Mauritanians are voting for the first time since the country gained independence from France in 1960.
The 62-year-old is standing down after serving the maximum two five-year elected terms.
However the status quo is likely to prevail when a new leader is elected.
Abdel Aziz has expressed his support for Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who is a former general and defense minister.
Zohran Mamdani wins NYC mayoral race, capping meteoric rise
Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, won the New York City mayoral race on Tuesday, capping a meteoric rise from a little-known state lawmaker to one of the country's most visible Democratic figures, and the first Muslim mayor of the largest US city.
Kalmaegi death toll climbs to 66 as Philippine survivors confront destruction
As the death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines climbed to 66, residents in the hardest-hit province of Cebu are confronting the devastation it left behind: homes reduced to rubble, streets choked with debris and lives upended.
China's Shenzhou-20 return mission delayed due to space debris impact
China's Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft has delayed its return mission to Earth after the vessel was possibly hit by tiny bits of space debris, the country's human spaceflight agency said on Wednesday, an unusual situation that could disrupt the operation of the country's space station Tiangong.
At least 7 dead after UPS plane crashes in Kentucky, erupts into ball of fire
A UPS wide-body cargo plane crashed and erupted into a fireball shortly after takeoff on Tuesday from the international airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing seven people, including all three aboard the aircraft, and injuring 11 others on the ground, officials said.
The UAE has expressed its sincere condolences and solidarity with the Philippines following the floods and heavy rains caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi that killed at least 66 people.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has led the messages of condolences sent to the family of Dick Cheney, former Vice President of the United States, who died on Monday.
The UAE has called the peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia a significant step towards strengthening security and stability in Southeast Asia.
