Egypt

Libya’s coast guard recovers dozens of bodies of migrants

CAIRO (AP) — Libya’s coast guard recovered dozens of bodies of Europe-bound migrants who perished at sea as search operations continued Friday, a day after up to 150 people, including women and children, went missing and were feared drowned when their boats capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.

A top U.N. official described Thursday’s shipwreck as “the worst Mediterranean tragedy” so far this year.

British Airways to resume flights to Cairo after security review

26 July 2019; DW: British Airways suspended flights to the Egyptian capital last weekend as a security precaution. Egypt has been marred by militant attacks since a 2014 military coup.

British Airways will resume flights to Cairo on Friday following a weeklong suspension over unspecified security concerns.

"Following a thorough assessment of the security arrangements, we are pleased that our service to and from Cairo will resume from Friday July 26," British Airways said in a statement.

150 migrants feared dead after boats capsize off Libya coast

CAIRO (AP) — Up to 150 Europe-bound migrants, including women and children, were missing and feared drowned on Thursday after the boats they were traveling in capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya, the country’s coast guard and the U.N. refugee agency said.

A top U.N. official described the shipwreck as “the worst Mediterranean tragedy” so far this year.

The International Rescue Committee said the tragedy was a stark reminder of the humanitarian crisis emerging out of Libya and of the urgent need for search and rescue missions to be resumed in the Mediterranean.

Egypt starts producing oil from 2 wells in Western Desert

24 July 2019; MEMO: Italian multinational company Eni announced yesterday that it had started oil production from the southwest Meleiha lease in the Western Desert of Egypt.

In a statement, Eni said that production in the new wells started at 5,000 barrels per day and it is expected to reach 7,000 barrels in September.

Denied medical care, 2 political prisoners die in Egypt jail

23 July 2019; MEMO: Egyptian political prisoner Omar Adel died in Egypt’s Tora Prison yesterday at the age of 29.

His family tried to visit him on Saturday but were sent home after being told that Omar was being held in solitary confinement as a punishment after they found him with a mobile phone.

Egypt criticizes British Airways 7-day flight suspension to Cairo

CAIRO, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian aviation minister met on Sunday with Britain's ambassador to Egypt at the ministry headquarters, where he expressed displeasure with British Airways' decision to suspend flights to the Egyptian capital for seven days.

Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation Younis al-Masry "expressed his displeasure that British Airways makes a unilateral decision concerning the security of Egyptian airports without referring to the competent Egyptian authorities," the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Sunday.

Algeria wins Africa Cup of Nations

20 July 2019; MEMO: Algeria won the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time on Friday when a freak second-minute goal by Baghdad Bounedjah gave them a 1-0 win over gallant Senegal in the final, Reuters reports.

Bounedjah stunned the Lions of Teranga with a shot which took a wicked deflection off Salif Sane and looped over the bewildered goalkeeper Alfred Gomis and into the net.

Egyptian parliament approves more NGO restrictions

17 July 2019; MEMO: The Egyptian parliament approved amendments to the controversial NGO law on Monday which place extra restrictions on the work of civil society groups, local and international media have reported. According to the parliamentary website, “The House of Representatives finally approved a number of important draft laws… including the bill regulating civil society’s work.”

Egypt detains Ukrainian tanker carrying Iranian oil, arrests 6 for espionage

16 July 2019; MEMO: Egyptian authorities detained a Ukrainian tanker carrying Iranian oil as it passed through the Suez Canal ten days ago, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed has reported.

News of the seizure came a day after Egypt’s Supreme State Security Criminal Court sentenced six people to jail on charges of spying for Iran.

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