Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait announced Saturday that Standard & Poor’s has kept the credit rating of Egypt in both local and foreign currencies unchanged at the “B” level, while also maintaining a stable outlook for the Egyptian economy for the third successive time since the beginning of the pandemic. The minister explained that the confidence of international institutions in the Egyptian economy is also due to the large economic and financial reforms implemented during the past years, which gave sufficient flexibility to the Egyptian economy to finance its needs in both local and foreign currencies, despite the recent deterioration of global economic and financial conditions. It also reflects the balance of the economic and financial policies pursued by the government and the Finance Ministry during the past few years and the pandemic era. This has contributed to the Egyptian economy being one of the very few economies in the world that achieved growth and improvement in unemployment rates during the year 2020. The strong performance and growth of these sectors has contributed to limiting the negative impact of the pandemic on a number of economic sectors, such as tourism, aviation, manufacturing, petroleum and mineral wealth.

Feltman is scheduled to hold talks with the head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Prime Minister, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Irrigation and Water Resources. Sudanese Foreign Minister Maryam al-Sadiq received Feltman upon his arrival in Khartoum. Feltman’s mission includes the conflict in Tigray; escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan; and the dispute around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Egypt and Sudan say they want a legally binding agreement on filling and operating the GERD, while Ethiopia is trying to evade a binding agreement. The construction of the dam, which began in 2011, is considered to be one of Egypt’s most serious water issues.

Egypt’s Health Ministry on Friday confirmed 1,125 new coronavirus cases, up from 1,110 on Thursday while also reporting 65 deaths and 811 recoveries. The country has now disclosed a total of 235,140 confirmed cases, 175,928 recovery and 13,779 deaths. Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Minya, and Sohag are the five governorates with the highest infection rates, Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Wednesday. Egypt has banned Tahajjud prayers (night prayers) within mosques, their annexes, and their surroundings, only allowing Tarawih prayers. Egypt is currently using China’s Sinopharm vaccine and the UK’s AstraOxford vaccine.

CAIRO – 10 May 2021: Assistant Foreign Minister Nazih El Naggari held a meeting with Israeli ambassador to Egypt Amira Oron, reaffirming Egypt’s stance on rejecting the recent storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation forces. The Foreign Minister said in a statement, that Egypt stressed the need to respect Islamic holy places and provide protection for Palestinian civilians to practice their religious rites. The ambassador was asked to convey a message to Israeli officials on the need to provide protection for Palestinian worshippers to pray freely and safely. On Friday, Egypt condemned the attack on Palestinian worshippers by Israeli police, according to the statement released by the Foreign Ministry. “Egypt vehemently refuses any illegal practices and acts that target the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinians,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said.

Turkey criticized Israel and accused it of unleashing “terror” on Palestinians after Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades towards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque late on Friday. read moreAs the clashes flared, several Turkish officials criticized Israel and called for other countries to voice condemnation, while a Foreign Ministry statement urged Israel to “immediately end its provocative and hostile stance and act with reason”. “Shame on Israel and those who keep silent in the face of disgraceful attacks,” Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter late on Friday. “We call on everyone to stand up against the policies of occupation and aggression of this apartheid state,” he said. Ankara has repeatedly condemned Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its treatment of Palestinians, calling the issue a “red line”.

Reuters - Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, the three clubs still involved in the proposed European Super League, denounced on Saturday the "intolerable" pressure put on them by UEFA to drop the project. UEFA said on Friday that the three clubs will face sanctions and European soccer's ruling body has started disciplinary proceedings against them. Nine other clubs, including six English Premier League teams, backed out of the plan and have signed a "Club Commitment Declaration" including a series of reintegration steps. "The founding clubs have suffered, and continue to suffer, unacceptable third-party pressures, threats, and offenses to abandon the project," Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus said in a joint statement. The nine clubs who pulled out of the Super League and are back in the UEFA fold have agreed to "take all steps within their power" to end their involvement in the breakaway league.

BAGHDAD (AP) — In mid-April, a drone strike early on Saturday targeted a military base in Iraq that hosts US troops, causing only minor damage and no casualties, Iraq’s military and the US-led coalition said. An Iraqi military statement also said no losses were reported. In mid-April, an explosive-laden drone targeted the military section of the international airport in Irbil, in Iraq’s northern Kurdish-run region, causing no casualties or damages. The attacks have been frequent since a US-directed drone strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani near the Baghdad airport last year. The strike drew the ire of mostly Shiite Iraqi lawmakers and prompted parliament to pass a non-binding resolution to pressure the Iraqi government to oust foreign troops from the country.

CAIRO - 8 May 2021: The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization continues to receive visitors, who are keen to visit it to see the history of Egyptian civilization through the ages, and the royal mummies received by the museum in early April in a majestic parade coming from the Egyptian Museum of Tahrir. This week, the museum received a number of foreign public figures and ambassadors in Cairo, including the Russian Ambassador to Cairo and his family, the Japanese ambassador in Cairo, and the Belgian ambassador in Cairo and his family. In addition to the visit of a U.S. delegation including the National Security Council's Middle East and North Africa Coordinator, The State Department Advisor, the National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs. The visits included the Central Exhibition Hall and the Royal Mummies Hall, and all visitors expressed their fascination with the museum display style of these unique and distinctive pieces, and were keen to take commemorative photographs to record their visit to this great edifice.

CAIRO-7 May 2021: Zamalek coach Patrice Carteron believes that the team captain Mahmoud Shikababla has been showing a fantastic performance for the team during the previous games. Carteron praised his play-maker after he started the game against Smouha and helped the White Knights achieve an important 2-1 win before the Cairo derby on Monday against Al Ahly. He had a great game against Arab Contractors after coming from the bench and it was logic to give him the chance to start against Smouha." Carteron said after the game. Zamalek top the Egyptian League table with 44 points, four points ahead of Al Ahly, who still have two games in hand.

CAIRO-7 May 2021: Liverpool Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah won the Sporting Inspiration prize at the Laureus World Sports awards, which celebrates the athletes who have huge positive impact on the society. Salah received the award during a virtual ceremony in Seville and he expressed his happiness in his acceptance speech. This time, I will dedicate this award, not only to my fans, but to all the other sports fans around the world." Klopp and Salah have been working together at Liverpool since 2017 summer when the German coach signed the Egyptian winger from AS Roma to start a very successful chapter in the club's history. Salah has been a key player in Klopp's squad that won the UEFA Champions League title in 2019 and managed to achieve the English Premier League title in 2020 for the first time since 1990.

CAIRO-7 May 2021: The Red Devils are back on the winning track after achieving a 2-1 win over Al Ittihad of Alexandria on Thursday night at Alexandria Stadium in the Egyptian League. Al Ittihad scored a late goal by Mohamed El Sabahy but it was not enough for the home team to avoid the loss to the title holders. Mosimane told Al Ahly official website after the game. Al Ahly are now second in the league table with 40 points, four points behind Zamalek but the Red Devils still have two games in hand. Al Ahly and Zamalek will face off on Monday night in the derby and Mosimane hopes to defeat Zamalek for the third game in a row since his arrival at Al Ahly.

CAIRO – 7 May 2021: Egypt’s Interior Ministry decided to grant an exceptional visit to all inmates in Egyptian prisons on the occasion of the Muslim’s holy feast of Eid Al-Fitr. The exceptional visit comes as part of the Ministry of Interior's efforts to its keenness to preserve the values of human rights alongside the application of its penal policy and a modern correctional system. In April, two exceptional visits have been granted to all inmates across Egypt on the occasion of the celebration of Sinai Liberation Day corresponding April 25th and Easter celebrations. The Interior Ministry stressed that preventive measures will be adhered during the visits to avoid the spread of Coronavirus. Many prisoners are granted a presidential pardon on occasion of Sinai Liberation this year.

Egyptian actress Yasmine Abdel Aziz and her husband Ahmed Al-Awadi on Thursday reported contracting coronavirus while filming the Ramadan series, “Elli Maloush Kbeer”, according to ArabWood social account. Egypt’s Health Ministry on Thursday confirmed 1,110 new coronavirus cases, up from 1,102 on Tuesday. The ministry also reported 59 deaths, and 900 recovered cases. The country has now disclosed a total of 234,015 confirmed cases, 175,117 recovered cases, and 13,714 deaths. Cairo, Giza, Fayoum, Minya, and Sohag are the five governorates with the highest infection rates, Health Minister Hala Zayed said last Wednesday.

Germany appears to have “broken” its third wave of coronavirus infections, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday, before warning against a premature easing of restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. “The third wave appears to have broken,” Spahn told a news conference in Berlin. They are not yet falling everywhere at the same rate, but they are falling,” he said. The incidence rate in Germany is also gradually decreasing. Meanwhile, Germany’s health ministry said on Thursday that it was aiming to offer COVID-19 vaccines to all children aged 12 and over by the end of August, once a shot is approved for younger people by the European Medicines Agency.

The exhibition is set to be held at Egypt International Exhibition Center (EIEC), under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. In statements on Friday, Petroleum Minister Tareq el Mulla said that this decision was taken after extensive consultations with key partners, taking into account the global situation of the coronavirus pandemic. The exhibition brings together oil and gas professionals to engage in dialogue, create partnerships, do business and identify solutions and strategies that will reshape the global energy markets. It attracts 300 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees from local and international businesses to identify opportunities from Egypt, North Africa and the Mediterranean’s future project requirements, strategic priorities and gain insights into the wider oil and gas sector. Each year, the Egypt International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition provides one of the most important platforms for the oil and gas industry to do business and exchange information, attracting energy ministers, global CEOs and leading decision-makers across three days of business discussions and knowledge exchange