The trials of three Egyptian activists and a rights lawyer, who have been held in prison for over two years on a number of charges, were postponed Monday, their lawyer said.

Activists Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Mohamed Ibrahim and Yahia Hussein Abdel-Hadi and lawyer Mohammed el-Baker appeared before judges of the Emergency State Security Court in Cairo, according to lawyer Khalid Ali. They will be tried in two separate proceedings in the same courtroom.

Sweden's foreign minister visited Israel on Monday in an effort to mend ties after years in which the two countries have been at odds over the conflict with the Palestinians.

Sweden's Social Democratic-led government recognized Palestinian statehood in 2014, making it the first large European country to do so since the end of the Cold War. Its former foreign minister's comments in support of the Palestinians drew angry responses from Israeli officials.

North Korea on Tuesday fired at least one ballistic missile into the sea in what South Korea's military described as a weapon likely designed for submarine-based launches, marking possibly the most significant demonstration of the North's military might since President Joe Biden took office.

The launch came hours after the U.S. reaffirmed its offer to resume diplomacy on North Korea's nuclear weapons program. It underscored how the North continues to expand its military capabilities amid a pause in diplomacy.

When the Taliban swept into power, they found Afghanistan's economy fast approaching the brink and were faced with harrowing predictions of growing poverty and hunger. So they ordered the financial managers of the collapsed former government back to work, with an urgent directive: Do your jobs, because we can't.

In the 20 years since the Taliban last ruled, Afghanistan evolved from an economy dealing mostly in illicit enterprise to a sophisticated, multi-billion-dollar system fueled by donor aid and international trade. The Taliban, a movement borne out of the rural clergy, struggled to grasp the extent of the transformation.

The U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan is stepping down following the chaotic American withdrawal from the country, the State Department said Monday.

Zalmay Khalilzad will leave the post this week after more than three years on the job under both the Trump and Biden administrations. He had been criticized for not pressing the Taliban hard enough in peace talks begun while Trump was president but Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked him for his work.

For many Iraqis, the name Colin Powell conjures up one image: the man who as U.S. secretary of state went before the U.N. Security Council in 2003 to make the case for war against their country.

Word of his death Monday at age 84 dredged up feelings of anger in Iraq toward the former general and diplomat, one of several Bush administration officials whom they hold responsible for a disastrous U.S.-led invasion that led to decades of death, chaos and violence in Iraq.

Iran's president has said the United States should lift the sanctions on his country to prove it is serious about restarting stalled nuclear talks in Vienna.

In an interview with state TV, Ebrahim Raisi said Iran is after "goal-oriented" talks with the West and said Iran "never left" the negotiation table.

A strong earthquake struck off the Turkish Mediterranean coast on Tuesday, Turkey's disaster management agency said. There was no immediate report of any damage or casualties.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate said the quake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 struck some 155 kilometers (96 miles) off the resort town of Kas, in Antalya province, at 8:32 a.m..

Giant banners of Bernard Tapie were displayed at Stade Velodrome as Marseille fans paid an emotional tribute to the former club president they adored before Sunday's 4-1 home win against Lorient.

Marseille's win moved it up to third place in the French league, one point behind second-place Lens and one point ahead of Nice in fourth.

China said Monday its launch of a new spacecraft was merely a test to see whether the vehicle could be re-used.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the launch involved a spacecraft rather than a missile and was of "great significance for reducing the use-cost of spacecraft and could provide a convenient and affordable way to make a round trip for mankind's peaceful use of space."