EgyptAir on Sunday decided to increase its flights from Cairo to the Eritrean capital Asmara to two flights per week on Sundays and Thursdays, starting July 18. The airline also decided to increase the number of Cairo-Beirut flights to 12 per week, starting July 22. EgyptAir will operate its flights to Asmara and the Lebanese capital using Airbus A320 Neo models equipped with personal screens and Wi-Fi internet services, and the Boeing B737-800. Customers can contact the EgyptAir customer service center to receive more information about schedules and current travel requirements.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid met on Sunday in Brussels to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the current situation in Gaza. Shoukry stressed the need to move quickly to resolve the current stalemate in negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, urging for just and comprehensive peace negotiations, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said. Lapid said that his meeting with Shoukry is part of a larger trip around Europe, adding that the two discussed various political and security issues. Lapid added, “During the meeting, I raised the issue of Israeli prisoners and missing persons in the Gaza Strip and discussed ways to enhance Israel’s security against terrorist threats, as well as a number of options related to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”Yair Lapid was sworn in on June 13, along with the rest of the new Bennett-Lapid government that replaced former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lapid has previously called for a resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The regional spokesman for the US State Department Samuel Warburg said on Sunday that the United States believes that diplomacy is the only solution to the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He added that the international community is fully aware of the importance of the GERD issue for the Nile Basin region. The UN Security Council held a meeting over the GERD issue on Thursday after a call from the Arab League. Ethiopia informed Egypt on July 5 that it has begun the process of filling the second filling of the GERD reservoir. Egypt and Sudan say they want a legally binding agreement on filling and operating the GERD, while Ethiopia is trying to evade such an agreement.

Egypt’s Health Ministry on Monday confirmed 117 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases up to 283,102. The total number of COVID-19-related deaths has now reached 16,396 nationwide, after the ministry announced 13 deaths. And 656 patients were discharged from quarantine at isolation hospitals, raising Egypt’s total number of fully-recovered cases to 218,412. The committee, headed by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, agreed that restaurants, cafes, shops, and malls may return to summer working hours. The ministry also announced on Sunday that the country will soon receive its first doses of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

CAIRO – 12 July 2021: The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization continues to receive ministers, officials and public figures from Egypt and all over the world. The guests were received by Vice President of the Museum Authority for Administration and Operation Fairouz Fikri. These delegations were taken on a tour at the museum, where they got acquainted with its distinguished holdings. The delegations expressed their happiness with the distinguished archaeological treasures, and the royal mummies that were transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir in a solemn procession. For his part, CEO of the Museum Authority Ahmed Ghoneim indicated the museum’s keenness to receive visitors of all nationalities, and to make their visit memorable, to achieve the museum’s role as a cultural beacon that introduces the greatness and uniqueness of Egyptian civilization throughout the ages.

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Factbox on Serbia's Novak Djokovic, who defeated Italy's Matteo Berrettini 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 6-3 in the Wimbledon final on Sunday to win his 20th Grand Slam title. CAREER TO DATE* Made Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at the 2005 Australian Open. * Won his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open -- becoming the first Serbian man to win a singles major. * Beat Federer in a five-set Wimbledon final in 2014. * Defeated Nadal to claim his 15th major and seventh Australian Open title in 2019.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 11 (Reuters) - Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni paid tribute to Lionel Messi on Saturday, praising his team captain and revealing he played in the Copa America win over Brazil with an injury. "If you knew the way that he played in the Copa America you’d love him even more,” Scaloni told reporters after Argentina’s 1-0 win at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The 34-year old had shown his frustration with the defeats, retiring after losing the 2016 Copa America to Chile only to return to the international fold a few weeks later. “In the end he did not throw in the towel and he succeeded,” Scaloni said. We greet each other, we hug each other, and I am eternally grateful to him and his team mates.”

CAIRO - 11 July 2021: Held within the events of the 74th Cannes Film Festival, Arab Cinema Center announced the winners of the 5th Critics Awards for Arab Films. Deborah Young, Manager of the Critics Awards for Arab Films, commented on that saying “Although last year was hard on everyone, the Arab Cinema managed to provide a high-quality level of fiction and documentary films; making it hard to pick the nominees for this year’s Critics Awards for Arab Films. The awards are given to the best Arab film productions every year in the following categories: Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Actress and Best Actor. The ACC also launched an English-language Arab Cinema Guide, available on its website, which is a comprehensive cinematic guide that comprises a variety of tools presented collectively for the first time to offer information on Arab cinema to filmmakers inside and outside of the Arab world. It also aims to facilitate filmmakers' access to international markets and help film industry representatives to easily identify Arab film productions.

LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Prince William wished the England soccer team the best of luck as it prepares for Sunday's Euro 2020 final, its most anticipated game since the side won the 1966 World Cup. William, who is president of England's Football Association, posted his message in a video on Twitter, adding to wishes from Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "What a team performance it's been, every member of the squad has played their part," said William. You bring out the very best of England and we are all behind you, the whole country is behind you so bring it home." While England have only once previously reached the final of a major tournament, this will be Italy's 10th such final.

A statement issued by the ministry Sunday said the minister held a number of meetings with giant French companies in Paris, including: FIVES, Alcatel-Lucent, TRANSDEV, along with senior French officials. Egyptian Ambassador to France Alaa Youssef took part in the meetings, the statement said. The minister said the total number of French investments in Egypt reached $349 mn during the period between 2019-2020, with a 17.9 percent increase compared to 2018-2019, it added. The meetings focused on looming investment opportunities before French companies in the Egyptian markets, especially in light of recent economic incentives and advantages floated by the Egyptian government, according to the statement. The minister underscored the importance of promoting Egyptian-French economic and investment ties, along with an upcoming Egyptian-French Business Council slated for the last quarter of the current year, as well as an economic forum to be held by the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) in Nov., it read.

The net tonnage transiting the canal during the first half of 2021 increased by 3.8 percent, by 610.1 million tons during the first half of the current year, compared to 587.7 million tons during the same period of last year, with an increase of 22.4 million tons. The head of the authority stressed that the revenues of the Suez Canal, despite the various challenges, witnessed a great boom recently, as navigation statistics during the fiscal year 2020/2021 recorded the highest annual revenue in the history of the canal amounting to $5.84 billion, compared to $5.72 billion during the 2019/2020 fiscal year, with an increase 2.2 percent, or $124.3 million. The Canal’s revenues during the first half of 2021 achieved about $3 billion, compared to $2.76 billion during that period last year, with an increase of 8.6 percent or $237 million. While the number of car carriers increased during that period by 27.8% percent, and dry bulk vessels increased by 5 percent during that period, according to Rabie. He expressed his hope that the performance rates will witness unprecedented records by the end of the current calendar year in terms of the number of transiting ships, tonnage and revenues generated.

The equally weighted index EGX 50 dipped 1.04 percent, or 22.15 points, to end at 2,097.76 points. The small and mid-cap index EGX 70 dropped 1.01 percent, or 23.44 points, to close at 2,296.49 points, and the broader index EGX 100 lessened 0.89 percent, or 28.83 points, to close at 3,224.69 points. Market capitalization lost around LE 2.57 billion, recording LE 655.21 billion, compared to LE 657.78 billion in Thursday’s session. Foreign investors were net sellers at LE 10.92 million, while Egyptian and Arab investors were net buyers at LE 1.28 million, and LE 9.64 million, respectively. Arab and foreign organizations sold at LE 2.56 million, and LE 10.05 million, respectively, while Egyptian organizations bought at LE 39.22 million.

This is in reference to the words found on the Phaistos Disc, which is a clay tablet dating back to 2000 BC. The symbols covering the disc with a spiral ring on both sides have puzzled researchers since its discovery in 1908. According to Owens, this is evident from a comparison made with other religious words from other inscriptions from the Holy Mountains of Crete. The Phaistos Disc was discovered by the Italian archaeologist Luigi Bernier in 1908. Over the years, researchers have interpreted the disc was a calendar, an astronomy tool, and even a miniature version of a board game.

Meteorologists predict more hot and humid weather on Monday in Cairo and the Delta, with slightly cooler weather along the north coast and hotter weather in South Sinai and Upper Egypt. The weather will cool by nightfall over most parts of the country. The increase in humidity will exacerbate the feeling of hot weather by two to four degrees. Active winds are expected in Greater Cairo, the northwestern coast, and South Sinai. Waves in the Mediterranean Sea will be low to moderate, ranging between one and 1.5 meters in height with northwestern surface winds, while waves in the Red Sea will be low to moderate, ranging between one and two meters in height with northwestern surface winds.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker to discuss the ministry’s renewable energy projects as well as green hydrogen generation. Sisi directed the ministry to prepare an integrated national strategy for green hydrogen production, including developing the field’s capability and establishing Egypt as a global competitor in this field. Shaker also presented progress on the overhead power line project, which is part of a larger project to overhaul infrastructure along the north coast. Finally, Shaker presented national electricity projects, including those focused on wind and solar energy, many of which are being implemented in cooperation with private sector companies as part of Egypt’s strategy for integrated and sustainable energy. Egypt aims to rely on 42 percent renewable energy by 2035.