Endangered Egyptian vultures, with their vivid yellow face and white plumes, would usually be nesting across the Balkans in their dozens by April.

But experts tracking the rare birds say local teams have struggled to find more than a handful in recent weeks, raising fears that the wars in the Middle East may have further disrupted their already perilous journey from Africa.

"The war is adding to the risks already present along this species' migration route," Nikolai Petkov, project manager at the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, told AFP.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an "open and safe" Strait of Hormuz during a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, the start of a five-nation tour overshadowed by energy and supply-chain worries due to the Iran war.

Modi, whose plane was guided in and out of UAE airspace by military jets, received a guard of honour and met President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before leaving for the Netherlands.

Egyptian smallholders have seen their lives upended by the war in Iran, with soaring fertiliser and energy prices forcing many to lay off workers and reduce the amount of land they farm.

Before the United States and Israel launched the war that would end up engulfing the region, Ashraf Abu Ragab cultivated a full acre with a small crew.

Now he farms just half on his own after sacking the workers he once relied on, and has quit growing wheat, a fertiliser-intensive crop.

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly defeated a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the Iran war until hostilities are authorized by Congress, but the effort to rein in President Donald Trump's military campaign failed by the closest possible margin.

The House voted 212 to 212 on the war powers resolution, meaning it failed because it needed a simple majority to pass.

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are developing a film adaptation of a best-selling memoir about a British military mission in Afghanistan, Netflix said Thursday.

"No Way Out: The Searing True Story of Men Under Siege," written by British Major Adam Jowett, chronicles his work leading a unit of paratroopers and Royal Irish Rangers in July 2006.

The film will be produced by the couple and their Archewell Productions scripted content head Tracy Ryerson, Netflix told AFP.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday said Barcelona star Lamine Yamal had made Spain "proud" for waving a Palestinian flag at a victory parade that sparked Israeli accusations of "inciting hatred".

The 18-year-old forward drew attention for brandishing a Palestinian flag during an open-top bus parade through Barcelona on Monday as the Catalan giants celebrated their second straight La Liga title.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz lashed out at the Spain star on Thursday, saying he chose to "incite hatred" against his country.

By Sayed Sheasha

LUXOR, Egypt, May 14 (Reuters) - Egyptian authorities on Thursday unveiled two restored ancient tombs on the West Bank of Luxor that date back to the New Kingdom and contain scenes of daily life and funerary rituals.

The tombs are those of Rabuya and his son Samut from the 18th Dynasty, the first of the New Kingdom dynasties. Rabuya and Samut served as door keepers of the deity Amun, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

- War talks are key, UN says -

Lebanon-Israel talks offer a "critical opportunity" to end war, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon said.

Imran Riza said he hoped the negotiations would "pave the way toward a political solution".

- More ships pass Hormuz: Iran -

Iran is allowing more ships to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state television has said, because "many countries have accepted the new legal protocols" it has put in place.

By Alexander Cornwell

JERUSALEM, May 14 (Reuters) - Thousands of Israeli nationalists marched on Thursday through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's walled Old City under heavy security, in an annual event marking Israel's capture of the city's east in a war nearly six decades ago.

The parade, the main celebration of Jerusalem Day, has become a show of force for Jewish nationalists but is seen by Palestinians as a blatant provocation aimed at undermining their ties to the city.

Iraqi lawmakers approved a new government on Thursday led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who vowed to ensure a state monopoly on weapons amid growing US pressure to dismantle Tehran-backed groups.

Iraq has long walked a tightrope between the competing influences of its allies, neighbouring Iran and the United States.

Iraq's parliament voted in favour of Zaidi's government and programme, just a few weeks after he was designated following months of political deadlock.