Greece and Egypt have reached an agreement to address Greece’s workforce shortages, with Egypt supplying seasonal workers for Greece’s agricultural sector this summer, reported Reuters. The program, originally agreed in 2022, will initially welcome approximately 5,000 Egyptian farmworkers and could expand to construction and tourism industries. Greece’s economy, despite a difficult decade, is forecasted to grow at nearly 3 percent this year – outpacing the eurozone average. However, the country faces a labor crisis resulting from worker emigration during its economic downturn, a shrinking popu ..read more

US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, 8 May, that he would suspend certain deliveries of American weapons to Israel if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decides on an invasion of Rafah, admitting that these arms have been employed in Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden told CNN. The Biden administration has faced remarkable pressure, even from within the ranks of the Democratic Party, to restrict arms shipments due to the humanitarian crisis ..read more

Egypt’s foreign debt continues to rise, reaching $USD 168 billion at the end of December 2022, according to newly released central bank data, reported Reuters. This represents a $USD 3.5 billion increase in just three months and underscores the country’s continued reliance on external financing. The debt, which has quadrupled since 2015, funds major infrastructure projects and supports Egypt’s currency. However, a shortage of foreign currency following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, along with an investor exodus, led Egypt to seek an additional $USD 8 billion package from the In ..read more

The United Nations General Assembly has taken a step towards bolstering Palestine’s position on the global stage, enhancing its rights within the UN framework and calling for its acceptance as a full member state. The move represents a symbolic victory for Palestinians, though full membership remains contingent on approval from the UN Security Council. Since 2012, Palestine has held non-member observer state status, granting some privileges short of full membership. The potential for full membership remains contentious. While the General Assembly voted in favor of Palestinian rights, the Unite ..read more

  The pure joy of eating, and sharing that joy with others, transcends language. Even without understanding the local tongue or the cultural customs, the flavors on their own can connect to the heart. A single dish, even if it’s small, can be a cultural encyclopedia. It tells stories of the environment that nurtures the ingredients, the values that guide its preparation, and the way people express love and joy. In Egypt, one of the restaurants that best acts as a culinary encyclopedia for East Asian street food is Don Eatery. Once you step into Don Eatery, you are transported to the heart ..read more

The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports announced on Wednesday 8 May a significant increase in spectator capacity for both local and African matches.  The decision, reached during a meeting chaired by Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, signals a step towards a return to near-full capacity crowds and promises a thrilling experience for fans. Representatives from the Egyptian Football Association, the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant authorities gathered at the new administrative capital to discuss the spectator capacity increase.  The outcome of the meeting promises ..read more

A Canadian-Israeli businessman was shot and killed on Tuesday, 7 May, by unknown gunmen in Alexandria, a city in northern Egypt. The victim was identified as Ziv Kipper, the CEO of the Egyptian frozen fruits and vegetables company, OK Group LLC.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel stated that Kipper held Canadian and Israeli citizenship. He had been working in Egypt for over nine years and lived in Alexandria, where the company’s headquarters are located. Egyptian authorities are currently investigating the crime. Namely, they are probing into the businessman’s connections to ident ..read more

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has allocated around 1785 acres (7.5 million square meters) of state-owned land to the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation to build Ras El-Hikma International Airport.  The Egyptian Cabinet approved the decision to build the airport in the northwest coastal area of Matrouh Governorate in April during a cabinet meeting. The deal for establishing the new economic zone, Ras El-Hikma Urban Development Project Company, in the city of Ras El-Hikma, was initially signed with the UAE in February this year by the Egyptian Cabinet. The Ras El-Hikma project represents ..read more

  The Cairo Metro’s third line will be open for a trial operational on 15 May with the completion of its final segment, making the entire eco-friendly line accessible to the public, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport. Covering a distance of 41.2 kilometers and featuring 34 stations, it is the first major route connecting east and west Greater Cairo. The entire metro line travels 7.1 kilometres, passing through Wadi Al-Nil Street, the League of Arab States, Boulaq Al-Dakrour, Al-Tawfiqia Station to Cairo University. The trial operation encompasses five stations: three ..read more

American rap artist Macklemore, known for hit songs like ‘Thrift Shop’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us’, released ‘Hind’s Hall’ on 6 May – a song in solidarity with Palestine. The rapper’s latest three-minute track draws inspiration from global student protests and honouring 6-year-old Hind Rajab, recently killed by the Israeli military in Gaza. The song, sampling Fairuz’s ‘Ana La Habibi’ for the instrumental, also addresses the American experience of witnessing the war on Gaza. Macklemore highlights the ongoing police brutality on peaceful protestors, signs of white supremacy, youth activism, and challeng ..read more