WEATHER ALERT
A bus carrying university students crashes, killing 12 and injuring 33 in Egypt's northeast
Read full article: A bus carrying university students crashes, killing 12 and injuring 33 in Egypt's northeastThe Egyptian health ministry says a bus crashed and overturned on a highway in northeastern Egypt, killing 12 people and injuring 33 others.
Nile basin nations say water-sharing accord has come into force without Egypt's backing
Read full article: Nile basin nations say water-sharing accord has come into force without Egypt's backingA regional partnership for Nile River basin countries says an agreement on the equitable use of water resources has come into force despite the notable opposition of Egypt.
UN General Assembly widely supports a Palestinian resolution demanding Israel end its occupation
Read full article: UN General Assembly widely supports a Palestinian resolution demanding Israel end its occupationThe U.N. General Assembly strongly supported a nonbinding Palestinian resolution Wednesday demanding that Israel end its “unlawful presence” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank within a year.
Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning 'time is of the essence'
Read full article: Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning 'time is of the essence'U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has ended his latest visit to the Middle East without securing a cease-fire in Gaza.
Blinken says Israel OKs a plan to break the cease-fire impasse and urges Hamas to do the same
Read full article: Blinken says Israel OKs a plan to break the cease-fire impasse and urges Hamas to do the sameU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, and he called on Hamas to do the same, without saying whether the latest draft had addressed concerns cited by the militant group.
France beats Egypt 3-1 and will face Spain in the men's soccer final at Paris Olympics
Read full article: France beats Egypt 3-1 and will face Spain in the men's soccer final at Paris OlympicsJean-Philippe Mateta scored twice as France advanced to the final of the men’s soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics with a 3-1 win over Egypt after extra time.
NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and troubled Boeing capsule at space station
Read full article: NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and troubled Boeing capsule at space stationOfficials say two NASA astronauts will remain at the International Space Station until engineers finish working on problems plaguing their Boeing capsule.
Boeing is closer to understanding thruster failures on its first astronaut flight with latest test
Read full article: Boeing is closer to understanding thruster failures on its first astronaut flight with latest testBoeing is closer to understanding what went wrong with its astronaut capsule in orbit, now that testing is complete on a spare thruster here on Earth.
Israel lets 19 kids leave Gaza who are sick or wounded, first medical evacuation in nearly 2 months
Read full article: Israel lets 19 kids leave Gaza who are sick or wounded, first medical evacuation in nearly 2 monthsIsraeli authorities say 68 people — 19 sick and injured children and their companions — have been allowed out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt in the first medical evacuation since May, when the territory’s sole travel crossing was shut down.
Why NASA astronauts are delayed at the space station after Boeing Starliner launch
Read full article: Why NASA astronauts are delayed at the space station after Boeing Starliner launchTwo astronauts are spending extra time at the International Space Station as NASA and Boeing troubleshoot capsule problems that popped up on the way there.
Biden administration weighing measures to help Palestinians bring family from region
Read full article: Biden administration weighing measures to help Palestinians bring family from regionThe Biden administration is weighing measures to help Palestinians living in the United States who want to bring family from the war-torn region.
Why Israel is so determined to launch an offensive in Rafah. And why so many oppose it
Read full article: Why Israel is so determined to launch an offensive in Rafah. And why so many oppose itIsrael is determined to launch an offensive against Hamas in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town, a plan that has raised global alarm because of the potential for harm to more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there.
US sanctions Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa over human rights abuses
Read full article: US sanctions Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa over human rights abusesThe United States has sanctioned Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the First Lady and other government officials for their alleged involvement in corruption and human rights abuses.
Zimbabwe's president cancels a renewable energy speech after a bomb scare at Victoria Falls Airport
Read full article: Zimbabwe's president cancels a renewable energy speech after a bomb scare at Victoria Falls AirportAn official says that a bomb scare has shut down Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Airport that forced the country’s president to cancel a planned address at a conference on renewable energy.
Israel and Hamas indicate no deal is imminent after Biden signals Gaza cease-fire could be close
Read full article: Israel and Hamas indicate no deal is imminent after Biden signals Gaza cease-fire could be closeIsrael and Hamas played down chances of an imminent breakthrough in talks for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Strikes kill 13 in Gaza as Biden describes Israel's military response as 'over the top'
Read full article: Strikes kill 13 in Gaza as Biden describes Israel's military response as 'over the top'Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 13 people in Rafah after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas' cease-fire terms and vowed to expand the offensive into the southern Gaza town.
Zimbabwe's government backs a move to abolish the death penalty having last hanged someone in 2005
Read full article: Zimbabwe's government backs a move to abolish the death penalty having last hanged someone in 2005Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has agreed to back a move in Parliament to abolish the death penalty.
UN: Global trade is being disrupted by Red Sea attacks, war in Ukraine and low water in Panama Canal
Read full article: UN: Global trade is being disrupted by Red Sea attacks, war in Ukraine and low water in Panama CanalThe U.N. trade body sounded an alarm Thursday that global trade is being disrupted by attacks in the Red Sea, the war in Ukraine, and low water levels in the Panama Canal.
China says it's working to de-escalate tensions in the Red Sea that have upended global trade
Read full article: China says it's working to de-escalate tensions in the Red Sea that have upended global tradeChina, the world's biggest exporter, says it is deeply concerned about tensions in the Red Sea that have upended global trade by forcing many shippers to avoid the Suez Canal.
Salah's Egypt and Osimhen's Nigeria have frustrating starts at Africa Cup. 'Blue Sharks' beat Ghana
Read full article: Salah's Egypt and Osimhen's Nigeria have frustrating starts at Africa Cup. 'Blue Sharks' beat GhanaMohamed Salah has scored a very late penalty to spare Egypt’s embarrassment by drawing 2-2 against Mozambique in their Africa Cup of Nations opener.
Israeli strikes in central Gaza kill at least 35 as Netanyahu says war will continue for months
Read full article: Israeli strikes in central Gaza kill at least 35 as Netanyahu says war will continue for monthsHospital officials in central Gaza say at least 35 people have been killed in Israeli strikes.
Live updates | Israel releases 30 prisoners after Hamas frees 12 hostages in extended truce deal
Read full article: Live updates | Israel releases 30 prisoners after Hamas frees 12 hostages in extended truce dealThe latest swap of hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel started with the release of 10 Israeli hostages — nine women and a 17-year-old girl — as well as two Thais handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza.
Opposition mounts in Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel
Read full article: Opposition mounts in Arab countries that normalized relations with IsraelCountries in the Middle East that have normalized or are considering normalizing relations with Israel are coming under growing public pressure to cut those ties because of Israel’s war with Hamas.
After weeks in besieged Gaza, some foreign nationals and wounded Palestinians are allowed to leave
Read full article: After weeks in besieged Gaza, some foreign nationals and wounded Palestinians are allowed to leaveIsrael's military says its ground troops have advanced to “the gates of Gaza City” amid heavy fighting.
Israel-Hamas conflict: Ways to preserve mental health, provide support and avoid social media
Read full article: Israel-Hamas conflict: Ways to preserve mental health, provide support and avoid social mediaInstead of continuing to feel down and risk your mental health over the images on social media, there are ways you can show support without feeling overwhelmed mentally.
Republicans warn many Gaza refugees could be headed for the U.S. Here's why that's unlikely
Read full article: Republicans warn many Gaza refugees could be headed for the U.S. Here's why that's unlikelyFormer President Donald Trump and other top Republicans are issuing increasingly urgent calls for the U.S. to seal its borders against a potential mass exodus of Palestinians fleeing war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel will let Egypt deliver some aid to Gaza, as doctors struggle to treat hospital blast victims
Read full article: Israel will let Egypt deliver some aid to Gaza, as doctors struggle to treat hospital blast victimsIsrael says will allow Egypt to deliver limited quantities of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the first crack in a 10-day seal on the territory.
Biden considering trip to Israel in the coming days, but travel isn't final, according to AP source
Read full article: Biden considering trip to Israel in the coming days, but travel isn't final, according to AP sourcePresident Joe Biden is considering a trip to Israel in the coming days, but nothing has been finalized.
The AP Interview: EU President Michel warns about spillover of Israel-Hamas war into Europe
Read full article: The AP Interview: EU President Michel warns about spillover of Israel-Hamas war into EuropeEuropean Union leader Charles Michel has warned in The AP Interview that the Israel-Hamas war could create a surge in refugees heading for Europe, raising the risk of spurring on anti-migrant forces, deepening divisions and inflaming tensions between supporters of Israel and the Palestinians.
IMF sees economic growth in the Mideast improving next year. But the Israel-Hamas war poses risks
Read full article: IMF sees economic growth in the Mideast improving next year. But the Israel-Hamas war poses risksThe International Monetary Fund says Middle East economies are gradually recovering as external shocks from the war in Ukraine and global inflation fade.
A big fire at a police headquarters in northeastern Egypt injures at least 38 people
Read full article: A big fire at a police headquarters in northeastern Egypt injures at least 38 peopleEgyptian authorities say a huge fire that broke out in a police headquarters in northeastern Egypt has injured at least 38 people.
Paris strips Palestinian leader Abbas of special honor for remarks on Holocaust
Read full article: Paris strips Palestinian leader Abbas of special honor for remarks on HolocaustParis has rescinded a special honor it bestowed on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas because of recent antisemitic comments minimizing the Holocaust.
United Nations humanitarian chief says Sudan appears to be in a civil war 'of the most brutal kind'
Read full article: United Nations humanitarian chief says Sudan appears to be in a civil war 'of the most brutal kind'The United Nations humanitarian chief tells The Associated Press that Sudan appears to be in a civil war “of the most brutal kind” and the world needs a new forum for talks in pursuit of a cease-fire.
June temperatures briefly passed key climate threshold. Scientists expect more such spikes
Read full article: June temperatures briefly passed key climate threshold. Scientists expect more such spikesWorldwide temperatures briefly exceeded a key warming threshold earlier this month, drawing notice in the scientific community and prompting public chatter that climate change might be accelerating.
UN climate chief calls fossil fuel phase out key to curbing warming but may not be on talks' agenda
Read full article: UN climate chief calls fossil fuel phase out key to curbing warming but may not be on talks' agendaThe United Nations climate chief says phasing out all fossil fuels is central to curbing global warming.
The likelihood that Earth briefly hits key warming threshold grows bigger and closer, UN forecasts
Read full article: The likelihood that Earth briefly hits key warming threshold grows bigger and closer, UN forecastsThe United Nations' weather agency says there's a two-out-of-three chance that the world will reach the internationally accepted global temperature threshold for limiting the worst effects of climate change sometime in the next five years.
Regional talks on Syria's fate kick off in Jordanian capital
Read full article: Regional talks on Syria's fate kick off in Jordanian capitalRegional leaders are meeting in Jordan to discuss Syria’s return to the Arab fold and a Jordanian proposal to reach a “political solution” to the Syrian conflict.
Palestinian Authority blocks registration of legal aid group
Read full article: Palestinian Authority blocks registration of legal aid groupThe Palestinian Authority has blocked the registration of a legal advocacy group representing critics and opponents detained in Palestinian jails, a move condemned as the authority’s latest effort to stifle civil society in the occupied West Bank.
UN seeks court opinion on climate in win for island states
Read full article: UN seeks court opinion on climate in win for island statesThe countries of the United Nations led by the island nation of Vanuatu adopted what they called a historic resolution Wednesday calling for the U.N.‘s highest court to strengthen countries’ obligations to curb warming and protect communities from climate disaster.
AI: World likely to hit key warming threshold in 10-12 years
Read full article: AI: World likely to hit key warming threshold in 10-12 yearsA new study using artificial intelligence finds that the world will likely warm a few more tenths of a degrees within the next 10 to 12 years and breach a key climate change threshold.
UN chief calls for credible climate action, convenes summit
Read full article: UN chief calls for credible climate action, convenes summitThe head of the United Nations on Monday urged world leaders to take “credible” new action to curb climate change, warning that efforts so far fall short of what’s needed to avert catastrophe.
Economic pain, Turkish strikes drive Syrian Kurds to Europe
Read full article: Economic pain, Turkish strikes drive Syrian Kurds to EuropeA growing number of Syrian Kurds are making the journey to Europe on a circuitous course that includes travel by car and plane across Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, then finally by boat to Spain.
Ghanian girl cuts through jargon, delivers message at COP27
Read full article: Ghanian girl cuts through jargon, delivers message at COP27During a session at the U.N. climate summit in Egypt, 10-year-old Nakeeyat Dramani Sam told attendees that rich nations should compensate developing countries' climate impacts.
Insurance fund for climate impacts announced at UN talks
Read full article: Insurance fund for climate impacts announced at UN talksThe Group of Seven leading economies launched a new insurance system Monday to provide swift financial aid when nations are hit by devastating effects of climate change.
US plan to tap businesses for green finance meets resistance
Read full article: US plan to tap businesses for green finance meets resistanceU.S. climate envoy John Kerry unveiled a plan at the COP27 climate summit to make it easier for private corporations to send cash to the developing world in exchange for looking green at home.
Gore announces fossil fuel emissions inventory at UN summit
Read full article: Gore announces fossil fuel emissions inventory at UN summitA detailed inventory of the top known sources of greenhouse gas emitters launched by former U_S_ Vice President Al Gore at the U_N_ climate summit in Egypt on Wednesday found that the top 14 individual polluters are all gas and oil fields and their associated facilities, despite their emissions being “significantly underreported.”.
UK government rejects plan to build national flagship
Read full article: UK government rejects plan to build national flagshipBritain’s government has scrapped a 250 million-pound ($288 million) plan to build a national flagship that was supposed to tour the world as a “floating embassy” amid a public spending squeeze and to prioritize funding for boosting U.K. defenses against Russia.
War fallout, aid demands overshadow climate talks in Egypt
Read full article: War fallout, aid demands overshadow climate talks in EgyptEach year there are high hopes for the two-week United Nations climate gathering and, almost inevitably, disappointment when it doesn’t deliver another landmark pact like the one agreed 2015 in Paris.
S Korea signs $2.25 billion deal with Russia nuclear company
Read full article: S Korea signs $2.25 billion deal with Russia nuclear companySouth Korea has signed a $2.25 billion contract with a Russian state-run nuclear energy company to provide components and construct turbine buildings for Egypt’s first nuclear power plant.
Safety concerns after deadly fire rips through Egypt church
Read full article: Safety concerns after deadly fire rips through Egypt churchResidents of a Cairo neighborhood say they are in shock a day after a devastating fire ripped through a Coptic Orthodox church, killing 41 worshippers, including at least 15 children.
Fire at Cairo Coptic church kills 41, including 15 children
Read full article: Fire at Cairo Coptic church kills 41, including 15 childrenA fire ripped through a packed Coptic Orthodox church during morning services in Egypt’s capital, killing 41 worshippers, including at least 15 children, and injuring 16 others.
Developing nations seek to overcome energy, currency crises
Read full article: Developing nations seek to overcome energy, currency crisesBusiness leaders and officials from eight developing nations meeting in Bangladesh say more cooperation is needed among them to overcome dwindling foreign currency reserves, a growing energy crisis and supply chain disruptions.
Climate aid, war fallout feature at Berlin climate talks
Read full article: Climate aid, war fallout feature at Berlin climate talksOfficials from 40 countries are meeting in Berlin to discuss how to stay focused on fighting climate change while the world reels from the economic fallout of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ethiopia says willing to resume dam talks with Egypt, Sudan
Read full article: Ethiopia says willing to resume dam talks with Egypt, SudanA senior Ethiopian official says his country is interested in resuming talks with Egypt and Sudan on a huge and controversial Blue Nile dam that will be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant.
Fossil fuel backers overshadow climate change talks in Dubai
Read full article: Fossil fuel backers overshadow climate change talks in DubaiA flurry of summits this week across Dubai all focused in one way or another on climate change, or at least acknowledgement that the global energy transition is needed to keep temperatures from rising.
Biden joins pope, imam in calling for 'human fraternity'
Read full article: Biden joins pope, imam in calling for 'human fraternity'U.S. President Joe Biden is joining Pope Francis and a leading Sunni imam in calling for greater global cooperation to fight the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and other world crises.
Britain's Prince Charles pays royal visit to Jordan
Read full article: Britain's Prince Charles pays royal visit to JordanPrince Charles, heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived in Jordan as part of the first royal tour since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Egypt opens ancient tomb of King Djoser after restoration
Read full article: Egypt opens ancient tomb of King Djoser after restorationEgypt is showcasing an ancient tomb structure belonging to the cemetery complex of King Djoser, a pharaoh who lived more than 4,500 years ago, following extensive restorations of the site.
Suez Canal says deal reached to free seized vessel
Read full article: Suez Canal says deal reached to free seized vesselThe Suez Canal Authority says it has reached an agreement to settle a financial dispute with the owners of a hulking container ship that blocked the crucial waterway for nearly a week earlier this year.
Blinken claims progress in effort to boost Gaza truce
Read full article: Blinken claims progress in effort to boost Gaza truceU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has wrapped up a two-day Mideast mission, winning valuable diplomatic support and hundreds of millions of dollars of pledges from Arab allies as he moved to shore up the cease-fire that ended an 11-day war between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s militant Hamas rulers.
An online post helps both the hungry and a chef in Ramadan
Read full article: An online post helps both the hungry and a chef in RamadanMariam Yehia has a Ramadan tradition of buying hot meals and driving around to hand them out to the needy in Cairo so they can break their fast during the Muslim holy month.
In show of Pharaonic heritage, Egypt parades royal mummies
Read full article: In show of Pharaonic heritage, Egypt parades royal mummiesEgypt is holding a gala parade celebrating the transport of 22 of its prized royal mummies from central Cairo to their new resting place in a massive new museum further south in the capital.
Traffic jam eases further in Suez Canal after ship unblocked
Read full article: Traffic jam eases further in Suez Canal after ship unblockedA company providing services to the Suez Canal says the maritime traffic jam caused by the Canal's blockage by a cargo ship for nearly a week is continuing to ease.
Experts examine bottom of big ship that was stuck in Suez
Read full article: Experts examine bottom of big ship that was stuck in SuezExperts have boarded Ever Given container ship that had blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week before it was dislodged. A canal pilot says engineers are inspecting the Ever Given for damage and trying to determine why it ran aground. Two senior canal officials said the vessel's bulbous bow had suffered slight to medium damage. AdEver Given will not be allowed to leave the canal until the end of the investigation, Rabei added. Some broke into tears, many hugged each other as the vessel’s bow was rooted out from the eastern side of the canal.
With ship now freed, a probe into Suez Canal blockage begins
Read full article: With ship now freed, a probe into Suez Canal blockage beginsEver Given, a Panama-flagged cargo ship, is seen in Egypt's Great Bitter Lake Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Experts have boarded Ever Given container ship that had blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week before it was dislodged. A canal pilot says engineers are inspecting the Ever Given for damage and trying to determine why it ran aground. Global legal firm Clyde and Co. said the Ever Given's owner likely would pay Egypt's canal authority for the assistance already rendered to the vessel. He stood before a sign that said: "Welcome to the Suez Canal: Egypt's lifeline of peace, prosperity and development."
Suez Canal blockage adds to pressure points in global trade
Read full article: Suez Canal blockage adds to pressure points in global trade(Maxar Technologies via AP)The plight of a mammoth container ship stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal has highlighted still more pressure points in global trade, a year after supply chains were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Panama-flagged, Japanese-owned ship has been lodged in a single-lane stretch of the canal for nearly a week, holding up $9 billion each day in global trade. The disruption from the Suez Canal blockage is less dramatic but not insignificant. The canal carries over 10% of global trade, including 7% of the world’s oil. The Suez Canal accounts for 30% of the world’s daily shipping container freight.
Giant container ship that blocked Suez Canal set free and moving
Read full article: Giant container ship that blocked Suez Canal set free and movingThis satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt, Friday, March 26, 2021. A maritime traffic jam grew to more than 200 vessels Friday outside the Suez Canal and some vessels began changing course as dredgers worked frantically to free a giant container ship that is stuck sideways in the waterway and disrupting global shipping. From the city of Suez, ships stacked with containers could be seen exiting the canal into the Red Sea. “The Suez Canal is not guilty of what happened. Berdowski told Dutch radio station NPO 1 the company had always believed it would be the two powerful tugboats it sent that would free the ship.
2 tugboats deploy to Egypt's Suez Canal as shippers avoid it
Read full article: 2 tugboats deploy to Egypt's Suez Canal as shippers avoid itThis satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt, Saturday, March 27, 2021. Authorities are preparing to make new attempts to free the giant container vessel stuck in Egypt's Suez Canal for a fifth day and reopen a crucial east-west waterway for global shipping. The Dutch-flagged Alp Guard, a specialist tugboat, arrived at the location Sunday, according to the stuck ship's technical management company, Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement. Excavators dug Sunday on the eastern wall of the Suez Canal, hoping to free the bulbous bow of the Ever Given that plowed into the embankment, satellite photos showed. Dozens of others still listed their destination as the canal, though shippers increasingly appear to be avoiding the passage.
No timeline given for extracting wedged ship from Suez Canal
Read full article: No timeline given for extracting wedged ship from Suez CanalThis satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt, Friday, March 26, 2021. Meanwhile, the head of the Suez Canal Authority said strong winds were “not the only cause” for the Ever Given running aground on Tuesday, appearing to push back against conflicting assessments offered by others. A Dutch salvage firm is attempting to refloat the vessel with tugboats and dredgers, taking advantage of high tides. AdSome 9,000 tons of ballast water had been already removed from the vessel, the canal chairman said. The Suez Canal Authority organized the first media trip Saturday to the site where the vessel was stuck.
Ethiopia rejects outside mediation in Nile River dam dispute
Read full article: Ethiopia rejects outside mediation in Nile River dam disputeAn Ethiopian official said on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 that his government opposes calls by Sudan for outside mediators including the United States in the ongoing dispute over its construction of a massive hydroelectric dam on the Nile River. Ethiopia is generally opposed to mediation by outside parties even though the African Union is welcome to help, Dina Mufti, spokesman for Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters. “The tripartite talks between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be concluded between the three countries themselves, not through mediators,” he said. Mufti added that Ethiopia has “big respect for the African Union” and that the country "believes in resolving African problems by Africans." AdNegotiators have said key questions remain about how much water Ethiopia will release downstream if a multi-year drought occurs and how the countries will resolve any future disputes.
The Latest: Tennessee probe finds wasted vaccines
Read full article: The Latest: Tennessee probe finds wasted vaccines___WASHINGTON — Coronavirus vaccine makers tell Congress to expect a big increase in the delivery of doses over the coming month. AdLooking ahead to summer, Pfizer and Moderna expect to complete delivery of 300 million doses each, and J&J aims to provide an additional 100 million doses. ___MADRID — Spain has registered 7,461 new coronavirus cases and 443 more deaths. AdThe country has reached a total of 3.1 million cases and 68,000 confirmed deaths. Ad___GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization is criticizing the lack of access to coronavirus vaccines for the world’s poor.
US: Aid pause to Ethiopia no longer linked to dam dispute
Read full article: US: Aid pause to Ethiopia no longer linked to dam dispute(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File)NAIROBI – The United States says it has decided to “de-link” its suspension of millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia from that country’s dispute with Egypt over a massive hydroelectric dam project. The State Department said humanitarian assistance remains exempt from the aid suspension. Ethiopia had left a U.S.-led attempt to mediate the dispute with Egypt, alleging bias. Trump also caused an uproar by saying downstream Egypt would “blow up” the dam project that Cairo considers an existential threat. AdThe U.S. has said Eritrean soldiers should “immediately” leave Ethiopia.
Under the sea, humans have changed ocean sounds
Read full article: Under the sea, humans have changed ocean soundsUsing underwater microphones, scientists can record fish sounds – which tend to hover around the same low frequencies as shipping traffic noise. “For many marine species, their attempts to communicate are being masked by sounds that humans have introduced,” said Carlos Duarte, a marine ecologist at the Red Sea Research Center in Saudi Arabia and co-author of the paper. AdThe Red Sea is one of the world’s key shipping corridors, full of large vessels traveling to Asia, Europe and Africa. Some fish and invertebrates now avoid the noisiest areas, as the sound effectively fragments their Red Sea habitat, he said. Climate change also influences physical processes that shape ocean sounds, such as winds, waves and melting ice, the researchers found.
Gulf Arab leaders sign declaration to ease rift with Qatar
Read full article: Gulf Arab leaders sign declaration to ease rift with QatarSaudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters after the summit that diplomatic relations would be restored in full with Qatar, although no time frame was given. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are primarily concerned about Qatar’s ties with Iran. The rift between Abu Dhabi and Doha has been deepest, with the UAE and Qatar at sharp ideological odds. Egypt’s foreign minister also attended the meeting of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who spearheaded those deals, was at the summit for the signing of the Gulf declaration.
Saudi Arabia to lift Qatar embargo, easing the Gulf crisis
Read full article: Saudi Arabia to lift Qatar embargo, easing the Gulf crisisThe Saudi border, which Qatar relied on for the import of dairy products, construction materials and other goods, opened briefly during the past three years to allow Qataris into Saudi Arabia to perform the Islamic hajj pilgrimage. The rift between Abu Dhabi and Doha has been deepest, with the UAE and Qatar at sharp ideological odds. This year, Egypt’s president has also been invited to attend the summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. “Saudi Arabia could frame a partial détente, which allows Qatari civilian planes to fly over Saudi airspace and de-escalates the information war, as proof of ‘new thinking’ in Riyadh,” Ramani said ahead of the announcement. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are primarily concerned with Qatar's close ties with regional foe Iran.
Charity rescue ship with 265 migrants anchors off Italy
Read full article: Charity rescue ship with 265 migrants anchors off ItalyMigrants from Eritrea, Egypt, Syria and Sudan, rest on board the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel after having been rescued in the Mediterranean sea, about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)ROME – Italy allowed a Spanish-flagged charity ship with 265 rescued migrants aboard to anchor off Sicily on Monday. The Open Arms vessel had brought the migrants safely aboard in separate rescues last week in the central Mediterranean. Open Arms said 96 of those rescued had been adrift two days in a wooden boat without life vests in international waters. In an earlier, separate operation, Open Arms had taken aboard 169 migrants, who had departed Libyan shores, where many human traffickers are based.
Spanish-flagged boat rescues 265 migrants in Mediterranean
Read full article: Spanish-flagged boat rescues 265 migrants in MediterraneanMigrants from Eritrea, Egypt, Syria and Sudan, are assisted by aid workers of the Spanish NGO Open Arms, after fleeing Libya on board a precarious wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea, about 110 miles north of Libya, on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)ROME – A Spanish-flagged humanitarian ship on Sunday was seeking a port of safety for 265 migrants its crew rescued from the Mediterranean Sea in the last few days. The Open Arms charity tweeted that its vessel on Saturday had safely brought aboard 96 migrants who had been adrift in a wooden boat with without life vests in international waters. In a separate operation two days before that rescue, Open Arms took aboard 169 migrants, who had departed Libyan shores, where many human traffickers are based. The traffickers launch vessels, many of them flimsy rubber dinghies or rickety fishing boats, crowded with migrants who hope to reach European shores to seek asylum.
20 migrants dead off Tunisia after boat sinks, more missing
Read full article: 20 migrants dead off Tunisia after boat sinks, more missingTunisian authorities say 20 African migrants have been found dead after their boat, which was trying to reach Europe, sank in the Mediterranean Sea. Five survivors were rescued Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 and authorities are searching for up to 20 others believed missing. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios, File)TUNIS – About 20 African migrants were found dead Thursday after their smuggling boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe, Tunisian authorities said. Five survivors were rescued and the Tunisian navy is searching for up to 20 others still believed missing. According to survivors, the migrant smuggling boat was carrying about 40 or 50 people heading toward Italy, Ben Zekri said.
Saeb Erekat, longtime Palestinian spokesman, dies at 65
Read full article: Saeb Erekat, longtime Palestinian spokesman, dies at 65FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2011 file photo, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, speaks during a press conference at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. Erekat, a veteran peace negotiator and prominent international spokesman for the Palestinians for more than three decades, has died Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Erekat's body was brought to a West Bank hospital and was to be laid to rest in Jericho on Wednesday. He spent most of his life in the occupied West Bank town of Jericho, a palm-studded desert oasis about 30 minutes from Jerusalem. ___Associated Press writers Mohammed Daraghmeh and Haitham Hamad in Ramallah, West Bank, and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Egyptians vote in 2nd stage of parliamentary election
Read full article: Egyptians vote in 2nd stage of parliamentary electionA woman casts her vote on the first day in the second and final stage of the country's parliamentary elections in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. Egyptians began voting on Saturday after a relatively low turnout in the first stage that embarrassed the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. A total of 568 seats in the lower chamber are up for grabs in the election, with half the seats reserved for candidates running as individuals. The other 50% of seats in the House of Representatives are for over 1,100 candidates running on four party lists. For weeks before the vote, pro-government media called voting a patriotic duty and urged Egyptians to vote in high numbers.
Ethiopia blasts Trump remark that Egypt will 'blow up' dam
Read full article: Ethiopia blasts Trump remark that Egypt will 'blow up' damWithout naming Trump or the U.S., Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office issued a separate critical statement amid an outcry in Ethiopia over Trump’s latest threat over the dam. Downstream Sudan is a party to the talks with Ethiopia and Egypt over the disputed dam. “They (Egypt) will end up blowing up the dam,” Trump said. Ethiopia celebrated the first filling of the dam in August, citing heavy rains, to the dismay of Egypt. Negotiators have said key questions remain about how much water Ethiopia will release downstream if a multi-year drought occurs and how the countries will resolve any future disputes.