News Wire | Middle East & North Africa Archive

More Than 5,000 Dead in Libya as Collapsed Dams Worsen Flood Disaster

By Mohammed Abdusamee, Vivian Nereim and Isabella Kwai | The New York Times

More than 5,000 people were killed in Libya after torrential rains caused two dams to burst near the coastal city of Derna, destroying much of the city and carrying entire neighborhoods into the sea, local authorities said on Tuesday.

Tunisian Judge Issues International Arrest Warrants for Prominent Political Figures

Reuters

A Tunisian judge issued international arrest warrants for 12 prominent political figures, including a former prime minister and a former presidential chief of staff, charging them with forming a terrorist alliance and conspiring against the state, the state news agency reported on Tuesday, citing a court spokesperson.

More from WPR: Ghannouchi’s Arrest Could Be a Tipping Point for Tunisia’s Democracy

U.S. Advances Deal With Iran to Swap Prisoners, Free Frozen Oil Funds

By John Hudson | The Washington Post

The Biden administration has issued a waiver for banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil funds without fear of U.S. sanctions — a key step in securing the release of five American citizens detained in Iran, people familiar with the matter said. As a part of the arrangement, the administration will release five Iranian citizens detained in the United States.

Israel’s Supreme Court Takes Up Judicial Overhaul Following Mass Protests

By Steve Hendrix and Shira Rubin | The Washington Post

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Israel’s government quarter ahead of Tuesday’s much-anticipated legal clash between lawyers defending and opposing the recent explosive parliamentary vote to limit Supreme Court powers—in front of the Supreme Court itself.