The first session of the Egyptian-Italian Joint Higher Committee was held on Thursday at the Foreign Ministry headqaurters in the New Administrative Capital. The session was co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptians Abroad Badr Abdel-Aaty and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Antonio Tajani.

Egypt calls for deeper Arab economic integration, stronger regional co-operation

Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh has reaffirmed Egypt’s call for deeper Arab economic integration, stressing that rapidly evolving regional and international conditions require stronger co-operation to advance development and address shared challenges.

Delivering Egypt’s address at the 118th session of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States at ministerial level, Minister Farid noted that intra-Arab trade has exceeded $250 billion, highlighting the considerable potential to expand trade and investment by building on the capabilities and resources of Arab economies.

Egypt, Italy strengthen labour partnership to expand safe employment pathways

Egypt’s Minister of Labour, Hassan Radad, received on Thursday Italian Minister of Labor and Social Policies, Marina Elvira Calderoni, and her delegation to discuss strengthening co-operation in labor, employment, vocational training, skills development, and social insurance, while creating new legal opportunities for Egyptian workers in Italy.

At the outest of the meeting, Minister Radad welcomed the delegation, underscoring the historic Egyptian-Italian partnership.

Ben Gvir unveils plan to remove Gaza’s Palestinians

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir set out a plan on Thursday to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and send them abroad.

Speaking in the run-up to close-fought Israeli elections, he said the plan aimed to see the departure of 250,000 Palestinians from Gaza in the first year, followed by the rest of the roughly two million residents over the following six years.

Oil prices rise on escalation in Middle East

Oil prices rose on Thursday after US strikes on Iran and renewed ‌Israeli threats against Tehran revived concerns about disruptions to Middle East supplies.

Brent crude futures were up 59 cents, or 0.62 per cent, at $96.22 a barrel by 1327 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 78 cents, or 0.86 per cent, to $91.79. ​Both contracts were heading for their fourth day of gains and hit six-week highs earlier ​in the session.