Iraqi PM Ali Al-Zaidi ordered drafting of a bill to place weapons under exclusive state control, following formation of a committee tasked with confining arms to state authority.

Lebanon's parliament votes to abolish the death penalty, becoming the first Middle East country to formally end capital punishment — NNA and LBCI TV.

Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill abolishing the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment, according to the National News Agency (NNA) and local channel LBCI TV. The bill was approved by a majority of the 128-member parliament. The EU delegation to Lebanon welcomed the move, noting it includes retroactive application and builds on a de facto moratorium maintained since 2004.

Syrian court sentences former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, Al Jazeera reports.

A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, according to Al Jazeera.

Federal judge blocks USPS from implementing provisions of Trump's executive order tightening mail-in voting rules ahead of November midterms

A federal judge blocked the US Postal Service (USPS) from implementing provisions of Donald Trump's executive order aimed at tightening rules for mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections.

Trump says Medicaid will no longer fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors, announced by Dr. Mehmet Oz at his direction

Donald Trump said he directed Dr. Mehmet Oz to announce that Medicaid will no longer fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors, calling the procedures barbaric and urging voters to consider the issue in November's midterm elections.