London CNN —Oil and gas producers must confront a “pivotal” choice: continue to accelerate the climate crisis or become part of the solution, the International Energy Agency said in a report Thursday. “The oil and gas industry is facing a moment of truth at COP28 in Dubai,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement. The first is reducing planet-heating pollution from its own operations, such as extracting oil and gas from the ground, processing the fuels and delivering them to consumers. This pollution needs to be cut by more than 60 percent by 2030 from today’s level, the IEA report says. Such an increase would mean a radical change in how oil and gas firms spend their cash.

Chapter Zero Egypt held its fourth awareness session titled “Reporting Guidelines for Businesses” as part of its comprehensive awareness mission to educate business leaders on the opportunities and challenges of climate change and climate governance. The seminar was hosted at Elsewedy Electric premises, where participants were welcomed by Manal Hassan, the Chief Sustainability Director of the company and the Advisor to the Board of Chapter Zero Egypt. The session defined ESG reporting while covering the risks and opportunities of ESG disclosures and the evolution of the Global Reporting Guidelines. Gomaa highlighted that GRI standards are the most widely used and trusted frameworks for reporting on sustainability, with around 95% of companies reporting on sustainability relying on GRI. Chapter Zero Egypt is the first in Africa & the Middle East and the 27th of the Climate Governance Initiative’s global network to promote the adoption of the Principles for Effective Climate Governance published by the WEF in 2019.

"Zeinhom" series staring Ahmed Dawood has become the most-watched series on Watch It platform. This comes after broadcasting the first five episodes of the series, receiving positive audience reactions. The new drama Zeinhom is directed by Yahia Ismail, written by Mohamed Soliman Abdel Malek, and produced by producer Tamer Mortada's Aroma Studios. Alongside Ahmed Dawood, the series stars Karim Kassem, Yara Ghoubran, Salma Abou Deif among others. Through El Container show, Ahmed Dawood explores the industrial revolution that Egypt has undergone in the past five years.

One of the convoys carrying humanitarian aid sent by Egypt to Gaza StripCAIRO - 25 November 2023: Journalist Diaa Rashwan, the head of the State Information Service (SIS), stated that Egypt received a list of the names of 13 detainees in Gaza Strip, and 39 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, whose release is scheduled to take place Saturday. The head of the State Information Service confirmed that there are currently intense Egyptian communications with the Palestinian and Israeli sides, to conduct the release of a larger number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons and those detained by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Diaa Rashwan concluded his statements by saying that Egyptian efforts, in coordination with all parties, resulted in more than 50 aid trucks moved from the Rafah port to the northern Gaza Strip. Journalist Diaa Rashwan, head of the State Information Service, stated that intensive Egyptian contacts are currently taking place with all parties, to extend the truce period between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, for an additional day or two, to release more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. He explained that Egypt has so far received positive indicators from all parties that Gaza humanitarian truce may be extended.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek al-Molla received Friday 24/11/2023 a delegation from India’s TCI Sanmar Petrochemical, led by the company’s chairman BS Jayaraman, according to a statement by the ministry. The Indian delegation handed over a copy of the company’s fifth report on sustainability and societal responsibility, which are considered important principles of the sector’s strategy. The report, themed “Five Years Of Sustainability” comes in accordance with UN Goals for Sustainable Development and Egypt Vision 2030. Molla said the petroleum sector is keen on applying the principles of sustainability and societal responsibility and pointed out to recent efforts in this vital sector. He added the ministry activated a new work system to implement the sustainability and societal responsibility strategy to unify efforts of different companies in the sector.

Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency has received the first group of 13 hostages released from the Gaza Strip on Friday, local media reported. After the initial medical assessment, the hostages were returning to Israel, escorted by security forces, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement. The 13 hostages, all children and women, were sent to Egypt from Gaza and then headed for Israel. As part of the deal, Israel will release 39 Palestinian prisoners on Friday after receiving the hostages. This similar process will be carried out for the next three days during the ceasefire, with 50 hostages in Gaza and 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails expected to be released.

The meeting discussed the future of climate and development finance ahead of COP28 in Dubai. However, this funding remains largely skewed towards mitigation activities, with 91% allocated to such projects, while adaptation projects received only 5% of total climate finance, and dual-benefit projects received 4%. To bridge the climate finance gap, Mohieldin emphasized the importance of strengthening regional and local dimensions to facilitate increased funding for climate projects. The UAE Presidency of COP28 participated in the second edition of the RPCP, aiming to identify investable, bankable, and implementable climate projects. Mohieldin stated that reforming climate finance is a key objective of COP28 in Dubai.

The Cabinet started its weekly meeting on Wednesday 22/11/2023 under Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) to discuss a number of political, economic and social files. The meeting dwelt on issuing decisions pertaining to encouraging investments and proceeding with the implementation of a number of national ventures on the various levels across the Egyptian governorates, including Haya Karima (Decent Life) projects. It also tackled measures taken in accordance with directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi concerning investment, industry, exportation, agriculture and development files. The Cabinet also addressed social solidarity, taxation, health, sports and education services as well as local markets control, in addition to measures meant to support limited-income brackets and meeting all citizens’ needs.

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea said Thursday it will deploy new military hardware along the military demarcation line that separates it from the South after Seoul partially pulled back from a 2018 agreement designed to ease tensions along the border, state-run media reported. In response to the North Korean buildup, the US and South Korea – along with Japan – have stepped-up their military cooperation via exercises and deployments that Pyongyang sees as a threat. Earlier this week North Korea denounced the US for its potential sales of advanced missiles to Japan and military equipment to South Korea, calling it “a dangerous act” in a report from KCNA. North Korea said it was “obvious” who the offensive military equipment would be aimed at and used against. Pyongyang also said that South Korea will be held “wholly accountable” for clashes that may break out between the two Koreas.

An Egyptian high-ranking source told Daily News Egypt that Egypt has received 13 Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip in accordance with the temporary truce agreement. The source, who requires anonymity indicated that the hostages, were transferred by the International Committee of the Red Cross via the Rafah crossing. This comes as part of the Egyptian-Qatari brokered humanitarian truce agreement between Hamas and Israel. It includes the entry of hundreds of trucks of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, into all areas of the Gaza Strip. It also stipulated the release of 13 Israeli women and children held in Gaza, and in return the release of 39 Palestinian children and women from Israeli prisons.

CAIRO - 24 November 2023: This Friday morning, a delegation from the official campaign of presidential candidate Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, led by Counselor Mahmoud Fawzi, the campaign's head, visited several injured and wounded Palestinians from the Gaza Strip receiving treatment at Al-Arish General Hospital in North Sinai Governorate. The delegation checked on their health status, emphasizing the presidential candidate's commitment to continuing Egypt's historic and effective role in supporting the Palestinian brethren and achieving a comprehensive and fair solution to the Palestinian issue.

(Reuters) - Argentina forward Angel Di Maria will retire from international football following next year's Copa America, the 35-year-old said on Thursday after representing his country for 15 years. Di Maria has made 136 appearances for world champions Argentina since his debut in 2008, playing in four World Cups and scoring in the 2022 final win over France. He will take part in his sixth Copa America at the June 20-July 14 tournament in the United States, where Argentina will bid to successfully defend their continental title. "The Copa America will be the last time I wear the Argentina shirt," Di Maria wrote on his Instagram account. Di Maria rejoined Portuguese champions Benfica this year, the club he played for between 2007 and 2010 when he first arrived in Europe.

Contact Creditech, the digital consumer finance arm of Contact Financial Holding, and MNGM, Evolve Investment Group’s leading precious metals digital platform that enables customers to buy, sell, store, and order gold delivery, have announced the launch of their joint product, the ‘Contact Gold Coin’. During the promotional period, both companies have set fixed prices at EGP 2500 per month for the 8-gram Contact Gold Coin and EGP 620 per month for the 2-gram Contact Gold Coin. This innovative initiative marks a groundbreaking introduction to the gold investment market. This collaboration signals the beginning of a new era, with Contact and MNGM planning additional offers and exclusive products for Contact customers throughout November. This strategic partnership follows months of collaboration between MNGM and Contact, focusing on financing customers’ gold investments.

CAIRO – 23 November 2023: In a meeting with French President Emanuel Macron, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry said that Arab and Islamic countries looked forward to a leading and central role by France in resolving the Gaza crisis through its membership in the UN Security Council. Minister Shokry started Sunday a tour to a number of permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in order to push forward endeavors aimed at ending the ongoing war in Gaza Strip and dealing with the deteriorating humanitarian conditions. The minister, accompanied by counterparts who are members of the committee formed last week during the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Meeting, are set to meet with foreign ministers and political leaders. The committee consists of the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria, Palestine, as well as the secretaries of the Arab League (AL) and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). They met counterparts from China, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and concluded the tour by the meeting with the French chief of state.

The first EGY-GCC Business Forum was inaugurated by Egypt’s Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir, who welcomed the leaders of governments, chambers of commerce, finance and business from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. He added that the forum aimed to deepen cooperation in facing the challenges of the global economic crises. Samir also highlighted the opportunities for cooperation in the field of joint industrialisation, which would meet the needs of the Egyptian and Gulf markets. He invited the Gulf private sector to explore the industrial investment opportunities in each country, based on their relative advantages. The Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion Qais Mohammed Al Yousef praised the strategic relations between Egypt and the GCC countries.