Netanyahu says convicted spy Pollard expected in Israel soon Singapore-hong Kong air travel bubble postponed Sudan boycotts faltering talks over Ethiopia’s mega-dam
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that he expects a former U.S. serviceman convicted for spying for Israel, Jonathan
Pollard, to come stay in Israel, as the former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst who served 30 years in prison has completed his parole.
Netanyahu said he had worked for Pollard’s release for many years. He did not provide a firm date when Pollard might arrive.
The Justice Department announced Friday that Pollard had completed his parole, freeing him to move to Israel. Advocates have said that has long been Pollard’s wish.
HONG KONG – Singapore and Hong Kong on Saturday postponed the start of an air travel bubble meant to boost tourism for both cities, amid a spike in coronavirus infections in Hong Kong.
The travel bubble, originally set to begin Sunday, will be delayed by at least two weeks, said Edward Yau, Hong Kong’s minister of commerce and economic development.
The arrangement is meant to allow travelers between the two cities to travel without having to self-isolate as long as they complete coronavirus tests before and after arriving, and fly on designated flights.
Hong Kong reported 43 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, including 13 untraceable local infections.
CAIRO – Sudan boycotted talks on Saturday between Nile Valley countries over Ethiopia’s controversial megadam, calling on the African Union to play a greater role in pushing forward the negotiations that have stalled for years.
It was the first time that Sudan refused to attend talks with Ethiopia and its northern neighbor Egypt, which has expressed for years its fears that the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance dam on the Blue Nile will dramatically threaten water supplies downstream.
Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas said the current approach to reaching a tripartite agreement on the filling and operation of Ethiopia’s dam had not yielded results.