Egypt

An Egyptian court said it will deliver its verdict in the murder trial of Hosni Mubarak on September 27, in a session Aug. 13 in which the ousted strongman passionately defended his 30-year rule.

Russian tour operator SurgutKurort has gone out of business, Tuesday.

This is the eighth Russian tour operator to terminate its activities since July.

The website of the company informs that it is unable to fulfill its obligations to tourists and that it ceases activities as of August 12, 2014.

The major Eurasian startup, investment and entrepreneurship event Startup Istanbul starts on September 30, said the organisers. 

It will bring together entrepreneurs, founders, VCs, investors, top executives, decision makers and startups. 

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused top officials in Egypt of likely "crimes against humanity" in an August 14, 2013 crackdown in which hundreds of protesters were killed.
      

By Yiannis Papadoyiannis

The European Commission’s restructuring plans for Greek banks provide for a drastic scaling back of their activities abroad as well as reductions in the number of branches and staff at home.

The plans for banks National (NBG) and Piraeus were given the green light late last month, following those for Alpha in early July and Eurobank in April.

The leaders of the Arab world's most populous state and its richest state met on Sunday to talk over joint efforts to counter Islamist militancy across the Middle East, including the turmoil now shaking Iraq.
   

Serbia among countries Russia intends to buy food from

MOSCOW -- Serbia is one of the countries on the "priority list" from which Russia intends to import food products after imposing sanctions on previous, western suppliers.

Four wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip arrived in the Turkish capital early on Aug. 11 after being flown in for medical treatment, with more expected, in a move announced by prime minister and president-elect Tayyip Erdogan.
   

An Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo on Aug. 11 for indirect negotiations with Palestinians on a durable truce in Gaza, Egypt and Israeli officials said.
      
The Palestinian delegation meanwhile was already locked in talks with Egyptian intelligence mediators, who will relay their demands to the Israeli negotiators, a Palestinian official said.
     

Okra is the hidden gem of Anatolian cuisine. Consumed both fresh and dried, it has deep roots in Ottoman culinary culture, marking the trade route from Africa to Asia Minor. It is believed to have originated from Ethiopia and Eastern Sudan and was cultivated along the Nile by the 12th century. Okra is called bamya in Turkish, coming from the Arabic word for the plant.