We celebrate our mothers, fathers, and partners, but rarely ever do we take the time to celebrate our best friend. The bond between friends is one that can last a lifetime, and can sometimes be stronger than the bond we have with our partners. The one who would understand if at times we would want to be only by ourselves and wouldn’t take it offensively or personally. • We cannot wait to share with them all our secrets but would understand if there is something we would like to keep private. • Will always support every decision but will always guide us through should we ever wander astray.

CAIRO – 30 July 2023: Minister of Transport Kamel al-Wazir declared Sunday that 20 train engines supplied by Wabtec had arrived in the Port of Alexandria within a deal that consists of 100 units. Twenty others had been delivered earlier by Wabtec within a plan to introduce 260 new train engines on Egypt's railways. In that framework, the country purchased from General Electric 110 trains engines at a cost of $602.05 million. They were all delivered by the end of 2021, and entered service. That is in addition to offering technical support embodied in training 30 engineers and 245 technicians.

The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) has extended a new loan to Egypt, with the amount of AAD153.475m, the equivalent of approximately $615.8m, within the framework of the Structural Adjustment Facility in the Financial and Banking Sector. The agreement was signed by Hassan Abdalla, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, on behalf of Egypt, and Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General of the AMF, on behalf of the AMF. The loan supports a reform program aiming at enhancing the efficiency of the financial and banking sector in Egypt. On this occasion, the Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt expressed his appreciation for the AMF’s continued support and the important role it plays in strengthening the ability of Arab countries to maintain economic and financial stability and face different challenges. The programme supported by the aforementioned loan includes a number of pillars enhancing the soundness and raising the efficiency of the payment systems infrastructure, enhancing financial inclusion and sustainability, strengthening the supervisory and regulatory framework in the financial and banking sector, expanding the scope of financial technologies and strengthening the protection of financial services consumers.

Analysts ruled out that the money market would be affected by the high-yield dollar savings certificates offered by the National Bank of Egypt and Baque Misr to attract dollar liquidity. Elite holders can borrow in Egyptian pounds, up to 50% of the certificate’s redemption value, up to a maximum of EGP 10m. Mohamed Fahmy, head of the risk sector at Misr Capital, the investment arm of Banque Misr, said that the new certificates provide new opportunities for those who have dollar savings. Hany Genena, chief investment strategy analyst at Thndr, said that stocks will remain an attractive investment vessel after individuals realize the real gap between core inflation and returns from certificates and deposits. He explained that the new certificates provide a comparative advantage for the state, especially as it needs dollar liquidity.

Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad; reviewed a report on the latest developments in the role of the Ministry of Environment in implementing the municipal solid waste management system over the past years, especially with the issuance of the Waste Management Regulation Law and its implementing regulations. The Egyptian Minister of Environment stressed that creating promising investment opportunities in the waste sector, in partnership with the private sector, civil society and entrepreneurs, is the most important goal of the ministry, especially in light of the recent trend towards enhancing environmental and climate investment opportunities in general. Fouad explained that through the role of the Ministry of Environment in implementing the new municipal solid waste system, and the part related to the establishment of the infrastructure of the system. Accordingy, 23 sanitary landfills for waste were established in Egypt’s governorates of the New Valley, Beni Suef, Sohag, Menoufia, Giza, Fayoum, Beheira, Matrouh, Luxor, Aswan, South Sinai, Sharkia, the Red Sea, North Sinai and Suez. “To ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the implementation of the solid waste management system, the government was keen to integrate the informal sector in the field of municipal waste management within the formal work system, by signing a cooperation protocol between the ministries of environment, manpower and social solidarity,” she added.

Qatar Investment Authority will finalise the acquisition of Telecom Egypt’s stake in Vodafone Egypt, which amounts to about 45%, through the Authority’s telecommunications company within two months, sources have told Daily News Egypt. Qatar Investment Authority wanted to acquire Telecom Egypt’s entire share, while the Egyptian government wanted to sell only 25% and retain 20% stake in Vodafone Egypt. The market value of Vodafone Egypt currently, according to the sources’ estimates, reaches $3bn, compared to $5bn before the previous flotation. Telecom Egypt’s share in “Vodafone Egypt” currently ranges between $1.2bn to $1.3bn. It is noteworthy that there were advanced talks conducted by the Qatar Investment Authority last October to buy a 20% stake in Vodafone Egypt, from the share of Telecom Egypt, and Telecom Egypt revealed at the time that it had not received any official offer from any party.

CAIRO – 29 July 2023: The Egyptian government would announce a daily schedule of power cuts in cities and villages this Monday, said the government spokesperson Nader Saad in comments to “On My Responsibility” talk show on Sada El Balad T.V. The government has received complaints from citizens that power cuts are longer in villages than in cities, he said, noting that malfunction of electricity networks is possible with the rise in temperatures. Electricity turbines consume higher amounts of gas due to the temperatures in summer, Saad clarified. Cutting power in tourist areas will not be applied he added, saying: “It is not appropriate to cut off electricity in the tourist areas, because they [the tourist areas] are important for generating hard currency. He stated that gas exports will be halted during the summer months and resumed in the winter, spring, and autumn.

WASHINGTON, July 29 (MENA) - The U.S. announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Joe Biden administration's first major package drawing on America's own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China. The White House's announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese, Bay News 9 reported. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement. U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.

The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) has extended a new loan to Egypt, with the amount of AAD153.475m, the equivalent of approximately $615.8m, within the framework of the Structural Adjustment Facility in the Financial and Banking Sector. The agreement was signed by Hassan Abdalla, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, on behalf of Egypt, and Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General of the AMF, on behalf of the AMF. The loan supports a reform program aiming at enhancing the efficiency of the financial and banking sector in Egypt. On this occasion, the Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt expressed his appreciation for the AMF’s continued support and the important role it plays in strengthening the ability of Arab countries to maintain economic and financial stability and face different challenges. The programme supported by the aforementioned loan includes a number of pillars enhancing the soundness and raising the efficiency of the payment systems infrastructure, enhancing financial inclusion and sustainability, strengthening the supervisory and regulatory framework in the financial and banking sector, expanding the scope of financial technologies and strengthening the protection of financial services consumers.

CAIRO - 29 July 2023: Egyptian Ambassador in Tashkent Amira Fahmi participated in a celebration held by the Uzbek side upon Egypt's delivery of eleven medical aid shipments to eliminate hepatitis C (HCV) in the country. The Foreign Ministry said on "Facebook" on Saturday that officials in Uzbekistan commended the medical humanitarian assistance, offered by Egypt. Fahmi said she is pleased to celebrate offering more medical humanitarian aid to Uzbekistan for the second year in a row to treat patients with hepatitis C.The ambassador said Egypt is committed to standing by Uzbekistan in its efforts to secure a better health of the Uzbek people. She pointed out to the greater progress made by Egypt in combating the virus. The Egyptian diplomat highlighted Egypt's successful experiment in developing healthcare and pharmaceutical industries to produce high-quality products with competitive prices.

More than 10,000 people have died and almost 24,000 have been injured since the pro-Russian insurgency broke out in eastern Ukraine in April 2014 - AFP/FileKIEV/ MOSCOW, July 29 (MENA) – The Armed Forces of Ukraine have eliminated about 245,220 Russian military personnel since February 24, 2022, including 390 soldiers over the past 24 days, Ukrinform quoted the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as saying. Moreover, the Ukrainian troops destroyed 4,191 Russian tanks, 8,167 armored combat vehicles, 4,786 artillery systems, 698 MLRS, 458 air defense systems, 315 aircraft, 311 helicopters, 4,007 operational-tactical UAVs, 1,347 cruise missiles, 18 ships/boats, 7,247 vehicles and fuel tanks, 710 special equipment units. As reported, missile and artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit eight Russian artillery pieces on firing positions, two EW systems, an ammunition depot, and a fuel depot over the past day.

Sisi made the remarks while addressing the second Russia-Africa summit in Russia’s St. Petersburg, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement. The two-day summit started Thursday with the participation of 49 African countries, with topics covering cooperation opportunities in food, energy, space, information technology, education and sports, among others. African economies have been challenged by severe repercussions of ongoing conflicts, especially those in food security, supply chains and high energy prices, he noted. “I look forward to reaching a consensual solution with regard to the grain deal, that would take into consideration the demands and interests of all parties and curb rising grain prices,” Sisi noted. The first Russia-Africa summit was held in Sochi, Russia in 2019 co-hosted by Russia and Egypt when the latter was chair of the African Union.

CAIRO - 28 July 2023: The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population announced the official launch of the "1000 Golden Days" Initiative for the development of the Egyptian family, which is concerned with the pregnancy period (270 days), and the first two years of the child's life (730 days). Dr. Abla Al-Alfi, a member of the Health Committee in Parliament and the founder of the initiative, revealed the importance of the initiative, as it is responsible for forming 85% of the children’s physical, mental and psychological capabilities, and therefore it was named the 1000 Golden Days. She said that the rates of autism are increasing and breastfeeding is still shameful, which in Egypt reaches 13%. "The initiative seeks to provide childbirth assistance in hospitals, by developing family and parental awareness, and doing medical and psychological examinations," she added. She said mother-and-child-friendly nursery mechanisms will be applied in order to provide absolute breastfeeding in the nursery and warm embrace care, which helps reduce deaths and complications by 50%.

CAIRO - 28 July 2023: Lieutenant General Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said thatadding 30 new locomotives to the Suez Canal fleet is part of a future plan to develop the fleet. He explained that the largest cranes in the Middle East with a capacity of 3,600 cubic meters per hour have been inaugurated in the southern sector, during his meeting on Sada Al-Balad channel. He also confirmed that the canal achieved the highest daily crossing rate with 107 ships, noting that the revenues that were achieved thanks to the support of the political leadership represented by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Admiral Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said that the canal has 3 arsenals, 2 in Suez and one in Port Said, adding that dredging is being built from the canal's budget. The head of the Suez Canal Authority pointed out that the canal has 15 dredgers, including two new dredgers that were obtained recently, pointing out that the dredgers are built from the investment budget of the canal and not the state budget.

Everyone notices the great influence of social media on various aspects of social, sports, commercial, intellectual, and cultural life. As for the film industry, social media has a very big impact. Currently, trailers of any new film go viral on social media as soon as they are released. But I see that the positives of social media outweigh its negatives, especially for the film industry. But in general, social media is currently being used to mislead, falsify awareness, and deceive the masses.