Egypt seeks broader global efforts to fight extremists in Libya

Egypt seeks broader global efforts to fight extremists in Libya

CAIRO

As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought Egyptian support Saturday for an international coalition to combat jihadi groups, Egypt pressed for broader international efforts to fight militants in its troubled neighbor, Libya.

The Egyptian position adds another layer to the complexities facing the United States as it seeks support among allies in the Middle East to battle militants who have overtaken a third of Iraq and Syria and threaten to upend the region.

Cairo’s call also risks further aggravating regional rivalries that could undermine U.S. efforts to build a durable coalition. Qatar and Turkey back Islamist-allied militias in Libya, while Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia support their opponents.

Military officials said that in exchange for Egypt’s support for the coalition to combat the so-called Islamic State group, it seeks assurances that sorting out Libya will be at the top of the U.S. agenda.

Despite truce, fighting flares up in Ukraine

LUHANSK, UKRAINE

A convoy of more than 200 white trucks crossed the Russian border to deliver humanitarian aid to a battered Ukrainian city Saturday, a move made without Kiev’s consent yet met with silence by Ukraine’s top leaders.

The much-needed aid arrived as fighting flared again between pro-Russian rebels and government forces, further imperiling an already fragile cease-fire in the region.

On Saturday, Ukraine’s military operation in the east said it had repelled a rebel attack on the government-held airport of Donetsk, which came under artillery fire from rebel positions late Friday. Ukrainian authorities also admitted for the first time since the cease-fire started last week that they have inflicted casualties on the rebel side.

Will Apple’s digital wallet kill card swipe?

NEW YORK

Apple wants the plastic credit card to become as rare as the paper check.

On Tuesday, the company announced Apple Pay, a digital payment system that lets people pay for retail store purchases using their phones rather than cash or credit cards. The service, which will work both with iPhones and Apple’s new Watch, is backed by a host of big retailers, along with most major banks and credit card issuers, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

So-called contactless payment isn’t new. Starbucks, McDonald’s, PayPal, Google and Square offer their own services, but only a small portion of customers use them. Some experts believe Apple Pay —with its presence on millions of iPhones and its advanced security features— could be the service that leads to widespread adoption of the digital wallet.

Fear of Ebola takes toll on tourism in Africa

KAMPALA, UGANDA

Ebola is thousands of miles away from Kenya’s pristine Indian Ocean beaches, but the deadly disease appears to be discouraging tourism there and elsewhere in this vast continent.

Harald Kampa, a hotelier near Mombasa, says the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is hurting his business.

For two weeks in August, he had no international arrivals at his Diani Sea Resort, leading him to suspect that Ebola had frightened away his clients.

Kampa is not alone. Tour operators across Africa say they face difficulties as the Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,200 people in four countries, continues to defy international efforts to control it.

Tourism, a major source of revenue for many African countries — especially Kenya and South Africa — is increasingly being hurt as some potential visitors hesitate over visiting the continent which is home to the disease.

Search ends for pilot

lemoore, calif.

Rescuers on Saturday called off their search of the Pacific Ocean for a Navy fighter pilot whose jet was one of two that crashed west of Wake Island.

The Navy said Saturday that it presumes the pilot is dead after failing to find him during a 36-hour search.

The Navy declined to release the pilot’s name pending notification of his family. The Navy said the crash is under investigation and didn’t release any more details.

Associated Press