The House of Representatives approved, in principle, amendments to the value-added tax law during a plenary session on Tuesday. The head of the Planning and Budget Committee Fakhri al-Fiqi explained that the amendment comes in view of the practical problems resulting from the implementation of the Value Added Tax Law promulgated by Law No. It also comes in issuance of the Unified Tax Procedures Law by Law No. 206 of 2020, he said, which repealed a number of provisions stipulated in the Value Added Tax Law and conflicted with some provisions contained in the two laws. The Finance Ministry decided to prepare two draft laws to amend some provisions of the aforementioned value-added tax law.

NEW DELHI, Dec 14 (Reuters) – India is struggling to export its surplus of COVID-19 vaccines as logistical hurdles delay their use in many countries despite low levels of inoculation, vaccine producer the Serum Institute of India (SII) and a government official said on Tuesday. “Certain countries have only vaccinated to the tune of 10 or 15 percent of the population, they really need to go to 60-70%. “India is in a position to offer vaccines, but is there traction (for it)?” he asked. India’s vaccine demand was only about 252 million doses in the past month, against a domestic production capacity of more than 345 million a month of its three main approved shots alone. The SII’s monthly output of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which it brands Covishield, has nearly quadrupled since April to 250 million doses.

CAIRO - 14 December 2021: The Cabinet Media center has dismissed as groundless reports that the Dabaa nuclear plant lacks safety measures and causes pollution to the environment and water. It added the station would help curb pollution resulting from gas emission and will be an important source of nuclear energy. The power plant, which will be Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, is being developed in Matrouh Governorate on the Mediterranean coast, 250km west of Alexandria. Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) is the developer of the proposed Dabaa nuclear power plant, which will be owned and operated by the Nuclear Power Plant Authority (NPPA) of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The power plant will comprise four pressurised water reactors (PWRs) with a total capacity of 4.8GW, which is expected to account for up to 50% of Egypt’s power generation capacity.

CAIRO – 14 December 2021: Egypt's Ministry of Environment and Sanofi are joining hands to both combat climate change and raise awareness on the phenomenon by launching a competition whereas winners will be granted a total of 2,000 bikes. The questions are centered on climate change facts and impact, and will be posted on the ministry's social media pages and accounts. The competition will begin next week, and is divided into three categories - in terms of the age group of target participants - that are children, adults, and youth. The competition's timeline consists of three phases that will take place over almost a year. That is because they will be invited to take part in a cycling event held within the conference.

CAIRO – 14 December 2021: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi appointed Tuesday Major-General Ashraf Ibrahim Atwa Mgahed commander of the Naval Force. The president also appointed former Navy Commander Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said commander of the Strategic Command, and supervisor of military production, giving him the title "deputy minister." In October, President Sisi appointed Lieutenant General Osama Askar chief of staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, while his predecessor Lieutenant General Mohamed Farid became consultant to the president for Decent Life initiative.

CAIRO - 13 December 2021: The amendments to some provisions of the value-added tax law come within the framework of the state’s commitment to upgrading the tax system, advancing economic development, stimulating investment, enhancing tax commitment, and raising the efficiency of tax collection, without imposing additional burdens on citizens, according to the Egyptian government. It added in a statement that the amendments aim to address some of the problems that have emerged during the practical application of the provisions of this law. According to the statement issued Monday, the Unified Tax Procedures Law canceled a number of provisions stipulated in the Value Added Tax Law, in addition to the conflict of some provisions contained in the two laws. The government pointed to the adoption of some provisions of e-commerce transactions to tax through the application of a simplified registration and collection system, instead of the current system based on the appointment of a legal representative, in line with international standards and the requirements of foreign companies, and consistent with e-commerce applications. The statement stressed that the draft law included the approval of new exemptions related to vital services that affect the lives of citizens, and also related to vital sectors with the aim of supporting industry and stimulating economic growth, and taking into account the social dimension.

File- Misr Sinai Company sent engineering and technical equipment and crews to Gaza Strip to help remove the remains of the rubble, and start reconstruction worksCAIRO -13 December 2021: The Egyptian National Committee for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, on Monday, launched the second phase of reconstructing the destroyed places in the strip. The second phase plan was announced in a conference held at al-Mashtal hotel in the strip, in the presence of representatives of the Palestinian government and factional delegations. The reconstruction projects come under the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, said the director of the Gaza Reconstruction projects Amr Are at the conference. The direct damages in other sectors of infrastructure and economic, agricultural, educational and health facilities were estimated at about $150 million, he added. “We would like to confirm that the directive of the [Egyptian] political leadership for the reconstruction of Gaza is to use Palestinian labor and contractors to start the reconstruction process,” the committee said at the conference.

CAIRO (AP) — Clashes between Yemeni government forces and the country’s Huthi rebels attacking the key central city of Marib killed a senior military commander on Monday, officials said. The Huthis launched an offensive earlier this year on the city in an effort to complete their control over the northern half of Yemen. Government forces had earlier advanced a few kilometers (miles) following fierce battles south of the city, one of the officials said. The rebels stepped up attacks on Marib in recent weeks, sending waves of fighters to try and breach government defenses. Last month, government forces took the district of Hays and a major highway linking the contested port city of Hodeida with the rebel-held capital of Sanaa.

The Military Production Ministry concluded partnerships with the private sector to produce the first electric Egyptian bus that works with electricity, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Helwan Metal Equipment Company (Military Factory 360), Taha Gomaa Abdel Gawad announced. Abdel Gawad stressed the role of the Ministry of Military Production plays in supporting and developing the Egyptian economy, and having an effective role in the sustainable and comprehensive development of the state through multiple national projects. Abdel Gawad pointed out that in recent years, the Ministry of Military Production was able to record many unprecedented achievements in various fields, whether military or civilian. In the sports field, the Ministry of Military Production established sports stadiums, and in the environmental field, it established waste recycling factories in different governorates, as well as projects to operate wells in Toshka, he said. The ministry also paved many roads in various governorates and took part in the construction of the Regional Ring Road, he added.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday discussed preparations for Egypt’s hosting of the COP27 World Climate Summit 2022 in a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and several other ministers. Sisi said that launching this huge global event on Egyptian lands sends a message to the world that his nation is witnessing great progress in environmental matters such as the transition to clean energy. The spokesperson for the Egyptian Presidency Bassam Rady said in a statement that during the meeting, various logistical and organizational measures were reviewed by the competent authorities, as well as previous experiences of organizing the climate conference in various countries. He stressed that this event represents the largest and most important United Nations conference ever in terms of the number of participants and its duration. It also looked over advancing national and African concerns on climate change issues and providing the opportunity to conclude partnerships with various international institutions to finance projects related to addressing climate change in Egypt.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that cross-border terrorism works to fragment societies and demolish nation-states in favor of promoting extremist ideas that calls for hatred of the other and obstructs progress. The president welcomed all delegations participating in the CISSA conference. He said that he hoped Egypt will assume its presidency to continue its contributions to achieving security integration, coordination, and raising its capabilities to help overcome the security risks surrounding African countries. Sisi warned that extremist ideologies sabotage the steps African nations is making towards achieving their targeted prosperity. He called for intensified coordination between all concerned continental mechanisms, including the CISSA, to dry up all sources of terrorism, stop its activities, and protect the peoples of the continent.

More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist virus-weary medical staffs at hospitals and other care centers. People who became sick after refusing to get vaccinated are overwhelming hospitals in certain states, especially in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. The New York National Guard said it had deployed 120 Army medics and Air Force medical technicians to 12 nursing homes and long-term care facilities to relieve fatigued staff. The largest hospital system in Indiana enlisted National Guard for support this week at a time when the number of COVID-19 patients in the state has more than doubled in the past month. The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are now higher than Indiana’s summer surge that peaked in September and are approaching the pandemic peak reached in late 2020.

On investor conference calls this month, Central Bank Governor Sahap Kavcioglu signalled the easing would likely pause in January after one more cut this month. “One critical question, in our view, is what is a low interest rate – 12%, 8% or 5%? The poll also showed an expectation that the policy rate will stand at 12% at the end of 2022, according to the median of eight respondents. Turkey’s real interest rate is deeply negative, a red flag for investors and savers, including Turks who have flocked to hard currencies. Erdogan has ousted three central bank governors in 2-1/2 years and replaced many of its other orthodox policymakers.

CAIRO-11 December 2021: After 120 minutes of hard-fought football, Egypt defeated Jordan 3-1 to set up a clash with Tunisia in the FIFA Arab Cup semi-finals. Marwan Hamdy was able to level the score minutes before half time with a sensational header after receiving a beautiful cross from Ahmed Sayed Zizo. The two teams slow down the tempo of the game after a fierce battle in the first half. Queiroz used his bench to reenergize the team but the Jordanians fought to take the game to extra time. It was the perfect occasion for the youngster to score his debut goal for the Egyptian national team.

The Libyan Embassy in Cairo announced the opening of admission for Egyptian companies that are legally licensed to enroll workers abroad and who wish to register them with the embassy. With the signing of 14 new agreements and memoranda of understanding alongside the updating of old ones, Hawij said that economic cooperation between Egypt and Libya is back after a 12-year hiatus. The embassy stressed that it will not accept any requests from recruitment companies wishing to register with the embassy without submitting all the required documents, and they must be adhered to submission deadlines. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has announced that as of April the signing of an MoU between Egypt and Libya to facilitate the return of Egyptian workers to Libya. Madbouly said that workers will be able to work in the fields specified and requested by Libya.