Hamas leader arrives in Egypt, Eiffel Tower closed, Brazil-Israel relations tense

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some notable world news this morning, February 21.

Asia

BERNAMA. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on academics, financial institutions and regulators to work together to develop a people-centric future economy.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivered the message at the 15th International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance, themed “Advancing the Agenda for a Sustainable Humanitarian Economy,” which took place from February 20-22. (Source: Bernama)

THE STAR. Malaysia aims to attract more electric vehicle manufacturers as it strives to become an EV manufacturing hub in the ASEAN region.

KHMER TIMES. The National Police Force under the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia at all levels arrested 215 suspects related to drug crimes from February 12-18.

ANN. The 11th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development took place from February 20-23 in Bangkok (Thailand), organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

KYODO. Japan's health ministry has released its first set of guidelines on how much alcohol consumption can be harmful to health - an effort to encourage people to limit their drinking to reduce health risks.

SAUDI GAZETTE. Saudi Arabia launched the digital platform "Saudipedia" to introduce the country and its people, within the framework of the Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX) in Riyadh.

AL ARABIYA. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, days after mediators said prospects for a new ceasefire with Israel were dim.

ARAB NEWS. The Arab League issued a statement, saying that the UN Security Council needs to act immediately and cannot “ignore” the international community’s calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

TIMES OF ISRAEL. Israel will restrict Muslim worshippers from visiting the Al Aqsa mosque compound (known in Israel as the Temple Mount) during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan for security reasons.

Europe

TELEGRAPH. The Eiffel Tower, one of the world's top tourist attractions, remained closed for a second consecutive day amid an extended staff strike.

This is the second strike by employees working at the Eiffel Tower in the past two months to protest the financial management of this famous architectural work. (Source: Anadolu)

AFP. The EU will launch negotiations with Japan on a security and defense cooperation agreement, as Brussels seeks to take its bilateral ties with Tokyo to a new level.

TASS. More than 2.55 million Russian voters applied for remote electronic voting (DEV) in the Russian presidential election, according to updated data from the Russian Central Election Commission.

REUTERS. The EU has extended sanctions against Russia over its annexation of four regions in Ukraine in 2022 for another year.

EURO NEWS. The European Commission (EC) has announced an initial €83 million (nearly $90 million) in humanitarian aid to support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine in 2024.

POLITICO. Polish farmers protested across the country, blocking most of the Ukrainian border and disrupting transport across the country.

REUTERS. Hundreds of Greek farmers have poured into the capital Athens to appeal for financial support after the government approved an orderly protest there.

RIA NOVOSTI. Belarus received two missile divisions of the S-400 missile defense system and two divisions of the Iskander missile system, President Alexander Lukashenko announced.

RECURSIVE. The Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science has issued guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools to support the appropriate and ethical use of AI.

AP. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will travel to Budapest on February 23, ahead of a planned vote by the Hungarian parliament next week to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO.

America

AFP. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry has consulted the country's Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Frederico Meyer, about the Israeli government's declaration of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as " persona non grata " in the country.

The dispute between Brazil and Israel broke out after President Lula da Silva, during a visit to Ethiopia, accused Tel Aviv of committing “genocide” against the people of the Gaza Strip and compared this action to the Nazi regime’s previous campaign to exterminate Jews. (Source: AFP)

ANADOLU. Turkish intelligence has arrested six people suspected of spying and gathering information on ethnic Uighurs fleeing persecution in China.

MNA. Venezuela will join BRICS in the near future, President Nicolas Maduro said on Venezolana de Television, saying that colonialism will be replaced by “a new world with BRICS”.

FRANCE 24. French warships in the Red Sea intercepted and destroyed two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in attacks coming from Yemen, according to the French Ministry of Defense.

AP. In 2023, criminal organizations illegally profited $820 million from smuggling migrants through the Darien jungle, the natural border between Panama and Colombia.

Africa

CNN. US Special Envoy for the Middle East Brett McGurk will travel to Egypt today (February 21) and then Israel (February 22) to continue negotiations on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

NOVA. Egypt Energy Exhibition 2024, taking place from February 19-21 in New Cairo with the theme “Advancing Energy Transition, Security and Decarbonization”.

This year’s Energy Egypt Exhibition not only aims to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition, but also showcase the latest technologies and innovations in the oil, gas and energy sectors. (Source: Nova)

EGYPT NEWS. Revenue from the Suez Canal will fall by 40%-50% from the beginning of 2024, due to attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen on ships moving through the Red Sea, according to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

AFRICA NEWS. At least 25 million people in Sudan, South Sudan and Chad face increased hunger and malnutrition due to the widespread conflict in Sudan, according to UN Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

BBC. The military government in Guinea has dissolved the country's government , but has not given a reason for the move or a deadline for announcing a new government.

WHO. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it will establish 17 cholera treatment centers in Ethiopia to support the country's efforts in fighting the disease.

Oceania

ABC. Australia has announced plans to increase defence spending by A$11.1 billion ($7.25 billion) over the next 10 years to accelerate the delivery of its navy's surface combatant fleet and expand its shipbuilding industry.

SBS. Australia's University of Adelaide has become one of the first places in the world to trial a new method of treating the most common heart rhythm disorder , known as atrial fibrillation (AF).

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