This came during inking a memorandum of understanding between the AOI and the Chinese NORINCO company as part of the 4th day activities of Egypt Defense Exhibition (EDEX) 2021. Terras said the memo aims at transferring and localizing technology as well as boosting joint manufacturing in the defense industries and training human cadres. He said the memo follows the latest standards of the 4th generation industrial revolution. Cooperation fields boost opportunities of investment and trade exchange between Egypt and China, he said, asserting that the factors of developing cooperation fields between both countries are available in light of strong ties between them. Meanwhile, major officials at NORINCO lauded the expertise of the AOI and their ability to develop technology to achieve the highest rates of local manufacturing, saying the Egyptian market is big and promising.

Egypt’s exports to Spain increased by 80 percent during the last nine months despite the coronavirus crisis, Mohamed al-Masry, Vice President of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, said. Egypt has been one of the few countries around the world that has achieved a positive growth rate during the coronavirus crisis. The renewal of the financial cooperation protocol between Egypt and Spain reflects the depth of relations between the two countries. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday that he briefed Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Egypt’s firm position on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam crisis. Earlier, Sisi stressed the importance of water for Egypt, describing it as a matter of “life or death”.

CAIRO – 2 December 2021: Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal announced that 12 public parks will allow free entry for disabled people on Friday. This coincides with the International Day of Disabled Persons celebrated internationally on the 3rd of December. Parks that will allow free entry for disabled people tomorrow includes the Japanese Gardens, the International Park, the Azbakia Garden, the Child Park, Rod Al-Farag Park, Arts Park in Al-Manial, Om Kalthoum Garden, 6th of October Garden, and Al-Manial Garden. (11) of 2019 forming the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. 10 for 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on February 20, after being approved by the Parliament.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said Wednesday they detected their first cases of the new coronavirus variant, recording the first known instances of omicron infections in the Persian Gulf region. Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saudi Press Agency said its case was a citizen coming from what it described as a “North African country.” The report said the infected individual and his close contacts had been quarantined. The UAE also reported its first case of infection with the omicron variant late Wednesday. State-run WAM news agency described the patient as an African woman who traveled from an African country through an Arab country, without specifying which nations. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said more would be known about the omicron strain in two to four weeks as scientists grow and test lab samples of the virus.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi at personal interviews with applicants who wish to study at the Military Academy on December 2, 2021. Press PhotoCAIRO – 2 December 2021: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi attended Thursday personal interviews with applicants who wish to study at the Military Academy as those are part of the admission tests. The president was also joined by Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki, and Chief of Staff Osama Askar. The latest event attended by President Sisi at the Military Academy was the commencement of Class 2021 of military schools.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs, Ghada Shalaby, stressed the importance of the Cabinet’s approval of a decision issued by the Ministerial Committee for Tourism and Antiquities on November 16, 2021, raising the minimum price for accommodation in five-star hotel establishments. The new decision enhances the value of Egyptian destinations and represents the second move toward the re-governance of the mechanisms of selling of the Egyptian market products in different countries, she said. The first raise for minimum accommodation was applied on November 1, at five-star and four-star hotels. She added, in a telephone interview during the “A Final Word” program presented by Lamis al-Hadidy on ON satellite channel, that some hotels were offering prices that might affect the quality of the services provided, explaining that some hotels were offering the 5-star room for US$25 per night. Shalaby said the decision to raise minimum hotel accommodation prices to $50 per night for Egyptians and foreigners will be implemented starting May 1, 2022, except for some governorates, which will postpone the decision until November 2022She pointed out that some hotels were allowed to operate in full capacity, not just 70 percent.

The General Directorate of Passports in Saudi Arabia announced the countries covered by the decision to extend the validity of residency and exit, return and visit visas without fees, in implementation of the directives of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The Saudi newspaper Okaz reported that the decision includes the following countries from which entry has been suspended: Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, India, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini. On Sunday, the Directorate announced the start of extending the validity of residency and exit, return and visit visas without fees until January 31, with the exception of those who completed receiving two doses of COVID-19 vaccine inside Saudi Arabia before leaving it. It explained that the extension will be done automatically in cooperation with the National Information Center without the need to visit the headquarters of passport departments or Saudi missions abroad, as well as extending the validity of visitor visas by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visitors who are outside Saudi Arabia.

CAIRO – 1 December 2021: The House of Culture and Science, known as Al-Sennari House, will organize a poetry and lyrical evening open to the public under the title “The Visible Side of Heaven” on December 2 at 7 p.m. The evening includes a group of sessions that combine vernacular poetry and singing. Al-Sennari House is one of the finest examples of the residential buildings of princes and statesmen in Islamic Cairo. The house is of special historical importance, as its history is also linked to the French campaign against Egypt 1798-1801 AD. A number of members of the Science and Arts Committee within the campaign resided there, mostly painters and engineers.

Thee Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE) initiative cancelling fees on withdrawal and inquiry via ATM machines for non-customers will expire by the end of December. 2- Housing and Development Bank makes no charges on balance inquiry, and charges five LE in case of withdrawal. 3- Nasser Social Bank charges a fee of one LE each time for balance inquiry, and charges six LE in case of withdrawal. 4- Bank of Alexandria charges a fee of three LE each time for balance inquiry, and charges LE10 in case of withdrawal. 5- The United Bank charges a fee of five LE each time for balance inquiry, and charges six LE in case of withdrawal.

CAIRO, 1 December 2021: The Egyptian national team, led by Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, will play the first matches of the Pharaohs in the Arab Nations Cup, which will be hosted by Qatar until December 18, against Lebanese national in the first round of Group D, which includes Sudan and Algeria. Carlos Queiroz is facing a challenge before the Lebanon match because of his desire to win the competition to qualify for the quarter-finals and lead the group. At the same time, Querioz aims to give new Egyptian national team's elements the chance in the tournament matches in order to choose some of them in the next African Cup of Nations, held in January at Cameroon. Carlos Queiroz included 23 players, who are Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mohamed Sobhi, Mahmoud Gad, Ahmed Hegazy, Akram Tawfik, Ahmed Fattouh, Mahmoud El Wensh, Ayman Ashraf, Ahmed Yassin, Mohamed Abdel Moneim, Marwan Daoud, and in the middle: Hamdi Fathi, Amr Al-Sulayya, Muhannad Lashin, Omar Kamal Abdel Wahed, Mustafa Fathi and Ahmed Rifaat, Muhammad Majdi Afsha and Hussein Faisal, and in the attack: Muhammad Sharif, Ahmed Sayed Zizou, Marwan Hamdi and Osama Faisal. The Arab Cup consists of 4 groups, the first group includes teams: Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, while the second group includes: Tunisia, UAE, Syria, Mauritania, and the third group includes teams: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, while the group includes Fourth teams: Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Sudan.

CAIRO, 1 Decemeber 2021: On Tuesday, the tenth edition of the Arab Football Cup "Qatar 2021" began in Qatar, which will run until December 18. On Tuesday, the first four matches of the first round of the group stage were held. In Group B:Tunisia beat Mauritania 5-1UAE beat Syria 2-1Group B standings:1- Tunisia with 3 points2- UAE with 3 points3- Syria without points. 4- Mauritania without points. In Group A: Qatar beat Bahrain 1-0 The Iraqi and Omani teams tied 1-1 Group A standings: 1- Qatar with 3 points 2- Iraq with one point 3- Sultanate of Oman with one point 4- Bahrain without points

The Egyptian government on Wednesday refuted rumors that it was suspending study in all schools, universities and institutes nationwide due to the Omicron coronavirus strain. A statement by the cabinet’s media center said that it had contacted the ministries of Education and Technical Education, and Higher Education and Scientific Research to comment on rumors that schools would be suspended. The two ministries denied the news and appealed to all students to only seek information from official sources. They stressed that any decisions related to suspending schools or universities are taken by the Supreme Committee for Coronavirus Crisis Management after assessing the developments in the pandemic’s epidemiological situation, which currently does not require such measures. The Ministry of Higher Education confirmed that many vaccination points have been set up near and inside Egyptian universities in order to enhance the process of vaccinating students.

CAIRO - 1 December 2021: Egyptian authorities on Wednesday continued opening the Rafah border crossing on both sides for nearly six months upon the directives of the political leadership. The measure is meant to facilitate the crossing of stranded people and the entry of aid and construction materials into the Gaza Strip. The authorities responsible for managing the terminal said administrative and technical staff is on hand to speed up the completion of transit procedures and the entry of relief aid and reconstruction materials into the Palestinian enclave. The crossing has been opened according to directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi since May 16, 2021. This comes within the framework of the Egyptian efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian citizen in the strip, restore the normal life of people in Gaza and start the reconstruction process.

The Chairman of Cairo Association against Smoking, Tuberculosis and Lung diseases consultant Essam Elmoghazy said on Tuesday that the Omicron coronavirus strain is very severe and almost unrecognizable from the virus that first appeared in Wuhan. In statements to the Extra News satellite channel on Tuesday, Elmoghazy was unable to confirm whether a PCR swab is able to distinguish between Omicron and COVID-19, and whether currently available vaccines are effective in combating the Omicron mutant. An Immune and Allergy consultant at VACSERA Amjad al-Haddad revealed that groups most vulnerable to infection with the new mutation likely include age groups far younger than in previous strains. He explained that so far, the symptoms of the Omicron mutant are the same as those of Delta and Delta Plus mutant, with the biggest risk being immune escape. Haddad stressed that so far the mutated variant is under study according to the World Health Organization to ascertain the position of vaccines on it and whether they have strong, medium or no effectiveness in combating it.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country will seek steps of rapprochement with Egypt, after positive talks with the UAE. Erdogan’s statements came in a meeting, Monday, with journalists on board a plane, coming from Turkmenistan. Erdogan, whose ruling AK Party is rooted in political Islam, had been a strong supporter of Morsi. Turkey has taken rapprochement steps with Egypt last year, as the two parties have held rounds of exploratory talks in Ankara and Cairo, which did not lead to a full normalization of relations. In his statements Monday, Erdogan confirmed he plans to visit the UAE in February, stressing that the agreements signed with the UAE during talks in Ankara “will begin a new era” in the relations between the two countries.