Egypt

CAIRO (AP) — Temperatures in the Middle East have risen far faster than the world’s average in the past three decades. Precipitation has been decreasing, and experts predict droughts will come with greater frequency and severity.

The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impact of climate change — and already the effects are being seen.

CAIRO (AP) — Russia’s top diplomat was in Cairo for talks Sunday with Egyptian officials as his country seeks to break the diplomatic isolation and sanctions by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.

Sergey Lavrov landed in Cairo late on Saturday, the first leg of his Africa trip that will also include stops in Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Russia’s state-run RT television network.

CAIRO, Jul 22 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt began constructing the first reactor unit of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant, sending a signal that, the country’s plan to build its first nuclear power plant is rolling smoothly, the Egyptian government announced yesterday.

El-Dabaa plant, located in the Mediterranean province of Matrouh, some 300 km north-west of Cairo, is Egypt’s first nuclear power station.

CAIRO (AP) — Libya resumed oil exports Wednesday, ending a hiatus that lasted months.

The resumption came after the country restarted production at oil fields following the firing of the chairman of the state-run oil corporation by one of the country’s rival governments.

A Malta-flagged tanker, Matala, docked at the al-Sidra terminal to ship one million barrels of crude oil, the new leadership of the National Oil Corporation said. The vessel will then head to Italy, it said.

CAIRO, July 16. /TASS/: President of the United States Joe Biden is set to announce a new package of $1 billion in food aid to the Middle East, AFP news agency reported on Saturday citing its source in the White House administration.

"The president will announce today that the United States has committed $1 billion in new near-to long-term food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa regions," the agency quoted the source as saying.

15 July 2022; MEMO: Egypt has told the United Nations it will temporarily suspend the activities of its contingent in a Mali peacekeeping mission, citing increased attacks on its peacekeepers who escort convoys supplying UN bases, a UN spokesperson said on Friday, Reuters reports.

The attacks have caused the deaths of seven Egyptian soldiers since the beginning of the year.

15 July 2022; MEMO: Egypt spends approximately 55 billion Egyptian pounds per year ($2.92 billion) on diesel subsidies, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced yesterday.

Egypt raised the price of diesel on Wednesday by 0.50 pounds to 7.25 pounds per litre following two previous increases in 2021.

CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Libya voiced concern on Thursday over the struggle for control of Libya’s oil corporation after its chairman was sacked by one of Libya’s two rival governments.

The embassy tweeted that U.S. officials are following the developments with “deep concern.” It added that The National Oil Corporation has preserved its political independence and worked effectively under Chairman Mustafa Sanalla, in a sign of U.S. support for him.

13 July 2022; MEMO: The Freedom Initiative has called on US President Joe Biden to demand real progress on human rights from Egypt and Saudi Arabia during his visit to the Middle East.

Biden is making his first visit to the region as president, arriving today in Israel as his first stop before meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday in the occupied West Bank.

09 July 2022; MEMO: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday it had held productive discussions during a staff visit to Egypt on economic policies and reforms to be supported by an extended fund facility, reports Reuters.

"In the period ahead, we are continuing our close engagement with the authorities towards reaching staff-level agreement," the IMF statement said.

The IMF announced that Egypt had made a request for a new programme in March as it came under new financial pressure from the war in Ukraine.