Former Adviser to King Arrested

Jordanian authorities arrested former adviser to Jordan's King Abdullah, Bassem Awadallah, for “security-related” reasons on Saturday. Awadallah, a junior member of the royal family, once played a major role in developing Jordan's economic policy and served as chief of the Royal Hashemite Court until stepping down in 2008.

Nile Mega-Dam Talks

A round of three-day talks between Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan has begun, aimed at resolving a years-long dispute over a massive dam built by Addis Ababa on the Blue Nile. The talks launched on Saturday are taking place in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the current chair of the African Union.

Cairo's Golden Parade

Egypt paraded 22 mummies through Cairo in a multi-million dollar event on Saturday. The parade included the preserved remains of 18 kings and four queens. The new National Egyptian Museum of Civilization will be their resting place. Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Minister said the parade is a unique global event that will not be repeated.

France, Italy Lockdowns

As Europe struggles to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections, France and Italy have reimposed lockdowns. Italy imposed a strict three-day lockdown during the Easter weekend, banning all non-essential travels. Meanwhile, the French government closed all schools and imposed new rules taking effect nationwide on Sunday.