US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Washington on Monday in the first strategic dialogue between the US and Egypt since 2015.
Mr Blinken vowed to bring the US-Egypt strategic dialogue back to “a more regular cadence” and announced that the two countries would launch a new climate working group as Egypt bids to host the Cop27 climate conference next year, while another working group will aim to bolster economic co-operation.
He noted that both he and Mr Shoukry had recently returned from Cop26 in Scotland, where Egypt pledged to double its use of renewable energy from 20 to 42 per cent by 2035.
The US secretary of state also said the new joint economic initiative “is more important than ever, given the devastating impact of Covid-19, particularly on underserved populations".
He added that he and Mr Shoukry had also addressed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Libya, Sudan and Ethiopia during their meeting.
“The crisis in Ethiopia also puts the stability of the Horn of Africa at risk,” he said.
“The United States also continues to support negotiated agreement on the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that will address the interests of all parties, including Egypt's water needs, something that President [Joe] Biden and President [Abdel Fattah] El Sisi have discussed.”
Egypt says the dam would inhibit its access to Nile River water.
A senior US official told The National in September that the Biden administration is largely deferring to the African Union on the dam talks after US-brokered efforts under former president Donald Trump failed to resolve the dispute.
Mr Blinken said that both the US and Egypt “have a shared interest in getting” Sudan’s “democratic transition back on track” following the military coup last month against the civilian wing of the transitional government, which prompted Washington to pause its emergency aid payments to Khartoum.
He also praised the part Egypt is playing in Libya, saying it “has played a key role in pushing for an inclusive political process and for elections to be held on time".
Following the meeting, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Mr Blinken “also expressed appreciation for Egypt’s role in supporting regional stability, including its continued work to de-escalate tension in Gaza".
Mr Price noted that Mr Blinken “reaffirmed President Biden's commitment that human rights will be central to US foreign policy and welcomed the chance to discuss Egypt’s human rights goals".
The Biden administration announced it would withhold $130 million in Egyptian military aid until Cairo meets a series of human rights criteria, including the release of 16 political prisoners.
Mr Shoukry said after the meeting that “human rights are an interdependent whole, which necessitates that we dedicate equal attention to political rights and civil liberties and economic and social rights".
But he said human rights should take into consideration “social specificities, developmental realities, religious background and cultural characteristics".
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
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Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0