CAIRO – 16 January 2022: Head of the Air Quality Section at the Ministry of Environment Mostafa Murad told press Sunday that gas-powered and electric buses will be substituted for gasoline-powered ones nationwide on the public transportation level within five years. Murad said that the ministry is joining forces with the World Bank to introduce electric buses that can travel 200 kilometers per charge. Those will be charged overnight through points located at public transport parking lots and others lying at gas stations. The official pointed out that a number of electric buses have been introduced in Cairo and Alexandria as an experimental phase. Speaking of the facilities needed by electric vehicles in general, there are 400 charging stations concentrated in Greater Cairo, and highways.

DUBAI, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Iran’s health ministry reported the country’s first three deaths from the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday. Iran this week lifted restrictions on land travel to and from neighboring countries and some European states but maintained a ban on arrivals from Britain, France and eight countries in Southern Africa over Omicron fears, Iranian media reported. read moreIran, the pandemic’s epicenter in the Middle East, has suffered 132,044 deaths in five waves of COVID-19 infections since February 2020. Deaths have fallen in recent months and stood at 18 on Saturday, a 22-month low, according the state television. More than 53 million of Iran’s population of about 85 million have received two doses of coronavirus vaccine, and 12.2 million have received three doses.

In an interview with Extra News TV channel, Mohieldin pointed out that the selection of Egypt to host the UN COP27 came due to its expertise and good reputation in clean energy and wind energy. The UN COP27 will be an African summit for the developing and middle-income countries, he underlined, pointing to the Western countries' disobedience to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement's outcomes that led to the emergence of severe weather conditions. Regarding the coronavirus, the IMF official stated the new variants raise great concern because they badly affect the economy due to the lockdown, adding the pandemic drained the economy and increased the debts. Egypt, since the beginning of the pandemic, follows a parallel approach and has various opportunities in all fields, he noted.

TURIN (Reuters) - Paulo Dybala glared at Juventus directors instead of celebrating after scoring in a 2-0 Serie A win over Udinese on Saturday, which sent the Turin club level with fourth-placed Atalanta. The Argentina striker is yet to agree an extension to his Juve contract, which is due to expire at the end of the season, despite long-running negotiations. United States international Weston McKennie headed home Juve's second in the 79th minute to stretch their unbeaten league run to eight games. Juve remain fifth but moved on to 41 points, level with Atalanta in fourth, who have two games in hand. Udinese are 14th with 20 points.

CAIRO-16 January 2022: Mohamed Salah scored a half volley to inspire Egypt in 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau on Saturday night. The Pharaohs secured their first three points in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and succeeded to reverse their situation in the group after losing the opening match to Nigeria. The Pharaohs were shocked after Salah's opener when Samba Baldé equalized the score for the Bissau Guineans but his goal was cancelled after reviewing the VAR. Egypt are second in the standings with three points behind the leaders, Nigeria, who secured their spot in the second round with a 3-1 win over Sudan. Egypt will face Sudan on Wednesday in Yaounde in a match that will likely decide the fate of the group.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a meeting, on Saturday, to follow up the executive situation of the “The Great Transfiguration Project” in Sinai to develop Jabal Mousa and Saint Catherine’s Monastery. The meeting was attended by Head of the Central Agency for Reconstruction Mahmoud Nassar, Assistant Minister of Housing Mostafa Mounir, and project consultant Maher Esteno. The spokesperson for the Egyptian Presidency Bassam Rady explained that the meeting witnessed a review of all the components planned to be developed under the project. These elements included the establishment of a new visitor center, an eco-lodge, an integrated mountain hotel, and a new administrative complex, as well as the development of the Bedouin area, housing units, and pedestrian routes. As well as raising the efficiency of infrastructure, facilities, works to prevent floods, and establishing a Peace Square to hold various celebrations, activities and performances.

Egypt announced that January marks the beginning of increased salaries for private sector workers, with a minimum wage of LE 2,400 – a first for the nation’s private sector. The National Council for Wages decided that the implementation of the minimum wage for the private sector will be mandatory as of January 1. Minister of Planning and Economic Development and head of the National Council for Wages, Hala al-Saeed, said that implementing the minimum wage for workers and the periodic bonus in the private sector is an unprecedented move. The National Council for Wages received 5,945 requests from private sector establishments in 22 sectors to exclude them from applying the minimum wage due to their economic conditions. The National Council for Wages is responsible for setting a minimum wage at the national level and reviewing the minimum wage at the end of each fiscal year.

CAIRO – 15 January 2021: Egypt and the United Kingdom have affirmed their joint commitment to accelerate the fight against climate change as COP26 President Alok Sharma met on Saturday with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, the president-designate of COP27. The meeting has agreed on the need for strengthening cooperation between the UK and Egypt to confront the impacts of climate change and build on the current global climate action, a joint statement read. We aim to pursue a lasting legacy that ensures the UNFCCC process continues to drive ambitious action to address climate change and its impacts,” the statement added. "To this end, we agree to continue close consultations in the months ahead, both on the ministerial and technical levels." Egypt’s Minister of Environment Yassmine Fouad announced earlier this month that the ministry has a four-axis plan for hosting the COP27.

In December 2021, Egypt’s Cabinet approved to give COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for those who were fully-vaccinated more than six months ago. The Acting Minister said that 23 million booster doses will be provided until June 30, 2022. Egypt is witnessing a rise in the number of infections with the Omicron mutant, said Abdel Ghaffar on Friday evening. “Omicron infection is predominant in Egypt,” he added in comments to Al Hekaya talk show on MBC Masr channel. In a statement, Spokesman for the Health Ministry Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said 34 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 22,097.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be sent into isolation and unable to compete until cleared for discharge. The prevention protocols will be similar to those at the Tokyo Games this summer, but much tighter. That won’t be a stretch in Beijing, with China having maintained a “Zero COVID” policy since early in the pandemic. Upon arrival at the airport in Beijing, participants will have their temperatures taken and be tested with throat and nasal swabs. As for local fans, Beijing organizers say they’re finalizing rules for their attendance.

CAIRO - 15 January 2022: Egypt is witnessing a rise in the number of infections with the Omicron mutant, said Acting Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar on Friday evening. “Omicron infection is predominant in Egypt,” he added in comments to Al Hekaya talk show on MBC Masr channel. The Acting Minister continued that headache, soar throat and difficulty in swelling food are the most common symptoms associated with Omicron, adding that and there is a similarity between Omicron symptoms and and influenza’s. Egypt reported on Friday 1,079 new coronavirus cases, upping the total number of confirmed cases reported in Egypt since the beginning of the outbreak to 397,778, according to figures released by the Ministry of Health. As many as 893 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 331,607 so far, the spokesman said.

CAIRO - 15 January 2022: Planning Minister Hala el Said said on Friday Egypt is keen on following the participatory approach in its development process and making use of the role of civil society, the private sector, and international organizations. Said's remarks came during a session under the title of "Development Partners", held on the sidelines of the Fourth Edition of the World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh. Egypt enjoys close relations with all development partners and is keen to permanently cooperate with all international organizations, Said noted, pointing the country has a growing portfolio with development partners in various sectors such as housing, environment, transportation, small business, education, energy, and health in line with Egypt Vision 2030. The minister underlined that Egypt was the only country in which the development and service initiatives and national projects did not stop despite the coronavirus, mainly the Decent Life project. Also, Egypt was the only country during the coronavirus period that launched a structural economic reform program to enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy, localize the local industry, increase the competitiveness of Egyptian exports, support the transformation to the green economy and enhance the role of the private sector, she added.

Potential concessions are complicated by the fact neither Putin nor President Joe Biden wants to be seen as backing down before either domestic or foreign audiences. For Western analysts, it seems a situation in which Putin will have to compromise if conflict is to be avoided. They have cast their demands as an “absolute imperative” and have argued that the Western failure to meet them makes talks on other issues irrelevant. And he insisted that it’s the US that’s formulating the position in talks while other allies just march on its orders. “Anyone who thought that NATO was no longer relevant to European security has been taught a lesson in the last few months.

CAIRO-15 January 2022: The Pharaohs and Guinea-Bissau face off in Garoua on Saturday in Matchday 2 of Group D of Africa Cup of Nations. Guinea-Bissau has never tasted the winning joy in AFCON as their seven matches in the history of the competition ended in three draws and four losses. The Bissau Guineans secured a draw in their opening match in the group against Sudan and they were the closer side to win the match after missing a penalty in the last 10 minutes of the game. They are expected to fight on Saturday to get their first-ever win against the record champions of the competition. The game will start at 9:00 PM ( Cairo Time).

On its official Facebook page, the Foreign Ministry offered its sincere condolences to the family of the late diplomat. Ambassador Roshdi was an impressive example to follow in hardworking and total dedication to his work, the ministry added.