Egypt’s Ministry of Industry held talks with a delegation from Turkish industrial developer Polaris Parks to review the company’s ongoing projects in Egypt and discuss expansion plans aimed at attracting new investments and creating sustainable job opportunities. The meeting, chaired by Industry Minister Khaled Hashem and attended by Polaris Parks Chairperson Tunç Özkan, focused on the company’s portfolio of integrated industrial zones and potential new developments. Polaris Projects in EgyptDuring the meeting, the delegation reviewed Polaris Parks’ portfolio of projects across several Egyptian industrial cities. These include Polaris Parks in 6th of October City, which spans nearly two million square metres and hosts around 300 factories. Unit sizes typically start from around 300 square metres, with flexible engineering designs that allow expansion or merging to meet investors’ needs.

Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, has directed the reallocation of investment priorities for the National Investment Bank (NIB) and its investment arm NI Capital Holding, as part of efforts to enhance their role in supporting development and economic growth. Speaking during a Saturday meeting with Ashraf Negm, NIB’s Managing Director and Deputy Chairperson, and Mohamed Metwally, CEO and Managing Director of NI Capital Holding, Rostom said the current phase requires the National Investment Bank to transform into a strategic development partner. The first involves supporting spatial development by strengthening economic clusters in governorates, with the aim of transforming development projects into productive engines that support local value chains. This approach aligns with the presidential Decent Life initiative, which seeks to promote economic transformation in villages and shift from direct support to sustainable economic empowerment. Rostom said NI Capital plays a pivotal role in developing investment tools and strengthening private-sector participation in financing development projects with promising returns, thereby enhancing the Egyptian economy’s capacity to attract long-term development financing for strategic opportunities.

Sergio Román Carranza Förster, Spain’s ambassador to Egypt, stressed that Madrid firmly rejects military escalation in the Middle East and is calling for renewed diplomacy, while also highlighting the growing strategic partnership between Spain and Egypt. “Spain calls for de-escalation, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries of the region, and a return to diplomacy and the negotiating table,” Carranza Förster said. Carranza Förster emphasized that relations between Egypt and Spain have reached a historic stage. In foreign policy, Egypt and Spain share similar perspectives on developments in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, emphasizing diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution as the most effective path to regional stability. Around 242,000 Spanish tourists visited Egypt in 2025, and this number is expected to continue rising in the coming years.

Health ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the ministry launched a new dental department at Toukh Central Hospital in Qalyubeya and reopened a dental clinic at the Safaga health unit in Red Sea following renovation. Dental services were also activated under the Decent Life Initiative in Sohag, where dental chairs were installed in health units in the Tama and Maragha districts. The ministry said it replaced or renovated 22 dental chairs in health facilities across four governorates and upgraded four dental prosthetics laboratories to improve treatment services. Peter Wagih, assistant health minister for therapeutic affairs, said 642 dental interns were deployed to hospitals and health units nationwide during the month. The ministry said it will continue upgrading dental services and healthcare infrastructure while expanding training programmes for medical staff to ensure safe and high-quality care across the country.

The lives of women and girls in Lebanon have been dramatically disrupted as violence escalates once again across the country. Pregnant women, adolescent girls, and people living with disabilities are particularly exposed to these dangers. In response to the growing needs, UNFPA is scaling up its maternal health and protection services. UNFPA is also providing gender-based violence services for women and girls, including the clinical management of rape and psychosocial support. Health workers, including midwives, must be able to safely reach those in need and carry out their life-saving work without fear of attack.

Elkhan Polukhov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Egypt, took part in a volunteer activity in Cairo’s Dokki district, joining youth volunteers from the Maeda Initiative as they prepared and distributed iftar meals during Ramadan. The ambassador participated in the initiative’s weekly “Big Day” activities on Friday, which involve preparing large numbers of meals for fasting individuals. Following the activity, the ambassador shared the iftar meal with the volunteers. The Azerbaijani Embassy in Cairo, in coordination with SOCAR, also supported the initiative by providing 1,000 iftar meals. The Maeda Initiative is a youth-led effort aimed at reducing food waste while providing meals for people fasting during Ramadan.

Students at The American University in Cairo (AUC) organized one of the largest student-led community service efforts on campus this year, assembling 6,000 Ramadan food packs for families in need. The initiative, coordinated by AUC’s Office of Student Life in collaboration with 42 student organizations, nearly doubled the number of food packages prepared during last year’s campaign. Volunteers from across the university gathered to pack essential food supplies destined for underserved communities during the holy month of Ramadan. Students worked in assembly lines across campus to prepare the packages, with participants representing a wide range of academic disciplines, including several international students studying at AUC. Over time, Ramadan food packing has become a regular annual activity at AUC, drawing participation from dozens of student organizations and hundreds of volunteers.

Foreign exchange market and exchange rateUnder a scenario of limited stability, the market may witness modest and temporary fluctuations within a narrow range. No numerical forecasts are presented here to avoid creating unrealistic expectations, particularly given the availability of strong foreign currency reserves and the flexibility of the exchange-rate mechanism, which adjusts transparently according to supply and demand conditions. However, if the conflict intensifies, Egypt could face a wave of imported inflation driven by higher shipping and fuel costs. Safe-haven assets: Gold, silver and the US dollarThe economic repercussions of war extend beyond government finances to the financial portfolios of individual citizens. Record foreign currency reserves: Foreign reserves have reached approximately $52.6bn, giving the state significant capacity to secure essential needs and maintain market stability over an extended period.

Suez Canal Bank has launched the “Sekket Rezk” initiative in partnership with Sonaa El Kheir Foundation for Development, a member of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, and Talabat Egypt. In addition, the initiative offers employment opportunities in cooperation with Talabat Egypt through its logistics partners, providing practical and sustainable job prospects for participants. The partnership represents an integrated model of cooperation between the banking sector, the private sector and civil society organisations. For his part, Akef El Maghraby said the “Sekket Rezk” initiative reflects the bank’s vision of generating meaningful developmental impact. El Zeny noted that the bank contributed by providing transportation tools for beneficiaries, enabling them to access employment opportunities and achieve economic empowerment.

The MoU seeks to support companies across various sectors by offering integrated solutions that include trade finance, payment services and cross-border banking facilities. OtroVato operates as a business-to-business (B2B) trade enablement platform connecting buyers, suppliers and manufacturers through an integrated digital ecosystem that combines sourcing solutions, logistics services and market access capabilities. This approach supports the growth of intra-African trade and contributes to deeper regional economic integration. Under the agreement, CIB will serve as the preferred banking partner for OtroVato’s network of suppliers, manufacturers and buyers, providing a comprehensive suite of financial solutions designed to support both domestic and cross-border trade. For his part, Haitham Salama, Chief Executive Officer of OtroVato, said the partnership represents an important strategic milestone in the company’s efforts to simplify and expand cross-border trade across the African continent.

Tel Aviv — “Netanyahu is the great war leader of our age” declared a headline in Britain’s Telegraph newspaper on Monday. At the top of the list are the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June last year and the current operation. Jonathan Ernst/ReutersAnd if Netanyahu is directing the campaign, Trump is the star he wants to cast, according to the sources close to Netanyahu. Israel in the bipartisan debateOne well-placed Israeli source said Rubio’s comments caused “serious harm,” feeding into the already heated discourse around the Iran war within Democratic and MAGA circles. Now, positioned as the architect of a second Iran war, he risks being cast as the principal driver of a conflict large swaths of U.S. voters – both Democrat and Republican – did not seek.

The airline dismissed the claims as “inaccurate,” asserting that its current operational policies are designed to prioritize the safe and affordable return of Egyptians stranded by current regional instability. Prioritizing stranded passengersIn response to the widespread cancellation of flights across the Middle East, EgyptAir has implemented an emergency flight schedule. The airline emphasized that its primary focus is the repatriation of passengers who hold existing EgyptAir bookings. Market-based pricing: These remaining seats are priced in alignment with current market rates offered by other regional and international carriers. These remaining seats are priced in alignment with current market rates offered by other regional and international carriers.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it has commenced a “large-scale wave” of targeted airstrikes against what they called ‘critical Iranian state infrastructure’. The operation focuses on strategic sites within the capital, Tehran, and the central industrial hub of Isfahan. Explosions reported across IranInitial reports from Iranian state media confirmed powerful explosions in Isfahan, a city known for housing key military and nuclear research facilities. Simultaneously, separate reports indicated blasts on Kish Island in the southern Hormozgan province, suggesting a multi-front offensive stretching from the central plateau to the Persian Gulf. Strategic objectivesThe IDF confirmed the new offensive is part of an ongoing campaign to degrade the “infrastructure of the Iranian regime.”While specific targets have not yet been named, the geographical spread—covering the political capital, central industrial zones, and southern maritime hubs—indicates a comprehensive attempt to disrupt Iran’s command and control capabilities.

Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s party gained leads in early counting in Nepal’s general election, far outpacing his other rivals, including the country’s former ​prime minister who was forced to resign after a historic ‌youth-led uprising last year. Shah, 35, former mayor of the capital city of Kathmandu, has dominated the race to become Nepal’s PM during the campaign, gaining popularity across the ​country. Shah’s centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party, which was founded three years ​ago, was leading in 37 seats while former Prime Minister ⁠K P Sharma Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist – UML) was ​leading in three, early counting trends from the election commission showed on ​Friday morning. The centrist Nepali Congress led by 49-year-old Gagan Thapa, the country’s oldest party, was leading in five seats. Out of a total 275 seats in Nepal’s lower ​house of parliament, counting was in progress for 165 seats that are elected ‌by ⁠direct election, while the remaining 110 will follow a system of proportional representation.

“The National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) is pursuing criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering,” the authority said in a ⁠statement. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Kyiv must provide answers regarding cash transits across Hungary. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the people detained were employees of Oschadbank. Hungary and Slovakia accuse ​Ukraine of deliberately delaying the resumption of oil flows via the damaged Druzhba pipeline for political reasons. He has vetoed new EU sanctions on Moscow as well as a huge loan for Ukraine over the oil dispute.