He stressed that the time has come to end the Israeli occupation and recognize the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Egypt participated in the third day of public hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. Egypt's memorandum for the proceedings affirms the illegitimacy of the Israeli occupation, which has violated international humanitarian law for the past 75 years. European states participating in the hearings include the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Switzerland, Hungary, Spain, and Luxembourg. Several African non-Arab countries, including South Africa, Comoros, The Gambia, Namibia, and Zambia, are also participating, along with the African Union.

Minister of Education and Technical Education Reda Hegazy, issued a directive on Tuesday to ban using mobile phones during the course of the academic and educational process in all schools. The directive ordered strictly implementation of provisions of the Ministerial Resolution number 187 of the year 2023, regarding regulations for schools at the pre-university education stage. The ministerial decision prohibits the use of mobile phones in all schools to ensure order and discipline during the academic and educational process. It also stipulates that this directive shall be implemented and that all competent authorities – each within its jurisdiction – must implement all stated provisions firmly.

Tuesday 20 February 2024 08:00 PMShell Egypt, a strategic partner of the Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPES) 2024, emphasized the importance of addressing the energy trilemma, showcasing innovative initiatives aimed at shaping a sustainable energy future. Shell spokespersons also discussed the evolving role of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the context of transitioning to an energy future with fewer emissions. 2) Investment: Massive investment that is balanced – to produce lower-carbon barrels in the current energy system and lead the way in tackling the pressing imperative of transitioning to a future net zero energy system. Panelists highlighted the essential role of natural gas and LNG in meeting the world’s growing energy needs while advancing towards a net-zero emissions energy system. Natural gas and LNG play a critical role in meeting this demand while contributing to the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, issued a ministerial decision to amend some provisions of the executive regulations of the Customs Law. The amendments provide new customs facilities for shipping agencies to expedite the release of goods. The ministerial decision allows shipping agencies to submit requests to change the destination of the shipping lists for final imports to dry ports and warehouses and vice versa. The ministerial decision also allows the customs declaration to be modified electronically on the Nafeza platform, instead of canceling the previous customs declaration and entering it manually in the “46 km” book, and registering a new customs declaration in the system to which it is transferred, to facilitate imports. The request to switch from the final release system to the “drop-in” system for the same importer is not considered a change of mind as long as the conditions and rules of this system are fulfilled.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly Sunday said that the government welcomes pumping new investments and is working on removing obstacles and challenges facing these investments, with view to luring further investments in targeted sectors. Madbouli underscored the strength of Egyptian-Kuwaiti relations as well as keenness on promoting Kuwaiti investments in Egypt in various fields. “We are aware of eagerness of the Kuwaiti side on injecting investments in Egypt alongside expanding the already existing ones,” Madbouly said. We are committed to expanding our projects,” Kharafi said while reviewing the various operations of the EKHO company in Egypt. Kharafi voiced desire to finalize a project to establish a hotel in Al Arish city, which has faced several hindrances over the past period.

CAIRO – 20 February 2024: Egypt expressed its deep sorrow over the UN Security Council (UNSC) failure yet again to adopt an Algeria-proposed resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war-devastated Gaza Strip, after the US used its veto power for a third time. Egypt warns that the obstruction of the UN draft resolution leads to the continued killing of Palestinians and the continued daily suffering of the civilian population in the Strip under the Israeli bombing, the statement added. “Egypt also strongly denounces the selectivity and double standards of the international community in dealing with wars and armed conflicts in different parts of the world, a matter which questions the credibility of rules and working mechanisms of the current international system, especially the UN Security Council that is responsible for preventing conflicts and stopping wars,” the statement read. Egypt asserted it will continue calling for an immediate ceasefire in the enclave because it is the best way to stop the bloodshed. According to the statement, Egypt will also continue to make utmost efforts to ensure the sustainable entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and reject any measures that might lead to the displacement of Palestinians outside their land, including the planned Israeli military operation in Rafah.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has become the first within all of the Middle East and Africa to achieve the EDGE Advanced Green Building Certification on Monday, the highest green building standard. “The Grand Egyptian Museum received this prestigious award by International Finance Corporation based on the building’s energy and water efficiency measures and its reduced carbon footprint,” said the GEM’s General Manager, Atef Moftah. The GEM’s EDGE Advanced certification marks a significant milestone for the IFC’s Green Building project in Egypt. This collaboration focuses on raising public sector awareness regarding the financial advantages of green buildings, building expertise in implementing financial incentives for such projects, and ultimately fostering the growth of a local green building market. “The Grand Egyptian Museum sets a new standard for sustainable construction in Africa, demonstrating Egypt’s leadership in embracing environmentally responsible practices,” said the Chairman of the Housing and Building National Research Center, Mohamed Massoud.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Adama Bictogo, Speaker of the Ivorian National Assembly, on Tuesday to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and joint cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted Egypt’s dedication to South-South cooperation and support for Côte d’Ivoire, recognizing its pivotal role in West Africa. Offering a Helping HandThe Prime Minister expressed Egypt’s eagerness to aid Côte d’Ivoire’s development and stability. Economic OpportunitiesOn the economic front, Bictogo expressed his hope to attract more Egyptian investment, citing Côte d’Ivoire’s embrace of South-South cooperation and the strong relationship with Egypt. The meeting concluded with Madbouly expressing gratitude for Côte d’Ivoire’s support for a ceasefire and highlighting Egypt’s continued relief efforts and mediation role.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met on Tuesday to review proposals for the 2024/25 Economic and Social Development Plan, outlining key priorities for the coming year. The plan emphasizes increased private sector participation, aiming to exit state financing of some projects and leverage private expertise for economic growth. The plan acknowledges the need for rationalized investment spending, considering economic conditions and rising public investment costs. It aims to strike a balance between current and investment spending to maximize efficiency. Furthermore, the plan encourages partnerships with the private sector for various projects, fostering collaboration and leveraging diverse expertise for development.

CAIRO - 20 February 2024: The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the death toll of the Israeli aggression on Gaza has risen to 29,195, and the injured to 69,170, since the seventh of last October. The Ministry of Health said that the occupation committed 9 massacres in the Gaza Strip, killing 103 martyrs and 142 injured during 24 hours. That is in addition to 13 foreigners, 150 Palestinian-Egyptians, and 250 people holding residency permits. Also, 120 trucks of aid and medical materials entered the Emirati Hospital, as well as 5 fuel trucks. The governor added that the area would be set up for preserving humanitarian aid like food and other supplies so they would not be damaged by weather conditions.

CAIRO – 20 February 2024: Minister of Local Development Hisham Amna revealed in a statement Tuesday that the Inspection and Follow-Up Sector had referred 1,184 employees at municipal authorities to investigation between September 2022 and February 2024. The breakdown is that 199 were referred to the Public Prosecution, 642 others to the Administrative Prosecution, and 343 were subjected to internal investigation. Minister Amna announced in July the conclusion of the 21st campaign of restoring state-owned lands from squatters and that was executed between April 19 and July 28. Although the number declined to 194,900 in 2015 and 176,100 in 2016, it went up again to 186,100 in 2017. That was the year President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi launched a nationwide campaign to remove encroachments on state-owned properties and constructions on agricultural lands.

Tuesday 20 February 2024 01:00 AMEgypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said on Monday that the Suez Canal, which used to earn about $10bn a year, has seen its revenues drop by 40-50%. He also mentioned the situation in the Gaza Strip, which affects the shipping corridor that brings billions of dollars to Egypt. Al-Sisi met with Murray Auchincloss, the CEO of British Petroleum (BP), on the sidelines of the conference. The president praised BP’s work in clean energy transition and emissions reduction and said Egypt shared the same vision of a just energy transition. Auchincloss, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, applauded Egypt’s balanced strategy of developing the energy sector and shifting to clean energy, which taps into Egypt’s huge potential in this field.

Africa’s economic growth dipped to 3.2% in 2023, falling short of the 4.1% recorded in 2022, the African Development Bank (AfDB) reported. Despite the slowdown, the bank projected a return to faster growth for most regions in 2024, with the exception of Central Africa. However, amid the challenges, 15 African countries defied the trend, achieving economic growth exceeding 5% in 2023. Looking forward, the AfDB forecasts an upswing in growth for all regions except Central Africa in 2024. East Africa is expected to lead the pack with 5.7% growth, while Southern Africa remains the laggard at 2.2%.

A new analysis by Global Witness reveals that European and US oil and gas majors have raked in a staggering $281bn in profits since the Russia-Ukraine war two years ago. This windfall, driven by soaring energy prices, coincides with mounting criticism of the industry’s profiteering amidst human suffering and the climate crisis. War Fuels Profits, Fuels DoubtsRussia’s invasion exacerbated an already volatile energy market, leading to skyrocketing gas prices and historic gains for oil and gas producers. Profits Amidst HardshipThe staggering profits stand in stark contrast to the human cost of the conflict. Shell recently backtracked on reducing oil output despite the climate crisis, while BP weakened its emissions reduction pledge.

A global group of primatologists and cognitive biologists has now observed playful teasing in four species of large apes. The ancestors of all four great ape species utilized playful teasing, suggesting that at least 13 million years ago the necessary elements of humour originated in the human lineage. Joking and teasing are quite similar, and playful teasing can be thought of as the cognitive antecedent to joking. Cartmill notes that playful teasing in great apes is one-sided and typically originates from the teaser throughout the entire engagement, with little to no reciprocation. Laumer explains, “From an evolutionary perspective, playful teasing and its cognitive prerequisites may have been present in our last common ancestor, at least 13 million years ago.