The massive hydroelectric plant is not like a bath with a tap that can be turned on and off at will.
Read moreBy Damian Zane
BBC News
BBC News Middle East
Ship that blocked Suez is freed after deal signed
The megaship Ever Given is finally leaving the Suez Canal after a deal is struck with Egypt.
Top Stories
Ship that blocked Suez is freed after deal signed
The megaship Ever Given is finally leaving the Suez Canal after a deal is struck with Egypt.
The growing rivalry that's pushing up oil prices
A public rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE caused talks between oil exporters to be abandoned.
Iran says it is producing enriched uranium metal
European powers warn the move threatens talks aimed at reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.
Israel government fails to extend citizenship law
The controversial law bars Palestinians who marry Israelis from being granted citizenship rights.
Electricity blackouts spark protests in Iran
Videos on social media show crowds in several cities angered by the widespread power outages.
Israel and South Korea strike vaccine swap deal
Israel will send 700,000 soon-to-expire Pfizer doses and will receive jabs in return later in 2021.
Egypt angered over filling of Nile mega-dam
The dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has become a source of tension in the region.
Featured Contents
Ship that blocked Suez is freed after deal signed
The megaship Ever Given is finally leaving the Suez Canal after a deal is struck with Egypt.
The growing rivalry that's pushing up oil prices
A public rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE caused talks between oil exporters to be abandoned.
Iran says it is producing enriched uranium metal
European powers warn the move threatens talks aimed at reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.
Israel government fails to extend citizenship law
The controversial law bars Palestinians who marry Israelis from being granted citizenship rights.
Electricity blackouts spark protests in Iran
Videos on social media show crowds in several cities angered by the widespread power outages.
Israel and South Korea strike vaccine swap deal
Israel will send 700,000 soon-to-expire Pfizer doses and will receive jabs in return later in 2021.
Egypt angered over filling of Nile mega-dam
The dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has become a source of tension in the region.
The growing rivalry that's pushing up oil prices
A public rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE caused talks between oil exporters to be abandoned.
Iran says it is producing enriched uranium metal
European powers warn the move threatens talks aimed at reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.
Israel government fails to extend citizenship law
The controversial law bars Palestinians who marry Israelis from being granted citizenship rights.
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By Sameer Hashmi
Middle East business correspondent
Suez Canal: Ever Given now able to leave
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Video caption: The ship that blocked this key trade route is released after compensation deal Egypt has agreed a compensation deal with the owners and insurers of the container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March.
Egypt denounces Ethiopia's new move to fill Nile dam
BBC World Service
Copyright: AFPImage caption: Egypt says it has received notice by Ethiopia of the second-stage filling of the dam Egypt has denounced Ethiopia's decision to begin filling the reservoir behind its giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile for a second year.
The Egyptian irrigation minister, Mohamed Abdel Aty, said he'd received official notice of the filling from Ethiopia and had categorically rejected it.
He said in a statement that the "unilateral" move was "a violation of international laws and norms that regulate projects built on the shared basins of international rivers, including the Nile River".
The minister has also written to the United Nations Security Council informing it of the latest measure by Ethiopia, the statement adds. The council is due to meet to discuss the matter this Thursday.
Egypt and Sudan had warned Ethiopia that it should wait until they'd all reached a legally binding agreement on the operation of the dam.
Egypt and Sudan, which are downstream, fear the $4bn (£3bn) dam will greatly reduce their access to water. Egypt has been apprehensive that it could disrupt the flow of the river, from which it almost entirely depends on for its fresh water needs.
Ethiopia says the project is vital for its development as it could bring power to 60% of its people.
Read more on the dam:
Dozens of Algerians hospitalised after swimming in sea
BBC World Service
Nearly 150 people have been hospitalised in north-west Algeria after swimming in what's believed to have been polluted sea water.
They were suffering from nausea and vomiting.
There's speculation that a ship carrying livestock was to blame for the pollution.
Copyright: AFPBodies of 21 migrants found off Tunisia's coast
Alan Johnston
BBC Middle East analyst
Copyright: BBCThe Tunisian coastguard has recovered the bodies of 21 migrants after their boat sank off the port of Sfax.
Fifty people were saved in a rescue operation carried out on Sunday.
It was the second such disaster in Tunisian waters in two days.
At least 43 people drowned on Saturday when their boat ran into trouble near the southern city of Zarzis.
Eighty-four people aboard the vessel were rescued.
They'd come from countries including Egypt, Sudan and Bangladesh, and they'd set off from Libya in the hope of reaching Europe.
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Video caption: Watch: Wildfires rage as Cyprus seeks help from EU and Israel Cyprus has reached out for help as wildfires devastate parts of Limassol and Larnaka districts.
