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.
Trump touts $5,000 payout if Republicans win as Vance waits in wings
President Donald Trump capped the first day of his Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention by proposing to pay every US adult a $5,000 "Trump dividend" if his party wins November's congressional elections.
Search expands after Philippine ferry fire kills five and leaves dozens missing
A large-scale search and rescue operation was underway off the western Philippine island of Palawan on Thursday after a passenger ferry caught fire, killing five people and leaving dozens of passengers missing.
Trump says Iran war to end after US midterm elections
President Donald Trump said he expected the war with Iran to end after the November US midterm elections after the two sides launched their biggest wave of attacks on shipping since the start of the six-month-old war.
At least 20 killed in cargo vessel fire at China shipyard, state media reports
At least 20 people have been killed in a fire aboard a foreign cargo vessel undergoing repairs at a state-owned shipyard in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Thursday, state media reported, with five others still missing.
US military says it struck vessel in Caribbean, killing 3
The US military said on Wednesday three people have been killed in a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, the latest in a series of attacks that Washington says target "narco-terrorists" but human rights groups condemn as extrajudicial killings.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has visited the German Bundestag, the federal parliament, in Berlin, as part of his state visit to Germany.
The UAE will host the third edition of the World Fire Congress in Dubai in 2028, becoming the first country in the Middle East to host the international gathering of fire, rescue and civil defence leaders.
On behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will lead the UAE delegation at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India.
