CAIRO – 8 May 2024: Egypt’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid has offered his sincerest condolences to families of the victims of devastating floods that struck the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. In a post on his official X account, the spokesman added that Egypt stands by the side of the government and people of Brazil in this delicate situation

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reviewed the progress of the new urban complex being constructed on Warraq Island during a meeting on Tuesday. Madbouly emphasized the importance of timely compensation for residents affected by the redevelopment. Housing Minister Assem El-Gazzar, Giza Governor Ahmed Rashid, and Osama Shawky, head of the New Warraq Island Development Authority, attended the meeting. Services such as a youth centre, commercial centre, and schools are also under development. Shawky discussed the status of land and property transfers for the development, including the disbursement of compensation to residents.

CAIRO – 7 May 2024: Egyptian high-level source affirmed that there is an agreement between all parties to return to Gaza ceasefire negotiating track. The source also denied what was reported by Israeli media regarding Egypt assuming security responsibilities inside the Gaza Strip. “it’ not true what was circulated in the Israeli media regarding Egypt assuming any security responsibilities inside the Gaza Strip of any kind,” the source saidOn Monday, Hamas movement informed the Egyptian and Qatari mediators of the movement’s approval of the Egyptian proposal on a ceasefire agreement in the besieged Gaza Strip. In a statement, the movement announced that Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, made a phone call with Egyptian Minister of Intelligence Abbas Kamel and Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, informing them the Hamas' approval of the proposal regarding a ceasefire agreement. According to Al Qahera News, the Egyptian proposal entails the release of 20-40 captives currently held by Hamas in Gaza, in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners serving lengthy sentences or who are elderly.

Israeli forces conducted intensive bombings in the Palestinian city of Rafah, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, targeting areas near the land crossing into Egypt. This escalation occurred even as there were expectations of a ceasefire announcement in Gaza, which has been under conflict for 214 days following Hamas’ agreement to a ceasefire proposal. On Tuesday, the Israeli military took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing at the border with Egypt and hoisted the Israeli flag there. Egypt has voiced strong condemnation of the Israeli military operations in Rafah and the takeover of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing. Hamas has labelled the Israeli incursion at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt as a grave escalation against a civilian installation, which is safeguarded by international law.

In a strategic initiative to enhance Egypt’s economic position, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting on Tuesday to examine proposed revisions to the Economic Zones Law. Madbouly stressed the importance of this project, pointing out the necessity to update the law to reflect current global standards and to leverage Egypt’s unique economic capabilities. He highlighted the need for comprehensive discussions and detailed analysis to ensure the revised law meets the demands of the changing economic environment. Marwan illuminated the role of the Supreme Committee for Legislative Reform, noting their charge to devise amendments that integrate smoothly with the existing law and enhance the competitiveness of Egypt’s economic zones. This included consideration of the observations, the valuable input from the Supreme Committee for Legislative Reform, and the agreement on unified amendments.

CAIRO – 7 May 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry received Tuesday French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian, stressing that the current regional crises necessitate the resolution of the issue of the absence of a Lebanese president caused by political disputes. That is why the meeting focused on the role of the five-nation group on Lebanon – comprising the United States, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – in creating a common ground between the different Lebanese stakeholders for them to agree on a presidential candidate as soon as possible. Minister Shokry equally stressed the salience of pacification in Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon to inhibit the expansion of the scope of conflict in the region.

CAIRO - 7 May 2024: The French government has tasked senior officials with launching an investigative inquiry into political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood in France. In a statement, the government highlighted that this is an official mission entrusted to the French state's Minister of Interior to verify the Muslim Brotherhood's presence in France, including its discourse, connections, structures, and activities. The mission will be responsible for issuing a report in the fall to assess the impact of political Islam in France, analyzing the objectives and methods employed by the Muslim Brotherhood in this context, and aligning current methods with the counter-separatist policy to address them. The mission will benefit from the support of relevant state interests and will engage with experts, researchers, and qualified organizations on this subject. It will ensure that its work includes analyzing foreign examples in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa facing similar phenomena.

CAIRO – 7 May 2024: The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources indicated in a statement Tuesday that 3,230 kilometers of canals had been rehabilitated within the first phase of Decent Life initiative – aimed at developing the countryside - that was launched in 2019. The ministry pointed out that the goal for that phase was 4,000 kilometers, and that the rehabilitation of the remainder 770 kilometers had been in-progress. In a related context, the ministry revealed in a press statement in February 2023 that the total length of canals lined had amounted to 6,648 kilometers, and that tenders would be invited soon for lining 1,664 others. The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development had indicated in a report released in November 2022 that the government targeted to finish the lining of 20,000 kilometers of canals by mid-2024. It is noteworthy to mention that the canal lining initiative is carried out at 18 governorates, mainly in Menya, Luxor, Menoufeya, Asyut, Qena, Beni Suef, Sohag, and Beheira.

China regards Europe as an important dimension in its major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and an important partner on its path toward Chinese modernization, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Monday. Xi made the remarks at a China-France-EU trilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Elysee Palace. Expressing his delight in meeting with Macron and von der Leyen again, Xi noted that France is the first stop of his overseas visit this year, and that the trilateral meeting amplifies the Europe-wide significance of this visit. China always approaches its relations with the European Union (EU) from a strategic and long-term perspective, Xi said. It is hoped that China-France and China-EU relations would reinforce each other and thrive together, he added.

Kenyan authorities on Sunday said nine more people lost their lives in the last 24 hours due to the devastating floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains, bringing the death toll to 228. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration, however, said the tropical Cyclone Hidaya in the Indian Ocean has lost its strength following its landfall at Mafia Island in Tanzania on Saturday. Approximately 227,238 people have been impacted by the heavy rains while a total of 1,967 schools have been affected by the floods, the ministry said. People residing in urban areas, low-lying areas and riparian areas have been warned of possible flooding and those in hilly areas or steep slopes have been cautioned against landslides. “The government is carrying out assessments of damaged roads and mobilizing resources to address critical sections and restore safe travel,” the ministry said.

CAIRO - 6 May 2024: The Union of Arab Tribes warned of serious repercussions of an Israeli offensive in the crowded Palestinian Rafah area. The union called for the intervention of the UN Security Council and bodies concerned to stop this aggression. The union added that the aggression will have catastrophic consequences on the life of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and the region at large. Spokesman for the Union Mostafa Bakry said in remarks on Monday that the international community should pressure the Israeli government to stop this dangerous aggression and respond to the Egyptian efforts to achieve the truce between Hamas and the Israeli government. The union announced its complete solidarity with the Palestinian people.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said that he is closely following up on the positive developments in the ongoing negotiations regarding reaching a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. “I am closely following the positive developments pertinent to the ongoing negotiations to reach a comprehensive truce in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas movement informed the Egyptian and Qatari mediators of the movement’s approval of the Egyptian proposal on a ceasefire agreement in the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel, which is still bombing the civilians in the besieged strip, received the Hamas’ approval and will consider its response. According to Al Qahera News, the Egyptian proposal entails the release of 20-40 captives currently held by Hamas in Gaza, in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners serving lengthy sentences or who are elderly.

The statement, signed by more than 50 chapters at various universities, said that many university leaders are condoning violent arrests and responding to peaceful protests with law enforcement in riot gear. The Associated Press reports that over 2,400 protesters have been arrested since April 17 on more than 45 US campuses. “We denounce police brutality and the militarization of campuses sanctioned by institutional leaders,” MERIP said in a statement. Mayor Eric Adams defended the actions, citing a disruption to academic life and the role of outside agitators. “We condemn the use of militarized police force against students in the strongest possible terms and affirm their right to assemble peacefully,” she said on social media.

CAIRO - 5 May 2024: Two defendants have been sentenced to three years in prison in the case of the death of Nayera Salah, known in the media as “ the Arish student.”One of the defendants, Shorouk, whose full name was withheld, was one of the victim’s colleagues. She is charged with taking copies of messages on Nayera’s phone in secret and then threatening her with the public disclosure of the messages. According to the prosecution, the accused woman shared a conversation forwarded from Nayera's phone with the accused man. He then threatened to share the conversation and claimed to possess compromising photos of Nayera, intending to distribute them within their colleagues' Whatsapp group. However, the exact cause of her death is still under investigation.

(Reuters) - Real Madrid claimed a record-extending 36th LaLiga title on Saturday after Girona's 4-2 thrashing of local rivals Barcelona left Carlo Ancelotti's side with an unassailable lead in the standings. With four games left, Real Madrid moved to 87 points on top of the standings after their second-string players earned a 3-0 over relegation threatened Cadiz earlier on Saturday, 13 ahead of Girona in second and 14 clear of third-placed Barcelona. Real Madrid now can turn their attention to a LaLiga-Champions League double as they get ready to host Bayern Munich in the semi-final return leg on Wednesday after snatching a 2-2 draw in Germany last week. Bellingham scored 15 goals in his first 16 games and he, Vinicius and Rodrygo have netted 41 of Real's 74 league goals. "A big part (of Real success) was achieved when we started to defend better, with a collective commitment," Ancelotti said.