Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir speaks after the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt meeting in Manama to discuss their dispute with Qatar - REUTERSRIYADH, May 4 (MENA) – Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir conferred on the phone on Tuesday with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on the latest regional and international developments of mutual interest. They reviewed means of boosting strategic ties between Saudi Arabia and the US.

The Head of Egypt’s Scientific Committee to Combat Coronavirus Hossam Hosny said on Tuesday that hearing loss is not a confirmed symptom of coronavirus. During a phone interview on Ahmed Moussa’s TV show “Ala Massoulity” (By My Responsibility), Hosny said a cough and the loss of smell and taste are still closely-linked with the virus, denying that hearing loss had anything to do with the virus. He did say, however, that infection with a respiratory virus in general can affect one’s hearing, therefore while virus does not cause hearing loss, a person with the virus might experience a change in their hearing. Hosny also predicted a decrease in the number of coronavirus cases by mid-June. He denied that the ministry is monitoring any new strain of coronavirus, especially the Indian strain, saying that the true fear lies in public behavior during the holidays and again urging caution.

Egypt’s Dar al-Iftaa, the government’s principal Islamic legal institution for issuing fatwas (non-binding religious rulings), has announced that the Shawwal moon-sighting will take place on Tuesday, May 11th. The moon-sighting, which will take place after the Maghrib (sunset) prayer, will dictate the exact end-date of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Celebrations are usually marked with a feast and are held on the first day of Shawwal, the next month in the Islamic calendar. This year, Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawky Allam will record a speech to congratulate the Islamic nation on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Fitr. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Egypt’s Health Ministry on Thursday confirmed 953 new coronavirus cases, down from 1,078 on Monday. The ministry also reported 60 deaths, and 567 recovered cases. The country has now disclosed a total of 231,803 confirmed cases, 173,341 recovered cases, and 13,591deaths. Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Minya, and Sohag are the five governorates with the highest infection rates, Health Minister Hala Zayed said last Wednesday. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi himself has received the coronavirus vaccine to assure the public of its safety and efficiency.

Germany saw a big jump last year in politically motivated crimes, and offences committed by far-right supporters hit a record high, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Tuesday. Far-right offences were up nearly six percent from the previous year at 23,064, and accounted for more than half of all politically motivated crimes, the highest level since police started collecting such data in 2001. Violent crimes classified as political in nature rose by nearly 20 percent year-on-year to 3,365 and included 11 murders and 13 attempted murders, Seehofer said. “These numbers are very alarming mainly because a trend has been established over the last few years,” he said. German intelligence fears that far-right activists are trying to exploit public frustration over lockdowns imposed to halt the spread of COVID-19 to incite violence against state institutions.

Both Sudan and Egypt have turned to the United Nations Security Council in hopes of a resolution on the dispute. In response, Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen announced that “exerting unnecessary pressure on Ethiopia by intentionally politicizing and internationalizing the matter will not make Ethiopia accept the colonial-era treaty over the River Nile”. The three parties have held several rounds of negotiations over the past decade, but have ultimately failed to reach an agreement. The construction of the dam, which began in 2011, is considered to be one of Egypt’s most serious water issues. Ethiopia, on the other hand, has stressed the importance of the project to bolster its economy, where more than half of the population currently lives without access to electricity.

The first secretary at the Swiss embassy in Tehran was found dead on Tuesday after falling from a high-rise building where she lived in the north of the city, a spokesman for emergency services was quoted as saying by Iranian news agencies. The Swiss foreign ministry (FDFA) said an employee at its embassy in Iran had died of an accident, without identifying the victim. “This person was the first secretary of the Swiss embassy,” Khaledi told Mehr news agency. “The cause of her fall has yet to be determined,” he told Fars. Switzerland has represented US diplomatic interests in Iran since Washington and Tehran cut ties shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

CAIRO - 4 May 2020: The Health Ministry said late Monday that 1,078 new coronavirus cases were detected, upping the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in the country began to 230,713. No cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant have so far been detected in Egypt, the presidential health advisor affirmed Monday. Mohamed Awad Tag elDin, in a telephone conversation with Extra News channel, said the Indian variant has been recorded in 17 world countries. He touched upon exceptional and precautionary measures taken, particular at airports, to avoid any possible spread of the Indian variant in Egypt. Egypt acts to secure as much vaccine as possible, he assured, pointing to a rise in Covid-related deaths.

Coronavirus cases across Egypt continue to surge, with the Health Ministry on Thursday confirming 1,078 new cases, 62 deaths, and 432 recovered cases. The country has now reported 230,713 confirmed cases, 172,774 recovered cases, and 13,531 deaths. Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Minya, and Sohag are the five governorates with the highest infection rates, Health Minister Hala Zayed said last Wednesday. Egypt has banned Tahajjud prayers (night prayers) within mosques, their annexes, and their surroundings, only allowing Tarawih prayers. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi himself has received the coronavirus vaccine to assure the public of its safety and efficiency.

CAIRO - 4 May 2021: In 2020, Twitter introduced the world to live audio conversations with Spaces. Today, Twitter brings Spaces to all accounts with 600 or more followers, featuring new updates based on feedback received. Based on what Twitter has learned so far, these accounts are likely to have a good experience hosting live conversations because of their existing audience. How hosts can add a Tweet to a Space they’re speaking inWhen hosts create a Space, they’re in control – who’s speaking, the topics, and the vibe. Muting everyone in a SpaceAnyone can report and block others in the Space, or report the Space.

LONDON (AP) — Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven wealthy industrialized nations are gathering Tuesday in London – their first face-to-face meeting in more than two years – to grapple with threats to health, prosperity and democracy . The U.K. Foreign Office said the group would also discuss “Russia’s ongoing malign activity,” including Moscow’s troop buildup on the border with Ukraine and the imprisonment of opposition politician Alexei Navalny. G-7 ministers will also try to agree on a way to make coronavirus vaccines available around the globe. Organizers have taken steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the London meeting, including setting up plastic screens between participants and making on-site coronavirus tests available. The British government invited the foreign ministers of Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa to join parts of the meeting, including a Tuesday dinner at the grand Lancaster House in central London.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Aramco’s profits soared by 30 percent for the first-quarter of the year, compared to last year, riding on the back of higher crude oil prices, the oil company said Tuesday. Aramco said the increase in profits primarily reflects the impact of higher crude oil prices brought on by increased global demand for crude amid ongoing vaccination programs and the reopening of the economy in several countries. The company also confirmed it would deliver on a promised dividend payout of $18.75 billion for its shareholders. Aramco is more than 98 percent owned by the Saudi government, with 1.7 percent traded on the Saudi stock exchange. By APFILE – This Sept. 15, 2019, file photo, shows storage tanks at the North Jiddah bulk plant, an Aramco oil facility, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia.

MADRID (AP) — Madrid residents are voting Tuesday for a new regional assembly in an election that tests the depths of resistance to virus lockdown measures and the divide between left and right-wing parties. The early election was called by a conservative regional president who is trying to broaden her power base after she dissolved her center-right coalition. Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso has made a name for herself by criticizing the national government’s handling of the pandemic and by resisting the strictest infection-control measures. The Madrid region is Spain’s main economic engine and the country’s busiest transportation hub. It’s home to 14% of Spain’s 47 million people but has recorded nearly one-fifth of the country’s 3.5 million confirmed virus cases and of the national pandemic death toll of over 78,000.

CAIRO - 4 May 2021: U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will travel to Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan from May 4 to May 13, 2021, announced the US department of State in a statement on Monday. The Special Envoy will hold meetings with officials from the respective governments as well as the United Nations and the African Union. Jeffrey Feltman is one of the international brokers of negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). In mid-July 2020, Ethiopian authorities unilaterally carried out the first phase of the filling process with 4.9 billion cubic meters. The dispute among Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia dates back to May 2011 when Ethiopia started building the dam; Egypt voiced concern over its water share [55.5 billion cubic meters].

CAIRO, 4 May 2021: Al-Ahly team continued the bad performances and stumbling locally, after losing from Ghazl Al-Mahalla 0-1 during the match that brought them together on Monday evening at Al-Mahalla Stadium, in the 19th round of the Premier League championship. Ghazal Al Mahalla's goal was scored by Ashraf Sayed in the 35th minute. With this result, Al-Ahly's balance freezes at 37 points and remains in second place, while Ghazl El-Mahalla's balance rises to 27 points, and the eighth place rises. Al-Ahly continues to bleed points, after drawing in the last round 1-1, and they had lost three rounds against Smouha 0-1.