Middle East

CAIRO — Egypt has been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) — an achievement hailed by the UN public health agency as “truly historic”. “Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom …

NUUK, Greenland — A new international airport will soon open in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, allowing larger aircraft to land for the first time — paving the way for direct flights from the US and Europe. It’s the first of three airport projects that officials hope will boost the local economy, …

MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Oscar has made landfall in eastern Cuba, packing winds of nearly 80mph (130km/h) on the third day of a nearly nationwide power outage. On Friday, the island’s main energy plant failed and knocked out electricity for 10 million people. Supply was partially restored on Saturday, before …

ROME — A wave of bad weather has ravaged parts of Italy and central France, with storms and heavy rainfall expected batter to Italy’s south until Tuesday. The Italian region of Emilia Romagna has so far been the worst hit — with more than 160 millimeters of rain falling in …

GAZA — An Israeli colonel has died during combat in northern Gaza, becoming one of the country’s highest-ranking officers to be killed in its war with Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces announced the death of Col. Ehsan Daxa, commander of the 401st “Iron Tracks” Brigade of the 162nd Division, on …

LONDON — New evidence seen by the BBC suggests more babies in Lucy Letby’s care were harmed – and in one case poisoned with insulin. The former nurse was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others — including trying to kill two with insulin at …

BRASILIA — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has canceled a trip to Russia after injuring his head in an accident at home on Saturday. The 78-year-old was scheduled to travel on Sunday afternoon for the Brics summit — a grouping of major developing countries including Brazil, Russia, India, …

MUMBAI — A dramatic and unprecedented surge in hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines is wreaking havoc on flight schedules, diverting planes and causing widespread disruptions. A video posted on social media last week showed passengers draped in woollens, walking down the icy ladder of an Air India plane …

Officials in Gaza said rescuers were still recovering bodies and the injured from the rubble after an Israeli strike that killed dozens in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza late Saturday. At least 87 people were dead or missing following the air strike on Beit Lahiya, the health ministry in the …

After a year of relentless war, Gaza’s olive harvest is set to suffer, while in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian farmers fear to tend their groves due to settler attacks.For generations, olive harvests have been central to Palestinian life and culture.“We are happy that the olive season has started but …