DUBAI: A Dubai court has found 30 people and seven companies guilty of laundering money and embezzling 32 million Emirati dirhams ($8.7 million) in an online fraud targeting individuals and businesses, the Emirates News Agency reported.

The 30 gang members were sentenced to a combined total of 96 years in prison and will be deported from the UAE after serving their time.

The court also ordered the defendants to jointly pay a fine of more than 32 million dirhams, while the seven firms were handed a combined total fine of 700,000 dirhams.

AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands and Canada are taking Syria to the World Court over torture claims, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said on Monday.
In their application, Canada and the Netherlands claim that “Syria has committed countless violations of International law, beginning at least in 2011,” and asked for emergency measures to be taken to protect those at risk of being tortured, the ICJ, also known as the World Court, said in a statement.

AL-MUKALLA: Security forces in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden, the interim capital of Yemen, have seized a new consignment of drone components intended for the Iran-backed Houthis.
Security Belt Forces in Aden said in a statement that their forces recovered a number of sealed boxes containing telecommunication equipment meant to guide drones hidden in a truck in Aden’s Al-Mansoura district traveling to Houthi-controlled regions.

AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Monday met Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman, Jordan News Agency reported.

The two parties discussed ways of boosting defense cooperation between the countries, as well as regional and international efforts to combat terrorism. 

Gen. Yousef Hneiti, chairman of Jordan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also present at the meeting.
 

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s MPs will try on Wednesday for the 12th time to elect a successor to Michel Aoun whose presidential term ended in October.
Former ministers Suleiman Frangieh and Jihad Azour officially announced their candidacy for the presidency two days prior to the 12th scheduled parliamentary voting session.
The Maronite Patriarchate has declared that it remains “equidistant from all candidates.”