment

LONDON — 

A U.K. parliamentary committee concluded Thursday that it is beyond doubt that British intelligence agencies knew the United States was mistreating people detained after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

A report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found Britain knew of the mistreatment at an early stage and that “more could have been done” by authorities to attempt to influence American behavior.

The report showed that in 198 cases, British authorities received intelligence obtained from detainees whom they knew —or should have suspected — had been mistreated.

In 232 cases, UK personnel continued to supply questions or intelligence to allies after they knew or suspected mistreatment, the report said.

The committee acknowledged that British authorities didn’t want to risk losing access to vital intelligence during frenetic efforts at the time to prevent another attack. But the seriousness of Britain’s position was “slow to dawn,” it said.

The agencies appeared to be “deliberately turning a blind eye so as not to damage the relationship and risk the flow of intelligence; if the agencies started raising concerns, the U.S. could have refused U.K. officers access to the detainees and stopped passing on any intelligence they obtained,” it said.

The committee, which took 50 hours of oral evidence and reviewed 40,000 documents, rejected the agencies’ claims that the cases cited were “isolated incidents.”

“It is difficult to comprehend how those at the top of the office did not recognize the pattern of mistreatment by the U.S,” it said.

Human rights campaigners have called for a judge-led inquiry into detentions and renditions in the so-called war on terror, describing the parliamentary report as too limited to give a full picture. Their concern was born out when the committee — chaired by Conservative Party lawmaker Dominic Grieve — underscored it was denied access to “those who had been on the ground at the time.”

“The committee has therefore concluded - reluctantly - that it must draw a line under the inquiry,” the report said. “This is regrettable.”

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US Begins to Dismantle Iran Nuclear Deal Sanctions Relief

WASHINGTON — 

The Trump administration on Wednesday began dismantling the sanctions relief that was granted to Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal, a step that follows President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the international accord.

The Treasury Department announced it had revoked licenses that allowed U.S.-controlled foreign firms to export commercial aircraft parts to Iran as well as permitted Americans to trade in Iranian carpets, pistachios and caviar. It said businesses engaged in any such transactions have to wind down those operations by Aug. 6 or face penalties under U.S. sanctions. Another set of licenses covering other types of commerce, including oil purchases, will be revoked in coming weeks, with firms given until Nov. 4 to end those activities.

The step had been expected since May when Trump pulled the U.S. out of the landmark agreement under which Iran was given relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program. Trump said the accord, a signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, President Barack Obama, was the worst deal ever negotiated by the United States because it gave Iran too much in return for too little. Trump also complained that the agreement did not cover Iran’s non-nuclear malign behavior.

Other parties to the deal — Britain, China, Germany, France, Russia and the European Union — have criticized the U.S. withdrawal, which has left the agreement at risk of collapse. The Trump administration is stepping up efforts to isolate Iran and its faltering economy from international financial and trading systems.

On Tuesday, the administration said it was pushing foreign countries to cut their oil imports from Iran to zero by Nov. 4. Previously, the administration had said only that countries should make a “significant reduction” in their imports of Iranian oil or be subject to separate U.S. sanctions prohibiting all transactions between their central banks and Iran’s central bank.

A senior State Department official said the administration is now telling European and Asian countries that the U.S. expects their imports to hit zero by the time the grace period ends. A U.S. team from the State Department and the National Security Council is currently in Europe delivering the message, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. The official added that the U.S. is working with other Middle Eastern countries to increase production so the global oil supply isn’t harmed.

Some close U.S. allies are among the largest importers of Iranian crude oil, including India and South Korea. Japan and Turkey also import significant amounts of Iranian oil, according to statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Agency. The biggest importer of Iranian oil last year was China.

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In Paris, International Experts Meet on Yemen Crisis

After Protests, Iran's Supreme Leader Calls For Punishment of Those Who Disrupt Economic Security

BEIRUT — 

Iran’s Supreme leader called on the judiciary to punish those “who disrupt economic security” on Wednesday, following protests earlier this week over the rial’s collapse and the prospect of more hardships to come thanks to U.S. measures against Tehran.

Business at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar was back to normal on Wednesday after a two-day strike had closed most shops. On Monday traders massed outside parliament to complain about the plunge to record lows of Iran’s currency.

Reuters was unable to verify footage showing riot police clashing with protesters. Public protests are rare in Iran but in recent months there have been several over the state of the economy.

“The atmosphere for the work, life and livelihood of the people must be secure,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with judiciary officials, according to his official website.

“And the judiciary must confront those who disrupt economic security.”

Following Washington’s withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, some U.S. sanctions are due to be reimposed in August and some in November.

This has caused the rial to collapse, threatening business by driving up the cost of imports. The rial traded at 78,500 against the dollar in the unofficial market on Wednesday, according to foreign exchange website Bonbast.com. This compares to around 43,000 at the end of last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has also told countries to cut all imports of Iranian oil from November, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

This may cut Iran’s hard currency earnings from oil exports, and the prospect is triggering a panicked flight of Iranians’ savings from the rial into dollars.

The United States’ efforts against Iran’s oil industry will fail, an Iranian oil official said on Wednesday.

“Iran exports a total amount of 2.5 million barrel per day of crude and condensate and eliminating it easily and in a period of a few months is impossible,” the oil official told the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Trump’s attempts to cut off Iranian oil imports raises the stakes for President Hassan Rouhani, who on Wednesday moved to appease anger over his government’s handling of the economy.

A ban on imports of over 1,300 products announced by Iran on Monday in order to prepare its economy for looming U.S. sanctions presented a big opportunity for Iranian companies, Rouhani said.

“The government’s decision to ban the import of some goods to the country with the goal of protecting Iranian goods is a very big opportunity for domestic producers,” Rouhani was quoted as saying on state media.

A senior commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards said all Iranians were obliged to help the government cope with any financial crisis, according to Fars News.

“It is all of our duty to work together to help the respected government and other governmental branches in solving the economic problems,” General Yahya Rahim-Safavi, who is also a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, said on Wednesday.

“We must neutralize the plans of the enemy for an economic war and psychological operations.”

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Supreme Court Nod to Travel Ban Crushes Syria Refugees' Hope

AMMAN, JORDAN — 

A Syrian refugee who had been tapped for possible resettlement to the United States says his hopes have been squashed for good by the Supreme Court decision to uphold a Trump administration travel ban for Syria and four other Muslim-majority countries.

Mahmoud Mansour, 44, a father of four, said Wednesday that “this is a decision against humanity.”

The Mansours, who were undergoing security vetting as part of resettlement efforts at one point, had once hoped to reunite with other family members in the U.S.

They fled Syria in 2012, and now feel trapped in Jordan, their overburdened host country.

Even before the Supreme Court ruling, the Trump administration had reduced the maximum global number of refugees the U.S. is willing to absorb in 2017 from 110,000 to 50,000.

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Prince William Strolls Down Tel Aviv Boulevard with Eurovision Winner

Fighting in Southern Syria Escalates, Displaces 50,000 People

BEIRUT — 

Fighting escalated in southern Syria as government forces on Tuesday pushed deeper into rebel-held territories in Daraa province under the cover of airstrikes. The United Nations estimated that up to 50,000 people have been displaced by the weeklong offensive.

Jordan said its borders will remain closed for any new refugees, calling on the U.N. to provide security in southern Syria.

Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said aid officials were "deeply concerned" for those fleeing the fighting and heading toward the sealed border with Jordan. He called on warring parties to "ensure the protection of these civilians, according to international law."

Daraa's residents described living in extreme fear and said many had also headed to the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, believing it to be safer.

The escalation in Daraa, near the border with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, came as Syria's state media reported that two Israeli missiles struck an area near the Damascus International Airport early on Tuesday, without naming a specific target.

Since last Tuesday, Syrian troops have targeted rebel-held areas in eastern Daraa, one of the country's last major rebel strongholds.

The strategic area was part of a truce deal reached last July between the United States, Russia and Jordan.

The offensive's goal appears to be regaining control of the border crossing with Jordan, which has been in rebel hands since 2015.President Bashar Assad's recent military victories, including the capture of Damascus suburbs and southern neighborhoods, have propelled the push.

Opposition activists said Syrian and Russian warplanes are taking part in the offensive. Russia's air force threw its weight behind Assad's forces in 2015, turning the tide of the war in his favor.

On Tuesday, the pro-government Central Military Media said Syrian troops gained control of al-Lujat, a rocky area in northeastern Daraa. It said the capture would have a domino effect on other parts east of Daraa and cut rebel supply lines.

Other pro-government media said the army intends to bring the entire province under its control and is likely to move on to western Daraa, where it has conducted a series of airstrikes Monday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war-monitoring group, reported that government troops were advancing in al-Lujat and captured seven new villages in the area.

Daraa-based opposition activist Osama Hourani denied the government controlled parts of al-Lujat, saying the area, known for its caves and rocky plains, will be a challenge for Assad's troops.

Waseem Kiwan, a 36-year old civilian in the village of Tafas north of Daraa city said nothing is spared in the intensive bombing campaign, including makeshift hospitals, civil defense centers and U.N. affiliated offices.

"The area is heading toward a catastrophe, a humanitarian catastrophe in every sense of the word," he said. "People are living in extreme fear."

Kiwan said many are heading toward the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"The safest place is the border with Israel because the regime and Russian airplanes cannot strike the area near the Israeli border," he said.

Younis Shtawi, a police officer in the Daraa village of Umm al-Mayadeen, said several villages, including Busra al-Harir, Atesh and communities in al-Lujat have been emptied of people in recent days.

"No one stayed," Shtawi said.

The U.S. has said the Syrian offensive risked broadening the conflict and called on Russia to end what it called violations of the truce.

Israel has also carried out a series of strikes recently on Syrian and Iranian forces in the area, warning against the expansion of Iran's role in Syria. Iranian advisers and Iran-backed militias are embedded with Syrian troops.

The U.N. World Food Program put the number of displaced from the Daraa fighting at nearly 50,000, saying it has delivered urgently-needed food across the Syria-Jordan border in the west. It said the fighting closed supply routes, causing a spike in prices of fuel and other basic supplies.

"We're sleeping in the open air, under the trees, in the mosques and schools. Those lucky to find a tent have to share it with four or five other families," a displaced man named Nidal told WFP.

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urged the U.N. to provide security in southern Syria. "Our borders will remain closed," Safadi wrote on his Twitter account.

Jordan is already hosting about 660,000 registered Syrian refugees and estimates that the number of displaced Syrians in the overburdened country is twice as high.

Tuesday's attack near the Damascus airport were the latest blamed on Israel. Such strikes have increased in frequency amid soaring tensions between Israel and Iran, a major Assad ally.

State news agency SANA said the strike came shortly after midnight Monday. The Observatory said Israeli jets flew over the Golan Heights and targeted suspected weapons depots for Iranian-backed militias near the Damascus airport. There were no reports of casualties.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, which rarely responds to the claims.

SANA linked the strike to the Daraa offensive, saying it comes amid "major losses" for the rebels and repeating the government's claims that Israel supports "terrorists" operating within Syria.

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Prince William is First British Royal to Visit Israel

Trump Meets Jordan's Abdullah as US Prepares to Unveil Middle East Peace Plan

As the U.S. prepares to roll out its Middle East peace plan, President Donald Trump meets with King Abdullah of Jordan about stalled Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on a deal. So far the White House has not disclosed details about the peace process. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has more from the White House.

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Syrian Media: Israeli Missiles Strike Near Damascus Airport

Syrian state media said Tuesday two Israeli missiles hit targets near the Damascus international airport.

The SANA news agency report did not mention any damage or casualties, while saying Israel was acting in response to recent losses by rebel fighters in southern Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles hit suspected weapons depots for pro-government militias.

Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes during the Syrian conflict, usually striking targets meant to stop the flow of arms to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon or to prevent Iran from establishing a presence in Syria that Israel would consider a threat.

The Israeli military rarely comments on such strikes.

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After Ban Ends, Saudi Women See New Job in Becoming Drivers

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — 

Saudi women are driving freely through busy city streets for the first time after years of risking arrest if they dared to get behind the wheel. And with the longstanding ban now lifted, a new opportunity has emerged: Working as drivers.

It's a job that had been reserved for men only and one that until recently even many Saudi males rejected as socially taboo. Driving was almost entirely the job of foreigners, often lower-income and from countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Saudi women who want to work as drivers — for ride-hailing services like Uber, for example — are challenging an even wider array of traditional limits on women's rights and are part of a wave of change that has drawn resistance from parts of the male community in the deeply conservative country.

"It's very natural for people to resist change," said Ammal Farahat, an affluent mother of two with a master's degree who runs who her own consultancy. "Once they start seeing more positive images and opportunities and what it means for women to drive, they're going to change their minds."

Farahat, who had a driver's license from the U.S. before obtaining a Saudi one, signed up to be a driver for Careem, a local competitor to Uber. She and her sister, who grew up in Saudi Arabia with a German mother who could drive freely in her home country, are trying out becoming drivers together.

Farahat says she decided to take on the job to defy stereotypes that working as a driver is beneath Saudi women.

For many women who sign up to become drivers, the job provides another source of income and greater financial independence.

"By opening our platform now to women, we are empowering them to be their own boss, to drive or to work whenever they want, and to work how long they want, as well. Perfect for women who are in the workforce," said Careem co-founder Abdullah Elyas.

It's not just women. In recent years, thousands of young Saudi men have started moonlighting as drivers for the two ride-hailing services.

The change reflects the shift in Saudi lifestyles mirrored by the kingdom's shrinking ability to rely solely on its vast oil exports for wealth. While 70 percent of Saudis who work are employed by the public sector, those jobs alone are not enough to keep pace with the number of Saudis entering the workforce.

Official statistics show that the average public sector salary for Saudis is about 10,600 riyals a month ($2,800), far from enough to comfortably cover the costs of one-income households in major cities like the capital, Riyadh.

Unemployment is close to 12 percent. The overwhelming majority of job seekers in Saudi Arabia are women, and around 34 percent of Saudis seeking employment are between 25 and 29 years old. The lifting of the driving ban on Sunday is expected to gradually improve women's participation in the workforce and buoy the economy.

There will still be many roadblocks for women. They need a male relative's approval to obtain a passport or travel abroad. And the support of a father, husband or brother is seen as key to a woman being able to work or drive.

Careem says 2,000 women have registered with the company to sign up as drivers since the kingdom announced in September the driving ban on women would be lifted. Uber, meanwhile, launched a website last week with over 100 Saudi women registering their interest in driving.

Already, more than 150,000 Saudi male drivers are signed up with Uber, with the majority working part-time. Careem says 95 percent of its fleet of drivers are Saudi men, totaling around 170,000.

But 80 percent of Uber's customers are women; 70 percent for Careem.

When the royal decree was announced last year that women would be allowed to drive, some Saudi women eager to drive their own cars shared pictures on Twitter deleting their Uber and Careem apps.

Elyas says the company's not worried about business being hurt, and is embracing the change.

"There is a need [for] being driven by a woman in Saudi and we're opening with that whole new customer segment, which we are excited to serve with our service going forward,'' he said.

While there has been a loosening of social restrictions in recent years, the culture here still shuns the mixing of unrelated men and women. A male driver initiating conversation with a female passenger can lead to a complaint.

Uber conducted its own research and found that 74 percent of prospective women drivers interviewed said they'd only be interested in driving female riders.

To accommodate this, Uber is rolling out a new feature in Saudi Arabia that allows women drivers to select women riders. The company describes it as an effort at "being mindful of the cultural context" in Saudi Arabia.

Careem says its drivers too can decide to confirm or decline an order based on the rider's gender by seeing their name.

As she drove around the streets of Riyadh, Farahat talked about how her daughter and niece, both under 5, will never know the challenges her generation went through in getting from one place to another and needing to rely on a man for transportation.

"They're not growing up in the same Saudi Arabia I grew up in at all," Farahat said. "It's exciting, but also I know every generation has their own challenges, so what challenges would they go through? It will be different.''

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Prince William Arrives in Israel for Historic Royal Visit

JERUSALEM — 

Prince William arrived in Israel on Monday for the first-ever official visit of a member of the British royal family to the tumultuous region London once ruled.

Arriving from neighboring Jordan, the Duke of Cambridge landed at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport and then departed to Jerusalem, where he will stay at the elegant King David Hotel, site of the former administrative headquarters of the British mandate.

Three decades of British rule between the two world wars helped establish some of the fault lines of today's Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Britain's withdrawal in 1948 led to the eventual establishment of Israel and Jordan.

Britain has since taken a back seat to the United States in mediating peace efforts, and the royal family has mostly steered clear of the region's toxic politics.

For the 36-year-old William, second in line to the throne, it marks a high-profile visit that could brandish his international credentials.

Though the trip is being billed as non-political, and places a special emphasis on technology and joint Israeli-Arab projects, William will also be meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and visiting landmark Jerusalem sites at the heart of the century-old conflict.

On Tuesday he will visit Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, where he will meet two survivors who escaped Nazi Germany for the safety of Britain. The memorial has recognized Prince William's great-grandmother, Princess Alice, as Righteous Among the Nations for her role in rescuing Jews during the Holocaust.

In a 1994 visit to Yad Vashem, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, planted a tree there in his mother's honor. Princess Alice hid three members of the Cohen family in her palace in Athens during the Nazi occupation of Greece in World War II. Thanks to her, the Cohen family survived and today lives in France. The princess died in 1969, and in 1988 her remains were brought to Jerusalem.

Later, the prince will meet Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before heading to coastal Tel Aviv to attend a football game of young Jewish and Arab players. He'll also meet the mayor of Tel Aviv and attend a reception the British ambassador is holding in his honor.

"It is the right moment we think for a visit to really shine a light on that relationship and show how strong the contemporary relationship is between the two countries," Ambassador David Quarrey told The Associated Press. "The Duke is very clear that he wants to come and get under the skin of the country, he wants to get a feel for Israel. He wants to get a flavor of the country."

Later in the week, he'll be traveling to the West Bank, where he will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah before wrapping up the trip in east Jerusalem to visit his great-grandmother's gravesite.

The royal itinerary managed to anger Israeli politicians by mentioning Jerusalem as being part of "the Occupied Palestinian Territories." Jerusalem Affairs Minister Zeev Elkin — who is running for mayor of the city in this year's elections — called the reference a "distortion" that cannot "change reality."

Israel captured east Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not internationally recognized. Israel considers the city, home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, as an inseparable part of its capital. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their future capital.

Ambassador Quarrey insisted the wording merely reflected decades of terminology used by British governments.

"It is important to emphasis that the Duke is not a political figure, this is not a political visit," he said.

The prince arrived from Jordan, where he kicked off his five-day Middle East tour by meeting young scientists, refugees and political leaders. He was hosted by Crown Prince Hussein, 23, a member of the Hashemite dynasty Britain helped install in then-Transjordan almost a century ago. The pair later watched the England-Panama World Cup match together.

In Jordan, the prince attended a reception marking the birthday of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and toured the ruins of the Roman city of Jerash, a major tourist attraction his wife had visited as a child when she and her family lived in Jordan.

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US Top Court to Hear Sudan Appeal on 2000 USS Cole Bombing

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear Sudan's appeal of $314.7 million in damages awarded in a lawsuit seeking compensation for American sailors injured in 2000 in the deadly al Qaeda bombing of the Navy
destroyer USS Cole in a Yemeni port.

The damages were levied by default because Sudan did not appear before a lower court to defend itself against allegations that it provided support to the Islamist militants. Sudan contends that it had not been properly notified of the lawsuit, in violation of U.S. and international law.

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Videos: Iran Protesters Confront Police at Parliament

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — 

Protesters angered by Iran's cratering economy confronted police officers in front of parliament on Monday, with security forces firing tear gas at them, according to online videos, the first such confrontation after similar demonstrations rocked the country at the start of the year.

The unplanned demonstration came a day after protests forced two major shopping centers for mobile phones and electronics to close in Tehran and after demonstrators earlier closed its Grand Bazaar.

It also signaled widespread unease beneath the surface in Iran in the wake of President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.

It wasn't immediately clear who led the protests. Iran's semi-official news agencies Fars, ISNA and Tasnim described the protests at the Grand Bazaar as erupting after the Iranian rial dropped to 90,000 to the dollar on the country's black market, despite government attempts to control the currency rate.

Videos posted to social media showed protesters at the bazaar heckling shopkeepers who refused to close, shouting in Farsi: "Coward!"

A short time later, about 2 kilometers(1.25 miles) from the Grand Bazaar, videos shared by Iranians on social media appeared to show a crowd confronting police at parliament. The videos show tear gas in the air and protesters screaming, "They attacked us with tear gas!" Another man is heard shouting: "Come back!"

Other videos appeared to show police charging into the crowd.

State media in Iran did not immediately report the Grand Bazaar demonstration. Only Fars reported on the parliament protest, which it described only as shopkeepers asking "lawmakers to stop rising prices."

The head of Iran's Chamber of Guilds, Ali Fazeli, later was quoted by Tasnim as saying the situation at the bazaar is calm.

"Their demands are delivered through the chamber to the government, and these are being pursued by us," he said.

Tehran's sprawling Grand Bazaar has long been a center of conservatism in Iranian politics and remains an economic force within the country — despite the construction of massive malls around the city. Bazaar families opposed the Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and supported the 1979 Islamic Revolution that saw him replaced by the Shiite theocracy and elected officials.

At the end of last year, similar economic protests roiled Iran and spread to some 75 cities and towns, becoming the largest demonstrations in the country since its 2009 disputed presidential election. The protests in late December and early January saw at least 25 people killed and nearly 5,000 people arrested by authorities.

However, those protests largely struck Iran's provinces as opposed to Tehran itself. Analysts believe hard-liners likely encouraged the first protest that took place in Mashhad to weaken the administration of President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate cleric within Iran's politics. The protests then spiraled out of control, with people openly criticizing both Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Rouhani's government has struggled with economic problems, which have seen high unemployment. A government-set exchange rate of 42,000 rials to $1 has quickly been surpassed in the black market. On Monday, state television quoted Iranian Central Bank chief Valiollah Seif as saying the government plans to create a parallel market next week to combat the black market.

Meanwhile, some hard-liners have called for new elections or for Rouhani's civilian government to be replaced by a military-led one. The Fars news agency, believed to be close to Iran's hard-line paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, made a point Monday to publish an article from the Sobh-e No daily newspaper describing the government as being ready to "bow down to foreign threats and sit at the negotiation table."

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Algeria Abandons 13,000 Migrants in the Sahara in Waves

Prince William Tours Roman Ruins in Jordan, Meets Refugees

JERASH, JORDAN — 

Britain's Prince William on Monday toured the ruins of the Roman city of Jerash, a major tourist attraction his wife visited as a child when she and her family lived in Jordan.

Along the route, William and Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein stopped in front of an enlarged photo on an easel that showed the former Kate Middleton, her father and younger sister posing against the backdrop of the Jerash ruins. For almost three years in the 1980s, the family lived in Jordan where Michael Middleton worked for British Airways.

William then stood in the same spot where the photo was taken and said: "Need to come back with the family for this shot." He pointed at his father-in-law in the photo, saying that "Michael's looking very smart in his flip-flops."

The visit to Jerash came on the second day of a five-day tour that also takes William to Israel and the Palestinian territories. It's a high-profile foreign trip for William, second in line to the throne, and comes at a time of widening rifts between Israelis and Palestinians.

Later Monday, he'll be the first British royal to visit the Holy Land in an official capacity. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict looms large, despite the ceremonial nature of the trip.

William, an avid soccer fan, arrived in Jordan on Sunday afternoon, at a time when the England-Panama World Cup game was under way. The Jordanian crown prince recorded it for him, and the two watched it later Sunday on a huge TV screen at Hussein's residence. England thrashed Panama 6-1, advancing to the second round.

Before settling down to soccer, William spoke at a garden reception at the British Embassy, praising Britain's historic ties with Jordan and the kingdom's commitment to hosting Syrian and Palestinian refugees.

Over decades, Jordan has taken in waves of refugees, most recently those fleeing civil war in Syria. Jordan hosts about 660,000 registered Syrian refugees, but says the actual number of displaced Syrians in the kingdom is twice as high.

Jordanian government officials on Monday were quoted as saying that Jordan could not absorb more refugees. The comments came as Syrian government forces advanced in southern Syria, near Jordan's border, leading to more displacement.

During the Jerash tour, William met with dozens of children attending a U.N.-sponsored education program, known as Makani, that serves Syrian refugees as well as Jordanian children from overburdened host communities.

The children greeted the two princes in the amphitheater of Jerash, where they showed him some of their art work, including paintings. One girl painted with her foot.

The ruins of Jerash are one of Jordan's main tourist attractions.

In a speech Sunday, William said the Middletons have fond memories of their time in Jordan, and that Kate was sorry she couldn't join him on the trip to the kingdom. Kate gave birth in April to the couple's third child, Louis.

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Enterprising Iraqi Runs Mobile Coffee Shop to Make Ends Meet

A young, Iraqi man struggled to find work in the oil-rich city of Basra. After extensive online job searches, he had an idea to outfit his small car with a coffee machine and a giant coffee cup on the roof, turning him into a barista with a mobile café. Arash Arabasadi reports.

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Egypt Extends State of Emergency for Another 3 Months

CAIRO — 

Egypt has extended its state of emergency for another three months.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's decision was published in the official gazette on Sunday. It should be approved by parliament within seven days and go into effect on July 14.

Egypt has been under a state of emergency, after an Islamic State affiliate bombed two Coptic churches in April last year killing at least 44 people.

Egypt has been battling Islamic militants for years, but the insurgency gained strength after the 2013 overthrow of an elected but divisive Islamist president. The militants have mainly targeted security forces and Christians.

In February, Egypt launched a massive security operation against militants in Sinai, parts of Egypt's Nile Delta and the Western Desert.

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Polls now Closed in Turkish Elections

The polls have closed in Turkey's landmark presidential and parliamentary elections in which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking re-election to a presidency with vastly expanded powers.

The elections complete Turkey's switch from a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidency, which was approved in a contested referendum last year.

Erdogan, who has been at Turkey's helm for the past 15 years, is seen as the front-runner. But he is facing a tough challenge by a robust opposition that has joined forces in a bid to unseat him.

Voters are also choosing among eight parties, including two alliances, for 600 parliamentary seats.

More than 59 million Turkish citizens, including three million living abroad, were eligible to vote. There are no exit polls.

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Israel Fires Missile at Drone Near Syria Frontier

JERUSALEM — 

The Israeli military says it fired a Patriot missile at an unmanned aircraft that approached its airspace near the Syrian frontier in the Golan Heights.

The army said Sunday that the missile did not hit the drone, and the aircraft "retreated from the border."

It was not immediately clear who launched the drone, but in February Israel shot down what it said was an Iranian drone that entered its airspace. It bombed Iranian targets in Syria in response.

Syrian troops have launched an offensive against rebel forces in southwestern Syria, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has expressed concerns about Iranian troops supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces, and says it will not allow a permanent Iranian military presence in Syria.

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Saudi Arabia Lifts Ban on Women Drivers

Saudi Arabia has lifted the world's last ban on women drivers.

The ban was lifted Sunday.

The move is a milestone for Saudi women who have had to rely on drivers, male relatives, taxis, or ride-hailing services to get around.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s government began issuing licenses to women who already held driving licenses from other countries, including Britain, Lebanon and Canada. The women took a brief driving test before receiving their new licenses.

However, most women in the country do not yet have driver’s licenses. Many women have not had a chance to take driving courses that have been only offered for a few months.
Bloomberg news agency said its interviews with Saudi women show the majority are conflicted about the new development, both being excited to drive but also wanting to respect their culture. Women say it will likely take some time for society to adapt to the change.

Car companies are also gearing up for the change with car sales expected to increase once the country’s 10 million women are allowed to drive. Earlier this year, Ford sponsored a driving experience for women in the city of Jeddah.

Ride-hailing services Uber and Careem said they have begun recruiting female drivers.

While Saudi Arabia’s government has been taking steps to legalize women drivers, police last month arrested several women who campaigned for the right to drive as well as campaigned against the country's male guardianship system. Rights groups say four women remain in custody, facing possible trial.

In Saudi Arabia, women are legally required to get approval from a male guardian for many decisions. These can include education, employment, marriage, travel and medical treatment.
In announcing the government's decision to lift the ban on female drivers last year, Prince Salman said women will not need approval from their guardians to get a driver’s license and will be able to drive alone in the car. He said they will have permission to drive anywhere in the kingdom, including the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

The prince said the decision marks a "huge step forward" and that "society is ready" for the change.

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Trump Advisor:Israeli-Palestinian Peace Plan 'Almost Done'

President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner says he doubts whether Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has the ability and the willingness to make a peace deal with Israel.

"He has his talking points which have not changed in the last 25 years. There has been no peace deal achieved in that time," Kushner said in an interview published in Palestinian newspaper Al Quds.

Kushner also said the Trump administration is "almost done" with an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan that has been created without any input from the Palestinians.

Kushner and U.S. envoy Jason Greenblatt held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday and Saturday. Before meeting with Nentanyahu , the two men visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt.

Kushner said the Arab leaders are in favor of a Palestinian state.

Abbas has not seen Kushner and Greenblatt, following Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his decision to move the U.S. embassy there.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as their future capital.They insist the status of the disputed city is an issue to be negotiated between them and the Israelis.

"If President Abbas is willing to come back to the table," Kushner said, we are ready to engage; if he is not, we will likely air the plan publicly."

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Iraq’s Maverick al-Sadr Moves Closer to Iran

Iraqi Military Says 45 IS Members Killed in Air Strike

An Iraqi air strike in eastern Syria has claimed the lives of 45 members of Islamic State, Iraq's military said Saturday.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command said F-16 warplanes launched an assault on three houses Friday in the town of Hajin, where IS leaders were meeting.

Among those killed were the militant group's "deputy war minister," one of its "media emirs," the leader's personal courier and its police chief, the military said in a statement.

Iraq has launched several aerial attacks against IS in Syria since last year.

The strikes were executed with the approval of the Syrian government and the U.S.-led coalition.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in December IS had been defeated in the region but the group is still active in pockets along the border with Syria.

IS began using guerrilla tactics since it abandoned its objective of controlling territory and creating a self-sufficient caliphate along the Iraqi-Syrian border.

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UN Secretary-General ‘Gravely Concerned’ About Escalation in Syria

Battle for Hodeida, Yemen Puts Thousands of Civilians at Grave Risk

Activists: Syrian Government Steps Up Offensive in Southwest

German Chancellor: Sunday's Migration Meeting a 'First Exchange'

BEIRUT — 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday said an upcoming meeting of European leaders in Brussels would be a "first exchange" toward finding solutions and agreements to problems connected with migration.

Speaking at a press conference in the Lebanese capital, she characterized Sunday's planned emergency gathering as a "consultative and working meeting at which there will be no closing declaration."

Merkel is visiting the Middle East amid a serious domestic row over migration that's straining her ruling coalition.

Bavaria's Christian Social Union party demands that some migrants should be turned back at Germany's borders, and has given her two weeks to reach agreement with European partners. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, the CSU's leader, is threatening to go ahead unilaterally with his plans if she doesn't — potentially threatening the governing coalition. Merkel rejects the idea of taking unilateral action.

The meeting on Sunday among leaders from a group of EU countries, led by Germany and France, is intended to thrash out possible solutions. It comes ahead of a full summit of the 28-nation EU next Thursday and Friday.

"What it's about on Sunday is talking with particularly affected nations about all problems connected with migration — primary migration as well as secondary migration — and, following on from Sunday, seeing whether we can reach, bi-, tri- or even multinational agreements to better solve certain problems," she said.

"So Sunday is a first exchange with interested member states — it was open to all member states, but of course not every country is affected in the same way — no more and no less than a working and consultative meeting."

Asked whether she expects her governing coalition to stay together, she replied: "I am working so that the coalition can fulfill the tasks it set itself in the coalition agreement, and we have plenty to do; we have achieved some things already."

Earlier on Friday, Merkel tossed a ball with students and passed out jerseys from Germany's national soccer team, currently competing in the World Cup, during a visit to a public school in the Lebanese capital, where many of the students are Syrian refugees.

"We try to help you get an education," she told one student in English.

There are over a million Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, representing nearly a quarter of the population. This makes Lebanon the largest host country in the region, putting a huge strain on the economy. In 2017, Germany gave Lebanon 370 million euros to help with the refugees and in a statement released Wednesday, the EU adopted a support package to Lebanon of 165 million euros ($191 million) to help cope with hosting refugees.

At the joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Merkel promised to continue supporting Lebanon and said Germany wants to contribute toward a political solution to the crisis in Syria that would enable the return of refugees to the war-torn country.

She also met with the president as well as with representatives of United Nations agencies and Lebanese businessmen during her trip.

A day earlier in Jordan, another major refugee host country, Merkel promised a $100 million loan in addition to bilateral aid. She said she hopes the additional funds will help Jordan carry out economic reforms sought by the International Monetary Fund.

Earlier on Thursday, in a question-and-answer session with students at the German Jordanian University, Merkel said the refugee influx in recent years, including from Syria, had stirred debate in Germany over fundamental questions.

"I am on the side of those, and this is fortunately the majority in Germany, who say we need to be an open country," she said, adding that "of course we need to regulate this."

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Rights Group Warns Blocking Aid in Yemen Endangers Millions

CAIRO — 

An international rights group says Yemen's warring parties are obstructing crucial aid to the Red Sea port of Hodeida endangering millions in what is already the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Thursday's report by Amnesty International blamed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels' "excessive and arbitrary bureaucratic procedures" for restricting the movement of humanitarian workers in Hodeida. Citing aid workers, it said the rebels exert influence over who receives aid and in which areas.

Amnesty also blamed the Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthi rebels for its "excessive" inspection and restriction of essential aid deliveries. It said the coalition's recent offensive in Hodeida is cutting off a crucial supply line, which "would further deepen" the crisis.

Impoverished Yemen has been devastated and pushed to the brink of famine by a stalemated three-year civil war.

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Beyond the Barbed-Wire Fence

Turkey Detains 14 IS Suspects Before Elections

Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency says authorities have arrested 14 suspected Islamic State members who were preparing an attack on this weekend’s elections.

The agency says the 14 foreign nationals were detained Friday morning, in simultaneous raids on their residences in Ankara, Turkey’s capital.

It was not immediately clear what materials were seized in the raids.

Turks vote Sunday in presidential and parliamentary elections that will trigger a change to a powerful presidential system.

Islamic State has conducted a number of attacks in Turkey in recent years, including a New Year’s massacre on a nightclub in Istanbul in 2017 in which 39 people were killed.

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UN Rights Experts Urge Egypt to Free Couple Unlawfully Detained

GENEVA — 

The daughter of the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and her husband have been unlawfully detained in Egypt for the past year without formal charge, U.N. human rights experts said on Thursday, calling for the couple’s release and compensation.

The Cairo government, in its reply published in the U.N. opinion, said that Ola al-Qaradawi and Hosam Khalaf were accused of belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, which it says is a terrorist group, and providing financial support to it with the help of Qatar and Turkey.

Qatar and Turkey denying supporting hardline Islamists, though both enjoyed good ties with former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The family denies the accusation and brought the case last September to the U.N. working group on arbitrary detention. . In a statement, the family welcomed the opinion issued by the panel’s five independent experts, posted on the U.N. website.

Al-Qaradawi and Khalaf, U.S. residents in their late 50s, were taken into custody by state security forces without an arrest warrant at their vacation home in June 2017 and have been held largely incommunicado since, the U.N. panel said.

Ola al-Qaradawi, a Qatari citizen, is the daughter of influential Qatar-based Muslim Brotherhood cleric Yousef al-Qaradawi, whose assets have been frozen in Egypt.

“The alleged legal basis for Ms. al-Qaradawi and Mr. Khalaf’s arrest and detention further suffers from other serious defects,” it said, noting they were not brought promptly before a judge and were denied access to family and lawyers.

The couple has not received a fair trial within a reasonable time and there was “no sign that their criminal trial will take place soon”, the U.N. experts said. Their “ordeals in prison amounted to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”.

The government said that the case was based on an investigation by the security services relating to an alleged plot by senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood to create an armed wing aimed at overthrowing the government.

The U.N. experts called on the government to “remedy the situation” including by releasing and compensating the couple.

Jared Genser, the family’s U.S.-based lawyer, said in a statement: “...(the) decision vindicates what we have maintained all along, that Ola and Hosam are innocent victims wrongly targeted and arbitrarily detained by the Government of Egypt.

“They must be released immediately and unconditionally.”

Egypt’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Egyptian authorities have detained thousands of political opponents to President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi since he led the 2013 overthrow of Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president since the military toppled the monarchy in 1952. Sissi supporters say arrests have been necessary to help stabilize the country, whose stability and economy were rocked by a 2011 popular uprising.

Critics say it is the worst political crackdown in Egypt’s modern history.

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Trump to Meet Jordan's King Abdullah at White House June 25

U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome King Abdullah of Jordan to the White House on June 25, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.

"Trump looks forward to reaffirming the strong bonds of friendship between the United States and Jordan. The leaders will discuss issues of mutual concern, including terrorism, the threat from Iran and the crisis in Syria, and working towards a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians," it said.

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Israeli PM's Wife Charged With Fraud, Breach of Trust

JERUSALEM — 

Israeli prosecutors on Thursday charged the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with misusing over $100,000 in public funds to order lavish meals from some of the country’s most famous chefs.

While the prime minister was not directly implicated in the case, the indictment against Sara Netanyahu threatens to embarrass the long-serving leader and brings back attention to his own legal problems.

Netanyahu has basked in months of political success, including the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and its move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, taking away attention from a series of corruption investigations facing the prime minister.

Sara Netanyahu has long faced allegations of abusive behavior and living extravagantly. In 2016, a court ruled she abused an employee and awarded the man $42,000 in damages. Other former employees have accused her of mistreatment, charges the Netanyahus have vehemently denied.

In Thursday’s indictment, the Justice Ministry said Sara Netanyahu was charged with graft, fraud and breach of trust for allegedly overspending more than $100,000 on private meals at the prime minister’s official residence, even when there was a full-time chef on staff. A former deputy director of the official residence was also charged.

Sara Netanyahu acted “to circumvent the rules and conditions” governing the official residence “in order to fraudulently obtain state funding for various expenses for the accused and her family that were not supposed to be financed in this manner,” the indictment said.

If convicted, she could face a maximum sentence of five years behind bars, though that seemed unlikely. It was unclear when her trial would begin.

There was no immediate comment from her office.

The indictment threatens to reinforce the unflattering reputation the Netanyahus have gained for enjoying an expensive lifestyle out of touch with most Israelis. Netanyahu also faces several police investigations into alleged corruption. The Netanyahus have denied any wrongdoing, and say they are the victims of a political witch hunt and hostile media.

Israeli police questioned Netanyahu, his wife and son last week in connection to a corruption case involving the country’s telecom giant, Bezeq. Netanyahu is suspected of promoting regulations worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the company in return for more favorable coverage of the Netanyahu family on the telecom company’s influential news site.

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US Team Tours Mideast, Gains Sense of Obstacles to Peace

Turkey Getting F-35 Jets, Despite Congressional Objections

PENTAGON — 

Despite opposition in Congress, Turkey will receive its first F-35 Joint Strike fighter jet this week, Pentagon and aviation industry officials tell VOA.

Lockheed Martin, maker of the F-35, will hold a ceremony Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, for Turkey’s new jets, according to a company spokesperson.

Both House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contain restrictions on Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program.

U.S. lawmakers are concerned about Ankara’s imprisonment of an American pastor and its plans to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system, which they say would "degrade the general security" of the NATO alliance and be incompatible with systems used by Turkey’s NATO allies.

The NDAA, and any language therein, would not become law until the House and Senate pass a final, joint version of the bill.

“As always, Lockheed Martin will comply with any official guidance from the United States government,” the company said.

After the rollout ceremony on Thursday, Turkey’s two jets will travel to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona at a later date so that Turkish pilots can learn how to use them, Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman, told VOA.

“Turkish F-35 pilots and maintainers have arrived at Luke Air Force Base, and will begin flight academics soon,” Andrews added.

A defense official noted the U.S. government could likely still be in custody of the aircraft when the newest NDAA is passed.

“After aircraft production of F-35 jets are complete, the U.S. government maintains custody of the aircraft until custody is transferred to the partner. This normally occurs after the lengthy process of foreign partner training is complete in about one to two years,” the official told VOA.

Turkey is a NATO ally and has been an international participant with the U.S.-made F-35 program since 2002.

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Palestinian Rockets, Israeli Airstrikes Heat Up Gaza Border

Refugee Crisis Reaches Record levels

An unprecedented 68.5 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homelands worldwide -- the highest levels of displacement on record, according to a just-released report by UNHCR. In June 2016 the UN Refugee Agency launched the #WithRefugees petition to petition governments to work together and do their fair share for refugees. But as the world gets ready for World Refugee Day on June 20, that message is not really being heeded. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.

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White House Mideast Team Holds Talks with Jordanian King

AMMAN — 

President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is in the Middle East to help lay the groundwork for an expected Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

Kushner, along with White House envoy Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Jordan on Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah II, a key U.S. ally. A White House statement said the talks included discussions on the Gaza humanitarian situation and U.S. efforts to "facilitate peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.''

U.S. officials have said their plan is near completion and could be released this summer. But it faces resistance from the Palestinians, who have cut off ties since Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Kushner's team also plans stops in Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. No talks with the Palestinians are scheduled.

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OPEC Oil Ministers Gather to Discuss Production Increase

VIENNA — 

The oil ministers of the OPEC cartel were gathering Tuesday to discuss this week whether to increase production of crude and help limit a rise in global energy prices.

The officials were arriving in Vienna ahead of the official meeting Friday, when they will also confer with Russia, a non-OPEC country that since late 2016 has cooperated with the cartel to limit production.

Analysts expect the group to discuss an increase in production of about 1 million barrels a day, ending the output cut agreed on in 2016.

The cut has since then pushed up the price of crude oil by about 50 percent. The U.S. benchmark in May hit its highest level in three and half years, at $72.35 a barrel.

Upon arriving, the energy minister of the United Arab Emirates, Suhail al-Mazrouei, said: "It's going to be hopefully a good meeting. We look forward to having this gathering with OPEC and non-OPEC."

The 14 countries in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries make more money with higher prices, but are mindful of the fact that more expensive crude can encourage a shift to renewable resources and hurt demand.

"Consumers as well as businesses will be hoping that this week's OPEC meeting succeeds in keeping a lid on prices, and in so doing calling a halt to a period which has seen a steady rise in fuel costs," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets U.K.

The rise in the cost of oil has been a key factor in driving up consumer price inflation in major economies like the U.S. and Europe in recent months.

Already U.S. President Donald Trump has called on OPEC to cut production, tweeting in April and again this month that "OPEC is at it again" by allowing oil prices to rise.

Within OPEC, an increase in output will not affect all countries equally. While Saudi Arabia, the cartel's biggest producer, is seen to be open to a rise in production, other countries cannot afford to do so. Those include Iran and Venezuela, whose industries are stymied either by international sanctions or domestic turmoil. Iran is a fierce regional rival to Saudi Arabia, meaning the OPEC deal could also influence the geopolitics in the Middle East.

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UN: Record 68 Million People Worldwide Displaced in 2017

The United Nations refugee agency says a record 68.5 million people around the world were forced to flee their homes last year due to war, violence and persecution.

Filippo Grandi, the world body's High Commissioner for Refugees, told reporters in Geneva Tuesday that the final numbers for 2017 were nearly three million higher than in 2016. He said more than 16 million people were newly displaced last year, due to ongoing, protracted conflicts and a lack of solutions to those conflicts that are putting "continuous pressure on civilians."

Grandi said more than two-thirds of all refugees originated from only a handful of countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He said the agency has discovered that 85 percent of all refugees came from poor or middle-income countries, which "should be an element dispelling the notion" this is "a crisis of the rich world."

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For Egypt Fans, World Cup Excitement Can Come Cheap

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Many football fans in Egypt cannot afford cable sports subscriptions or travel to Russia, but that does not mean they are missing out on World Cup action. Hamada Elrasam shows us how Egyptian fans find ways to get a part of the excitement. Read More For Egypt Fans, World Cup Excitement Can Come Cheap : https://ift.tt/2lg4V0Q

Syria says US-Led Strike Hits Troops in East, US Denies

BEIRUT — 

Iraqi Shi'ite forces and Syria accused the United States on Monday of targeting their troops inside Syria with an airstrike, a charge the U.S. denied but that ratcheted up tensions in the area.

Iraq's Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, the units' umbrella organization, said in a statement that U.S. aircraft late Sunday night fired two missiles that hit a group of its fighters deployed along the Iraq-Syria border to prevent breaches by the Islamic State group. The statement said the attack left 22 fighters dead and 12 wounded, adding that Iraqi and Syrian authorities were aware of their deployment.

"We demand that the American side issues a clarification for what happened," the Iraqi group said.

Syrian state media had reported earlier that the airstrike against pro-government forces in the far east of the country had caused casualties, while Iraqi officials said it had killed at least 25 Shiite paramilitaries and was just across the border from its own territory.

Syrian state TV report blamed the attack on the U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, saying it occurred around midnight in the village of al-Hari, to the southeast of the border town of Boukamal. But a coalition spokesman denied that it had carried out any strikes in the area.

The state TV report, quoting an unnamed military official, gave no breakdown of the casualties other than saying there ``were several martyrs and others were wounded.''

In Baghdad, Iraqi officials said state-sanctioned Shiite paramilitaries came under attack south of the town of Qaim, just across the border from Boukamal. They said 25 fighters were killed, three are missing and about 30 were wounded. But did not give details into how the attack was carried out, saying only that investigations were underway, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The officials said the dead were mostly members of Iraq's Hezbollah Brigades, which have been active in Syria's civil war fighting alongside government forces. Also killed were some members of the Sayyed al-Shuhada Battalions, they said.

In Syria, an official with the so-called "Axis of Resistance" led by Iran, which includes Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and other groups fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's forces, told The Associated Press that the attack on Syrian and Iraqi positions on both sides of the border had been carried out by American drone aircraft.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of information, added that the troops had been part of a push against IS extremists in the area.

U.S. military spokesman Col. Sean Ryan said the coalition was looking into the reports.

"We are aware of the strike near Boukamal, however there have been no strikes by U.S. or coalition forces in that area," he said. "We're looking into who that could possibly be, but it wasn't the U.S. or the coalition."

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the airstrike killed 52 foreign fighters allied with the Syrian government, mostly Iraqis. Shiite militias fighting alongside government forces in Syria include large numbers of Iraqi, Lebanese and Afghan fighters.

Last week, IS launched a major offensive against Boukamal, reaching the outskirts of the town before being pushed back by government forces. The loss of the town would deal a major blow to Iran-backed forces on both sides of the border, who have established a corridor through eastern Syria to link Iran to the Mediterranean Sea.

Syrian and Iraqi forces have driven IS from virtually all the territory it once held in both countries, but the militants still control some remote areas along the border.

Syrian troops and allied militias, backed by Russian airstrikes, have been conducting operations west of the Euphrates River, while the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led militia, is operating on the eastern banks. The U.S.-led coalition has struck pro-government forces in the past when they have tried to cross the river. The overnight attacks took place on the western side.

Meanwhile in the country's north, a deal reached between Turkey and the U.S. to have Kurdish forces withdraw from a town appears to have gone into effect.

Turkey announced its troops began patrols on the outskirts of the key northern Syrian town of Manbij following a recent deal struck with the United States. The army tweeted Turkish and American troops began patrols Monday along the outskirts of Manbij and an area controlled by Turkey-backed forces.

It said the move was part of the Turkish-U.S. deal reached in early June, aiming to secure the town and push out a Syrian Kurdish militia.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that the patrols had begun in a speech Monday in northern Samsun province.

Manbij has been a source of tension between the two NATO allies after an American-backed Syrian force took the town from the Islamic State group in 2016.

The Syrian Kurdish YPG forms the backbone of that force but Turkey considers the group terrorists and has been demanding the U.S. cease its support. YPG announced it would leave the strategic town.

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Israeli Bill Seeks Ban on Photographing Soldiers

JERUSALEM — 

Israeli Cabinet ministers have proposed legislation that seeks to outlaw photographing Israeli soldiers “for the sake of shaming them,” a ban rights groups say would amount to government censorship.

Facing criticism and questions about the proposal's legality, the government already appeared to be taking steps to water down the bill before it goes to a parliamentary vote. But rights groups said that even preliminary support for the legislation was a stain on the country's democracy.

A ministerial committee, headed by Israel's justice minister, approved the proposal on Sunday. It says anyone “who films, photographs or records soldiers while performing their duty, with the intent of undermining the morale of Israeli soldiers and residents” or anyone who disseminates such materials, would face five years in prison.

The bill appears to have been promoted by the filming of Israeli soldier Elor Azaria fatally shooting an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron who was lying on the ground in March 2016. Azaria was convicted of manslaughter and served nine months of an 18-month prison sentence.

The case bitterly divided the nation. Israel's military pushed for his prosecution, saying he violated its code of ethics. But many Israelis, particularly on the nationalist right, defended his actions.

The bill's sponsor, Robert Ilatov of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, insisted in a radio interview Monday that the bill “does not impinge on free speech.” He said it only prevents obstruction of soldiers in the line of duty.

Ilatov wrote on Facebook last week that the bill's aim is to prevent “left wing organizations from disseminating [soldiers'] pictures for the sake of shaming them.'' Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beitenu party, praised the bill on Sunday for helping protect Israeli soldiers from “Israel-haters and terror supporters trying to denigrate, humiliate and harm them.”

Legally problematic

The text of the bill specifically mentions B'Tselem, Machsom Watch and Breaking the Silence - Israeli advocacy groups critical of the West Bank occupation - as “anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian” organizations whose activity documenting the Israeli military the legislation seeks to combat.

“Most of these groups are supported by foundations, organizations and governments with clear anti-Israeli perspectives and agendas, which use these tendentious materials for harming the state of Israel and its security,” the bill reads.

The bill is the latest in a series of legal measures passed or proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nationalist government to curb organizations critical of Israel's occupation of the West Bank.

Deputy Attorney General Raz Nazari, who was present at the ministerial meeting, said the bill was legally problematic. He said that ministers had agreed to draft a lighter version that would instead penalize photographers only if they hinder a soldier from doing his job, similar to existing law that bans people from interfering with police officers in the line of duty.

But opposition lawmakers and rights groups said they were surprised the legislation made it this far.

“If there is a problem with the reality that the occupation creates, we should change it, not try to hide it,” said Tamar Zandberg, head of the liberal opposition Meretz Party.

Talia Sasson, president of the New Israel Fund, a liberal advocacy group that supports groups that document rights abuses in the West Bank, called the bill “an arrow shot into the heart of the state of Israel.”

Israeli journalists also criticized the proposal, saying it would hinder their ability to work.

Israeli photographer Ohad Zwigenberg said journalists must be allowed to “document reality as it is.”

“A world without real journalism that is free and neutral is an insane world,” he said.

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Abbas Aide Slams Reported US Plans to Raise Funds for Gaza

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK — 

A Palestinian official has condemned reported U.S. plans to secure Gulf funding for major economic projects in blockaded, impoverished Gaza.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, alleged Monday that such efforts aim to further separate the Gaza and the West Bank which flank Israel. Abbas runs parts of the West Bank and the Islamic militant Hamas controls Gaza.

Israel, citing security, has prevented most travel between the two territories sought for a Palestinian state.

President Donald Trump's adviser, son-in-law Jared Kushner, is expected to visit Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia this week to discuss the situation in Gaza and the administration's proposals for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

Abbas halted contacts with the administration in December, to protest what he says are blatantly pro-Israel policies.

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Palestinian from Gaza Turns Israeli Tear Gas Canisters into Art

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A Palestinian man from Gaza turns tear gas canisters used by Israeli forces into flower pots and prayer beads to commemorate often-violent border protests for future generations. Arash Arabasadi reports. Read More Palestinian from Gaza Turns Israeli Tear Gas Canisters into Art : https://ift.tt/2yqJhk6

Witnesses: Coalition Strikes Airport in Yemen's Hodeida

UN Special Envoy Jolie Visits Syrian Refugees in Iraq

DOMIZ CAMP, IRAQ — 

The world is failing to properly invest in the Syrian refugee crisis and families, women, and children are suffering terribly as a result, U.N. refugee agency special envoy Angelina Jolie said on Sunday.

The Hollywood actress was visiting the Domiz Camp, in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which is home to 33,000 Syrian refugees displaced by seven years of civil war.

Funding received by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help refugees from the Syrian conflict fell sharply this year from 2017 when the agency received only 50 percent of the funds it needed, Jolie told a news conference.

"There are terrible human consequences. When there is even not the bare minimum of aid, refuge families cannot receive adequate medical treatment. Women and girls are left vulnerable to sexual violence, many children cannot go to school, and we squander the opportunity to invest in refugees," she said.

UNCHR will publish figures on Tuesday that show that the number of displaced people globally, and the duration of their exiles, are "the highest they have ever been", she said.

"At the same time political solutions seem to be completely lacking leaving a void that humanitarian aid cannot fill. Words like 'unsustainable' don't really paint a picture of how desperate the situation really is," said Jolie.

She met families at the camp, including two mothers who are now widows caring for young children after their husbands died from conditions that could have been treated under normal conditions, Jolie said.

In 2011, Domiz was a small camp housing tents. Now it is a town complete with concrete houses, shops and fast food stalls.

Ahmed Hussein, a refugee father of nine children, one of whom died and five of whom are handicapped, said he and other refugees lacked access to basic treatment and could not find jobs.

"I wish Angelina had come to my house to meet my handicapped children who need medical treatment," he said in his makeshift house where he has been living since 2015 when he fled the Syrian town of Qamishli with his family.

Mosul devastated

On Saturday Jolie visited Mosul, the biggest city in northern Iraq, which Iraqi forces took back last year from Islamic State militants, who had occupied the city for three years, forcing 900,000 residents to flee.

Jolie met families from western Mosul and walked through bombed out streets, video footage and photos provided by the UNHCR showed.

Normality has returned to many parts of Mosul, with displaced residents leaving camps nearby to return home, but reconstruction in the Old City in West Mosul has been slow.

It was largely destroyed during a campaign by a 100,000-strong alliance of Iraqi government units, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shi'ite militias backed by air support from a U.S.-led coalition.

"This is the worst devastation I have seen in all my years working with UNHCR. People here have lost everything," Jolie said in a U.N. statement.

"They are destitute. They have no medicine for their children, and many have no running water or basic services," she said. "I hope there will be a continued commitment to rebuilding and stabilizing the whole of the city. And I call on the international community not to forget Mosul."

Jolie has worked for UNHCR since 2001, visiting uprooted civilians from Iraq to Cambodia and Kenya. This was her fifth visit to Iraq, UNHCR said.

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