New US studies released Friday show the COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective against hospitalizations and death even as the extra-contagious delta variant swept the country. As delta surged in early summer, those who were unvaccinated were 4.5 times more likely than the fully vaccinated to get infected, over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC released two other studies Friday that signaled hints of waning protection for older adults. One examined COVID-19 hospitalizations in nine states over the summer and found protection for those 75 and older was 76 percent compared to 89 percent for all other adults. And in five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, protection against COVID-19 hospitalizations was 95 percent among 18- to 64-year-olds compared to 80 percent among those 65 and older.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday appointed Aziz Akhannouch as the country’s new prime minister. A statement from the royal palace said the king tasked Akhannouch with forming a new government. The announcement came after Akhannouch’s National Rally of Independents (RNI) party triumphed in Wednesday’s parliamentary polls. Shortly after the declaration of results, Akhannouch said he would “implement his majesty’s vision.”The businessman has called Wednesday’s results “a victory for democracy.”Akhannouch has promised to create one million jobs to boost the economy. Wednesday’s results, however, have dealt a blow to the long-ruling PJD, which has been at the helm since 2011.

They anticipate the FDA could make a decision on whether the shot is safe and effective in younger children within three weeks of the EUA submission. He estimated that a decision on the Moderna shot could come around November, according to the source. The second source said Fauci’s timeline for Moderna appeared “optimistic.”Officials at Pfizer, Moderna and NIH did not immediately comment. Pfizer has previously said that it would have data on children age 5-11 ready in September and planned to submit for an EUA shortly after. Previously, federal health regulators, including Fauci, have suggested that an FDA decision might come in November or later.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Saudi Arabia of today is far different from the Saudi Arabia of Sept. 11, 2001. Well over a third of the population of Saudi Arabia is under 14, born years after 9/11. But it was the shared effort of the United States, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the 1980s that may be reverberating loudest today. When judging Saudi Arabia, Dergham says, look at the wider strategic interests that have long underpinned US-Saudi relations. “Americans just think Saudi Arabia equals 9/11,” she said.

Conde, who had been in power since 2010, has been detained by the junta, the National Rally and Development Committee (CNRD), since it staged the coup last Sunday. The ECOWAS delegation also included Ghanaian Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway and Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Alpha Barry. Doumbouya and the other special forces soldiers behind Sunday’s coup said they had ousted Conde because of concerns about poverty and endemic corruption. “Given the changing security situation, it was decided that the team would be relocated to the US Embassy in Conakry. Guinean security forces provided an escort to Conakry to ensure the safe passage of the team,” the Department said.

(Reuters) - AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud has recovered from COVID-19, the Serie A club said on Friday, and the Frenchman could now be in line to feature against Liverpool in the Champions League. “AC Milan can confirm that Olivier Giroud has tested negative for COVID-19. The player will, tomorrow, undergo a medical screening as per Italian government protocols in order to return to sporting activities,” a club statement read. Milan face two important league games either side of the trip to Liverpool -- hosting Lazio on Sunday before travelling to Juventus the following weekend. France striker Giroud joined Milan from Chelsea in July after a nine-year spell in England with Arsenal and the Blues.

The agreement was reached during the ministerial meeting of the Arab Gas Pipeline countries (Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon) in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Wednesday. The second phase of the joint pipeline was implemented on two stages; the first stage extended from Aqaba to the Rehab, Northern Jordan, with a length of 393 km. Meanwhile, the second stage of the second phase stretched from Rehab to the Jordanian-Syrian border with a length of 30 km and 36 inches in diameter. The Egyptian natural gas was exported to Lebanon through the Jordanian territories in 2009, but it stopped in 2011 after the January 25, 2011 uprising. Lebanon witnesses an energy crisis due to shortage of fuel reserves needed to generate electricity and the lack of funds to secure it.

Many clubs refused to release players to 'red list' countries but Spurs' Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Davinson Sanchez went on international duty and will miss Saturday's game at Crystal Palace due to quarantine protocols. "First it's confusing for everybody because we don't have too much news from the governing bodies on what we should do, what to expect in the next international break," Nuno told reporters on Friday. There are two more international breaks coming up this year in October and November. His problems were compounded when South Korea forward Son Heung-min picked up a calf injury, while Steven Bergwijn, Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon face late fitness tests. "Sonny is not so well, but let's wait for the club to make the proper announcement and explain to you better what kind of injury he has," Nuno said.

CAIRO-10 September 2021: Cairo giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek, will meet on Friday night at Hassan Mostafa indoor sports complex hall in the African Handball Super Cup. Al Ahly will enter the game in high spirits after winning the African Cup Winners' Cup last week in Morocco and they strengthened their squad with the Cuban player Angel Hernandez. Zamalek signed Egypt international Seif El Deraa and re-signed Egypt national team goalkeeper Karim Hendawy. The performance of the goalkeepers will be vital in the game as Egypt national team goalkeepers, Zamalek's Hendawy and Al Ahly's Mohamed Essam El Tayar, will come face to face. The eagerly awaited match will decide the team that will represent Africa in the upcoming IHF Super Globe in Saudi Arabia next October.

(Reuters) - Turkey have parted company with head coach Senol Gunes by mutual consent, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said on Friday, after the team were thrashed by the Netherlands in their World Cup qualifier this week amid a run of poor form. Gunes, 68, was brought back in March 2019 after previously being in charge for four years from 2000, during which he led Turkey to third place at the 2002 World Cup. "Following the discussions with our National Team Head Coach Senol Gunes, it has been decided mutually to part ways," the TFF said in a statement, thanking the coach for his contributions. They made an encouraging start to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by beating the Netherlands and Norway in March but then drew with Latvia and Montenegro. Turkey host Norway in their next qualifier on Oct. 8.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population on Saturday reported 458 new coronavirus cases, 13 deaths, and 750 recoveries. A total of 292,476 cases have been disclosed in Egypt, alongside 16,860 deaths and 246,075 recoveries. Moreover, the Health Ministry has stated that official figures likely only represent 10 percent of actual cases. For now, restaurants, cafes, shops, and malls are operating on summer working hours and at 75 percent capacity. Any facility that violates summer hours will receive a fine and be subject to close for two weeks.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population on Sunday reported 481 new coronavirus cases, 11 deaths, and 651 recoveries. A total of 292,957 cases have been disclosed in Egypt, alongside 16,871 deaths and 246,726 recoveries. Moreover, the Health Ministry has stated that official figures likely only represent 10 percent of actual cases. Any facility that violates summer hours will receive a fine and be subject to close for two weeks. Health Minister Hala Zayed announced last week that Egypt had given 11 million doses of coronavirus vaccines so far, as it works toward vaccinating its population of 104 million.

Former Culture Minister Gaber Asfour expressed his support for removing the religion field on Egypt’s national ID cards. “No one abroad asks you if you are an Egyptian Muslim or an Egyptian Christian,” he said. Meanwhile, Professor of Faith and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University Amna Nosseir opposes removing the religion field from ID cards. Nosseir opined that the issue of religion field on ID cards has been exaggerated. Parliament member Ismail Nasr Eddin back in 2018 had presented to parliament a bill to remove the religion field from the national ID card.

The breakthrough followed a flurry of contacts from France which has led efforts to get Lebanon’s fractious leaders to agree a cabinet and begin reforms since last year’s catastrophic Beirut port explosion, senior Lebanese political sources said. The crisis, which has forced three quarters of the population into poverty, is the biggest threat to Lebanon’s stability since the 1975-90 civil war. Political sources said there had been intensive contacts through the night to try to reach an agreement. NO BLOCKING THIRDMikati, a politician-businessman who was designated prime minister in July, has previously said he would seek to re-start negotiations with the IMF once his government was formed. Mikati was designated after Saad al-Hariri, a former prime minister, abandoned his efforts.

(Reuters) - Five South American Juventus players will stay at home and rest instead of travelling to face Napoli in Serie A this weekend, the Italian club's coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday. I have decided to leave the South Americans at home, they will get back between tonight and tomorrow morning,” Allegri told a news conference. “Cuadrado is the only one who could have come, but he has a stomach bug and was unable to get back to Italy. The guys who played earlier today will arrive in Italy on Saturday morning, bringing them to Naples would make little sense considering the risks,” Allegri added. “Cristiano did not want to play for Juventus any more, he is gone and in any case it would have been his last year.” Allegri said.