Page 5 - Egypt

Suez, a crisis waiting to happen, forces shippers to be ready any moment

For a start, the balance of global trade has shifted toward Asia, with China, India and Southeast Asia all being important consumption economies in addition to their long-standing role in production

Egypt's Suez canal authority monitoring tensions in Red Sea amid Israel war

Iran-aligned Houthis have launched attacks against vessels in the region in protest against Israel's bombardment and invasion of Gaza that has killed almost 19,000 Palestinians

As voting closes in Egypt's presidential polls, el-Sissi may win a 3rd term

Voting closed on Tuesday in Egypt's presidential election that is almost certain to see President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi secure a third term. The election has been overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, a conflict on Egypt's eastern border that threatens to expand into wider regional turmoil. Voting began Sunday. According to a timetable published by the National Election Authority, the results will be announced on Dec. 18. El-Sissi, who has been president for over nine years, faces no serious challenger. The three other candidates include Farid Zahran, head of the opposition Social Democratic Party; Abdel-Sanad Yamama, chairman of the Wafd Party; and Hazem Omar, head of the Republican People's Party. More than 67 million Egyptians were eligible to vote, with the turnout yet to be announced. As of noon Monday, 45% of the eligible electorate had cast their ballots, the National Election Authority said. A runoff is set for Jan. 8-10 if no candidate secures more than 50% of the

India supports resolution demanding Israel's withdrawal from Syrian Golan

India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan. The Syrian Golan is a region in southwest Syria that was occupied by Israeli forces on June 5, 1967. The 193-member UN General Assembly voted on the draft resolution The Syrian Golan' under agenda item The situation in the Middle East' on Tuesday. The resolution, introduced by Egypt, was adopted by a recorded vote with 91 in favour, eight against and 62 abstentions. Apart from India, those voting in favour of the resolution included Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Australia, Canada, Israel, the UK and the US voted against it. The resolution said it is deeply concerned that Israel has not withdrawn from the Syrian Golan, which has been under occupation since 1967, contrary to the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The ...

India, S Africa, Egypt introduces paper on WTO dispute settlement reform

India, South Africa and Egypt have introduced a paper regarding ongoing discussions on the reforms of the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement body, an official said. The paper - Reflections on the Reform of the WTO Dispute Settlement System - was introduced in a meeting of the body in Geneva. In the meeting, "India took the floor to introduce the joint communication from Egypt, India and South Africa," the Geneva-based official said, without disclosing details of the paper. It was circulated among the WTO members on November 24. The introduction of the paper assumes significance as India is batting for starting formal negotiations by WTO members to reform the dispute settlement body, as the present informal deliberations are creating hindrances for several nations to participate in the talks. WTO's dispute settlement body (DSB) is one of the important arms of the 164-member Geneva-based body. Besides monitoring global exports and import-related rules, it adjudicate

India's second tranche of humanitarian aid for Palestine arrives in Egypt

Earlier, India sent 38 tonnes of humanitarian relief for civilians caught up in the ongoing ground offensive by the Israeli forces in the Strip

Egypt to explore possibility of tapping Indian financial markets: Report

Egypt, facing a severe foreign currency shortage, has been struggling to attract foreign investment

Biden speaks to Al-Sisi, appreciates Egypt's role in aid delivery to Gaza

They also discussed the importance of protecting civilian lives, respect for international humanitarian law, and ensuring that Palestinians in Gaza are not displaced to Egypt or any other nation

We share concerns regarding terrorism: PM Modi speaks with Egyptian prez

Sharing details of his conversations with the Egyptian President on his social media handle, PM Modi said both leaders shared concerns over the scourge of terrorism

PM speaks with Egyptian President, discusses Israeli military ops in Gaza

The spokesman explained that during the call, Al Sisi stressed Egypt's continued efforts to coordinate regional and international efforts to push for a ceasefire

Israel-Hamas war could threaten fragile economies in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan

Economic crises are rippling through the countries bordering Israel, raising the possibility of a chain reaction from the war with Hamas that further worsens the financial health and political stability of Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon and creates problems well beyond. Each of the three countries is up against differing economic pressures that led the International Monetary Fund to warn in a September report that they could lose their "sociopolitical stability." That warning came shortly before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, triggering a war that could easily cause economic chaos that President Joe Biden and the European Union would likely need to address. The possible fallout is now starting to be recognized by world leaders and policy analysts. For a Biden administration committed to stopping the Israel-Hamas war from widening, the conflict could amplify the economic strains and possibly cause governments to collapse. If the chaos went unchecked, it could spread across a region that

IDF expresses regret after Israeli tank accidentally fires at Egyptian post

Meanwhile, several Merkava tanks and troops have been positioned by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) near the Gaza border in South Israel

UN leaders welcome aid's entry into Gaza but note it's far from enough

United Nations leaders and agencies have welcomed the entry of a humanitarian aid convoy into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt but noted that it is only a small beginning, still far from enough and reiterated their appeal for an immediate ceasefire. A 20-truck convoy of the Egyptian Red Crescent entered Gaza with humanitarian supplies, the first since the conflict began following attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel on October 7. "I want to express my deep gratitude to Egypt in this regard. But the people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday. "We are working nonstop with all parties that are relevant to make it happen, he said in remarks at the Cairo Summit for Peace. Five UN agencies - UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and t

Israel-Hamas war: Aid trucks enter Gaza from Egypt as Rafah crossing opens

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that "needs are far higher" in the enclave that has more than 2 million people

Egypt-Gaza border crossing opens, letting aid flow to Palestinians

The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday to let desperately needed aid flow to Palestinians running short of food, medicine and water in the territory that is under an Israeli siege. More than 200 trucks carrying roughly 3,000 tonnes of aid had been positioned near the crossing for days before heading into Gaza. An Associated Press reporter saw the trucks entering. Israel blockaded the territory and launched waves of punishing airstrikes following the October 7 rampage by Hamas militants on towns in southern Israel. Many in Gaza, reduced to eating one meal a day and without enough water to drink, are waiting desperately for the aid. Hospital workers were also in urgent need of medical supplies and fuel for their generators as they treat huge numbers of people wounded in the bombings. Hundreds of foreign passport holders also waited to cross from Gaza to Egypt to escape the conflict. Meanwhile, Israel and Palestinian militants traded fire on Saturday after Hama

Sunak travels to Egypt for crisis talks to prevent conflict from spilling

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will travel to Egypt on Friday as part of his Middle East tour for crisis talks to prevent the Israel-Gaza conflict spilling over across the region. His talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi follow productive discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. I had an important and productive meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We agreed on coordinated action to prevent further escalation in the region, provide vital humanitarian aid in Gaza and support stability, both now and in the long-term, tweeted Sunak after the meeting. Sunak "encouraged the Crown Prince to use Saudi's leadership in the region to support stability, both now and in the long-term", Downing Street said. His stop at Riyadh followed a visit to Israel for talks with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during which he addressed a joint press conference with the latter to reiterate that the UK stands

As Israel readies troops for ground assault, Gaza awaits much-needed aid

Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, as the Israeli defense minister ordered ground troops to prepare to see Gaza from the inside, though he didn't indicate when the ground assault would begin. Gaza's overwhelmed hospitals tried to stretch out ebbing medical supplies and fuel for generators, as authorities worked out logistics for a desperately needed aid delivery from Egypt. Doctors in darkened wards across Gaza performed surgeries by the light of mobile phones and used vinegar to treat infected wounds. Amid the violence, President Joe Biden pledged unwavering support for Israel's security, today and always, while adding that the world can't ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians" in the besieged Gaza Strip. In an address Thursday night from the Oval office, hours after returning to Washington from an urgent visit to Israel, Biden drew a distinction between ordinary Palestinians and Hamas,

UN-backed aid could soon enter Gaza from Egypt, but only at trickle for now

President Joe Biden says he struck a deal with his Egyptian counterpart to allow a first run of 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, which Israel sealed off after the Hamas attack on October 7. Israel says it's now ready to honour Biden's request to let in limited humanitarian aid. The Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations are expected to help oversee the operation, in part to ensure the supplies from the convoy through the Rafah Crossing on Egypt's border with Gaza reaches civilians not combatants. Official at the UN health agency say they're praying the first tranche will go in on Friday. Here's a look at what could be expected to go in, and how. WHAT THE TRUCKS WILL CARRY The United Nations and its various agencies the World Health Organisation, the World Food Program, and children's agency UNICEF among them along with partners like Red Cross and Red Crescent groups are accustomed to moving needed goods to troubled areas. They

Egypt allowed to deliver aid to Gaza as doctors struggle to treat victims

Israel said Wednesday that it will allow Egypt to deliver limited humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The first crack in a punishing 10-day siege on the territory came one day after a blast at a hospital killed hundreds and put immense strain on Gaza's struggling medical system. The announcement to allow water, food and other supplies happened as fury over the blast at Gaza City's al-Ahli Hospital spread across the Middle East, and as US President Joe Biden visited Israel in hopes of preventing a wider conflict in the region. There were conflicting claims of who was behind the explosion on Tuesday night, but protests flared quickly in the region as many Arab leaders said Israel was responsible. Hamas officials in Gaza quickly blamed an Israeli airstrike, saying hundreds were killed. Israel denied it was involved and released a flurry of video, audio and other information that it said showed the blast was instead due to a rocket misfire by Islamic Jihad, another militant group ...

Egypt agrees to open Gaza border to allow in 20 trucks with aid: Biden

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said Egypt's president has agreed to open a border crossing into Gaza to allow in 20 trucks with humanitarian aid. Biden said he spoke with Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi after his visit to Israel, where leaders there agreed to allow the aid in. Israel sealed off the Gaza Strip, stopping all entry of food, water, medicine, and fuel to its 2.3 million people following the Hamas attack on October 7. White House officials said the aid would flow in the coming days. Biden said if Hamas confiscates the aid, it will end.