Latest from Al-Ahram Weekly
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Dermer meets Qatari officials in Paris as Israel stalls on Gaza truce proposal - War on Gaza
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer held talks in Paris on Tuesday with senior Qatari officials on the ongoing negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages, The Times of Israel reported. An unnamed Arab diplomat told the paper that Dermer reiterated Israel's position that it seeks only a 'comprehensive deal' under which Hamas would release all hostages and accept Israel's conditions for surrender. Israel's Channel 12 reported that authorities have decided to temporarily 'avoid responding at all' to the phased release proposal approved by Hamas on Monday. No security cabinet meeting has yet been scheduled to discuss the plan, The Times of Israel noted. The proposal, drafted by US envoy Steve Witkoff, is said to be 'nearly identical' to an initiative approved by Israel last month. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly instructed the Israeli military to accelerate preparations for an assault on Gaza City. In a parallel development, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged Washington to press Israel to accept the ceasefire agreement. Abdelatty spoke with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday, stressing that Hamas' approval of the proposal should be seized as an opportunity to end Israel's military campaign in Gaza. According to the Foreign Ministry, the two officials reviewed the latest regional developments, particularly the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Strip. Abdelatty underlined that with Hamas agreeing to a 60-day truce, the priority must now be to end the war, safeguard civilian lives, and reach a just settlement of the Palestinian question. He said Israel must accept and implement the deal to protect hostages, ease Palestinian suffering, and secure the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which he said is facing a deliberate starvation policy. The plan, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, calls for a two-month ceasefire, a phased release of hostages, and a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Under the terms, Hamas would release 10 Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces would reposition closer to Gaza's borders to facilitate the entry of aid. Immediate negotiations would begin on a broader deal covering Gaza's postwar arrangements and the possibility of a permanent truce. Hamas described the initiative as the 'best available option' to shield civilians from further escalation and pave the way for a comprehensive settlement. Since October 2023, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have led mediation efforts to halt the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and injured over 153,000 others, mostly women and children. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 hours ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Floating Hotel 'Eugénie' relaunched after major overhaul in Aswan - Urban & Transport
The Port Said Engineering Works and Shipbuilding Company, a subsidiary of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), announced the relaunch on Wednesday of the floating hotel Eugénie in Aswan after completing extensive maintenance and repairs. The ceremony was attended by the ambassadors of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, alongside senior local officials and security leaders from the governorate. The 72-metre-long, 13-metre-wide vessel, weighing 1,600 tons, underwent a comprehensive overhaul that included the replacement of 30 tons of damaged steel and extensive repairs supervised by the Polish Classification Society. Further works—including electrical and mechanical upgrades, insulation of the engine room, servicing of deck equipment, and repainting of the superstructure—will continue after the vessel's return to the water. In a speech delivered on his behalf, SCA Chairman Admiral Osama Rabie highlighted the authority's progress in upgrading its shipyards and subsidiaries as part of a broader strategy to maximise asset utilisation, diversify revenue streams, and reinforce the SCA's developmental and service roles in line with presidential directives. He noted that the modernisation drive is creating new opportunities to localise marine industries and to position Egypt as a regional hub for vessel maintenance in Africa and the Middle East. In a recorded address, Aswan Governor Major General Dr Ismail Kamal praised the SCA's contribution to development and tourism. He described the expansion of the company's facilities in Aswan as a significant boost for Nile tourism ahead of the upcoming season, in line with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives to promote river tourism. Company Chairman Eng Yasser Nour El-Din said the new expansions represent an essential step in strengthening the company's regional standing. He noted that hotel vessel lifting and launching operations in Aswan are carried out using advanced airbag technology, supervised by Alexandria University's Faculty of Engineering and approved by the River Transport Authority. Mustafa El-Gendy, owner of the Eugénie and Honorary Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament, thanked the SCA and the company for completing the project on schedule. He also announced plans to begin maintenance on another floating hotel, Kasr Ibrim, and expressed hope for broader cooperation to promote Egyptian shipbuilding and repair services across Africa. This expansion marks the company's first operations behind the High Dam, with its new site on Lake Nasser dedicated to servicing floating hotels and tourist vessels operating between Abu Simbel and Aswan—routes unable to cross the dam. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 hours ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Iran says Europe has no right to extend deadline for snapback sanctions - Region
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday said European powers had no right to trigger snapback sanctions under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal or extend the October deadline to trigger them. His remarks came after Iranian diplomats met in July with counterparts from Germany, France, and Britain -- the first such talks since Israel's attack on Iran the previous month. The 12-day war between the two regional foes derailed Tehran's nuclear negotiations with the United States and prompted Iran to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. The European trio had threatened to trigger the so-called "snapback mechanism" by the end of August, a move that would reimpose sweeping UN sanctions lifted under the 2015 accord, unless Tehran agreed to curb uranium enrichment and restore cooperation with inspectors. According to the Financial Times, the European parties to the deal also offered to extend the October snapback deadline if Iran resumed nuclear talks with Washington and re-engaged with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It added in its report last week that the offer "remained unanswered by Iran". But on Wednesday, Araghchi dismissed the European parties' right to offer an extension. "When we believe that they do not have the right to implement snapback, it is natural that they do not have the right to extend its deadline either," he told the state news agency IRNA. "We have not yet reached a basis for negotiations with the Europeans," he added. Iran has repeatedly called reimposing sanctions "illegal" and warned of consequences should the European powers opt to activate the mechanism. 'A new form' Araghchi also said Iran "cannot completely cut cooperation" with the UN nuclear watchdog, but added that the return of its inspectors was up to the country's top security body, the Supreme National Security Council. In July, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA in the wake of its war with Israel, citing the agency's failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities. The agency's inspectors have since left Iran, and Tehran later said cooperation with the IAEA would take "a new form". Earlier this month the agency's deputy head visited Tehran for talks. At the time, deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran and the agency had agreed to "continue consultations". Israel's unprecedented attack on Iran in mid-June saw it targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, as well as residential areas, killing over 1,000 people, including senior commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks that killed dozens in Israel. The United States briefly joined the conflict, striking Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24. The war took place two days before a sixth round of talks between Tehran and Washington aimed at reaching a nuclear deal to replace the one abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018 during his first term. On the possibility of the resumption of talks with the US, Araghchi said they had not yet reached the point where negotiations could take place. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Al-Ahram Weekly
What to know about powerful Hurricane Erin as it heads past the US East Coast - International
Hurricane Erin is creating potentially deadly beach conditions all along the U.S. East Coast days before the largest waves are expected, with high winds and flooding anticipated in North Carolina by Wednesday night. Erin lost some strength Tuesday and dropped to a Category 2 hurricane as it moves northward roughly parallel to the East Coast. However, its maximum sustained winds increased Wednesday to near 110 mph (177 kph). Erin could get stronger and become a major hurricane again before finally weakening by Friday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The hurricane was about 365 miles (587 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and about 545 miles (877 kilometers) west-southwest of Bermuda on Wednesday. Forecasters said Erin was moving north at 13 mph (21 kph). Although the weather center was confident Erin would not make direct landfall in the United States, authorities have warned that water conditions along the East Coast remain dangerous. Beachgoers were cautioned against swimming due to life-threatening surf and rip currents. Officials on a few islands along North Carolina's Outer Banks issued evacuation orders and warned that some roads could be swamped by waves up to 20 feet (6 meters). The Outer Banks could get an inch to 2 inches (2.5-5 centimeters) of rain by Thursday, the hurricane center said. In the Caribbean, heavy rainfall earlier struck parts of the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the weather center said. Here is what to know about Hurricane Erin: The dangers in the Outer Banks Erin poses the biggest threat to the barrier islands of North Carolina's Outer Banks. Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency Tuesday in advance of the storm, delegating powers to government officials to mobilize workers and equipment along the coast. The governor said the storm is expected to bring tropical storm force winds, dangerous waves and rip currents to the state. Tropical storm conditions were expected to begin Wednesday. The state had mobilized 200 National Guard troops along the coast, as well as three swift water rescue teams as part of its preparations. At least 75 people were rescued from rip currents through Tuesday in Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina, officials said. Evacuations were ordered on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks. The orders come at the height of tourist season on the thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands that juts far into the Atlantic Ocean. There are concerns that several days of heavy surf, high winds and waves could wash out parts of the main highway running along the barrier islands, the National Weather Service said. Some routes could be impassible for several days. Troubled waters force rescues Warnings about rip currents have been posted from Bermuda and Florida all the way up to the New England coast. Nantucket is the closest spot in New England to Erin's anticipated path and was likely to see the strongest winds, gusting about 25 to 35 mph (40 to 55 kph) at peak with waves potentially reaching a height of 10-13 feet (3-4 meters). Citing treacherous waters, officials prohibited swimming at all beaches in New York City as well as some in Long Island and New Jersey through Thursday. Bermuda won't feel the full intensity of the storm until Thursday evening, and the island's services will remain open in the meantime, acting Minister of National Security Jache Adams said. Storm surge could reach up to 24 feet (7.3 meters) by Thursday, Adams said. Already this year, there have been at least 27 people killed from rip currents in U.S. waters, according to the National Weather Service. About 100 people drown from rip currents along U.S. beaches each year, according to the United States Lifesaving Association. And more than 80% of beach rescues annually involve rip currents. Deceptively devastating impacts Storm surge is the level at which seawater rises above its normal level. Much like the way a storm's sustained winds do not include the potential for even stronger gusts, storm surge doesn't include the wave height above the mean water level. Surge is also the amount above what the normal tide is at a time, so a 15-foot storm surge at high tide can be far more devastating than the same surge at low tide. A year ago, Hurricane Ernesto stayed hundreds of miles offshore from the Eastern Seaboard yet still produced high surf and swells that caused coastal damage. Fluctuating strength Erin's strength has fluctuated significantly over the past week. The most common way to measure a hurricane's strength is the Saffir-Simpson Scale that assigns a category from 1 to 5 based on a storm's sustained wind speed at its center, with 5 being the strongest. Erin reached a dangerous Category 5 status late last week with 160 mph (260 kph) winds before weakening. Lethal summer of floods Although Erin is the first Atlantic hurricane of the year, there have been four tropical storms this hurricane season already. Tropical Storm Chantal made the first U.S. landfall of the season in early July, and its remnants caused flooding in North Carolina that killed an 83-year-old woman when her car was swept off a rural road. And, at least 132 people were killed in floodwaters that overwhelmed Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July. Just over a week later, flash floods inundated New York City and parts of New Jersey, claiming two lives. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt FM discusses with Witkoff capitalising on Hamas ceasefire approval to end Gaza war - Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty stressed in a phone call with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Wednesday, capitalising on Hamas' acceptance of the Gaza ceasefire proposal to bring an end to Israel's brutal and unjust two-year war on Gaza. According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, Abdelatty and Witkoff addressed the latest regional developments, particularly the grave situation in the Gaza Strip. During the call, Abdelatty emphasised the need, following Hamas' approval of the 60-day truce, to negotiate an end to the war and a just settlement of the Palestinian cause. He stressed that Israel must accept the proposal and implement it to resolve the crisis and protect the lives of captives, and to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and ensure sufficient aid reaches Gaza, which has suffered too long from Israel's deliberate starvation policy. On Monday, Hamas approved Egypt and Qatar's new 60-day ceasefire proposal after intensive negotiations in Cairo. The proposal has been subsequently submitted to Israel to determine its response. Based on an initiative by Witkoff, the ceasefire proposal envisions a partial truce and a phased release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Since October 2023, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have led mediation efforts to end Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. This war has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and left over 153,000 wounded, most of them women and children. Iran's nuclear programme Abdelatty reiterated to Witkoff Egypt's call for de-escalation in the Middle East and its rejection of any military solutions in dealing with Iran's nuclear programme. Furthermore, he noted Cairo's ongoing efforts to bring all relevant parties back to the negotiating table to enhance regional and international security and stability. According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, Abdelatty also told Witkoff that joint Egypt-US efforts must continue to achieve peace, security, and stability in the Middle East. He pointed out US President Donald Trump's vision for establishing regional and global peace and ending decades of prolonged conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
