The Public Prosecutor in Kuwait ordered the arrest of a Kuwaiti citizen accused of raping an Egyptian expatriate after she was kidnapped. The case of the Egyptian expatriate, Nayla Hassan, topped social media trends in Kuwait, after she narrated what happened to her at the hands of the perpetrator. Hassan said that the suspect took her to Barr al-Salemy, where he assaulted her. In another tweet, Almusallam said: “I salute the Egyptian woman who was raped by a Kuwaiti man and she did not remain silent, but rather wants the world to know the name of the criminal and the facts of the incident! She was beaten, kidnapped and raped by an impersonator of the son of a parliamentarian.”

Alexandria Governorate issued an official statement on Monday commenting on viral photos of trees being chopped down in neighborhoods. The statement explained that these are from the work of a specialized technical committee formed to count and remove dead palm trees and trees that are at risk of falling and damaging property or citizens. After the work is completed, high quality palms and other alternative trees are planted. The governorate said that its statement is meant to clarify the facts in order to prevent misinterpretation of the facts.

According to Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, al-Sayed al-Qusair, Egypt’s agricultural exports exceeded three million tons from January-May 2022. A report of the Central Administration of Agricultural Quarantine said that the total agricultural exports during January 1 to May 25 amounted to about 3,115,000 tons of agricultural products, explaining that market access depends on the quality of exports and the application of international standards. The most important agricultural exports are citrus, potatoes, fresh onions, fresh tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, fresh and dry beans, garlic and watermelon. Qusair explained that the total agricultural exports of citrus reached 1,359,000 tons, in addition to the export of 681,734 tons of fresh potatoes, to occupy second place in agricultural exports after citrus, while 123,000 tons of onions were exported ranking third in exports, and beans ranked fourth in agricultural exports, with a total of 67,897 tons, while sweet potatoes ranked fifth in exports with 37,813 tons. Egypt’s exports of tomatoes ranked sixth, with a total amount of 30,137 tons, while exports of strawberries ranked seventh, with a total of 19,425 tons, followed by garlic, with a total of 15,726 tons, while watermelon got ninth place in exports with a total amount of 4235 tons.

Egyptian director Tarek Saleh won the best screenplay award for the “Boy From Heaven” movie, at the end of the 75th Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. Perhaps we have not heard much about the Egyptian director, so we are shedding light on his life, presenting his most prominent artistic steps during the past few years. Saleh is an Egyptian director and author, born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, on January 28, 1972. Saleh won the Best Director award for the same movie at the Sundance Film Festival in the US, and was nominated for the Swedish Guldbagge in 2018. “Boy From Heaven”, written and directed by Saleh, was shown in the competition as a Swedish film, with a production support of 300,000 euros from Memento International and Art Cinema France.

CAIRO – 30 May 2022: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with the governor of the New Valley Sunday to discuss development in the huge border governorate. Sisi asked Governor Mohamed al-Zamalout to make the best of investment opportunities and provide success factors to offer the best economic and service value to the locals. Zamalout presented the projects in the governorate, especially in the agricultural field and land reclamation to yield more crops, particularly wheat. He also explained progress in the presidential initiative to plant 2.5 million palm trees to produce more dates in the New Valley, as well as olive trees and aromatic and medicinal plants so the area becomes a hub for related industries and research. The governor also tackled the integrated, digitalized governmental complex in the New Valley that includes all government facilities, as well as the progress of new road networks.

Orange Egypt Proudly Announces the Egyptian Startup Winner “Amanleek” in the Fintech Startup Seed Challenge 2022Orange Egypt is proud to announce that the Egyptian startup “AmanLeek” won the Fintech Startup Seed Challenge 2022, which supports promising entrepreneurs with creative ideas in Egypt. This seed challenge was jointly launched by Orange Egypt and Orange Ventures, the Venture Capital of Orange Group. The startup was adjudicated the winner of the Seed Challenge after a highly competitive selection process witnessing hundreds of applications, and rigorous evaluations overseen by a jury of experts. The winner of the Seed Challenge of 2022, “AmanLeek” will receive $200,000 in funding, as part of Orange Ventures' commitment to empowering innovative entrepreneurs at critical growth stages of their business. "Egypt is experiencing a definite rise in the innovation and entrepreneurship sector and is now the second country in Africa for VCs investments.

The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced former presidential candidate and member of the former Guidance Bureau of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh and Mahmoud Ezzat, the acting Supreme Guide of the group, and six others to 15 years in prison. The court also sentenced 15 others to lifetime imprisonment, and sentenced two defendants to 10 years in prison. The court convicted all the defendants of leading and membership of a terrorist group that carries out hostile operations against public institutions, with the aim of bringing down the state. The prosecution charged Ezzat and Aboul-Fotouh, his son and others that from 1992 to 2018, they led a terrorist group, aiming to use force, violence, threats and intimidation with the aim of disturbing public order and endangering the safety, security of society, harming individuals and terrorizing them. The charges against the defendants also included financing a terrorist group by transporting and providing funds and weapons with the intent to be used in the commission of terrorist crimes, providing a safe haven for terrorists, and training them on how to use firearms.

Egypt, the UAE and Jordan signed on Sunday signed a document to launch the “Integrative Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development” initiative. The signing ceremony was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh, and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The document was signed by Egypt’s Minister of Trade and Industry Nevein Gamea, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al-Jaber, and Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Youssef Mahmoud Al-Shamali. The statement added that the signing of the initiative comes from the guidance of the political leaderships in Egypt, the UAE and Jordan. The latest partnership objectives included promoting value-added manufacturing sectors, by focusing efforts on manufacturing sectors in value chains that achieve and add significant economic value.

(CNN) – At least 24 people were killed in Monday’s collapse of a 10-story building in the Iranian city of Abadan, state news agency IRNA said on Friday as the search for survivors continued. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the Iranian Red Crescent said at least 80 were trapped under the rubble and five people had been killed. Videos and pictures shared by the Iranian Red Crescent on Monday showed rescue teams at the site removing rubble and debris from a destroyed building. On Tuesday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent said on Twitter that 35 people had been rescued. The owner of the building and the contractor are also among those arrested, Iranian media has reported, citing the Abadan special prosecutor.

The Secretary-General of the UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC), Jamal bin Saif Al-Jarwan said that Emirati investments in Egypt have reached US$ 20 billion, and looks forward to reaching $35 billion in the next 5 years. He called the Egyptian economy a flexible one that attracts investments, stressing that foreign investments in Egypt enjoy the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the government’s support. He said: “UAE investors are your forever partners, and they will be partners in the new phase launched by Egypt, and announced at the global press conference of the Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and we are committed to developing our investments in Egypt to the fullest extent.”He added that there is great interest from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to push Emirati investments in Egypt. Madbouly was keen to conduct a direct dialogue with some senior Emirati investors, where he listened to their views and suggestions regarding the development of the business environment as part of the government’s plan to expand the private sector’s contribution to the structure of the Egyptian economy, at his residence in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Jarwan said that immediately after the announcement of this meeting, 25 Emirati companies confirmed participating in it on the same day, and then the number increased after that, reflecting the interest of Emirati businessmen to invest in Egypt.

Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, al-Sayed al-Qusair, announced Saturday that Egypt’s agricultural exports exceeded three million tons from January-May 2022. Qusair thanked the Egyptian exporters for their role in increasing agricultural exports, praising the efforts of the agricultural quarantine, the Agricultural Export Council, the commercial representation and the Egyptian embassies abroad. He noted that the most important agricultural exports are citrus, potatoes, fresh onions, fresh tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, fresh and dry beans, garlic, and watermelon. Qusair explained that the total agricultural exports of citrus reached 1,359,292 tons, in addition to the export of 681,734 tons of fresh potatoes, to occupy second place in agricultural exports after citrus, while 123,589 tons of onions were exported ranking third in exports, and beans ranked fourth in agricultural exports, with a total of 67,897 tons, while sweet potatoes ranked fifth in exports with 37,813 tons. Egypt’s exports of tomatoes ranked sixth, with a total amount of 30,137 tons, while exports of strawberries ranked seventh, with a total of 19,425 tons, followed by garlic, with a total of 15,726 tons, while watermelon got Ninth place in exports with a total amount of 4235 tons.

CAIRO – 28 May 2022: Trade exchange between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates reached more than $3.6 billion in 2021, Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea said on Saturday. Madbouli headed a high-level delegation on Saturday to the Emirati capital to meet with Emirati investors and establish an industrial partnership between Egypt, UAE, and Jordan. During the meeting, Gamea urged the Emirati companies to pump more investments in the Egyptian market and visit the industrial cities in Egypt. Madbouli will take part in a tripartite meeting, during which an initiative for integrated industrial partnership is set to be launched between Egypt, UAE, and Jordan. Madbouli’s delegation includes Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said, Minister of Agriculture El-Sayed El-Qusseir, and Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea.

Abu Dhabi, UAE (CNN) – The war in Ukraine has two pariah oil-exporting nations competing for the same buyers. The European Union is aiming to join the United States and the United Kingdom in sanctioning Russian oil. European diplomats are trying to reach consensus on a deal to halt Russian oil imports to the bloc that could be signed off by leaders meeting in Brussels on May 30. The agreement would lift sanctions and open Iran’s oil up to the world market. Experts say there has been a slump in Iranian crude oil exports to China since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, along with an increase in Russian exports to China.

Weather temperatures will continue to rise on Friday, expected to be about a degree or two higher than normal. In addition to this increase there is also more sunshine brightness, Manar Ghanem, a member of the Egyptian Meteorological Authority’s media center, said. Temperatures will drop by 10C in the evening and active wind is expected, she added. The temperature rise will continue, reaching its peak on Sunday and Monday of next week, as the maximum temperature in Cairo will hit 37CTemperatures are expected to continue rising during next week, above normal rates by about 3C. She advised citizens to avoid exposure to the sun from 12 pm to 3 pm and to drink enough water.

Ukrainian officials on Friday reported continued heavy fighting in the Luhansk region, with a local military chief describing “fierce battles” for the city of Severodonetsk. In televised remarks, Oleksandr Striuk, head of the Severodonetsk city military administration, said: “There have been fierce battles for the city. We have a hot spot, the Mir hotel. On May 26 [Thursday], an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group entered the Mir Hotel. The [Ukrainian] Armed Forces resisted.”A pro-Russian Telegram channel said Russian forces had entered the hotel, which is in the north of Severodonetsk, and that street fighting was underway.