Egypt

A fire ripped through a church in a densely populated neighborhood as congregants worshipped, the Coptic Church said. It was one of the worst fire tragedies in Egypt in recent years.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Cairo for talks Sunday with Egyptian officials as his country seeks to break diplomatic isolation and sanctions by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.

Tell el-Farma, also known by its ancient name Pelusium, dates back thousands of years to the late Pharaonic period and was also used during Greco-Roman and Byzantine times.

Last year, the region imported more than 36 million metric tons of wheat, mostly from Russia and Ukraine. The concern is that Russia's war in Ukraine could disrupt supplies and drive up prices.

The city of Aswan has been dealing with an influx of scorpions and snakes, thanks to a recent rash of heavy storms disturbing their hiding places.

The remains of 24 pharaohs, 18 kings and four queens, were relocated to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization on Saturday in an elaborate event designed to attract tourists to the new museum.

Traffic through one of the world's busiest waterways was stalled after the Ever Given ran aground and blocked the Suez Canal.

Hopes from the Arab Spring have mostly been dashed. But the era led to "a radical change in the way people think about the authorities, the state, and about their rights," says an Egyptian journalist.

Three prominent figures in the country's embattled human rights movement were arrested after meeting with European ambassadors. The Egyptian government is accusing them of being terrorists.

Statements poured in congratulating Joe Biden on his election victory — including from President Trump's global allies. Iranian and Palestinian leaders expressed relief at the president's loss.