Russian flights to resume

RUSSIAN flights between Moscow and the Egyptian resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh will resume on 9 August, the Russian news agency TASS announced on Saturday.

Moscow-Hurghada and Moscow-Sharm flights will operate five times a week, according to a statement by the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis centre. Further decisions increasing the number of flights will be made following a visit by a Russian delegation to Egypt to assess the epidemiological situation.

Russia recently sent a delegation to Egypt to assess the situation and its preventive measures in tourist sites and to inspect labs and medical facilities.

Fuel price increase

THE MINISTRY of Petroleum on Friday announced a 25-piastre increase in gasoline prices and fixed other fuel prices from July to September 2021. The price of octane-80 is now LE6.75 per litre, 92-octane fuel is LE8 per litre and 95-octane fuel is LE9 per litre. The decision was based on a recommendation by the automatic pricing committee for petroleum products which monitors and adjusts petroleum product prices in Egypt on a quarterly basis.

The committee reviewed the average cost of Brent crude in the global market and the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Egyptian pound in April and June 2021, the most important determinants of the cost of petroleum products in the local market, in addition to other burdens and costs. The decision to fix prices of diesel fuel took into consideration its direct and indirect impact on transportation and food commodity prices. Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawi stressed that fares for microbuses and taxis will not be raised following the increase in gasoline prices. Shaarawi instructed governors to coordinate with security directorates, traffic departments and stations to intensify joint campaigns on stations and squares and to deal with any violations of previously established ride fares. The minister called on citizens to file complaints against any unauthorised increase in fares.

‘Survival boats’

THE MINISTRY of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs launched a presidential initiative to curb the risks of illegal emigration as part of a media awareness campaign across the governorates.

Emigration Minister Nabila Makram said on Monday that the campaign “Survival Boats” started from Fayoum governorate. Makram previously said that the initiative contributed to the success of combating illegal immigration on Egyptian shores. “Egypt’s efforts in this respect have been greatly praised,” she added.

Mansour ruling soon

ON 15 AUGUST, the Administrative Court will rule on the appeal filed by former chairman of Zamalek Sporting Club Mortada Mansour in which he contests the legality of a ministerial decree dismissing him from his post and dissolving the club’s board of directors. The decree also assigned a temporary committee with running the affairs of the club until polls in November. The appeal sued the minister of youth and the executive director of the ministry. The move taken against the club board was based on the findings of a financial and administrative inspection committee formed by the ministry in September last year. A statement issued by the committee confirmed financial and other irregularities which prompted the ministry to refer its report to the prosecution.

 *A version of this article appears in print in the 29 July, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.