Briefly

UNITED NATIONS

Food insecurity hits 'appalling' high

The United Nations said on Wednesday that the number of people without enough to eat on a daily basis reached an all-time high last year and is poised to hit "appalling" new levels as the Ukraine conflict affects global food production. Almost 193 million people in 53 countries suffered acute food insecurity in 2021 due to what the UN said was a "toxic triple combination "of conflict, weather extremes and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN said the total number of people without adequate food every day increased by 40 million last year. The figures appeared in the Global Report on Food Crises, which is jointly produced by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme and the European Union.

UNITED STATES

Blinken tests positive, with mild symptoms

The US State Department said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner and related events over the weekend. Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken tested positive in a PCR test on Wednesday afternoon. Price said Blinken is fully vaccinated and is experiencing only mild symptoms. Blinken tested negative on Tuesday and again earlier Wednesday morning with antigen tests, but took the PCR test after developing symptoms. Blinken has not met with US President Joe Biden for "several days "and is not considered a close contact of the president, according to the White House and State Department.

MIDDLE EAST

Fresh clashes break out at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Clashes erupted between Israelis and Palestinians at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday, after a 10-day cooling of tensions at the holy site, Israeli police said. Police said they had repelled "dozens of rioters" who had been "throwing stones and other objects" at security forces. An AFP correspondent said there was a large police presence in front of the mosque, while the Palestine Red Crescent Society had yet to report any casualties from the violence. The clashes followed a tense period in which the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the Jewish festival of Passover and the Christian holiday of Easter overlapped.

85 ancient tombs unearthed in Egypt

A total of 85 tombs, dating back to the period from the Old Kingdom of Egypt some 4,500 years ago until the Ptolemaic dynasty spanning from 305 BC to 30 BC, were unearthed in the southern Egyptian province of Sohag, said the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Wednesday. The Egyptian archaeological mission in the Gabal El Haridi region, located about 350 kilometers south of the capital Cairo, found 30 death certificates beside the mummies showing the deceased person's name, job and age and their parents' names written in old Greek letters and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, according to a ministry statement.

Agencies - Xinhua