TRIPOLI, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Government of National Unity, represented by the Minister of Transport and the Prime Minister's Financial Advisor, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing during an official visit by a delegation to the United States, according to a statement released Saturday.According to the statement, the MoU aims to advance Libya's civil aviation sector through modernizing the national fleet, supporting aircraft acquisition programs, enhancing technical and technological cooperation, and contributing to the development of infrastructure in line with internationally recognized standards.The signing ceremony was attended by a senior advisor to the U.S. president, Massad Boulos, who stressed the importance of strengthening the Libyan-U.S. partnership.Both sides affirmed that the MoU marks an important step toward upgrading Libya's air transport sector and improving its operational and technical efficiency, contributing to better air service quality, enhanced regional and international connectivity, and supporting the country's economic development efforts, the statement said.

BAGHDAD, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced Saturday that one of its members was killed and two others were wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in Karbala province.A statement by the PMF said that the explosion struck a PMF patrol tasked with protecting convoys of pilgrims traveling to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.A Karbala police officer told Xinhua anonymously that an investigation has been launched to identify those behind the attack, noting it is the first such incident since the start of this year's Hajj transport operations.The strategic road witnesses the daily passage of dozens of convoys of pilgrims, with fixed and mobile patrols from the Iraqi security forces securing the route, an important land gateway for Iraqi pilgrims.

ADEN, Yemen, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni Coast Guard said Saturday that an oil tanker was boarded and taken under control by unidentified armed individuals off the coast of Shabwa before being steered toward the Somali coast.The pro-government Coast Guard troops confirmed in a brief statement that they had received a report earlier in the day regarding the hijacking of the tanker M/T EUREKA in waters off southern Yemen.

ADEN, Yemen, May 2 (Xinhua) -- A second incident involving a commercial vessel being approached by unidentified boats has been reported in waters south of Yemen, a British maritime security agency said Saturday.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a statement posted on social media platform X that it had received a report of a suspicious approach approximately 84 nautical miles southwest of Al Mukalla.According to the agency, the master of a bulk carrier reported that a green-hulled skiff, accompanied by a white fishing vessel, approached to within 500 meters of the ship.The development comes less than 24 hours after the UKMTO issued a separate warning about another encounter in nearby waters.In that earlier case, the master of a bulk carrier reported being approached by a skiff with a black hull carrying seven armed individuals.No injuries or damage have been reported in either incident.Amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Iran and Yemen's Houthis have repeatedly warned of a possible return to attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.The threats have heightened concerns about the safety of one of the world's most vital maritime routes. However, despite the repeated statements, there have been no clear indications so far of a renewed campaign targeting vessels in the area.

JERUSALEM, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Two members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international humanitarian convoy intercepted by the Israeli navy in the Mediterranean Sea while en route to Gaza, were brought to Israel for questioning by law enforcement authorities, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said Saturday in a statement.The flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters on Wednesday evening, and 175 of its participants disembarked on the Greek island of Crete on Friday, in coordination with the Greek government.According to the Israeli statement, the two who were not released are Saif Abu Keshek, allegedly a leading member of the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), and Thiago Avila, who operates with the PCPA and is suspected of illegal activity.The PCPA, a main organizer of recent flotillas that aimed to break Israel's security cordon around Gaza, was sanctioned by the United States, claiming it is clandestinely acting on behalf of Hamas.The Israeli ministry said that the two people will receive consular visits from representatives of their respective countries in Israel. Abu Keshek is a Spanish and Swedish national, and Avila has a Brazilian citizenship.The Global Sumud Flotilla, comprising dozens of vessels, set sail from Barcelona in April and expanded during its stop in Italy to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and challenge the longstanding Israeli blockade of the territory.Israel said the flotilla was intercepted to enforce what it described as a lawful naval blockade on Gaza. The Israeli operation drew condemnation from several countries, which described the interception as an assault.