SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it has ended a ban it imposed on Lebanese imports five years ago, marking a major step in rebuilding relations between Lebanon and Gulf countries.

The kingdom slapped a ban on Lebanese fruit and vegetables in 2021, saying they were being used to smuggle drugs. In one notable case, Saudi Arabia announced it had seized over 5 million pills of the amphetamine drug Captagon hidden in a shipment of pomegranates coming from Lebanon.

SPAIN: A fire that broke out early this morning at a home in the tourist area of Magaluf on the Spanish island of Mallorca killed two people and injured several, authorities said.

More than 12 people were evacuated and nine people were taken to medical facilities for treatment of smoke inhalation, a Civil Guard spokesperson said. 

NIGERIA: The first group of Nigerians returned home from South Africa today as part of repatriation ordered by the government following violent anti-immigration protests.

A total of 262 passengers and three officials were on board the flight to Lagos, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Since April, a series of anti-immigration protests have shaken South Africa. South African officials have condemned the protests as xenophobic acts.

AFGHANISTAN: The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said today it had documented the deaths of 13 civilians, mainly children and women, from Pakistani air strikes on eastern Afghanistan the previous day.

Pakistan had dismissed as propaganda a statement by Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Wednesday that the air strikes in the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika had killed 13 civilians.