In the shadow of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City lies the "African Quarter" — home to a little-known community of nearly 50 Arab families of African descent.

Descended from Muslim pilgrims from a variety of African countries, they now consider themselves proud Palestinians, despite widespread poverty and occasional discrimination from both Palestinians and Israelis. Several have even participated in violent attacks against Israel.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived Thursday for a two-day visit to Manila as the Philippines has boosted ties with China while taking a hostile stance toward Tokyo's main ally the United States.

The Philippines is Abe's first stop in a four-nation swing as the Japanese leader presses efforts to boost his country's trade and security engagements amid China's rise to Asian dominance. He will later travel to Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Participants at an oil conference in crude-rich Abu Dhabi say they hope production cuts will drive prices even higher.

Emirati Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazroui says there's "a fair movement" toward higher prices. He spoke on Thursday at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Forum.

Nearly two months into the assault, Turkey has become bogged down in an unexpectedly bloody fight to retake the Islamic State group's last stronghold in northern Syria. It has been forced to pour in troops, take the lead in the battle from its Syrian allies and reach out to Russia for aerial support.

The fight for al-Bab underscores the precarious path Ankara is treading with its foray in to Syria, aimed against both IS militants and Syrian Kurdish fighters. The assault on the town had already driven a wedge between Turkey and the United States, and now the realignment toward Moscow — which supports the government in Syria's civil war — further tests Ankara's alliance both with Washington and with the Syrian opposition.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said after a visit to Saudi Arabia that his country's close ties to the kingdom's archrival Iran should not impede relations with the wider Arab world.

"We have normal relations with Iran," which "shouldn't be a barrier in the face of normal relations with the Arab world," Aoun said in remarks published by the pan-Arab and Saudi-run Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on Wednesday.

The Obama administration said overnight Monday that it has added two senior members of Hizbullah to its “terrorism” sanctions list.

Investigators focused Tuesday on a possible inside job in the theft of more than $10 million worth of jewelry from Kim Kardashian West, after taking her chauffeur that night and his brother into custody.

Three Paris officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, confirmed the arrest of the driver and his younger brother among 17 people taken into custody. Michael Madar, 40, and Gary Madar, 27, worked for the same livery company, according to two of the officials.

FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament which is likely to be held in North America.

President Gianni Infantino's favored plan — for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 — was unanimously approved Tuesday by the FIFA Council.

The leaders of Cyprus have begun a second day of talks aimed at reunifying the island split along ethnic Greek and Turkish lines, addressing issues of how power could be shared, ties with the European Union and economic matters.

Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci were meeting at U.N. offices in Geneva before the talks take an international turn, with the arrival of British, Greek and Turkish leaders on Thursday.

Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt have reached an agreement to handle their divorce in a private forum and will work together to reunify their family, the actors announced in a joint statement Monday.

Their statement released Monday night to The Associated Press said that they will keep future details of their divorce confidential by using a private judge.