Egypt has voiced strong condemnation of Israel’s recent decision to authorize the establishment of a new settlement enclave in the occupied territory of East Jerusalem. This move is seen as a blatant breach of international laws and United Nations Security Council resolutions that declare Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories illegal. In a statement released on Tuesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt firmly denounced Israeli settlement policies across all occupied Palestinian lands, including East Jerusalem. Egypt urged Israel to cease its unlawful settlement activities immediately. Furthermore, Egypt reiterated its appeal to key international stakeholders, the United Nations, and associated agencies to uphold their duties in safeguarding Palestinian rights and to halt Israeli unilateral settlement ventures that jeopardize the peace process’s future and the resolution of core issues between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Egypt expressed on Tuesday its approval of the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 2714, enacted on 1 December 2023, which revokes the arms embargo on Somalia that has been in place since 1992. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement acknowledging that this resolution marks a significant step forward for the Somali government in its ongoing battle against terrorism and its pursuit of stability. Egypt reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Somali Federal Government’s endeavors to reestablish security and stability, as well as to foster development within the fraternal nation of Somalia. This support is anticipated to have a beneficial influence on the security and stability of the Horn of Africa region.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has said that the Egyptian state is keen on supporting small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMEs), encouraging entrepreneurship, and providing all the necessary services for their development. He said that the state gives priority to productive, industrial, innovative, and technological projects, as they contribute to achieving national goals, strengthening the national economy, and reducing imports. He also highlighted the agency’s role in implementing labor-intensive infrastructure projects and community and human development projects. Madbouly pointed out that the state has issued new laws and executive regulations to create a supportive environment for SMEs and to facilitate their transition from the informal to the formal sector. He stressed that the agency is a key tool for the state’s movement towards sustainable development.

Your taste buds will literally thank you when you give these Asian restaurants a shot. Don EateryLocated in New Cairo, this Asian street food joint has perfected Asian fusion food with a modern twist. Shogun Japanese RestaurantA 2023 Travelers’ Choice on Trip Advisor, this fancy restaurant serves authentic Japanese food. Indira, located in Holiday Inn Citystars, is just so special with its unique ambience and delicious, authentic dishes, making it one of the finest Indian restaurants in Cairo. Saigon Restaurant and LoungeOverlooking the Nile at Fairmont Nile City, this marvelous fine dining restaurant specializes in Asian fusion cuisine.

Maait said that its looking to diversify its financing tools, markets, sources and bonds and he also stated that he hopes to raise between $500 million and $1 billion through sustainability bonds in 2024. He also stated that the ministry has plans to issue another sukuk, panda and samurai bonds in 2024 but he didn’t specify more details. Egypt succeeded in offering the first ever issuance of sovereign Islamic with a value of $1.5 billion, with the subscription value amounting to about $6.1 billion, meaning that the subscription was 4 times oversubscribed in Feburary 2023. Finance minister also stated that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed its interest in increasing the amount of financing provided to Egypt. Georgieva was asked if the program would advance during the first quarter of 2024, to which she responded: "Yes, soon."

She said, during a field visit to the Gaza Strip, that the level of human suffering is unbearable and it is unacceptable for civilians not to have a safe place in Gaza. She pointed out that there is currently no adequate humanitarian response in light of the existing military siege on Gaza. Al-Qassam also targeted an Israeli infantry force and eliminated the rest of them from a zero distance in the Al-Faluja area in the northern Gaza Strip. The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, said that they bombed the Kerem Shalom crossing and the Amitai base with concentrated missile barrages. The Al-Quds Brigades also said that they blew up an Israeli military vehicle with a “Piercer” device, and targeted two other vehicles with Tandem shells east of Gaza City.

In addition to this, Israel bombs the vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza. A total of 20 hospitals remains out of service, though some have partially resumed operations after fuel supplies stopped in Gaza, said the Palestinian Ministry of Health in a statement. Entry of aid to Gaza is still limited, with less than 3% reaching Gaza Strip, the Ministry added. “About 600 holders of dual nationalities crossed through Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt’s Rafah, it added. On his X, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “I reiterate my call for a sustained humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional & immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded & sustained humanitarian aid flow to meet the needs of the people throughout the Gaza Strip.”

Fouad emphasized that the initiative is important because it addresses one of the consequences of climate change that does not receive enough attention, which is the forced displacement of people. She said that Egypt and Jordan, as host countries for refugees, face additional responsibilities and burdens to provide humanitarian assistance, education, health, and services to refugees, while also dealing with the effects of climate change. She added that the complexities of climate and refugees are increasing, which leads to more risks and challenges for the affected countries. She said that Egypt suffers from a major water problem due to climate change, which affects other important areas such as agriculture. She also said that the newly established Loss and Damage Fund will have an innovative and effective role in addressing the effects of climate change, including climate and environmental refugees.

Jakarta, Indonesia CNN —Eleven climbers have died and another dozen are missing in Indonesia following the eruption of a highly active volcano in the province of West Sumatra, officials told CNN on Monday. In addition to the 11 who had died, three climbers have been found alive but a further 12 remain missing, Malik said, their condition unknown. A student walks as Mount Marapi volcano spews volcanic ash as seen from Nagari Batu Palano in Agam, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, December 4, 2023. Officials monitoring Marapi’s movements told CNN affiliate CNN Indonesia of potential dangers from Sunday’s eruption, including flowing molten lava which could reach roads and nearby rivers. It is Mount Marapi, not Mount Merapi

Egypt’s mission to the African Union (AU) has successfully led the Union’s efforts to fill the funding gap of $25.9m for the AU mission in Somalia, which faced a financial crisis. Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the AU, Mohamed Gad, explained the work of the Budget Committee, which was mandated by the AU foreign ministers during their last meeting in Nairobi in July 2023, to adopt a proposal to close the funding gap. Gad said that the Union’s ability to find African solutions demonstrated the commitment of the member states to their responsibilities towards peace and security issues on the continent, and refuted any claims to the contrary. He also emphasized the importance of continuing to support the efforts to access the UN-assessed contributions to finance the AU-led peace support operations, in light of the UN Security Council’s primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Egypt attaches great importance to the stability of the situation in Somalia and supports all efforts to enhance peace and security and to build the institutional capacities of the Somali people.

Egypt’s debt breakdown by maturityBy original maturity, Egypt’s external debt reaffirmed its pattern of long-term debt predominance at the end of June 2023. Breakdown by currencyMeasuring the currency composition of Egypt’s external debt is an important indicator that sheds light on the external debt exposure to currency markets’ volatility. The Central Bank’s external debt increased by about $2.7bn to $43.6bn, representing 26.5% of external debt. External debt indicatorsEgypt’s external debt stock to GDP represented 40.3% at the end of June 2023 compared with 32.6% at the end of June 2022. Short-term external debt by residual maturity to total external debt registered 30% at the end of June 2023 against 27.1% at the end of June 2022.

He said that the Israeli forces committed horrific massacres in the past hours, targeting civilians and bombing all areas of the Gaza Strip indiscriminately, despite claiming that some areas were safe. He added that many of the wounded were dying due to the lack of medical services, and that the Israeli forces deliberately bombed hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip. He also reported that the Israeli forces arrested 35 health workers from the Gaza Strip, including the director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex. The Al-Qassam Brigades also said that they detonated a minefield with an Israeli force of eight soldiers northeast of Khan Yunis and killed the survivors. They also targeted a special Israeli force inside a building in Beit Hanoun with a TBG shell and killed some of its soldiers.

Jack Grealish's 81st-minute goal appeared to have won the game for champions City but Dejan Kulusevski's header in the 90th minute condemned City to a third successive draw. After the dust settled on a frenetic encounter, City were left in third place in the standings, three points behind leaders Arsenal and one behind Liverpool. Guardiola had also regained his composure after losing his cool in the closing stages. "The performance was quite similar to what we have done lately," Guardiola told a press conference. Of the late controversy, Guardiola refused to blame the decision for his side's failure to win.

Tel Aviv, Israel CNN —Israeli authorities recalled their team of negotiators from Qatar after reaching a “dead end” in talks to release hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, according to a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The talks in the Gulf nation had led to a tenuous truce between Hamas and Israel that lasted seven days before collapsing on Friday morning. Hamas in a statement held Israel and the United States responsible for ending the dialogue. Israel had agreed to extend the truce daily for every 10 hostages Hamas released. The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that there are 136 hostages still being held in Gaza, including 17 women and children.

Abdallah Sallam, the CEO of Madinat Masr, highlighted that Egypt’s real estate market is fine, despite the economic challenges that the global economy is facing. He stressed that the real estate sector is the engine of the Egyptian economy in every sense of the word. Sallam said: “I do not care about the dollar price, but what matters is stability because it greatly affects the real estate market. El Hini added that real estate development should be treated in the future as tourism development. Additionally, there is a demand for real estate located near the sea.