CAIRO – 4 May 2022: As Egypt prepares to host COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh this year, the Ministry of Environment seeks partnerships with various parties to push national efforts in terms of sustainable development and climate change. Egypt strives to organize events on the sidelines of COP27 and determine the initiatives and studies that will be launched during the conference, as well as the success stories that will inspire more activities. Some of these partners are the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the African Development Bank, UN Industrial Development Organization, and the Green Climate Fund. The Green Zone of COP27 will be a platform for the hosting country to involve the civil society, the youth, and the private sector, and will allow room for ideas and innovations.

Although “Wahed Tani” (Someone Else), the latest film starring actor actor Ahmed Helmy, topped the revenues of the Eid al-Fitr movie season 2022, its reception has been marred by criticisms of inappropriate content. It contains audacity from Ahmed Helmy that I did not see before, and I do not know if I like it or not. “After ‘Wahed Tani’ movie, I see that Ahmed Helmy, even with using sexual innuendos, is not funny, and this is not in his favour,” another commented. “Wahed Tani” recorded LE1.5 million in revenues during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, and as it continues to top Eid movies in cinemas across Egypt. It recorded on the second night of Eid al-Fitr five million LE in revenue, after it approached two million LE on the first day of its screening.

CAIRO - 4 May 2022: Libyan security authorities announced on Wednesday that an illegal migration attempt has been thwarted off Misrata’s coast, northwest of the country. An unidentified number of illegal migrants have been arrested and a rubber boat carrying them was seized, said a statement by the Misrata security directorate. A manhunt has been launched to arrest those involved in scheming the illegal migration, according to the statement. The Libyan Constitutional Committee, comprising members of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, wrapped up its meeting on April 18, in Cairo under the sponsorship of the UN. The UN envoy said an agreement has been reached to resume consultations after the vacation of Eid Al Fitr.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Egyptian Tourism Authority, launched a new promotional campaign to promote the Egyptian tourist destination for the summer season 2022 in Egypt and the main Arab markets exporting tourism to Egypt. A statement by the Ministry of Tourism said on Wednesday that the campaign “Your Vacation With Us” was launched on various social media sites and targets Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan. The CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, Amr el-Kady, indicated that this campaign targets the Arab market to promote the various Egyptian tourist destinations and their attractiveness and diversity, which contributes to attracting more Arab tourists to the Egyptian tourist destination, in addition to the fact that this campaign was also directed to activate internal tourism. The Director General of the Tourism Promotion Department at the authority, Sozan Mostafa, added that the new Arab campaign focuses on the most used social networking sites in the target markets. She added that the campaign coincides with the participation of the ministry, represented by the authority, in the Arab Forum for Tourism and Travel (ATM 2022), to be held in Dubai during the period from 9 to 12 May, which reflects the interest of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the Arab market.

Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said that amendments to the income tax law, approved by the Cabinet and referred to the House of Representatives, are aimed at alleviating the burden on citizens and stimulating investments. These amendments include raising the personal tax exemption limit from LE 9,000 to LE 15,000, bringing the total tax exemption limit to LE 30,000 annually. The amendments also include approving an incentive for individuals to encourage them to request invoices and electronic receipts, and a reward for those who provide information on cases of tax evasion. Other amendments to the income tax law include reforms to revitalize the Egyptian Stock Exchange. Maait explained that this will include granting investors a set of additional tax incentives to support the capital market and increase the demand for trading, as well as listing companies on the stock exchange.

Meeting of Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Egypt Gerd Bitterlich in May 2022. Bitterlich said that Mercedes-Benz views Egypt as a promising market so that it raised the number of its agents in the country to five, having a total of 12 showrooms. It also introduced the production of GLE-class and GLS-class cars four-wheel cars. Al Nasr Automotive Company and the National Automotive Company (NATCO), signed in March a shareholders' agreement to establish the first company specialized in the distribution and sale of electric cars in Egypt. The National Automotive Company (NATCO) is the owner of the largest distribution network of Mercedes-Benz cars in Egypt, and it owns seven showrooms and service centers spread in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, the North Coast and Hurghada.

EgyptAir on Monday resumed direct flights between Cairo and Mumbai, India at a rate of four flights per week after a pause of more than two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. EgyptAir said in a press release that the company’s first flight took off from Terminal 3 at Cairo International Airport on Monday’s afternoon at 4:50 pm, heading to Mumbai, on the Boeing B737-800 model flight No. 968, with 140 passengers on board. It assured full commitment to implementing all necessary precautionary procedures. This comes in line with the company’s plan to expand its network of lines, especially in Asia, resume the operation of lines that had been suspended due to the pandemic, and to return to the normal operating rates of flights.

Bangkok (Reuters) – The leaders of Japan and Thailand announced a new defense agreement on Monday as well as plans to upgrade their economic relations, as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrapped up the last leg of a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia. The agreement would facilitate the transfer of defense hardware and technology from Japan to Thailand, which has one of the region’s biggest and most equipped armies and a long history of ties with the United States military. “This will help improve national defense and support investment from Japan in this activity which is an important goal for Thailand,” Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a joint statement read alongside Kishida. Prayuth said he discussed improvements in supply chains and the drafting of a five-year economic partnership with Japan, Thailand’s biggest investor. The region remains a battleground between the United States, Japan’s close ally, and rival China, Southeast Asia’s biggest trade partner.

MANCHESTER, England, May 2 (Reuters) - Defender Raphael Varane scored his first Premier League goal as Manchester United returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brentford on a night of potential farewells at Old Trafford. United remain in sixth place with 58 points from 36 games, five behind fourth-placed Arsenal but having played two more matches. Brentford have 40 points from 35 games and may need one more win to ensure they not dragged into a relegation fight. United had won only one of their previous seven games in all competitions and seen their hopes of playing Champions League football next season fade. Varane then scored his first goal for United as he volleyed home from an Alex Telles corner.

The navigation statistics of the Suez Canal recorded, during April, new and unprecedented heights, achieving the highest monthly revenue in the history of the canal amounting to US$629 million, Lieutenant-General Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority, announced. The canal recorded the largest monthly net tonnage with a total net tonnage of 114.5 million tons, exceeding all previously recorded numbers, Rabie added. The total net tonnage amounted to 114.5 million tons – the largest monthly net tonnage in the history of the canal – compared to 110.2 million tons in April 2021, an increase of 4.3 million tons or 3.9 percent. Rabie added that the Suez Canal’s revenues during April recorded $629 million as the highest monthly revenue in the history of the canal, compared to $553.6 million during April 2021, an increase of $75.4 million or 13.6 percent. He explained that the navigational reports monitored a significant increase in the rates of transit of various types of ships.

CAIRO – 2 May 2022: EgyptAir announced on Monday the resumption of its flights to, Mumbai of India after hiatus of more than two years due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19_ pandemicThe Egyptian state-owned company added in a statement that it would operate four flights a week and the first flight had actually taken off from Terminal 3 at Cairo International Airport at 4:50 p.m. This comes in line with the company’s plan to expand its lines, especially to Asia. Meanwhile, Air Canada will start operating direct flights to the Cairo International Airport on Wednesday, May 4, between Montreal and Cairo, after a 6-month hiatus due to the precautionary measures taken by several countries against the Coronavirus, Youm7 reported sources at the airport. Air Canada is scheduled to operate 3 flights per week on a regular basis, between Montreal and Cairo, provided that the flights increase according to the rates of operation and demand.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and “the senseless killing” taking place on the ground. Speaking at a news conference in Berlin with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, Scholz said that what “is important is achieving a better future together, not by waging wars against each other, but by making economic development and joint development possible.”The German chancellor also called on Putin to “withdraw his troops from Ukraine,” adding that “borders should not be changed through the use of violence.”

Maait, in a statement, noted that these amendments include raising the personal tax exemption limit from EGP 9,000 to EGP 15,000, bringing the total tax exemption limit to EGP 30,000 annually. The amendments to the law included some reforms to revitalize the Egyptian Stock Exchange, as they include simplified accounting features for individual and institutional investors and not be subject to profits achieved during the period of tax suspension to ensure tax fairness as well as giving investors an additional set of tax incentives to support the capital market and increase the demand for trading, the minister pointed out. These amendments also included the renewal of the law on ending tax disputes until December 31, 2022, in response to the business community, he added.

President Sisi celebrate 1st day of Eid al-Fitr with children of martyr officersCAIRO – 2 May 2022: President Abdel Fatah al- Sisi was keen on celebrating the first day of Eid al-Fitr (The Feast of Breaking the Fast) with the children of officers who were injured and killed on duty, fighting terrorists. During a ceremony held Monday morning, President Sisi participated in a memorial photo with the children. The Egyptian state and many Islamic and Arab countries celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was keen to exchange congratulations with many heads of state, on the occasion of the blessed Eid Al-Fitr. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has also extended greetings to Egyptians abroad on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.

CAIRO - 2 May 2022: Egyptian authorities succeeded in releasing 20 Egyptian sailors held in Yemen, and secured their return to their homeland. Their release was carried out upon President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi’s directions to the concerned agencies to exert all necessary efforts to set the sailors free. Sources told Egypt Today that the Egyptian sailors are fine and have received the necessary health care.