BEIRUT, Sept 1 (Reuters) – The Lebanese government has received no request for fuel to be imported from Iran, the caretaker energy minister said on Wednesday, appearing to confirm that the Shi’ite group Hezbollah has bypassed the state with a move to import Iranian fuel. Hezbollah, a heavily armed group founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, announced last month thata shipment of Iranian fuel oil was on its way to help ease crippling shortages. read moreThe group is by far the most powerful faction in Lebanon, where it has been part of the ruling system for years. Hezbollah’s opponents say the declaration, followed by announcements of two further Iranian fuel shipments for Lebanon, has further undermined the authority of the state and exposed Lebanon to the risk of US sanctions. Asked about the Iranian shipment, the caretaker energy minister Raymond Ghajar told journalists “our role is restricted to import permits, we did not receive a request for permission”.

Even as other countries mandate vaccinations for certain professions, Germany has avoided forcing anyone to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. So far, questions regarding personal health information, including vaccination status, are not permitted under German law. But with many employees heading back into their workplaces after months of working from home, the relevance of their vaccination status has led some lawmakers to push for a temporary change in the law. Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht added that an employer’s right to inquire about a worker’s vaccination status can only be valid in exceptional cases. “Health information of employees is particularly sensitive, and the question of a vaccination against coronavirus is part of that,” she told the Funke media group.

Egypt has signed a US$4.45 billion agreement that will finance the first line of its high-speed electric train, which will connect the country’s Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts. The deal was signed by the Transport Ministry’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and a German/Egyptian consortium including Siemens, Orascom Construction, and the Arab Contractors. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir, and German Ambassador to Cairo Frank Hartmann all witnessed the signing. The contract will also cover design, supply, and 15 years of maintenance for the line. The train will reduce traffic congestion, contribute to increased safety, and serve the new urban and industrial communities around Egypt.

CAIRO – 1 September 2021: On September 1, many important events took place. Important world events:1892 - The publication of the first issue of Al-Hilal Cultural Magazine. 1985 - The wreck of the sunken Titanic is found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 73 years after it had sunk.

CAIRO – 1 September 2021: Bright Star 2021 joint military drill will take place in Egypt Sept. 2-17 with the participation of 21 countries. Bright Star is a series of military training exercises hosted in Egypt in cooperation with the U.S. every two years. It was last held in 2018, as the training was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19. Bright Star was launched in 1980 as part of the U.S.-brokered peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Many European and Arab countries participate in the comprehensive training that brings together all military departments.

More treasures of King Tutankhamun have been relocated to its display cabinets at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), how 75 out of 107 display windows allocated for possessions at the museum. Six statues of King Senusret I and a sacrifice table belonging to King Mentuhotep II are scheduled to be transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square during the next few days. Anany held an extensive meeting with archaeologists, restorers and museum workers, to thank them for the efforts in completing everything required and praising their successful transfer of King Khufu’s First Boat to the GEM. The GEM received earlier in August the first boat belonging to King Khufu 48 hours after transferring it from its place of display in the pyramids archeological area to the GEM. The GEM is set to showcase 5,000 relics from Tutankhamun’s collection as well — including 2,000 artifacts that will be displayed for the first time.

ISTANBUL, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Retail prices in Turkey’s largest city Istanbul rose 1.88 percent month-on-month in August for an annual increase of 18.89 percent, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) said on Wednesday. Wholesale prices in the city, home to about a fifth of Turkey’s population of 84 million, increased by 1.42 percent month-on-month in the same period for an annual rise of 28.36 percent, ITO said. Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun Editing by Daren ButlerWomen shop at a local market in Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey January 13, 2021. Picture taken January 13, 2021.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population on Tuesday reported 279 new coronavirus cases, nine deaths, and 763 recoveries. A total of 288,441 cases have been reported in Egypt, alongside 16,736 deaths and 239,343 recoveries. Health Minister Hala Zayed announced last week that Egypt’s first case of the fast-spreading delta variant was detected in mid-July. The committee, headed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, agreed that restaurants, cafes, shops, and malls may return to summer working hours. The Health Ministry is currently working to issue QR-coded vaccination certificates for Egyptians and foreigners that receive their doses in the country.

GAZA/RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept 1 (Reuters) – After mandating vaccinations for workers and many students – and offering prize money – to nudge a skeptical public to get the jab, Palestinian officials report a big boost in vaccine uptake they hope will stem a surge in COVID-19 infections. More Palestinians in Gaza have taken the vaccine in the past week – some 133,000 – than in the entire six-month period prior, health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said. The West Bank has registered a similar jump in vaccinations. New infections in the West Bank and Gaza have surged since the global emergence of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus. PA health officials began administering vaccines in West Bank schools this week to keep up the momentum.

Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed meets on Tuesday with Lebanese Ambassador to Cairo Ali Al-Halabi – Ministry of HealthCAIRO – 1 September 2021: Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed said the country is ready to meet the health sector requirements in Lebanon as she met on Tuesday with Lebanese Ambassador to Cairo Ali Al-Halabi. Zayed also affirmed Egypt’s readiness to provide coronavirus vaccine doses to the Lebanese people after Egypt achieves self-sufficiency in this regard, a statement by the Egyptian Health Ministry read. An Egyptian team in the plastic and burn surgeries were sent to Lebanon immediately after the incident, the statement read. Halabi, during the meeting, thanked the Egyptian political leadership and health ministry for the quick response regarding the Akkar explosion. The Lebanese ambassador also hailed Egypt’s significant role in supporting the Lebanese people since the Beirut blast last year.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that a second round of exploratory talks will be held between Egypt and Turkey to address bilateral relations and some regional issues, in response to an invitation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The first round of exploratory talks between Egypt and Turkey concluded on May 6, after lasting two days in Cairo. The Egyptian delegation was headed by Loza, while the Turkish delegation was headed by Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal. “After that, a judicial ruling was issued against some Brotherhood members, and Turkish statements were also issued to comment on this judicial ruling. Hassan indicated that the Libyan issue is one of the main issues in determining the course of Egyptian-Turkish relations.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Wednesday approved a series of measures easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip, including opening the main commercial crossing with the Palestinian enclave to imports. The announcement came a day after Israeli officials allowed the import of crucial construction material needed for the Gaza Strip’s rebuilding following the recent conflict in May. Israel and Egypt have blockaded the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election. The blockade, which restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza, has devastated Gaza’s economy. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since 2008, and Israel has tightened the blockade since the latest fighting in May.

The US-allied Gulf Arab state has emerged as a key interlocutor to the Taliban, having hosted the group’s political office since 2013. No country has recognised the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan after their capture of Kabul on August 14. Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed said the group had showed openness towards the idea of an inclusive government. Sheikh Mohammed said isolating the Taliban during their last rule 20 years ago led to the current situation. Germany’s Maas said, “There is no way around talks with the Taliban,” adding that the international community could not afford instability in Afghanistan.

“No matter where you live, life will be much, much better, much freer, as long as you’re vaccinated at 70%,” Berejiklian told reporters. “Australia can live with this virus,” he said in Canberra. Despite the recent flare-ups, it has managed to keep its coronavirus numbers relatively low, with just over 55,000 cases and 1,012 deaths. read moreFederal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg urged the state leaders to follow the national reopening plans. “Stick to the plan … a plan that allows businesses to reopen and plan for their own future … a plan that takes Australia forward to living safely with the virus,” Frydenberg said.

Power and water outages affected hundreds of thousands of people, many of them with no way to get immediate relief. New Orleans officials announced seven places around the city where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. John Bel Edwards said state officials also were working to set up distribution locations in other areas around the state. Cantrell ordered a nighttime curfew Tuesday, calling it an effort to prevent crime after Hurricane Ida left the entire city without power. The 78-year-old Vappie was one of about 441,000 people across the state to lose water after floodwaters and power outages crippled treatment plants.