Ashraf Abdel Baqi is an Egyptian actor who has presented about 200 plays with young talents over eight years. In this interview, he talks about his latest play, his passion for theater, and his attitude towards success and failure. I work in theater because I love theater. I love work. You have helped many young people to pursue their dreams, including the stars of “Egypt Theater” and “Saudi Theater.” How does that make you feel?
In a significant diplomatic rendezvous on Monday, 15 January, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian engaged in discussions with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Tehran. Earlier in his visit, Jaishankar met with Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash. The discussions underscored the significance of India’s long-term involvement in the Chabahar Port and the strategic INSTC project. The North-South International Transport Corridor, described as a multi-modal transport route, connects the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea through Iran. This underscores the emphasis placed on enhancing connectivity and fostering economic ties between the two nations.
CAIRO – 18 January 2024: The Egyptian Armed Forces announced Thursday foiling an attempt to smuggle 300 kilograms of different types of drugs through the northeastern borders and the killing of three smugglers. Egyptian forces thwarted Monday an attempt to smuggle drugs on the Egyptian-Israeli border south of the Awja crossing, a security source revealed, saying that clashes occurred, and Egyptian forces apprehended six smugglers. The information provides that approximately 20 individuals, including armed ones, infiltrated from Egypt into the border area with the intention of smuggling drugs.
India and Argentina have forged a landmark agreement, granting an Indian company exclusive rights to explore lithium across five blocks in the South American nation. Should lithium deposits be unearthed within the designated 15,703-hectare area, India will be able to launch full-scale commercial exploitation and production. This marks a pivotal step in India’s quest to diversify its strategic minerals supply chain and gain access to technical expertise in this crucial field. “This agreement is a historic moment for both India and Argentina,” declared Pralhad Joshi, India’s Coal Minister. He emphasized the deal’s significance in “creating a sustainable and diversified supply chain of essential minerals” for various Indian industries.
CAIRO – 18 January 2024: Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli announced next Thursday a paid holiday for public and private sector employees to mark the anniversary of the 25 January, 2011 Revolution and Police Day. The decision applies to employees in ministries, government bodies, public authorities, local administration units, and companies of the public sector, public enterprise sector, and private sector, the Cabinet said in a statement. The incident left 50 individuals killed and 80 injured among Egyptian police officers. The incident was the spark of the revolution that ended the monarchy in Egypt on July 23 of the same year. Meanwhile, the January revolution in 2011 marks the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak after three decades in power and the holding of democratic multi-candidate elections in the following year.
The Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has condemned the recent memorandum of understanding signed between Ethiopia and the administration of the Somaliland region, calling it a “blatant coup” against international law and Somali unity. “This agreement is a one-sided, fraudulent act that violates international security and stability,” Aboul Gheit declared during an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers held on Wednesday. He reaffirmed the League’s rejection of any agreements that undermine Somali sovereignty or hinder negotiations between the Somali government and its regions. Aboul Gheit urged the international community to uphold Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to oppose attempts to exploit the situation for secessionist purposes. He labelled Ethiopia’s actions a “fait accompli policy” that ignores the interests of African nations and violates international law.
Egypt’s government is making significant strides towards a more sustainable waste management system, with key ministers collaborating on crucial infrastructure projects. On Wednesday, the Ministers of Environment, State for Military Production, and Local Development met to discuss progress on implementing municipal solid waste systems in various governorates. Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad emphasized the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration for building an integrated waste management system. He highlighted the ongoing exploration of connecting the Abu Rawash station to the Giza Industrial Transformer Station, ensuring its technical readiness for the additional load. This collaborative approach underscores Egypt’s commitment to addressing waste management challenges through innovative solutions that benefit both the environment and the economy.
As the global outsourcing landscape evolves, technology industry leaders and global offshoring players are strategically expanding operations across tier 2 and tier 3 cities. With strong government support, the outsourcing industry in Egypt is experiencing significant growth. This strategic expansion beyond Cairo demonstrates Egypt’s commitment to offering diverse investment opportunities and tapping into the potential of tier 2 cities. Hosting one of Egypt’s burgeoning technology parks, Assiut has already attracted a range of IT companies, global outsourcing players, and electronic design enterprises. ElZaher thanked the Egyptian government for its unprecedented support, stating that the outsourcing industry is ready for growth.
Mthmr, a Saudi Arabian platform that specializes in technology solutions, intends to enter the Egyptian market by 2025, after expanding to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates by the end of this year. Abdul Rahman Qumsani, the co-founder of the platform, said that the company is planning to raise $4m in a new funding round soon, after closing a $2m round a few months ago. He told DNE, at the Forbes Middle East Summit, that the company aims to enter all Middle Eastern countries with the same brand. He added: “However, we plan to change the brand in Pakistan and Turkey.”Mthmr was founded in 2021 by Abdul Rahman Qumsani and Abdul Rahman bin Najifan, to provide a comprehensive tool to help individuals track their expenses and increase their savings. The company also offers, through its app, the latest deals and offers to help users save and maintain financial balance.
CAIRO – 17 January 2024: UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag made a visit to the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday. In press remarks at the crossing, Kaag vowed to work to ensure the delivery of the largest possible aid to people of the Gaza Strip, Al-Qahera News reported. Meeting Egyptian FMOn Tuesday, the UN senior humanitarian Gaza coordinator met with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, during which she gave an overview of her priorities and vision amid the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza. During the meeting, Shoukry and Kaag stressed the necessity to boost humanitarian aid flow to Gaza in sufficient quantities to meet the urgent needs of the Gaza population. Shoukry highlighted Egypt’s commitment to ensuring continuous delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza since the start of the crisis despite the obstacles deliberately placed by the Israeli side.
We blame ourselves for not being able to come up with creative ideas or be as productive as we promised ourselves to be. How do you overcome this feeling and see things in a different light? We don’t have to feel guilty for not feeling like doing something. 4- Take Things Step by StepWhatever field you’re in or even if you’re studying, always remember to not be overwhelmed by the quantity of work in front of you. 6- Seek Amusement and Find the MuseIf you’re studying or working, we are doing it for the sake of being better at it.
Peter Winter, the US Embassy spokesperson in Cairo, said that the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea are raising the prices of food, fuel and humanitarian aid in the region. Winter said that Egypt and other countries that benefit from the Red Sea and Suez Canal trade will suffer the most from the Houthi attacks. He also said that Jordan, which has only one port in Aqaba, is at risk of losing its access to the world because of the traffic problems in the Red Sea. Winter defended the US strikes on Yemen, saying that they were “a response to the unprecedented Houthi attacks on the international naval vessels in the Red Sea. “The Houthis’ actions also make it more expensive to deliver food to the Yemeni people.”On 18 December, the US and 20 of its allies launched an operation called “Prosperity Guardian” to protect the navigation in the Red Sea and “to deal with the threats to the Egyptian economic interests in the Red Sea.”
Gold prices in the Egyptian market have reached the highest level ever, despite the global price of an ounce falling, according to a report by Gold Bullion. This shows that local factors are more influential on the prices than the international ones. The most popular 21k gold started trading on Tuesday at EGP 3,360 ($109) per gram, and then rose to a record high of EGP 3,400 ($110) per gram. This was after the price increased by EGP 80 on Monday and closed at EGP 3,360 per gram. This news has raised concerns among market players and pushed the price of the hedge dollar, which is used to price gold, to record levels.
Then we step into this confusing phase of having to guess everything they do, wondering whether they are into you or not. In this article, we'll explore some tell-tale signs that they may not be into you. So, if any of the things we’ll tell you here rings a bell, you are better off without that person and you deserve someone way better. Talking about themselves too muchUsually, when going out on dates, the person you are with would love to know more about you, and what you love and hate. Taking way too long to reply back, leaving huge time gaps between each reply and kind of ghosting you for hours, even days, are all signs they are not really into you5.
Cairo – January 16, 2024: Egypt is set to receive $250 million in a Sharia-compliant trade loan facility from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), in partnership with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), to support purchases of certain essential commodities. Meticulously structured per Sharia principles, the trade loan represents a dynamic response to the evolving economic landscape in Africa, the AFC explained. Egypt was formally welcomed into the Africa Finance Corporation in March 2023 as its first North African sovereign shareholder. The AFC and ITFC provided Egypt with loan facilities worth $50 million back in November 2022. Islamic banking represented 5 percent of the overall Egyptian banking market after reaching LE 562 billion in September 2023, according to a November report by the Egyptian Islamic Finance Association (EIFA).
