Egyptian prison authorities executed on Wednesday Ibrahim Mahmoud, 35, who was convicted in 2017 of raping a 20-month-old baby. Mansoura Criminal Court sentenced Mahmoud to death over the crime in June 2017. He then appealed the verdict before the Court of Cassation, but the court upheld the earlier ruling in November 2018. The convict had confessed to the rape several times to police, as well as throughout the course of the investigation carried out by the prosecution and during the trial. The events of the case date back to March 2016, when the Daqahlia Security Directorate was notified by the mother of the toddler that a 35-year old man had abducted and raped her daughter, causing her severe

A federal panel on religion has urged the United States to weigh sanctions against India's Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah if the south Asian nation adopts legislation that excludes Muslims from a path to citizenship for religious minorities from its neighbours. Shah is a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist-led government is seen by critics as pushing an agenda that undermines the secular foundations of India's democracy. More: What you should know about India's 'anti-Muslim' citizenship bill Why white supremacists and Hindu nationalists are so alike The new citizenship bill and the Hinduisation of India On Tuesday, the lower house of Parliament's approved

Iran's navy commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi met and held talks with his Qatari counterpart Wednesday night in Doha, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday. Khanzadi invited the Qatari navy to participate in a joint maritime security exercise in the Indian Ocean later this month, Fars said.

Training of all Saudi Arabian military personnel in the United States was stopped until further notice after a Saudi airman shot and killed three people last week at a base in Florida. The Pentagon's decision will have far-reaching effects on visiting Saudi personnel, including grounding more than 300 Saudi Arabian military aviation students as part of a "safety stand-down". The Pentagon later on Tuesday said the move would also affect infantry personnel and all other Saudi military training, other than classroom lessons. Mohammed Alshamrani, a 21-year-old lieutenant in the Saudi Royal Air Force, opened fire in a classroom at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida on Friday, killing three American sailors and wounding eight other people before being shot dead by police.

Projectiles fired from Yemeni territory hit a hospital in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, last night, reported Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense. No people were killed or injured, added the authorities, who said that the projectile had been fired by the Houthi militia. Jazan, next to the Yemeni border, has previously been the target of missile attacks from Yemen, where the conflict between the Iran-backed Houthi militia and the UN-recognized government, backed by the Arab Coalition, is still ongoing.

Tarlac, the Philippines - Amid allegations of corruption and massive overspending, logistical mishaps, and the reported displacement of Indigenous people, the Philippines will end the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) on Wednesday with a victory - at least for its athletes. The host country scored 387 medals, including 149 golds, as of December 11, the most out of the 11 countries who competed in 56 sports over 500 events. Thailand came in second with 318 medals and Vietnam third with 288 medals, although it clinched six more golds than the Thais. More: Duterte wants probe into SEA Games mess as criticism grows Thailand top SEA Games table Malaysia hopes to win badminton gold at SEA Games

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, stressed that the comprehensive development vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has made Dubai an attractive environment for investment and enabled the city to make major economic and developmental strides. This has strengthened Dubai's global indicators, including in education, health, women's empowerment and competitiveness. Sheikh Hamdan praised the policy of openness in Dubai and the support extended to innovative projects and entrepreneurship, which has made the city an ideal