Egypt’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi held a meeting with the board of the Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority, chaired by Yasser Ramadan, to review ongoing work plans following the authority’s transformation into an economic body, a move aimed at strengthening the mining sector and gradually increasing its contribution to national output. During the meeting, the minister and the authority’s board discussed several key issues, most notably the mechanism for implementing a comprehensive airborne geophysical survey of Egypt’s mineral resources during the current year. They also reviewed progress on launching an integrated digital portal for mining investment in Egypt. At the start of the meeting, Badawi welcomed the cabinet’s approval for the authority to contract X-Calibur to carry out the nationwide airborne geophysical survey covering different parts of the country. He said the project represents one of the most important initiatives the authority will implement in 2026, describing it as a fundamental step toward identifying critical minerals and rare elements needed for various industries.

Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, held a meeting with officials from sugar production companies in Egypt to review current market conditions. The discussions also focused on strengthening the balance between domestic production and consumption and developing balanced mechanisms for import and export through appropriate trade policy tools. Participants included Shehab Marzban, Chairperson of Eastern Sugar Company; Kamel Abdallah, Chairperson of Canal Sugar Company; Emad Farid, Chairperson of Nile Sugar Company; and Mahmoud Fouda, Chairperson of Savola. Farid stressed that market stability begins with regulating import and export mechanisms, while continuing to support and localise existing industries. They also stressed the importance of continued coordination between the ministry and the private sector to strengthen production sustainability and maintain balance in the domestic market.

The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) held an emergency meeting of its High Committee for Crisis Operations to assess the potential economic repercussions of escalating geopolitical tensions linked to the military confrontation between the United States and Iran. Discussions focused on evaluating the potential impact of the evolving situation on trade flows, local markets, supply chains, and key macroeconomic indicators in Egypt. Participants stressed that the Egyptian economy possesses a degree of resilience in dealing with external shocks under current economic policies. In terms of trade policy, the committee recommended maintaining current export and import policies without restrictions, noting that the current exchange rate level provides additional support for Egyptian exports. The meeting will discuss the economic implications of the crisis and propose mechanisms to address them.

Military and political tensions across the Middle East intensified on Wednesday as Iran issued new warnings over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz while missile and drone attacks spread across several countries in the region. Zolfaghari said Iran was moving away from a policy of “reciprocal strikes” toward what he described as “successive strikes”. In a separate statement, the Guards said the conflict would continue until what they described as the “shadow of war” was lifted from Iran. In the eastern Mediterranean, Italy said it had deployed the frigate Federico Martinengo, carrying more than 160 personnel, to waters near Cyprus to help protect the island from potential Iranian attacks. He said field reports indicated extensive destruction caused by Iranian missiles and growing pressure on Israeli air defense systems.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has agreed to release 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves in its largest collective drawdown on record, as governments move to contain a surge in energy prices fuelled by war in the Middle East. The 400m barrel release significantly exceeds the 182.7 million barrels deployed in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. While the 2022 action aimed to release 2 million barrels per day (bpd), analysts suggest the potential supply losses from the current crisis could be far greater. Individually, Saudi Arabia has cut production by between 2 million and 2.5 million bpd, while Iraq’s reduction of 2.9 million bpd marks the largest cut on a relative basis. The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) currently holds approximately 415 million barrels, just over half its total capacity.

Egypt is seeking to increase oil and natural gas production by expanding the use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies, the presidency said after a meeting chaired by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The meeting reviewed ongoing efforts to expand the use of advanced drilling techniques to access oil and gas reserves that are difficult to extract using conventional methods. Badawi said the petroleum sector is accelerating the deployment of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies to achieve a significant increase in crude oil and natural gas output. The meeting also reviewed a planned aerial survey programme for mineral resources aimed at boosting investment in Egypt’s mining sector. Al-Sisi emphasised the importance of timely payments to international oil companies to encourage further exploration and production activity.

Egypt and Russia discussed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution on Wednesday as part of urgent diplomatic efforts to contain the “rapidly accelerating” conflict in the Middle East. In a telephone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned of the “dangerous repercussions” of continued violence, stating that the military escalation threatens both regional and international peace and security. Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s “consistent position”, calling for political efforts and peaceful settlements through dialogue and diplomacy to maintain global stability. In a separate, high-stakes call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Abdelatty issued a sharp rebuke of recent Iranian military actions. Further coordination occurred with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, who thanked Egypt for its assistance in evacuating Portuguese nationals through Egyptian territory.

He revealed that the group is preparing to launch the second issuance of the Halan AZ Real Estate Fund during the second quarter of this year, targeting capital of no less than EGP 250m. The move forms part of the company’s strategy to expand its investment and real estate activities in the Egyptian market. The fund enables individuals to partially invest in administrative real estate assets, helping broaden the investor base in the property market through regulated investment tools. The move is part of the company’s strategy to diversify funding sources and support the expansion of its non-banking financial services in Egypt. Nakhla also highlighted the company’s plans to expand the use of artificial intelligence in managing its operations and enhancing service efficiency.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday rejected any unilateral actions regarding the River Nile and reaffirmed Cairo’s opposition to the recognition of “Somaliland” during talks with a senior United States official. On the conflict in Sudan, Abdelatty told Boulos that Egypt rejects any attempts to undermine Sudanese unity or territorial integrity. The Foreign Minister called for an immediate humanitarian truce and the protection of Sudanese state institutions. Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s stance on maintaining Libyan unity and the necessity of reaching a “Libyan-Libyan” solution. He urged the unification of state institutions and the holding of simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections at the earliest opportunity.

One of the most striking characteristics of this year’s Ramadan lineup was the overwhelming presence of crime drama. Yet an important question inevitably arises: was crime drama truly the genre that best responded to the audience’s needs at this particular moment? The notable success of the romantic social series “Ethneen… Ethneen” (1995) offered a revealing contrast. One of the more curious paradoxes that seems to recur almost every Ramadan season is that theme songs often surpass the dramas themselves in popularity. Ultimately, the most important lesson of this Ramadan season may be that audiences are not simply searching for suspense or dramatic shock.

New Era Education has announced the launch of Uppingham New Cairo, a new British international school set to open in 2028 within the New Kairo development by G Developments in East Cairo. The project marks the second partnership between New Era Education and Uppingham School UK, following the launch of Uppingham Cairo in New Giza. Dr. Tamer Tammam, Founder and Chairman of New Era Education, said the new campus represents a major milestone in the company’s mission to bring leading British education models to Egypt. “The success of Uppingham Cairo has been exceptional,” Matthews said. New Era Education said the project reflects its long-term vision to expand access to international-standard education in Egypt and prepare students for an increasingly global future.

Police in Toronto are investigating a “national security incident” after shots were fired at the US consulate early Tuesday, leaving damage to the building but no injuries. Evidence markers are seen at the US consulate in Toronto on Tuesday. The shooting in Toronto comes days after a bombing at the US Embassy in Oslo, Norway. “It’s definitely a national security incident, because we had the US Consulate, after all, struck by gunfire,” Leather said. The Toronto Police Service released an image of the suspect vehicle in connection with Tuesday’s shooting at a US consulate in Toronto.

The CAA clarified in an official statement that specialized authorities successfully coordinated the transfer of empty aircraft to alternative airports. Protecting the regional aviation hubThe fleet’s repositioning follows a period of heightened alert across Gulf airspace. As of mid-March, the ongoing conflict between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran has led to several “red-zone” declarations over the Arabian Gulf. Safety measures and contingency planningThe CAA emphasized that these “operational arrangements” are standard procedures during periods of regional instability. Despite the repositioning, the Bahrain International Airport remains operational, focusing its resources on essential passenger travel and high-priority supply chains.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump remains open to dialogue with Iran, though he has questioned Iran’s sincerity. Speaking to CNBC, Witkoff noted that current indicators suggest Iran is not seeking a diplomatic resolution at this stage. Shift in military strategyWitkoff is expected to travel to Israel next week to coordinate with Israel’s leadership regarding the ongoing military campaign. Shared nuclear objectivesThe US envoy reiterated that Washington and Jerusalem share the singular goal of ensuring Iran never develops nuclear weapons. Witkoff’s claim that enrichment capacity is “decimated” marks the most definitive American assessment to date regarding the impact of the 12-day air campaign on Iran’s nuclear program.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Tuesday with Mohamed Amer, Executive Vice President of Scatec for the Middle East and North Africa, to review the status of the Norwegian renewable energy developer’s projects in Egypt and to discuss opportunities for expanding investments in several sectors. The meeting was attended by Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Randa al-Menshawy and deputy housing minister Ahmed Omran. Madbouly said the government seeks stronger partnerships with international companies, particularly in renewable energy and infrastructure, as Egypt expands clean energy projects and increases reliance on renewable sources, Cabinet Spokesman Mohamed al-Homosany said. The meeting touched on projects currently implemented by Scatec in renewable energy and electricity storage systems, in addition to future plans related to green hydrogen production. The two sides also discussed potential projects in infrastructure and seawater desalination, in light of the development opportunities available in Egypt across these sectors.