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Iran woman dies after arrest by morality police: state media

A young Iranian woman, who was in a coma after being arrested by the Islamic republic's morality police, died on Friday, state media reported.

"Unfortunately, she died and her body was transferred to the medical examiner's office," state television reported.

Mahsa Amini, 22, was on a visit to Tehran with her family when she was detained by the specialist police unit that enforces the strict dress code obligatory for women since shortly after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

The public debate about the hijab has resurfaced in Iran, as local media reported measures that may indicate more tight controls

Five bank 'heists' in a day as Lebanese demand their frozen savings

Five Lebanese banks were stormed Friday by depositors seeking to unlock frozen savings, the latest in a string of such "heists" that have garnered wide public support in the crisis-hit country.

Lebanon has been mired in an economic crisis for more than two years, since the value of its currency began plummeting and banks started imposing draconian restrictions on withdrawals.

In the past week, seven bank branches have been targeted by "depositor heists", prompting lenders to announce a three-day closure starting Monday, according to the Association of Banks in Lebanon.

Security forces stand guard amid protests outside a branch of LGB Bank, reportedly held up by a depositor, in the Ramlet al-Bayda area in the capital Beirut on Friday

Third 'armed bank withdrawal' in a week in Lebanon

A Lebanese man carrying a gun and a jerrican of fuel withdrew his frozen savings at gunpoint Friday, the third such incident in the crisis-hit country this week.

When a branch of the Byblos bank opened in the southern town of Ghaziyeh, a depositor, reported to be in his 50s, stormed the premises with his adult son.

He threatened bank employes with a gun, which a Lebanese TV channel said may have been a toy, and demanded his savings.

"He emptied a jerrican of fuel on the floor," a bank security guard told an AFP reporter.

Away game: Qatar World Cup looms as money-spinner for Dubai

The United Arab Emirates did not qualify for the Qatar World Cup but it will be a winner anyway if an overspill of fans floods its hotels, restaurants and planes.

With little investment the UAE, and in particular Dubai, stands to gain if, as expected, supporters opt to stay in the tourism hotspot instead of tiny Gulf neighbour Qatar during the November-December tournament.

High accommodation prices in the Qatari capital Doha and Dubai's more permissive environment -- including a wider availability of alcohol -- could entice fans, experts say.

The iconic skyline of Dubai, a city which is perfectly poised to exploit the overspill of fans from tiny Qatar during football's first Winter World Cup

'Miracle' in Jordan as baby pulled alive from collapsed building

Jordanian mother Israa Raed said she was indescribably happy Thursday, after emergency workers rescued her four-month-old daughter Malak from the rubble of a collapsed building in the capital Amman.

"I knew it was her by her pink pyjamas," Israa Raed, 26, told AFP, after waiting more than 24 hours for news of her only daughter.

"Words cannot describe how happy I am," she said. "I thank God she's safe."

Israa Raed, whose four-month-old baby girl Malak was pulled alive from the rubble of a building more than 24 hours after it collapsed, told AFP "words cannot describe how happy I am"

Iranian woman in coma after morality police arrest: activists

A young Iranian woman is in a coma and fighting for her life after being arrested in Tehran by the Islamic republic's morality police, campaigners said Thursday.

The woman, named as Mahsa Amini, 22, was on a visit to the Iranian capital with her family when she was detained by the special police unit that enforces the strict dress rules for women, including the compulsory headscarf.

Her brother Kiaresh told the Iran Wire news website that while he was waiting outside the police station for her to be released an ambulance drove out taking her to hospital.

The public debate about the hijab has resurfaced in Iran, as local media reported measures that may indicate more tight controls

Defying warnings, Jews embark on Ukraine pilgrimage

Thousands of Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jews have vowed to brave the dangers of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and make a pilgrimage there during the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana.

Among those who said they would not be deterred by the war or by government travel warnings and head to the Ukrainian city of Uman was Avraham Burstein, 51, a musician and actor.

"It is like being in love, I simply have to go," he said as he tuned his accordion at his Yiddish music school in Jerusalem.

A file picture from September 13, 2015 shows ultra-Orthodox Jews pray in the Ukrainian city of Uman

Poorest nations to push on compensation at climate talks

The world's poorest countries say they will insist that the UN's upcoming climate talks push ahead with proposals for a fund to compensate vulnerable nations for climate-inflicted damage.

Ministers and experts from the 46-nation Least Developed Countries (LDC) bloc, meeting in Dakar, said their countries were most exposed to climate impact but least to blame for the carbon emissions that cause it.

In a statement issued late Wednesday ahead of the November climate talks, they said that setting up a funding mechanism for loss and damage was of "crucial importance."

The 46-nation Least Developed Countries (LDC) bloc says its countries were most exposed to climate impact but least to blame for the carbon emissions that cause it

Palestinian teen killed in clashes with Israel army

A Palestinian teenager died Thursday during clashes with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank that broke out as the military was pursuing targets allegedly linked to a soldier's killing.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the victim as Uday Salah, 17, saying he was "killed by a bullet to the head fired by the Israeli occupation soldiers in Kafr Dan, Jenin governorate", an area that has seen near daily violence in recent months.

Masked gunmen attend the funeral of Palestinian teenager Uday Salah, killed in clashes with Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank

Lebanese rejoice after Mayyas win 'America's Got Talent'

Lebanese celebrated the local dance troupe Mayyas on Thursday after it won the "America's Got Talent" TV contest, stoking joy and pride in a country battered by years of political and economic turmoil.

Many fans, across age groups and religious lines in the crisis-tested country and its large diaspora, tearfully cheered the all-women group for what judges and viewers hailed as a hypnotic and mesmerising performance.

The Lebanese dance troupe Mayyas, winners of the "America's Got Talent" contest, in Pasadena, California on September 14, 2022