Archives for June, 2022

Boxes of coronavirus vaccines are stacked on the tarmac after the first batch arrived at Khartoum airport on an Emirates Airlines flight, Khartoum, Sudan, March 3, 2121.

Western creditors suspend debt relief to Sudan over coup as country’s economy sinks

The Paris Club of major creditors announced the suspension of a 2021 agreement with the now-deposed transitional government to restructure the large foreign debt of Sudan.

Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid speaks at a press conference, Tel Aviv, Israel, May 6, 2021.

Lapid may need to rely on boxing experience in battle with Netanyahu

Col. Gadi Eizenkot joining Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid's party could help him in an expected tough election battle against Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran says EU's Borrell to make surprise visit Friday

Agence France-Presse

People queue to buy olive oil, which is sold cheaply by the Agricultural Products Office, Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 17, 2022.

Egypt, Turkey hold firm on interest rates

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is adamantly opposed to raising interest rates, but some observers expected Egypt to raise rates in line with Gulf banks and the US Federal Reserve.

Members of the Iraqi national football team for amputees take part in a training session at Al-Shaab stadium in Baghdad

For Iraqi amputees football team, healing is the goal

Agence France-Presse

Palestinian surfer Sabah Abu Ghanem emerges from the water at a beach in Gaza City

Swimming and surfing, Gazans savour a cleaner sea

Agence France-Presse

French-Swiss rabbi Eliora Peretz at a synagogue in Jerusalem

Christian-born female rabbi shakes up Jewish Orthodoxy

Agence France-Presse

Nearly 600,000 additional deaths could have been prevented if the WHO's goal of vaccinating 40 percent of every country's population by the end of 2021 had been met

Covid vaccines saved 20 million lives in first year: study

Agence France-Presse

An employee packs bread at a bakery on March 23, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey says no evidence Ukrainian grains stolen by Russia reached its shores

Turkey is being lobbied by the UK to discuss the safe shipping of Ukrainian grain due to looming global shortages but denies any has reached its ports.

Egypt women

Culture

Egyptian scholar says women should 'wear hijab to live' after student murder

Mabrouk Attia's remarks stirred anger and controversy in Egypt after the killing of a female university student who refused a marriage offer.

Israel balloon

Hamas captures sophisticated Israeli military balloon

Hamas has captured an Israeli military surveillance balloon that accidentaly landed in northern Gaza, and Israel now fears they'll use it against them.

Iraq Sadr

Explainer: How Sadr's Shiite rivals became largest bloc in Iraq's parliament

Many of the new members of the Council of Representatives taking the place of the 73 Sadrists who resigned are aligned with Iran.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry walk prior to talks of representatives of the Arab League states, Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2022.

Egypt plans to use ruble in trade with Russia

Egypt and Russia seek to switch to local currencies in their trade transactions to overcome obstacles created by Western sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine war.

Blinken

Analysis

Families of American hostages abroad discouraged after Blinken call

Participants don't feel the call made progress toward securing their loved ones' release and hope for a future audience with President Biden.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Spring

Culture

Israeli actions threaten historic spring near Jericho

Ain al-Auja spring in the Jordan Valley is threatened with settlement expansion after Israel announced a plan to take over lands surrounding the area.

NATO

NATO blinks as Turkey maintains threats to block Sweden, Finland from alliance

Turkey's strategy in blocking Sweden's and Finland’s NATO memberships could soon start to pay off.