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Algeria: Ex-PM Sentenced to 5 Years Prison Time

Noureddine Bedoui (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Noureddine Bedoui (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Algeria: Ex-PM Sentenced to 5 Years Prison Time

Noureddine Bedoui (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Noureddine Bedoui (Asharq Al-Awsat)

An Algerian court on Wednesday handed five year prison sentences to former Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui and former health minister Abdelmalek Boudiaf along with fines of 1 million Algerian dinars, the state news agency said.

The sentences from the economic and financial Penal Court were related to a corruption case.

The indictment charges include "exploitation of governmental position for personal gain, in violation of laws and regulations, granting unjustified privileges to others, contrary to legislative and regulatory provisions currently in effect, and deliberate misappropriation of public funds."

Bedoui "strongly denied" the charges brought against him, and alluded to a broad campaign against corruption that targeted high-ranking civilian and military officials, resulting in the conviction of the majority of them with lengthy prison sentences.

For his part, Boudiaf appealed to the judge saying that he "hails from a family that participated in the liberation war" and that "their history prevents any member from engaging in actions that go against the interests of the country."

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Arab World

Trump Says Israel, Lebanon Agree to 10-day Ceasefire

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Trump Says Israel, Lebanon Agree to 10-day Ceasefire

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjeyoun shows smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire starting on Thursday.

Trump said the truce followed "excellent" conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, taking place two days after Israel and Lebanon held peace talks in Washington.

"These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

Trump said he had directed US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and top US military officer Dan Caine to work with the two countries "to achieve a Lasting PEACE."

"It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's, GET IT DONE!" said Trump, who launched the war on Iran alongside Israel on February 28.

Hezbollah then pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war, firing rockets at Israel in support of its backer Tehran.

Since then, Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, and Israeli ground forces have invaded the country's south.

Trump said late Wednesday that Aoun and Netanyahu were due to speak on Thursday, but the Lebanese president rejected the US request for the direct phone call with the Israeli PM, an official source told AFP.

Arab World

Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
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Syria Says Has Taken Control of All Bases Previously Operated by US Forces

A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).
A photo released by Syria’s state news agency SANA shows the army as it takes control of the base (SANA).

Syria on Thursday said it had taken control of all military bases previously hosting US forces, who had long been in the country leading an international coalition against the ISIS group.

The foreign ministry in a statement said it "welcomes the completed handover of military sites where United States forces were previously present in Syria to the Syrian government".

It added that "the handover of these sites was carried out... in full coordination between the Syrian and American governments".

Arab World

Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
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Lebanon President Refused 'Direct Call' with Israel PM

(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)
(L/R) US State Department Counselor Michael Needham, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Lebanon's Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stand together before meeting at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected a US request for a direct phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, an official source told AFP.

"The Lebanese president refused a direct call with Netanyahu and informed (US Secretary of State) Marco Rubio of this," adding that "the American side was understanding", the source said.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the "leaders" of the two countries would speak the following day.

Also, three Lebanese officials affirmed to Reuters that Aoun will not hold a call with Netanyahu in the near future.

Two of the Lebanese officials said that the Lebanese embassy in Washington had informed the US administration before a call between Aoun and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that Aoun would not speak to Netanyahu.