In brief: Gulf allies offer Egypt billions in aid, investments

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – Egypt raked in promises of more than $12 billion in investment and aid from its Gulf Arab allies on Friday, kicking off an international conference aimed at rescuing the country’s gutted economy and giving a political boost to its soldier-turned-president.

The three-day gathering in the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is meant to show the world Egypt is open for business again to draw investors after four years of instability and turmoil that followed the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi made his case for the world’s support, depicting Egypt as vital to regional stability and a bulwark against Islamic militancy.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, addressing the conference, made a strong show of support for Egypt, with only a glancing reference to rights concerns and a call for more transparency.

North Korea test-fires short-range missiles

Seoul, South Korea – North Korea has test-fired seven short-range missiles into the sea, South Korean officials said Friday, in the latest such launches during ongoing South Korea-U.S. military drills.

The surface-to-air missiles launched late Thursday flew into waters off the country’s eastern coast, said a South Korean defense official who requested anonymity because of official policy.

A South Korean Joint Chief of Staff officer said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the missile tests.

North Korea routinely tests missiles, rockets and artillery but the latest launches came as the country reacts angrily to annual springtime military drills between South Korea and the U.S. Pyongyang says the drills are aimed at preparing to topple its government, though Seoul and Washington say they are purely defensive.