Egypt looks to regain its glorious past

• The stele has been housed in the British Museum since 1802, inscribed with the legend "Captured in Egypt by the British Army in 1801"
• No official requests for the treasures' return have been received "from the Egyptian government", according to the three European museums

US again approves most aid to Egypt despite rights concerns

• Some of Biden's political allies have pressed for a wider cutoff of aid to Egypt, which rights groups estimate is holding more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience
• Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, scoffed at the idea that Egypt was making progress and earlier this week called on the administration to withhold more funds

UAE delegation, led by Abdullah bin Zayed, in Tel Aviv to discuss ways to boost ties

Covid pandemic end in sight, seize this opportunity: WHO

• WHO is urging countries to invest in vaccinating 100 percent of the most at-risk groups, and to keep up testing and sequencing for the virus.
• A WHO study based on excess mortality seen in various countries during the pandemic estimated that up to 17 million people may have died in 2020 and 2021.

Air India Express plane evacuated after engine fire in Oman

• The airline said there was no fire warning in the cockpit and the smoke was spotted by another aircraft.
• Arun Kumar, head of the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation, told AFP that "appropriate action" would be taken over the incident.

Lebanese woman robs bank to ‘pay for ill sister’s’ treatment

• Sali Hafiz streamed a live video of her raid, in which she could be heard yelling at employees to release a sum of money while entrances to the bank were sealed.
• She instantly turned into a folk hero on social media in Lebanon, where many are desperate to access their savings and furious at a banking sector perceived as a corrupt cartel.

European Union plans to cut soaring gas, electricity prices

• Wholesale energy prices thus soared together when the war in Ukraine sent the cost of gas skyrocketing.
• Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the levy, or cap, would raise at least $140 billion. The commission wants to reduce monthly consumption by 10 percent.

Iran wants closer ties with UAE: foreign minister

• In 2020, the UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel, a move which Tehran condemned
• Abu Dhabi has been pursuing a policy of rapprochement with former regional rivals including Qatar, Turkey and Iran

Israel confirms talks on temporary Qatar office for World Cup

• Qatar does not recognise Israel and supports Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that controls Gaza and has fought four wars with Israel since 2008
• Israel, which maintains a blockade on Gaza, engages with Doha to grant permissions for the distribution of Qatari aid in the Palestinian coastal enclave

Lying in state is an old UK tradition

• On top will be the Imperial State Crown with the orb and sceptre representing spiritual and temporal power
• Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who died on 30 March, 2002, lay in state in Westminster Hall before her funeral