CAIRO – 31 July 2024: Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council Abdel Fatah Al-Burhan stated Wednesday that there would not be any negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), following two drone attacks on a military commencement he was attending and that claimed the lives of five and injured others. The two warring parties had agreed to hold talks in Geneva upon an invitation by the United States, and that would be attended by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in a bid to end the armed conflict that broke out on April 15, 2023. Since the outbreak of the war, the WHO has verified 88 attacks on the healthcare system, including attacks on health facilities, ambulances, transport, assets, patients, and health workers. These attacks have resulted in 55 deaths and 104 injuries.

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas Political Bureau, was assassinated in Tehran early Wednesday. Hamas condemned the Israeli strike on Haniyeh’s residence, calling it a “severe escalation” that would fail to achieve its objectives. Haniyeh was killed in what Hamas described as a “treacherous Zionist strike” after attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also issued a statement promising “harsh punishment” for Israel in response to Haniyeh’s assassination. Iran’s Response: Given the strategic alliance between Iran and Hamas, Iran is likely to feel compelled to respond.

The Egyptian Penal Code outlines several articles addressing the dissemination of false information. Article 102 imposes penalties for those who intentionally spread false news or rumors that could disturb public security or cause panic. He highlighted the legal penalties, including up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to 20,000 Egyptian pounds, for those who spread false information online. He categorized false news into several types, including fabricated content, forged content, misleading content, and satirical content that can be misleading. Social media platforms have significantly contributed to the spread of false information, as users often share content without verifying its accuracy.

CAIRO – 30 July 2024: The International Monetary Fund's Executive Board has greenlit Egypt's economic reform program's third review, totaling $820 million. This approval signals the imminent disbursement of the third tranche, part of an $8 billion agreement sanctioned in March. Additionally, Egypt can seek an extra $1.2 billion in financing from the Resilience and Sustainability Trust Fund following the Board's nod. Despite persistent inflation at high levels, the Fund noted a gradual decline, attributing Egypt's commitment to a flexible exchange rate system as pivotal to their program. Concurrently, Egypt's external debt plummeted to $153.86 billion by May 2024, down from $168.03 billion in December 2023, showcasing a remarkable $14.17 billion reduction—the largest ever recorded in the history of Egypt's external debt, as reported by a Central Bank of Egypt official in July.

Despite the extremely challenging conditions, healthcare workers in Sudan continue to provide lifesaving care, driven by their deep commitment to serving millions in need. Approximately 15 million people are in urgent need of healthcare to survive, and attacks on healthcare facilities deny these individuals lifesaving care, including over 10.6 million internally displaced persons. The WHO emphasizes that international humanitarian law mandates the protection of healthcare, health assets, healthcare workers, and patients, even in times of war. Therefore, the organization calls for the protection of all healthcare workers, patients, and health facilities at all times. Ultimately, peace remains a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the health of the Sudanese people and rebuilding the country's health system.

CAIRO - 30 July 2024: Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, has set an ambitious goal of eliminating hepatitis C worldwide by 2030. Highlighting Egypt's successful experience in combating hepatitis C, Ghaffar underscored the country's remarkable progress in reducing the prevalence of the virus from 10% to 0.38% within a decade. This plan aims to maintain the gains made and set a roadmap to achieve the global targets for hepatitis C elimination. The Minister highlighted the comprehensive evaluation of Egypt's hepatitis C program, encompassing patient care pathways, blood and injection safety, harm reduction initiatives, and mortality monitoring. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, commended Egypt's historic achievement in eliminating hepatitis C, setting a global precedent.

CAIRO - 30 July 2024: Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affair Badr Abdel Aati held two phone calls on Monday with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib. Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Director of the Public Diplomacy Department, stated that Minister Abdel Aati expressed during the two calls Egypt's full solidarity with the sisterly state of Lebanon, its rejection of any threats aimed at destabilizing Lebanon or the safety of its people. Minister Abdel Aati also expressed Egypt's deep concern over the ongoing escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and its potential impact on Lebanon's security and stability. The official spokesman added that the Lebanese officials expressed during the two calls their deep appreciation for the support and solidarity of sisterly Egypt, its leadership and people, with Lebanon in these critical circumstances, and their confidence that Egyptian moves aim to protect the interests of the Lebanese people and the stability of their country. It was agreed that they will continue consultations during the next stage with the aim of coordinating efforts to contain tension and escalation.

Egypt is establishing a digital platform to streamline investment and accelerate industrial development, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced Monday. The platform is part of a wider plan to revitalise the industrial sector, Al-Wazir said during the second meeting of the Ministerial Group for Industrial Development. This initiative is expected to enhance industry quality and increase exports to generate foreign currency. He announced the establishment of the Egypt Digital Industrial Platform and the preparation of an industrial map to facilitate investment, reduce procedures, and expedite processes, thus enhancing the investment climate and advancing the industrial sector. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, emphasised that industrial development is a top state priority for achieving economic growth and increasing net exports.

Abdel-Aty’s statement was given during phone calls Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, stated Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid. During these calls, Abdel-Aty expressed Egypt's rejection of any threats aimed at destabilizing Lebanon or compromising its people's safety. Minister Abdel-Aty also voiced deep concern over the ongoing escalation between Hezbollah and Israel and its potential impact on Lebanon's security and stability. Furthermore, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that any significant Israeli attack against Lebanon can lead to a regional war, reported Al Qahera News. Both Hezbollah fighters in Southern Lebanon and Israeli forces on alert for escalating the military clashes along the borders.

CAIRO – 29 July 2024: General Commander of the Egyptian Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production Abdel Meguid Saqr on Monday met with personnel of Third Field Army and East Canal Anti-Terrorism Command. The meeting, which was attended by Chief-of-Staff of Lt. Gen. Ahmed Khalifa and a galaxy of military top-brass, falls within the framework of regular meetings organized by the Armed Forces to ensure readiness of its personnel. Commander of the Third Field Army Hesham Shendi delivered a speech during which he affirmed keenness on upgrading the skills of the personnel to be always on highest alert and capable of carrying out their combat missions. Minister Saqr conveyed President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s best regards to all the military personnel.

In the Group C decider, we’ll take a look at the Spain vs Egypt Olympic soccer odds and match facts. Spain (2-0) vs Egypt (1-1-0) Date & Time: Tuesday, July 30th, 9:00 a.m. ETLocation: Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, FranceSpain vs Egypt Head-to-HeadThis is the third Spain vs Egypt Olympic soccer match since the tournament became a U23 event. Spain vs Egypt Match Analysis & OddsThis is expected to be Spain’s closest match of the group stage. Still, the Spain vs Egypt Olympic soccer odds price La Roja as comfortable -208 favorites.

CAIRO – 29 July 2024: Egyptian political parties have lauded the national dialogue as a vital platform for discussing and addressing political, social, and legal issues. They have emphasized its role in fostering national cohesion and enhancing political participation. El-Shahaby further emphasized that the dialogue has significantly enhanced political participation, mobilizing active political parties and influencing public engagement. Dr. Saeed Ganim, First Deputy Chairman of the Conference Party, highlighted the national dialogue as a dynamic platform for discussing various pressing issues, including pretrial detention. He stressed the dialogue's role in fostering a national consensus on key issues and strengthening national cohesion.

He highlighted that the "One Hand" campaign resulted from productive cooperation between civil society and the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The campaign targets providing comprehensive developmental support to 1.5 million needy families across Egypt. The National Alliance's efforts in launching the "One Hand" campaign reflect its dedication to supporting the state and enhancing volunteerism. Professor Farhat emphasized that the "One Hand" campaign addresses current challenges by fostering collaborative efforts to overcome economic crises and social challenges. Professor Farhat expressed hope that the "One Hand" campaign would pave the way for more national initiatives, enhancing community unity and achieving sustainable development.

Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Kouchouk, emphasised the government’s commitment to enhancing Egypt’s business environment to attract investors across various economic sectors. He noted that in the coming period, the government will engage more openly with the business community to provide greater economic opportunities for the private sector. The government aims to stimulate production and exports to make optimal use of the economic opportunities available in Egypt, particularly with the introduction of the “golden license” to simplify investment procedures. During his meeting with Chee Hong Tat, Singapore’s Second Minister for Finance, on the sidelines of the G20 meetings in Brazil, Kouchouk highlighted that Singapore is the fourth-largest investor in Egypt. Kouchouk explained that deepening cooperation between the private sectors of Egypt and Singapore enhances the economic capacities of both countries.

IQNA – The Al-Azhar Islamic Center in Egypt denounced the blasphemous scenes at the inauguration of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Al-Azhar underscored its permanent rejection of all attempts to disrespect any of Allah’s ‎prophets, the statement added. “Al-Azhar, and nearly two billion Muslims behind it, believe that Jesus (AS) is the ‎Messenger of Allah. The Quran reads, Jesus is Allah’s “Word through Mary and a spirit ‎from Him” (4: 171),” the statement continued. Allah also described Jesus in the Noble Quran as “honored in this world ‎and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest (to Allah)” (3: 45).