Egypt’s annual urban inflation rate rose to an all-time high of 36.5% in July, up from 14.6% in the same month a year earlier, the country’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced Thursday. The record year-on-year increase was mostly driven by price hikes of grains, hotels, alcohol and cigarettes, and healthcare. Food and drink prices registered a 68.2% increase compared to that of July 2022, the CAPMAS said in a statement. The previous record of annual inflation rate rise was registered last month at 35.7%. Meanwhile, Egypt’s annual core inflation inched down slightly to 40.7% in July down from 41% in June, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.

In a recent report, the British “The Independent” website highlighted some of the best tourist activities for tourists to do to get the most out of their visit to Egypt. The article noted the increasing demand for Egypt as an attractive tourist destination. According to the report, one of the most enjoyable activities for a tourist in Egypt to do is taking a Nile cruise in a floating hotel between the cities of Luxor and Aswan. And no trip to Egypt is complete without visiting the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, the report continued. Finally, the report discussed the culinary activities tourists can partake in to learn more about Egypt’s unique menus, including culinary courses.

Speaking to MENA, he said these recommendations, that were raised at one of the sessions of the National Dialogue held at the National Academy for Training, will be referred to the Board of Trustees of the National Dialogue before submitting them to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. He said the session was attended by 15 experts in financial and monetary policies and investments. The session tackled four axes; improving investment climate, legislative environment of investment, small and medium-sized enterprises and merging unofficial economy into official one. The participants lauded efforts exerted by the Egyptian State and the Supreme Council for Investment over the past period to improve investment climate. He clarified that all agreed recommendations are meant to overcome bureaucracy, digitalize services offered by the Egyptian State, set up strong portal to address investors both at home and outside and draw up an investment plan featuring Egypt's resources and investment opportunities.

This phase runs throughout August and may last till September. She stated the campaign, which is carried out in cooperation with the Health Ministry, aims to issue an additional one million integrated services' cards for persons with disabilities, especially for women. Around 1.5 million cards were issued in the campaign's first and second phases, the minister said. Qabbaj noted her ministry hopes to have an audited database on people with disabilities at the end of this campaign. Disabled people who have the integrated services card can conduct free medical check-ups in hospitals and get an adequate government housing unit, in addition to receiving discounts on means of transportation and subscribing to youth centers and sports clubs.

London CNN — Natural gas prices have spiked again this week, just as Europe prepares for the heating season. The price of Dutch natural gas, the European benchmark, has jumped 24 percent to €40 ($44) per megawatt hour since Tuesday on news of potential industrial action at liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Australia. US natural gas prices have climbed 18 percent so far this month. “As much of the spare LNG supply comes from the US, natural gas prices there have also jumped higher,” he added. The sudden rise in gas prices follows a recent run-up in oil prices, driven by production cuts by major exporters such as Saudi Arabia and Russia.

At least 53 people have been confirmed dead in the devastating hurricane-driven Hawaii wildfire, authorities said on Thursday. “As firefighting efforts continue, 17 additional fatalities have been confirmed today amid the active Lahaina fire. This brings the death toll to 53 people,” Hawaii’s Maui Island County wrote in a statement posted to the county website. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, as US officials anticipate that Hawaii wildfires will become the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1961 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, AP reported. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires, that was fueled by dry conditions and strong winds from a passing hurricane.

Persistently high inflation, elevated interest rates, and a slumping and volatile Zimbabwe dollar have combined to fuel a cost of living crisis for households and battered business activity. In the years following the switch to the US dollar, inflation receded until 2019 when the Zimbabwe dollar was re-introduced. In many ways, the return of the Zimbabwe dollar evokes bad memories of the inflation crisis of 2008 which still loom large for many people. The following reforms are crucial for addressing these structural weaknesses:Fiscal governance reforms to strengthen the budgetary process. Central bank governance reforms to promote autonomy of the bank’s operations, including monetary policy independence which is important for preserving price stability.

Renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass has expressed his hope to turn the pyramids area into an open air museum. “I wish the pyramid be transformed from a zoo into an open museum befitting the status of Egypt,” he said, implying criticism of the behaviors some tourists encounter there. “When you go to the pyramids, you will find someone who would grab you surprisingly, and another who wants you to buy a camel or horse ride. It’s an ugly thing, and of course all tourists complain about it,” Hawass said. “I’ve read a statement by a tourist on a website, in which she said that she would not repeat her visit to Egypt again because of harassment.”

Egypt’s first digitally established company came to life on Wednesday, when Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly virtually witnessed its establishment through the digital platform of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). The company, the Damietta Green Ammonia Production Company, was established in the Damietta Public Free Zone.This marked the first time a company was established digitally in Egypt, using the fully integrated company establishment service available through the authority’s electronic portal, which was launched in May. He also stressed the importance of the continuity of this important service and providing technical support to overcome any problems. Heiba confirmed that Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones has launched a fully digital company establishment service. The CEO of GAFI stated that the digital establishment of companies will contribute to a significant improvement in Egypt’s rankings for competitiveness indicators, ease of doing business, and other reports related to the investment environment.

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India’s Ocior Energy company has signed contracts to invest four billion dollars into the production of green hydrogen in the Suez Canal Economic Zone in Egypt, provided that the final contracts for the project are concluded within several months. The economic zone of the Suez Canal in Egypt includes four industrial zones: East Port Said, West Qantara, East Ismailia, and Sokhna, in addition to six ports: West Port Said, East Port Said, Arish, Adabiya, Sokhna, and Al Tur. During the UNCOP27 climate change summit held in November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt announced several projects related to green hydrogen and other climate-related financing. The Egyptian government expects that total foreign direct investment in green hydrogen projects to reach about $81.6 billion by 2035. Egypt has the ability to produce green hydrogen at a cost that is the lowest in the world.

Senegal’s government has shut down internet access in response to protests about the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. The internet shutdowns can be partial or total, temporary or prolonged. It’s important to understand the complex technicalities behind internet shutdowns, for at least two reasons. There is wide agreement that internet shutdowns are a violation of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression. It’s therefore important to closely monitor the ways in which internet shutdowns are being implemented.

A still image taken from a video footage and released by Russia's Defence Ministry on September 29 shows Russian military de-mining engineers at work in Deir al-Zor, Syria. Russian Defence Ministry/ REUTERSKIEV, Aug 10 (MENA) - Ukraine's defense forces killed about 252,200 Russian troops between February 24, 2022 and August 10, 2023, including 580 in the past day alone. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in a post on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. In addition, Ukraine's defense forces destroyed 4,278 (+16) enemy tanks, 8,303 (+13) armored combat vehicles, 5,028 (+15) artillery systems, 711 multiple rocket launchers, 469 air defense systems, 315 warplanes, 313 (+1) helicopters, 4,179 (+4) tactical UAVs, 1,377 cruise missiles, 18 warships/cutters, 7,495 (+16) trucks and fuel tankers, and 746 (+4) pieces of specialized equipment.

CAIRO – 10 August 2023: The Ministry of Social Solidarity launched Wednesday a programme aimed at funding 30,000 micro and small enterprises by irregular workers across 16 governorates with a total of LE570 million. The launching was carried out by Minister Nevine al-Qabbaj, who is also the chairwoman of the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund, which will finance the enterprises. The beginning is with signing cooperation protocols with three NGOs that will provide soft loans to 11,300 beneficiaries in the governorates of Giza, Beheira, Fayoum, Sohag, Asyut, and Qena. The total value of the first phase is around LE160 million. The programme is the outcome of a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Planning, and it also includes delivering training to the beneficiaries so they would be qualified to operate the enterprises.

Once again, a grain crisis hit the world as Russia refused to extend the Ukrainian grain agreement because the involved parties did not adhere to the quotas of poor and needy countries. The first is related to the Russian-Ukrainian war, as they are the main source of grain at competitive prices in the world. It prompted the International Monetary Fund to sound the alarm that the grain prices are likely to rise by 10-15% after the collapse of the grain agreement. The agreement helped reduce global grain prices by 20%. Now the bread of the world is in danger at the mercy of the extension of the grain agreement.