Egypt’s Suez Canal reports record revenue despite blockage crisis

The Suez Canal netted Egypt a record $5.84 bn in the last tax year, its chief said on Sunday, despite the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on world trade as well as a six-day blockage of the busy waterway by a giant cargo ship. “Despite various challenges, revenues from the canal rose sharply” in the fiscal year ending June…

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Iraq PM visits pro-democracy activist after abduction, assault

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Sunday visited a pro-democracy activist in a Baghdad hospital two days after the campaigner, critical of pro-Iran armed factions operating in the country, had been abducted and assaulted. Ali al-Mikdam, a young Iraqi journalist, activist and researcher, had disappeared on Friday, sparking widespread concern from his friends and supporters,…

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Pope Francis makes first appearance since intestinal surgery

Pope Francis has made his first public appearance since major intestinal surgery last week, greeting well-wishers as he stood for 10 minutes on a hospital balcony, offering hearty thanks for the prayers for his recovery and calling healthcare for all a “precious” good. Francis, 84, has been steadily on the mend, according to the Vatican,…

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China says it will retaliate after US blacklists companies

China has said it will take “necessary measures” to respond to the blacklisting of Chinese companies by the United States over their alleged role in abuses of Uighur people and other Muslim ethnic minorities. The Commerce Ministry said the US move constituted an “unreasonable suppression of Chinese enterprises and a serious breach of international economic…

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Australia reports first COVID death of 2021, highest daily cases

Australia has announced its first coronavirus-related death of the year as authorities in the state of New South Wales struggle to contain an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant. The woman in her 90s died hours after testing positive for COVID-19, officials said on Sunday. Hers is the first death from a locally acquired…

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China, N Korea pledge cooperation ‘in face of foreign hostility’

The leaders of North Korea and China have exchanged messages pledging to strengthen cooperation on the 60th anniversary of the signing of their Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. In a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said their relationship was vital in the face of…

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