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Libyan Talks Hosted by Morocco Kept under Wraps

Morocco's foreign minister is seen with the Libyan delegations.
Morocco's foreign minister is seen with the Libyan delegations.
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Libyan Talks Hosted by Morocco Kept under Wraps

Morocco's foreign minister is seen with the Libyan delegations.
Morocco's foreign minister is seen with the Libyan delegations.

The ongoing dialogue between Libya’s High Council of State and east-based parliament continued in Morocco on Monday with participants remaining tight-lipped over the proceedings.

Member of the High Council of State delegation, Abdulsalam al-Safrani said the discussions were being held in “positive” conditions.

Speaking from Bouznika south of Rabat where the dialogue is being held, he expressed his optimism that “understandings may be reached.”

The talks are focusing on the political and institutional division, he revealed.

The delegations addressed the issue of audit authorities “because they feel that this is a matter that concerns all Libyans. It is because of them that services deteriorated in Libya, leading to the spread of corruption,” he remarked.

The two parties had kicked off their talks on Sunday, met again on Monday and are due to meet again on Tuesday. They hailed Morocco’s “honest” intentions and keenness on providing the necessary fraternal conditions to hold their discussions in hopes of reaching a solution to the Libyan crisis.

In Egypt, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri telephoned his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita to tackle the latest developments on Libya as part of their efforts to reach a settlement in the country.

An Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Shoukri underscored Cairo’s firm support to these efforts that are aimed at reaching a political solution that would preserve Libya’s sovereignty and unity, restore security and stability, safeguard its resources and confront terrorism, extremism and foreign meddling.

They agreed to continue their consultations and coordination and intensify their contacts with influential political forces in Libya and with international partners, including the United Nations mission in Libya, African Union and Arab League.

The Arab League, for its part, hailed the ongoing talks to push forward inter-Libyan dialogue. In a statement ahead of the Arab foreign ministers meeting on Tuesday, it said it was closely following the Bouznika talks, calling on all Libyan parties to show good intentions towards all efforts aimed at reaching a national and complete solution to their country’s conflict.

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Arab World

One Dead as Israel Strikes South Lebanon

A person inspects the site a day after a series of Israeli airstrikes struck a large piece of industrial machinery in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Marwanieh, Lebanon, on 31 January 2026. (EPA)
A person inspects the site a day after a series of Israeli airstrikes struck a large piece of industrial machinery in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Marwanieh, Lebanon, on 31 January 2026. (EPA)
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One Dead as Israel Strikes South Lebanon

A person inspects the site a day after a series of Israeli airstrikes struck a large piece of industrial machinery in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Marwanieh, Lebanon, on 31 January 2026. (EPA)
A person inspects the site a day after a series of Israeli airstrikes struck a large piece of industrial machinery in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Marwanieh, Lebanon, on 31 January 2026. (EPA)

Lebanon said one person was killed and several others wounded in Israeli strikes in the country's south on Sunday, as Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets.

Despite a November 2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war between Israel and the Iran-backed group, Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon and has maintained troops in five areas it deems strategic.

Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed and three others wounded, including a 16-year-old boy, in an Israeli strike in Ebba in the Nabatiyeh district, which is located in the country's south.

The state-run National News Agency said the strike targeted a vehicle whose driver was killed, reporting a boy was among the wounded when his family's car passed at the time of the raid and crashed.

The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah operative in the Doueir area, near Ebba, "in response to Hezbollah's repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings".

Earlier Sunday the health ministry said a strike on Qanarit in the Sidon district, far from the Israeli border, wounded one person.

The NNA said the strike targeted a bulldozer "while it was working to remove rubble" from the site of a previous Israeli attack.

The Israeli army said it struck "several Hezbollah engineering vehicles" but said they were located in an area of south Lebanon it identified as Mazraat Aboudiyeh.

"The vehicles were struck while being used by Hezbollah terrorists to reestablish terror infrastructure sites in the area," the statement added.

Israel's military has previously targeted bulldozers, excavators and prefabricated houses in south Lebanon, while Lebanese officials have accused Israel of seeking to prevent reconstruction work in the heavily damaged south.

More than 360 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of health ministry reports.

Arab World

Sudan’s War-Torn Capital Sees Second Commercial Flight Land Since Conflict Began

Family and friends rush on the tarmac to greet the domestic Sudan Airways flight arriving from Port Sudan, after landing at Khartoum International Airport, following the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
Family and friends rush on the tarmac to greet the domestic Sudan Airways flight arriving from Port Sudan, after landing at Khartoum International Airport, following the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
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Sudan’s War-Torn Capital Sees Second Commercial Flight Land Since Conflict Began

Family and friends rush on the tarmac to greet the domestic Sudan Airways flight arriving from Port Sudan, after landing at Khartoum International Airport, following the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)
Family and friends rush on the tarmac to greet the domestic Sudan Airways flight arriving from Port Sudan, after landing at Khartoum International Airport, following the war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)

A commercial flight landed in the Sudanese capital Sunday for the second time since a devastating war broke out in the northeastern African country nearly three years ago. 

The domestic flight, operated by the national flag carrier SUDANAIR, landed at the Khartoum International Airport Sunday afternoon, according to the state-run SUNA news agency. 

The flight took off Sunday morning from the eastern Red Sea city of Port Sudan, which had served as an interim seat for the government until the administration moved back to Khartoum earlier this year, SUNA said. 

The reopening of the Khartoum International Airport was a crucial step in the government’s efforts to normalize life in the capital, which has been wrecked during the ongoing war between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. 

Sunday’s flight was the second commercial flight to arrive in Khartoum since a flight operated by the privately owned Badr Airlines landed in the airport in October last year. At the time the RSF launched drones at the airport to disrupt the government's efforts to reopen the facility. The miliary retook Khartoum from the RSF earlier last year. 

The war in Sudan began in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. The airport was severely damaged in the first weeks of the war. 

The devastating war has killed more than 40,000 people, according to UN figures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher. 

It created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with over 14 million people forced to flee their homes. It fueled disease outbreaks and pushed parts of the country into famine. 

Arab World

Iraq Parliament Delays Presidential Vote Again

29 January 2026, Iraq, Baghdad: A supporter of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki chants in front of al-Maliki portrait during a protest against US President Donald Trump near the US embassy in Baghdad. Photo: Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa
29 January 2026, Iraq, Baghdad: A supporter of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki chants in front of al-Maliki portrait during a protest against US President Donald Trump near the US embassy in Baghdad. Photo: Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa
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Iraq Parliament Delays Presidential Vote Again

29 January 2026, Iraq, Baghdad: A supporter of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki chants in front of al-Maliki portrait during a protest against US President Donald Trump near the US embassy in Baghdad. Photo: Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa
29 January 2026, Iraq, Baghdad: A supporter of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki chants in front of al-Maliki portrait during a protest against US President Donald Trump near the US embassy in Baghdad. Photo: Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa

Iraq's parliament has again postponed the election of the country's new president, state media reported on Sunday, amid intense political horse-trading and US pressure over the new prime minister.

It was the second time parliament has delayed the presidential vote, which had first been due last week.

An AFP correspondent in the parliament said the required quorum was not reached on Sunday.

The vote was therefore delayed, according to the official INA press agency, which did not say whether a new date had been agreed.

The parliament's media office said the speaker will now meet the heads of party blocs to set a final date.

By convention, a Shiite Muslim holds the powerful post of prime minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.

The two main Kurdish parties have yet to settle on a presidential candidate, and the largest Shiite alliance -- despite backing Nouri al-Maliki for next premier -- faces US threats to end all support for Iraq if he takes up the post.

In Iraq, a country with chronically volatile politics driven by internal disputes and foreign pressure mostly from the United States and Iran, key decisions are often delayed beyond constitutional deadlines.

On Saturday, the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite groups with varying degrees of links to Iran that has emerged as the main ruling coalition, said it "reiterates its support for its nominee", Maliki.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared Maliki a "very bad choice", and said that if Maliki was elected Washington "will no longer help Iraq".

Iraq's only two-term prime minister fell out with the United States during his premiership between 2006 and 2014 over growing ties with Iran.

Sources close to the Coordination Framework said that Shiite leaders are divided, with some wanting Maliki to stand aside, fearing US sanctions if he returns to office.

On the presidential front, Kurdish parties have yet to agree on a candidate, who must be endorsed by other blocs and win a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The presidency is usually held by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). This year, the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) named its own candidate, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.