Arab-Islamic ministerial committee urges U.S. to reverse visa ban on Palestinian officials
The Ministerial Committee formed by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Gaza on Saturday urged the U.S. administration to "reconsider and reverse" its decision not to grant visas to the Palestinian delegation for the upcoming UN General Assembly.
In a statement issued after its meeting in Amman, the committee voiced its "deep regret" at Washington's decision, and stressed that the move contradicts obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement, which guarantees the rights of Palestine, a UN permanent observer state, to participate in UN activities, according to a post published by Jordan's Foreign Ministry on Facebook.
The decision also undermines opportunities for dialogue and diplomacy, according to the post.
Earlier Israeli strikes on Sanaa kill Houthi-backed PM, ministers, Houthis say
Yemen's Houthi group said on Saturday that Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi of the Houthi-backed government, along with several other ministers, was killed in Israeli airstrikes on the capital Sanaa on Thursday.
"We announce the martyrdom of Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi, prime minister of the Government of Change and Construction, along with a number of his fellow ministers on Thursday," the group said in a statement.
It said the officials were hit during a workshop reviewing government activities over the past year. Several other ministers were wounded and remain in the hospital. The statement did not say how many ministers were killed.
Russia makes massive raids on Ukraine's military sites
Russia said Saturday that it conducted a massive overnight strike on Ukraine's military enterprises and airbases.
"The targets of the strike were achieved, and all designated objectives were hit," Russia's defense ministry said in a statement, adding that the raids involved high-precision weapons fired from land, air and sea.
On the same day, Kiev said Russia launched 537 drones and 45 missiles targeting seven locations overnight, with 510 drones and 38 missiles intercepted.
Central Vietnam warned of flash floods, landslides under impact of Typhoon Nongfa
Central Vietnam localities from Thanh Hoa province to Hue city are facing high risks of flash floods, landslides and flooding as Typhoon Nongfa approaches, Vietnam News Agency reported Saturday.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday instructed localities to call on and guide vessels to return to safe shelters. Authorities were also urged to deploy forces, equipment and supplies to key areas to ensure timely response, rescue and relief operations.
British PM vows to detain, send back illegal migrants amid mounting pressure
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday pledged to detain and send back illegal migrants as the government faces mounting pressure to tackle Channel crossings and the issue of asylum hotels.
"I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back," Starmer said on social media platform X.
14 killed in head-on collision in central Namibia
Fourteen people were killed early Saturday in a head-on collision on the B1 highway near Mariental in Namibia's Hardap Region, some 270 km south of Windhoek, the country's capital, police have confirmed.
John Mwatongela, Hardap police deputy commissioner and head of the Crime Investigations Division, said the accident involved a police van and a Namibian Correctional Service facility van.■
