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Shafaq News
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi President reaffirms support for stronger ties with Syria
Shafaq News/ Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid reaffirmed on Wednesday his country's support for improving relations with Syria following the fall of the former regime. In an interview with CNN Arabic, President Rashid described Syria as a key country for Iraq, citing shared social, religious, and cultural ties. 'We are interconnected and want strong, stable relations with Syria,' he stated. 'We also hope the Syrian government ensures representation for all components of the Syrian people.' Regarding relations with Tehran, Rashid described them as 'longstanding, natural, and strong,' confirming that there are no Iranian forces inside Iraq. Commenting on the future of US troops in Iraq, the president noted that relations with the United States are 'normal and good,' with bilateral agreements currently under joint review. 'The decision on whether US forces remain or withdraw will depend on the ongoing negotiations between both sides,' he added. On the stalled nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, 'We believe progress in these talks will benefit everyone,' he said, affirming Iraq's readiness to act as a mediator if requested. The president addressed the ongoing disputes between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). He attributed the unresolved matters—particularly over salaries and oil—to the absence of a federal oil and gas law.
Egypt Independent
09-05-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Egypt's tourism roars: 25% surge in Q1 2025, millions more expected
Egypt welcomed 3.9 million tourists during the first quarter of 2025, marking a 25% year-on-year increase, according to press statements by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sharif Fathi, CNN Arabic reported. The minister affirmed that this growth reflects the increasing confidence in the Egyptian tourist destination despite the geopolitical challenges facing the region. Tourism experts anticipate welcoming between 16-18 million tourists by the end of this year, particularly with the imminent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. This increase is a continuation of the significant growth in inbound tourism to Egypt, which recorded a record high of 15.8 million tourists in 2024, a 6% annual increase compared to 2023. This figure surpassed pre-pandemic levels by over 21%, according to press statements by Tourism Minister Sharif Fathi. The government expects the country to receive 17 million tourists during the current fiscal year 2024/2025, based on the 8.7 million tourists welcomed between July and December 2024. It aims to reach 30 million tourists by increasing hotel capacity to accommodate the anticipated tourist numbers in the coming period. This goal is supported by incentives and financing initiatives recently introduced by the state to encourage tourism investment, according to official data. Ahmed El-Tayebi, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Committee in the House of Representatives, stated that the tourism sector achieved a record number of tourists in the first quarter of 2025 with a record annual growth rate, despite this period not representing a large proportion of total inbound tourism. He added that if the current rates continue, they expect to reach between 17-18 million tourists by the end of this year. The Egyptian economy achieved a growth rate of 4.3% during the second quarter of the current fiscal year 2024/2025, driven by a robust 18% expansion in the tourism sector, specifically restaurants and hotels. This growth outperformed the non-oil manufacturing sector, which recorded 17.7%, and the communications and information technology sector, which achieved 10.4%. In exclusive statements to CNN Arabic, El-Tayebi noted that Egypt has welcomed tourists from numerous Western European countries, including Germany, England, France, and Spain. From Eastern Europe, significant numbers of tourists have arrived from Russia, Poland, and Romania. He anticipates that inbound tourism to the country will exceed last year's figures by 10-15%, highlighting that Red Sea destinations such as Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, Safaga, and Marsa Alam attract the largest share of tourists, along with Cairo and its numerous archaeological sites. He pointed to several reasons for the increase in tourist arrivals to Egypt, most notably the development of infrastructure, including new roads, axes, and an electric transportation network, which has facilitated easier travel between various tourist destinations, thereby increasing the number of tourist nights. Additionally, plans to increase hotel capacity by adding 40,000-50,000 rooms this year, representing a 20% annual increase, as well as marketing strategies for Egyptian tourist destinations, are contributing to reaching the target of 30 million tourists by 2030. More than 15 million tourists spent 156.6 million nights in Egypt during 2024, and this figure is projected to continue rising to 182.6 million nights by 2028, according to a report by Fitch Solutions. El-Tayebi highlighted the significant role of the Grand Egyptian Museum's opening on July 3rd in marketing and promoting Egyptian tourism internationally. He noted the state's commitment to a global inauguration ceremony with the participation of presidents and princes from numerous countries worldwide. This event is expected to significantly spotlight the museum, alongside the notable development in the air transport sector through the opening of airports and the improvement of the road and transportation network. Magdy Sadek, a member of the Travel Agencies Chamber at the Egyptian Tourism Federation, stated that European tourism accounted for the largest share of inbound tourism to Egypt during the first quarter of 2025, led by German, Italian, Spanish, and French nationalities. Egypt also welcomed tourists from Gulf countries, most notably Saudi Arabia. In exclusive statements to CNN Arabic, Magdy Sadek anticipated that Egypt would receive 16 million tourists during the current year, relying on the increase in the country's hotel capacity to exceed 220,000 rooms. He also mentioned the implementation of new regulations and requirements for licensing vacation apartment units, which could potentially raise the country's hotel capacity to around half a million rooms. The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum is also expected to play a crucial role in showcasing Egyptian civilization, making it the primary destination for those seeking to explore its secrets. Last month, the Egyptian government, for the first time, established new regulations and requirements for licensing vacation apartment units to introduce a new type of accommodation for tourists. Vacation apartment units are defined as 'any unit consisting of at least one room, a suite, or a villa located in a standalone building or part of a building, providing some basic services, and prepared to receive Egyptians or foreigners, provided that it is located in a tourist area or within a distinguished residential complex.'
Leaders
06-05-2025
- Health
- Leaders
Horror Movies Cannot Fictionalize Genocide in Gaza, Says American Doctor
In a video interview with CNN, an American doctor has talked about his terrifying experience as a volunteer doctor in Gaza during the ongoing war with Israel. The TV presenter has showed a photo of a man carrying the remains of his dead daughter and said 'We have a picture, which I am gonna actually ask you to explain. It is a man carrying the partial remains of his daughter in a bag,' and we do have a sound for him while talking about it. The presenter also showcased a video for the father explaining his deep sorrow. The man indicated that Israel launched two airstrikes on a building next to their own. He tried to look for his daughter but unfortunately, he did not find her. He saw the girl trapped beneath rubble in the next day. Sadly, he only found her head, hand, and leg. 'How did you respond? He came to you, and it is just … it is physically incredible to watch a father hold a discarded aid bag full of his child?' the presenter asked. Tough Night @cnnarabic طبيب أمريكي عمل في غزة يروي لشبكتنا كيف صُدم برجل يحمل بقايا ابنته: لا تستطيع أفلام الرعب محاكاة المشهد لمشاهدة المقابلة كاملة، إضغط على الرابط في البايو ♬ original sound – CNN Arabic – CNN Arabic The doctor described that night as a 'tough night,' as the night before they had approximately 30 people killed and about 100 wounded and they said there were many more still buried under the rubble. 'The father just showed up and he looked so numb. I thought he just needed help or some directions, but he said that he was at home and a bomb landed, and his daughter was in the bathroom. He went back to find her remains and he just found her head and bits and pieces of her arm and leg. The father put them in a burlap bag and brought her to the hospital to be buried. He was just looking for directions to the morgue,' the doctor said. He expressed that he was horrified by what he was seeing, but for the locals, their attitude was 'This is Gaza. This is what we see every day. This is really not a big deal.' But for him, normalizing these scenes was horrifying. He cannot even imagine a horror movie could fictionalize how these scenes are so twisted and disturbing. Related Topics: US, Israel to Agree on New Mechanism for Gaza Aid Delivery UN Slams Israel's 'Cruel' Gaza Blockade, Demands Aid Access Saudi FM, Jordanian Counterpart Discuss Gaza Developments Short link : Post Views: 148
Egypt Independent
29-04-2025
- General
- Egypt Independent
US Navy announces F-18 fell off US aircraft carrier in Red Sea
The US Navy announced on Monday that one of its sailors sustained minor injuries when an F-18 fighter jet and its tug fell out from an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. The Navy confirmed in a statement that all crew members are safe. The aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman is participating in airstrikes targeting Huthi rebels in Yemen. Earlier in February, The US Navy announced that it had relieved the commander of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman of his duty after it collided with a commercial ship in the Mediterranean Sea near the entrance to the Suez Canal in Egypt, CNN Arabic reported at the time. Captain Dave Snowden, who has held the position since December 2023, was commanding the aircraft carrier when it collided with a ship near Port Said, Egypt on February 12. The incident resulted in no deaths or injures. The collision damaged the outer walls of two storage rooms and caused damage to the carrier's exterior. The carrier had been operating in the Middle East for the past few months prior to sailing to Greece for emergency repairs to its starboard side.
Jordan News
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Washington Sends Second Aircraft Carrier to the Middle East - Jordan News
Washington Sends Second Aircraft Carrier to the Middle East A U.S. official has confirmed that the United States is sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and extending the deployment of another carrier already in the region, amid ongoing U.S. attacks on Houthi forces in Yemen. اضافة اعلان The official stated that the USS *Harry S. Truman* was originally scheduled to conclude its mission at the end of March, but U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has extended its deployment by an additional month. Fighter jets from the *Truman* participated in attacks against the Houthis that began last weekend. The official also mentioned that the USS *Carl Vinson* will be heading to the Middle East as well. The carrier had recently completed joint exercises in the Pacific Ocean with Japan and South Korea. The decision to extend the *Truman*'s mission and send the *Vinson* to the region means that two U.S. aircraft carriers will be stationed in the Middle East. However, it remains unclear how long they will continue operating in the same region. This report was first confirmed by the Associated Press. — *CNN Arabic*
