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Egypt, Russia Discuss Nuclear Science Research Cooperation

Egyptian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Ayman Ashour meets with head of JINR in Russia Dmitry Kamanin. (Egyptian Higher Education Ministry)
Egyptian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Ayman Ashour meets with head of JINR in Russia Dmitry Kamanin. (Egyptian Higher Education Ministry)
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Egypt, Russia Discuss Nuclear Science Research Cooperation

Egyptian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Ayman Ashour meets with head of JINR in Russia Dmitry Kamanin. (Egyptian Higher Education Ministry)
Egyptian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Ayman Ashour meets with head of JINR in Russia Dmitry Kamanin. (Egyptian Higher Education Ministry)

Egyptian Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Ayman Ashour held talks on Friday with head of the International Cooperation Department of Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Russia Dmitry Kamanin.

The talks focused on means to activate a cooperation agreement signed with Moscow on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy through training programs for students and researchers.

Ashour stressed the Egyptian government's keenness on holding cooperation with friendly countries in scientific research to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a press statement said.

He hailed the distinguished ties binding Egypt and Russia, especially in scientific research and fields related to nuclear research and its peaceful applications.

The minister further underlined the importance of building the capabilities of young researchers through intense training.

“The Egyptian government places youth at the forefront of its priorities,” Ashour declared.

The Minister also lauded the ongoing cooperation between Egypt's Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) and Russia's JINR in this respect.

The meeting covered the procedures for dispatching this month, the second group of 15- and 16-year-old students excelling in physics to JINR, as part of an integrated plan adopted by ASRT to advance basic sciences, especially physics and mathematics, and support geniuses.

The meeting also pointed out to the JINR's decision to raise the status of Egypt up to a full-fledged JINR Member State.

At the end of the meeting, Ashour received an invitation from Kamanin to attend along with a high-level Egyptian delegation the proceedings of the training, which is organized by the JINR for a number of experts, politicians and decision-makers from the member states.

Cooperation between Moscow and Cairo in the field of nuclear energy includes the construction of the Egyptian El-Dabaa Nuclear Plant.

The construction by Russia's state-owned energy corporation Rosatom, began last month.

The 4.8-gigawatt plant is located 300 kilometers west of Cairo in the Matrouh province on the Mediterranean.

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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.