January 27, 2023

Daily News Brief

*) Blinken to visit Mideast as Palestine mourns killings by Israel Top American diplomat Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt, Israel and Palestine this weekend, the State Department has announced, as the US expressed alarm about escalating violence after Israel's single deadliest operation in the occupied West Bank in 20 years. Blinken's visit to Israel has been planned for weeks, but the Israeli raid on a West Bank refugee camp earlier on Thursday — that killed nine people, including a 61-year-old woman — will likely dominate his talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Israeli military also fatally shot a 22-year-old Palestinian later in the day. *) Peru army, police to unblock roads controlled by protesters The Peruvian government has said that police and soldiers would soon move to dismantle roadblocks on the nation's highways erected by protesters who have demanded for weeks the resignation of President Dina Boluarte. The move announced by the defence and interior ministries on Thursday comes as shortages of basic goods including food and fuel have escalated in the South American country, with freight deliveries to the south compromised. *) Biden calls Republicans' economic plans dangerous for US economy US President Joe Biden has said he will veto any Republican legislation that threatens to sow "chaos" in the country's economy. "I will not let it happen. Not on my watch. I will veto everything," he said in a speech laying out his economic vision at a Virginia pipe fitters union hall. Biden said congressional Republicans' push to block expansion of the nation's borrowing limit, threatening a US debt default, would spark "chaos" and "pain" for the world's number one economy. *) Ukraine calls for banning Djokovic's father for flanking pro-Russia fans Ukraine's ambassador to Australia has urged tennis officials to ban Novak Djokovic's father from the Australian Open after he was filmed posing with fans brandishing Russian flags. Myroshnychenko also called on Djokovic, who is preparing to face Tommy Paul in the semi-finals of the tournament, to personally apologise and to clarify his stance on the Russian invasion. And finally… *) New excavation unearths tombs and sarcophagus in Egypt Egypt has unveiled dozens of new archaeological discoveries, including two ancient tombs at a Pharaonic necropolis just outside of the capital Cairo. The artefacts, unearthed during a year-long excavation, were found beneath an ancient stone enclosure near the Saqqara pyramids, the excavation team said. One of the uncovered tombs belonged to a priest from the fifth dynasty known as Khnumdjedef, while the other belonged to an official named Meri, who held the title of “the keeper of the secrets,” the team said.