Minor explosion hits gas pipeline in Sinai: Armed Forces
An Egyptian Armed Forces spokesperson announced a small blast on Thursday hitting a gas pipeline in the Sabika area, 10 km west of al-Midan, causing no injuries. Eyewitnesses told Reuters that the explosion hit the Qantara gas pipeline. The extent of the damage to the pipeline was not immediately clear, and Reuters was not able to contact Egyptian authorities to clarify. For years, Egypt has grappled with an extremist insurgency in North Sinai, which is led by a local affiliate of the Islamic State. The militants have targeted security forces, Christians, and gas pipelines between Egypt and its neighbors, with the most recent pipeline attack happening last February.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 20, 2020 10:32 UTC
Twelve people reportedly killed in Minya road accident
Egyptian media has reported that 12 people were killed in a traffic accident on the eastern desert road near Abu Qurqas Center in Minya Governorate. The injured were transferred to Minya General Hospital and other hospitals in the area to be treated. In a June 2020 report on traffic accidents, the agency added that the number of car accident deaths rose to 3,484 in 2019 – an increase of 12.9 percent. The rate of car accidents within Egypt increased to 27.4 accidents per day in 2019, it said. CAPMAS attributed the main cause of car accidents to human error at 79.7 percent of the total road accident causes in 2019, followed by technical vehicle defects at 13.5 percent.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 20, 2020 09:22 UTC
Long Live Egypt Fund achieves Guinness World Record for biggest humanitarian aid convoy
CAIRO – 19 November 2020: The Long Live Egypt fund officially achieved a Guinness record title for launching the largest humanitarian convoy to support one million families at the New Administrative Capital. Ahmed Makled, the CEO of the Coordinating Office of Guinness Book of Records, handed over the certificates that prove that Long Live Egypt’s fund received the title. The fund received the title also for launching the largest chicken donation campaign in the world. On Thursday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli priased Tahya Misr Fund for having launched the biggest humanitarian aid convoy aiming at supporting the neediest families nationwide. He also thanked president Sisi over supporting the Fund’s celebration.
Source:Egypt Today
November 19, 2020 15:56 UTC
Egypt, UK FMs discuss bilateral ties, regional issues
CAIRO – 19 November 2020: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received a phone call from British counterpart Dominic Raab on Thursday, discussing the bilateral relations and a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern, said the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. Both Ministers tackled ways of intensifying political consultations to increase trading and cooperation in the economic field, and in tourism, the statement added. The meeting also tackled the common interests of the two countries, in light of the UK-Europe Brexit, the statement said, noting that the ways of containing the crisis of the Coronavirus pandemic and its negative impacts were also discussed. “Ways to enhance cooperation in combating terrorism and climate change were tackled,” the statement said. Regionally, the two ministers discussed reviewed the efforts made by Egypt to reach comprehensive political settlements that achieve peace and the desired stability in the region.
Source:Egypt Today
November 19, 2020 14:37 UTC
Egypt rebuffs France’s concerns over arrest of Egyptian activist Mohamed Bashir
On Wednesday, the French Foreign Ministry voiced its worry over Egyptian authorities’ arrest of Mohamed Bashir, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), prompting a response from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry. In its statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” over the arrest, adding that the EIPR is committed to promoting human rights in Egypt. The ministry reiterated its commitment to protecting human rights defenders all over the world, stating that it will continue to have frank and firm dialogue with Egyptian authorities regarding human rights. According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s statement, the EIPR is registered as a company and practices activities in violation of the provisions of Egyptian Law No. The arrests come after Egyptian authorities investigated a meeting held between foreign diplomats and EIPR, in which they reportedly discussed the human rights situation in Egypt.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 19, 2020 12:22 UTC
Egyptian Amb. reviews Canada's preparations to hosting 'Queen of Egypt' exhibition
Egyptian Ambassador to Canada Ahmed Abu Zeid, head of the Canadian Museum of History Caroline Dromaguet and the museum’s Acting Director General Chantal AmyotCAIRO - 19 November 2020: Egyptian Ambassador to Canada Ahmed Abu Zeid discussed on Wednesday with head of the Canadian Museum of History Caroline Dromaguet and the museum’s Acting Director General Chantal Amyot a cooperation plan between the Canadian museum and the Egyptian embassy in the coming stage in case of coronavirus remission. The officials further tackled the museum's preparations for hosting "Queens of Egypt" exhibition in Canada. During the meeting, the Egyptian ambassador briefed the Canadian officials on efforts exerted by the Egyptian government to preserve the Pharaonic monuments, reviewing in this regard the most recent discoveries made in the vast burial ground of the Saqqara Necropolis. In statements after the meeting, Abu Zeid said he discussed with the head of the Canadian Museum of History all preparations for hosting the “Queens of Egypt” exhibition, that has been postponed for months due to the COVID-19 outbreak. On this score, the Canadian officials said procedures are underway for receiving the artifacts from the Kimbell Art Museum in the US, ahead of displaying them at the Canadian museum in the summer of 2021.
Source:Egypt Today
November 19, 2020 11:15 UTC
Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia resume talks on Renaissance Dam
CAIRO – 19 November 2020: Another round of tripartite negotiations between Foreign Ministers and Water Ministers of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia on the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) kicked off on Friday. program on Sky News Arabia said that Ethiopia is responsible for the failure of reaching a comprehensive agreement with the Nile downstream countries [Egypt and Sudan] regarding the operation and the filling of its dam. The conflict between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia dates back to May 2011 when Ethiopia started building the dam; Egypt voiced concern over its water share [55.5 billion cubic meters]. Three years later, a series of tripartite talks between the two countries along with Sudan began to reach an agreement, while Ethiopia continued the dam construction. In October 2019, Egypt blamed Addis Ababa for hindering a final agreement concerning a technical problem, calling for activating Article No.
Source:Egypt Today
November 19, 2020 10:18 UTC
Instability in Ethiopia’s Tigary region prompts evacuation of nine Egyptians
Egypt announced on Wednesday the evacuation of nine Egyptians stranded in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which has witnessed days of fierce fighting between local forces and the Ethiopian army. The Egyptian embassy in Ethiopia released a statement claiming its success in evacuating the nine from the city of Mekele, the capital of the Tigray region. According to the statement, the Egyptian citizens were working for a recycling company in the region. The region has witnessed a large-scale armed confrontation since November 4 between the Ethiopian army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. FILE PHOTO: Members of Amhara region militias ride on their truck as they head to face the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), in Sanja, Amhara region near a border with Tigray, Ethiopia November 9, 2020.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 19, 2020 09:56 UTC
Upper Egypt’s new Kalabsha corridor joins Aswan’s West and East banks
Youm7 reported on Wednesday that the new Kalabsha axis project in Aswan has been completed, and the road will soon be inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The project, implemented by Egypt’s Ministry of Transport via the National Nile Company for General Constructing (NNGC), sought to connect the roads and cities on either side of the Nile River in Aswan. Among the bridges are a bridge spanning the Nile River, two bridges covering the eastern and western agricultural roads, a bridge over the western desert road, and finally, one cutting over the large Mallah drain. According to Saeed, the government’s increased spending on roads and bridges since 2018 has contributed to a 46 percent decrease in road accident deaths by 2020. Photo: The new Kalabsha axis spans the Nile River (The Egyptian Ministry of Transport/Facebook)
Source:Egypt Independent
November 18, 2020 15:45 UTC
Egypt plans to develop major hotel projects behind the Grand Egyptian Museum to boost tourism
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss plans to develop a 52-acre hotel area behind the Grand Egyptian Museum. The meeting was attended by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anany, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Assem al-Gazzar, Deputy Minister of Housing Khaled Abbas, and businessman Hisham Talaat Mostafa. The Prime Minister began by stressing the great importance of developing this area, while taking into account international standards. The Minister of Housing presented the results of meetings that were held recently to discuss development proposals and their implementation. At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to prepare a detailed study within a week on the project.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 18, 2020 13:18 UTC
Egypt registers 275 new COVID-19 cases, 16 fatalities
A handout photo shows an employee demonstrating vials with Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine against the coronavirus disease, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of EpidemiologyCAIRO - 18 November 2020: Egypt's Health Ministry said in aTuesday statement that 275 new coronavirus cases were detected, upping the total number of confirmed cases in Egypt since the beginning of the outbreak to 111,284. The spokesman for the Health Ministry Khaled Megahed said 16 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 6,481. As many as 109 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 101,288 so far, the spokesman said. Egypt ranks 49th among world countries in terms of recovery rates (93.2 percent), and ranks 141st in the world in terms of total infections per one million people, (1,016 infections per 1 million). Then, they will wait for one year along with the measurement of antibodies of the volunteers, and then manufacture the vaccine.
Source:Egypt Today
November 18, 2020 12:56 UTC
Azhar professor says no text bans marriage between a Muslim woman and a Christian or Jew
Professor of Islamic Thought and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University Amena Nosair has sparked a fierce debate among social media users after stating that nothing in Islam prevents a Muslim woman from marrying a non-Muslim man. During an interview with Al-Hadath Al-Youm satellite channel, Nosair said that “there is no text in Islamic Sharia (law) that prevents a Muslim woman from marrying a follower of other Abrahamic religions (Christianity or Judaism).”She explained that Christians and Jews believe in the same god and are not idolatrous worshipers, but practice a different religion. Nosair added: “In such a case, he [the husband] does the same as a Muslim man when he marries a Christian or a Jew, he does not force her [the wife] to change her religion, does not prevent her from her mosque, does not deprive her of her Quran and does not prevent her from performing her prayers.”When asked what religion would the children of such a marriage follow, Nosair responded that the children should follow the father’s religious beliefs. She went on to say that this is the reason such marriages are not permitted, as they decrease the number of Muslims in the world.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 18, 2020 12:33 UTC
Egyptian coalition completes construction of Rufigi Dam in Tanzania
CAIRO – 18 November 2020: Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker and Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Areas Assem al-Gazar joined on Wednesday Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in celebrating the completion of the construction of the dam on Rufigi River. The dam is part of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station planned to have a capacity of 2,115 megawatts and produce 6,307 GWh per annum. The capacity of the dam's reservoir is 34 billion cubic meters. The ministers are accompanied by the deputy minister of foreign affairs, representatives of the Egyptian Armed Forces' Engineering Authority, and the coalition of Egyptian firms that are carrying out the project. That is in addition to officials from a number of Egyptian Banks.
Source:Egypt Today
November 18, 2020 12:31 UTC
A month into Egypt’s new school year, coronavirus kills 7 teachers
Only a month into Egypt’s new school year and coronavirus cases within schools have risen dramatically, with seven teachers killed thus far. Last week saw many teachers and school principals contract the disease, according to the privately-owned al-Watan newspaper on Tuesday. Before him was Mahmoud al-Husseini, the director of the Marzouq Al-Sayed Marzouq School in Kafr al-Dawwar, and Mohamad Bakri, the director of Damanhour’s Ahmed Zewail Secondary School. In Damietta, an Arabic language teacher died in the Experimental Elementary School due to the coronavirus. And an employee at the Vocational Preparatory School in Kafr el-Zayat Educational Administration, died of coronavirus inside Kafr el-Zayat General Hospital.
Source:Egypt Independent
November 18, 2020 11:48 UTC
French Products Boycott: Unpacking the Controversy
The boycott calls came in response to statements by French President Emmanuel Macron on October 21, which were considered offensive to Islam and to the Prophet Mohamed. Videos from Qatari and Kuwaiti stores taking French products off their shelves have also gone viral. Similarly, in Egypt, one supermarket chain, and a number of shopping malls have dis- posed of all French products. Senior Economist at the League of Arab States Mahmoud Fath-Allah does not believe that the boycott of French goods will lead to tangible harm to either side. “We support this campaign to respond to the French excess.” He further stressed that there are alternatives that are finer, more economical, and better than French products.
Source:Egypt Today
November 18, 2020 09:56 UTC