Briefly

EGYPT

Suez Canal blocked after ship grounded

A cargo container ship that's among the largest in the world has turned sideways and blocked all traffic in Egypt's Suez Canal, officials said on Wednesday, threatening to disrupt a global shipping system already strained by the coronavirus pandemic. The MV Ever Given, a Panama-flagged container ship that carries trade between Asia and Europe, became grounded on Tuesday in the narrow, man-made waterway dividing continental Africa from the Sinai Peninsula.

AUSTRALIA

Deadly spider 'plague' warned after floods

A "plague" of the world's most venomous spiders could swarm Sydney after torrential rain and flooding, the Australian Reptile Park said on Wednesday, warning that the deadly arachnids could seek refuge in homes as they escape the deluge. Relentless downpours have caused vast flooding in New South Wales state, with parts of suburban Sydney still under water. Residents welcomed sunshine on Wednesday after days of rainfall, only to receive an "urgent warning" to brace for an influx of the deadly funnel-web spider, which is endemic to the region.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Largest art canvas sells for $62 million

A work by British artist Sacha Jafri consisting of the world's largest painting on canvas has been sold for $62 million at an auction in Dubai, organizers said on Tuesday. The Journey of Humanity is split into 70 framed sections spanning 1,595.76 square meters－equivalent to nearly four basketball courts. Organizers said in a statement that the work sold for $62 million, double the amount targeted, with the money going to charities helping children.

Agencies via Xinhua