In the metropolis of Hong Kong, glamping and staycations have replaced trips abroad for at least some of its 7.4 million residents. BANGKOK’S BUSTLE GOES QUIETErawan Shrine in the center of Bangkok once bustled with foreign tourists and locals making offerings day and night. Previously, the 60-year-old restaurant would be filled with locals and foreign tourists, bringing in about $2,000 a day. GLAMPING IN HONG KONGThe difficulty of traveling abroad has made glamping — or glamourous camping — popular in Hong Kong. “It’s actually a good opportunity for us to really, to try to explore Hong Kong a bit more,” Tam said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — US intelligence agencies remain divided on the origins of the coronavirus but believe China’s leaders did not know about the virus before the start of the global pandemic, according to results released Friday of a review ordered by President Joe Biden. According to an unclassified summary, four members of the US intelligence community say with low confidence that the virus was initially transmitted from an animal to a human. “The report by the intelligence community is based on presumption of guilt on the part of China, and it is only for scapegoating China,” the embassy said. In conducting the review, intelligence agencies consulted with allied nations and experts outside of government. An epidemiologist was brought into the National Intelligence Council, a group of senior experts that consults the head of the intelligence community.

Aug 27 (Reuters) - Coach Roberto Mancini has recalled all but the injured Leonardo Spinazzola from Italy's triumphant Euro 2020 squad for their World Cup qualifiers. Mancini has called up 34 players for qualifiers against Bulgaria, Switzerland and Lithuania, with 25 of the 26 who were present in Italy's European Championship success last month involved in the latest group. They have so far won all three of their qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Italy will play Bulgaria on Sept. 2 at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence. They then visit Switzerland in Basel on Sept. 5, before hosting Lithuania on Sept. 8 at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio-Emilia.

Like many Native Hawaiians, she was not vaccinated against COVID-19. Native Hawaiians make up about 21% of the state’s population, and from the start of the pandemic until July 10, 2021, they accounted for 21% of cases as well. Honolulu Emergency Services Department Director Jim Ireland said that on a recent morning, there were four COVID-19 patient 911 calls in a row for Nanakuli, a community that’s home to many Native Hawaiians. He noted that vaccination rates are lower on the west side of Oahu. Keaweʻaimoku Kaholokula, chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the University of Hawaii’s medical school, said he didn’t expect some Hawaiians to shun the vaccine.

CAIRO - 28 August 2020: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry phoned on Friday his Algerian and Moroccan counterparts Ramtane Lamamra and Nasser Bourita respectively to discuss the latest developments related to the two countries' ties. Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez said that during the phone calls, the two sides discussed means of resolving the crisis between Algeria and Morroco. They also stressed the necessity of resorting to diplomatic solutions and engaging in direct dialogue to settle pending matters between the two countries, the spokesman added. On Tuesday, Algeria decided to cut diplomatic relations with Morocco.

The 36-year-old has forced a return to the Premier League from Juventus as one last shot at a sixth Ballon d'Or and Champions League title. Ronaldo arrived at United as a skinny 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 with a bag of tricks. In six years under the tutelage of Alex Ferguson his physique and end product were transformed to lead United to three Premier League titles and Ferguson's final Champions League in 2008. After ending Real's long-wait for "La Decima", the club's 10th European Cup, he spearheaded a run of three consecutive Champions League wins between 2016 and 2018. However, United' season and Solskjaer's time in charge will now likely come down to whether Ronaldo fires or fails second time around at Old Trafford.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t know, and I don’t know if anybody knows,” said Christophe Xerri, head of an International Atomic Energy Agency team reviewing progress in the plant’s cleanup. He urged Japan to speed up studies of the reactors to achieve a better long-term understanding of the decommissioning process. The cleanup plan depends on how the melted fuel needs to be handled for long-term storage and management, he said. Only Xerri and another team member visited the plant this week before compiling and submitting a report to Japan’s government on Friday. The team encouraged Japan to allocate sufficient resources to prepare for measures beyond the next decade through the end of the decommissioning.

(Reuters) - Everton will not sell striker Richarlison, manager Rafa Benitez said on Friday, amid speculation that Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain are keen to sign the Brazil international. “We are not considering selling him (Richarlison),” Benitez told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brighton & Hove Albion. “We have some players that people know are very good,” Benitez said. We will try to do our best to make sure we are ready for that, that’s it.”Midfielder Fabian Delph will miss Saturday’s game due to a shoulder injury, Benitez added. Everton are seventh in the table with four points after two games, three places below Brighton who have six points.

TOKYO (AP) — There are 4,403 Paralympic athletes competing in Tokyo, each with unique differences that have to be classified. Lines have to be drawn — in the quest for fairness — to group similar impairments, or impairments that yield similar results. “If we think we can swim or run the same times as everyone else, we feel good being in the class,” Popow said. “To be honest, athletes don’t understand the system,” Popow said. We need to have a classification system overall that everyone understands.”Tea Cisic is the head of classification for the IPC.

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 26 (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern on Thursday about the deteriorating socio-economic situation in Lebanon and called on all “political leaders to urgently form an effective government of national unity,” his spokesman said. A two-year-long financial meltdown hit a crunch point in Lebanon this month as fuel shortages paralysed much of the country, sparking chaos and numerous security incidents. The crisis has sunk the currency by more than 90%, forced more than half of Lebanese into poverty and frozen depositors out of their accounts. The World Bank has called it one of the sharpest depressions in modern times. Reporting by Michelle Nichols Editing by Chizu Nomiyama

CAIRO-25 August 2021: Zamalek fans will have a pleasant sleep tonight after the White Knights claimed the Egyptian League title on Tuesday night. Zamalek defeated El Entag El Harby 2-0 to secure the title with one game still to play in the competition. Zamalek won their third title under their French manager, Patrice Carteron who reunited with the club this season after a short spell in Saudi Arabia. The White Knights won the league title after reaching 79 points from 24 victories and seven draws. Zamalek have a chance to finish the league with a record tally of points if they managed to avoid a defeat in the last round against National Bank SC.

CAIRO – 24 August 2021: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Burundian counterpart Albert Shinjiro affirmed in a Tuesday phone call their keenness to continue strengthening bilateral relations to advance joint work, said Official Spokesperson for Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Hafez. Both leaders stressed they will continue pushing forward the course of cooperation between the two countries in various fields. They also expressed the importance of continuing consultations to coordinate stances on regional issues of concern, in connection with the Burundian President's recent visit to Cairo.

In a phone call, Shoukry and his Sudanese counterpart Mahdi discussed the developments in Sudan in he wake of the floods that hit the country, according to the Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Ahmed Hafez, said. The two top diplomats touched on a number of issues of mutual interest, agreeing on enhancing coordination and cooperation to achieve the aspirations of the two countries' peoples.

CAIRO – 24 August 2021: The government plans to provide 950,000 job opportunities to raise the number of employed Egyptians to 28 million, reducing the number of the unemployed to 2.2 million at 7.3 percent of the total workforce. Below are some figures about the targets of the government in reducing unemployment:- 950,000 job opportunitiesIncreasing the employed to 28 millions- Stabilizing the number of the unemployed at 2.2 millions- Increasing female workers from 16 percent to 22 percent of the total workforce- Reducing unemployment amongst holders of university degrees in the total workforce from 46 percent to 38 percent

CAIRO – 24 August 2021: A banking consortium consisting of 4 banks signed a joint financing contract worth LE 4 billion with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company. The consortium included: the National Bank of Egypt, the Commercial International Bank, Bank Du Caire and National Bank of Kuwait. The financing comes for the purpose of contributing to the investment cost of some of the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company's projects. “We are working to absorb the new capabilities added from renewable energy, reduce electrical losses in the network and strengthen the electrical connection with neighboring countries,” Minister of Electricity, Mohamed Shaker, said. The ministry has implemented many projects in the field of overhead lines and transformer stations on high and high voltages at the level of the Republic, with the aim of developing electricity transmission networks.