The Health Ministry said it detected the new strain in a traveler who had returned from Malawi and was investigating two other suspected cases. “We are currently at the threshold of an emergency situation,” he said. Israel recently expanded the campaign to include children as young as 5. But the country only recently managed to contain a wave of infections driven by the highly contagious delta variant. Israel, with a population of more than 9 million, has reported at least 8,182 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

ZURICH (Reuters) -The last two European champions, Italy and Portugal, could face off for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after they were drawn on Friday in the same path for the playoffs. The winning team from each path qualifies for the World Cup in Qatar, meaning Italy and Portugal cannot both reach the tournament. Older Wales fans still get high blood pressure thinking about the 1977 World Cup qualifier with Scotland. Scotland won 2-0 to earn a place at the World Cup in Argentina the following year. EUROPEAN PLAYOFF DRAW (HOME SIDE FIRST)Path ASemi-final 1: Scotland v UkraineSemi-final 2: Wales v AustriaPath BSemi-final 3: Russia v PolandSemi-final 4: Sweden v Czech RepublicPath CSemi-final 5: Italy v North MacedoniaSemi-final 6: Portugal v TurkeyINTERCONTINENTAL PLAYOFF DRAWAFC team v CONMEBOL teamCONCACAF team v OFC team

BRUSSELS (AP) —The European Union nations on Friday agreed to impose a ban on travel from southern Africa to counter the spread of a new COVID-19 variant. The 27 nations acted within hours upon the advise of the EU executive which said all needed to be extra cautious in dealing with the variant until it became clear how bad of a threat it would be, the EU presidency said in a statement. The EU presidency, currently held by Slovenia, also called on all member states “to test and quarantine all incoming passengers.”

KARACHI: Pakistan will play their second match of Junior Hockey World Cup 2021 against Egypt on Saturday (today) in Bhubaneswar, India. Pakistan must win this match to keep themselves in the race for quarter-finals. Pakistan lost their first match against Germany 5-2. Not only do Pakistan have to win against Egypt, they have to do so by a big margin to improve their goal average. Pakistan will play against Argentina on Sunday (tomorrow).

Netflix, one of the world’s leading entertainment services, announced that the new original Arabic series starring Hend Sabry, “al-Bahs An Ola” (Search for Ola) will be screened soon. “Search for Ola” is a new series produced by Netflix in Egypt, which is producing another series dubbed “Drama Queen” starring Abla Fahita, Caro, and Boody, expected to be released in 2021. A number of stars, including Sawsan Badr, Hany Adel, Nada Moussa, Mahmoud Elleithy, and Dalia Shawky, will take part in the series. The series tells the story of a young pharmacist named Ola Abdel Sabour in new adventures, ten years after the Sabry’s famous social series “Ayza Atgawez” (I Want to Get Married) was screened. “Search for Ola” is a new series produced by Netflix in Egypt, which is producing another series dubbed “Drama Queen” starring Abla Fahita, Caro, and Boody, expected to be released in 2021.

It is the first time the European Medicines Agency has cleared a COVID-19 vaccine for use in young children. Earlier this week, Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn said shipping of vaccines for younger children in the EU would begin on Dec. 20. The United States signed off on Pfizer’s kids-sized shots earlier this month, followed by other countries including Canada. Pfizer tested a dose that is a third of the amount given to adults for elementary school-age children. Still, WHO acknowledged that there are benefits to vaccinating children and adolescents that go beyond the immediate health benefits.

CAIRO- 26 November 2021: European Union (EU) Ambassador Christian Berger reiterated the EU's strong commitment to supporting Egypt in the field of research and innovation through its different programs of knowledge sharing, capacity building and financial support. His comments were given during the 8th meeting of the EU-Egypt Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological (S&T) Cooperation. The officials exchanged information and engaged in discussions to ensure the sustainability of EU-Egypt R&I cooperation. The two sides took note of recent research and innovation (R&I) policy developments in both Egypt and the EU. Also, representatives from the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Academy of scientific research, technology and Science and Technology Development Fund.

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek El Molla meets with Israeli Minister of Energy Karine Elharrar, on the sidelines of the sixth ministerial meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum- press photo. CAIRO- 26 November 2021: Egypt and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for increasing the gas supplies for re-exporting, announced the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in a statement. As per the new MoU, both sides would use an existing pipeline to transport hydrogen in the future, as they agreed to possibly increase gas supplies for re-export within the framework of cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. The member countries of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum have agreed that confronting climate change and providing clean energy sources have become a necessity, said Molla on Thursday. Therefore, “we need to build on the topics we discussed at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to support the global trend to achieve sustainable development,” he added.

CAIRO-25 November 2021: Less than one week remains until the first FIFA pan-Arab football tournament, as 16 teams come together to compete in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™️. Excitement is building for the start of the competition on November 30 as the full squads of the participating teams have been released. There will be plenty of other stars that fans will be able to watch playing across the six FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums including UAE’s Ali Mabkhout and Ismail Matar, former FIFA U-20 World Cup adidas Golden Ball winner, in addition to Syria’s top striker Omar Al Soma and Feras Al Brikan of Saudi Arabia. The squad lists of all 16 FIFA Arab Cup teams are now available here. Fans will have a chance to watch all these prominent players and many other rising stars as tickets for every FIFA Arab Cup match are still available from fifa.com/tickets.

Madbouli called for activating a memorandum of understanding, signed with the German company in June, 2019 by setting up an industrial complex for Bosch in Egypt. The complex will be in charge of manufacturing home appliances in the country, the premier said during a meeting, held on Wednesday. Madbouli asserted the government is supporting the presence of BSH company in the Egyptian market, a largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide. The government has exerted genuine efforts to support the company as part of its keenness on supporting the private sector to restore its important role following Covid-19 pandemic, according to him. Madbouli urged BSH's officials to do their best to build the industrial complex soon.

A third dose of the coronavirus vaccines will be made available to citizens who have received the first two doses within the last six months, Nader Saad, spokesperson for the Cabinet said. According to Saad, the number of infections of the coronavirus in Europe have increased recently for those who have taken the second dose over six months ago. He added, during a telephone interview with presenter Ahmed Moussa, on Sada al-Balad channel, that 4.1 million citizens will be eligible for the third booster dose, after receiving the second dose six months earlier. He explained that 15 million citizens have received the second dose and 29 million have received the first dose. The booster dose does not have to be the same type as the vaccine that was taken in the previous two dose.

Egypt has received an additional 1.3 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine from the US, through the COVAX international initiative for the distribution of vaccines. The US donation of 1.3 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine brings the total vaccines provided by the US to Egypt to nearly 10 million doses along with more than 89 million doses donated by the US for Africa so far, US Ambassador to Cairo, Jonathan Cohen, said. The donations confirm the continued commitment to supporting Egypt during this global health crisis, he added. Egypt sent medical supplies to the US, and then the US government, through the United States Agency for International Development, providing more than US$55 million to support Egypt’s fight against the virus. These initiatives have been benefiting about 18 million people who were provided with the required health and economic support, he said.

About 8,400 meters of roads, and 35,000 meters of interlocking were completed and drainage works were carried out on the Airport Road. The roads that have been revived include Al-Sayed Youssef Road, and the Western Rams Road from the Airport Bridge to Al-Matahn Bridge. The airport, Rams, and Karnak Temple roads and King Abdullah Square were decorated with plants as a special addition. Two other squares were created on the Airport Road, lighting, plants and modern irrigation methods were also installed. The development works included paving the floors using marble, granite and black basalt and making planting basins containing various forms of plants.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek al-Mulla in meeting with Chairman of the Palestinian Investment Fund Mohamed Mostafa on November 24, 2021. The minister had stated in October that Egypt would begin exporting gas to Lebanon through the Arab Gas Pipeline. Yet, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated on November 19 that the gas pipeline is broken, and that it takes about 6 to 7 weeks to repair it. The Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) – extending over 1,200 kilometers - has begun operation in late 1990s with the aim of delivering Egyptian gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The first delivery to Lebanon took place in 2009 with 28 million cubic meters of gas daily.

Egypt’s Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawy and International Cooperation Minister Rania al-Mashat witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Local Development and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to implement the “Workforce Improvement and Skills Enhancement (WISE)” project in Egypt. Shaarawy said that his ministry has recently formulated economic development strategies for the governorates of Fayoum, Sohag, Minya and Ismailia. Strategies for local economic development were prepared for the economic sectors that characterize the Beni Suef Governorate, he added. The Ministry of International Cooperation seeks to agree on a new partnership with the USAID to achieve the goals of the catalyst, according to Mashat. The USAID seeks to strengthen relations between Egypt and the US through partnerships in multiple areas, in line with the economic reform packages undertaken by the Egyptian government and the sustainable development plan “Egypt Vision 2030”, Leslie Reid, head of the USAID in Egypt, said.