Egypt Sets Up More Vaccination Centers at Train Stations

A vaccination center at a metro station in Cairo (Egyptian Health Ministry)
A vaccination center at a metro station in Cairo (Egyptian Health Ministry)
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Egypt Sets Up More Vaccination Centers at Train Stations

A vaccination center at a metro station in Cairo (Egyptian Health Ministry)
A vaccination center at a metro station in Cairo (Egyptian Health Ministry)

Egypt has set up additional COVID-19 inoculation sites inside metro and train stations as part of its expanded vaccination campaign to curb the spread of the pandemic

The Health Ministry recorded 803 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, upping the total number of confirmed infections since the outbreak began in the country to 366,634.

The Ministry said 42 patients have died from the disease, raising the death toll to 20,919, while the number of recovered cases amounted to 304,747.

It called on citizens to take the coronavirus vaccine to be protected against the disease.

Health authorities have urged citizens to continue to abide by the preventative measures including wearing facemasks, maintaining social distancing, washing hands regularly, and avoiding crowded places.

The Ministry stressed that the vaccine may not prevent infection, but it can impact disease severity, affirming that all types of vaccines approved by the World Health Organization are available.

It issued a statement advising people to isolate themselves once they feel they have flu symptoms and head directly to the hospital in case they had any respiratory problems.

“Twenty-three public hospitals and 21 university hospitals have been transformed into isolation centers for COVID-19 patients,” the statement read, despite the drop in the number of cases that require hospital admission.

Health Ministry Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that Egypt has not yet reached the peak of the fourth wave of the pandemic.

He called on citizens to get vaccinated and protect themselves and the society.



Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
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Ankara: Assad Does Not Want Peace in Syria

Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)
Fidan addresses the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is unwilling to pursue peace in Syria and warned that Israel’s efforts to spread war across the Middle East are undermining the environment fostered by the Astana Process.

Fidan emphasized the importance of Russian and Iranian efforts within the framework of the Astana Process to maintain calm on the ground, pointing to ongoing consultations with the US regarding the Syrian crisis.

Speaking during a parliamentary session discussing the 2025 budget of the Foreign Ministry, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s expectation that the dialogue proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be approached strategically by the Syrian government, with priority given to the interests of the Syrian people.

Regarding Erdogan’s invitation to Assad for a meeting to discuss the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus, Fidan remarked that the matter depends on political will, stressing that the Turkish president has demonstrated his readiness at the highest level.

Last week, Erdogan reiterated the possibility of a meeting with Assad, but Russia, which mediates the normalization talks between Ankara and Damascus, ruled out such a meeting or high-level engagements in the near future.

Russian Presidential Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev attributed the impasse to Türkiye’s refusal to meet Damascus’ demand for a withdrawal from northern Syria, accusing Ankara of acting as an “occupying state”.

Although Türkiye has not officially responded to Lavrentiev’s comments, which reflect a shift in Russia’s stance, Fidan stated in a televised interview last week that Russia remains “somewhat neutral” regarding the normalization process. He also urged the Syrian government to create conditions for the return of 10 million Syrian refugees.

Türkiye maintains that its military presence in northern Syria prevents the country’s division, blocks the establishment of a “terror corridor” along its southern border, and deters new waves of refugees from entering its territory.

Fidan outlined his country’s key objectives in Syria, which include eradicating terrorist groups (such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the Syrian Democratic Forces), preserving Syria’s territorial unity, advancing the political process, and ensuring the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkish artillery targeted villages and positions controlled by the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose main component is the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian National Army factions and the SDF in western Tel Abyad, northern Raqqa. Simultaneously, Turkish artillery strikes reportedly killed two SDF members and injured others, with reports of captives and missing personnel.

In retaliation, the SDF shelled Turkish bases in the Ain Issa countryside. Turkish forces responded by deploying military reinforcements amid heightened alert at their bases in Raqqa’s countryside, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).