
EU greenlights new law easing potato imports from Egypt
Mohamed El-Mensy, head of Egypt's Central Administration of Plant Quarantine (CAPQ), said this decision is expected to reduce costs and streamline global access to the Egyptian agricultural exports.
El-Mensy added that the new regulation increases the permitted shipment weight and lowers the number of samples required for inspection.
This will highly simplify the export procedures of Egyptian potatoes from zones free of brown rot to the EU, which will reduce the costs associated with analyzing samples upon arrival.
It is worth noting that Egypt's potato exports exceeded 1.307 million tons for the first time, with the CAPQ exerting efforts to open new markets and ensure the continued flow of exports to countries globally.
© 2025 All Rights Reserved Arab Finance For Information Technology Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
7 hours ago
- Zawya
Global shares in red after US jobs data, Trump's tariff salvo
Global shares remained in the red on Friday after weaker than expected U.S. jobs data prompted markets to add to rate cut bets from the Federal Reserve, following earlier losses sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs salvo. Nasdaq futures and S&P 500 futures were down about 1% after the data, broadly in line with where they were before the release. The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 1.4%, taking its weekly fall to about 2% and putting it on track for its biggest weekly drop since Trump announced his first major wave of tariffs on April 2. The U.S. economy added 73,000 nonfarm payrolls last month, below expectations for 110,000 in a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. "There's no way to pretty-up this report," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. "Last year the Fed messed up by not cutting in July so they did a catch-up cut at their next meeting. They'll likely have to do the same thing this year." Money market traders added to bets for a rate cut from the Fed at its September meeting. Markets imply around a 90% chance of a rate cut next month, compared with about 45% before the jobs data, according to LSEG data. The softer labour market figures arrived a day after Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs ranging from 10% to 41% on U.S. imports from several major trading partners. Rates were set at 25% for India's U.S.-bound exports, 20% for Taiwan's, 19% for Thailand's and 15% for South Korea's. He also increased duties on Canadian goods to 35% from 25% for all products not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, but gave Mexico a 90-day reprieve from higher tariffs to negotiate a broader trade deal. "The August 1 announcement on reciprocal tariffs is somewhat worse than expected," said Wei Yao, research head and chief economist in Asia at Société Générale. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.5%, bringing the total loss this week to roughly 2.7%. Japan's Nikkei closed 0.7% lower, Chinese blue chips ended 0.5% down and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost more than 1%. The U.S. dollar had earlier found support from fading prospects of imminent U.S. rate cuts, but reversed course after the data. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six others, was last down 1% on the day. The yen had weakened past 150 per dollar for the first time since April but strengthened to 148.71 per dollar after the data. The Bank of Japan held interest rates steady on Thursday and revised up its near-term inflation expectations, but Governor Kazuo Ueda sounded a little dovish in the press conference. Two-year Treasury yields, which are sensitive to changes in interest rate expectations, dropped 17.5 basis points to 3.7761%. Benchmark 10-year yields slipped 9 basis points to 4.273%. In commodity markets, oil prices continued to fall after a 1% plunge on Thursday. Brent dipped 0.3% to $71.55 per barrel, while U.S. crude fell 0.1% to $69.22 per barrel. Spot gold rose 1.3% to $3,332 an ounce.


Zawya
7 hours ago
- Zawya
Dusit International signs strategic partnership for hotel development in France
PARIS, FRANCE - Media OutReach Newswire - 1 August 2025 - Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with SYDEL, a French real estate investment company, to establish Dusit France – a joint venture created to bring Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to France for the first time. Leveraging SYDEL's local knowledge and operational expertise, the joint venture will focus on identifying opportunities for Dusit Hotels and Resorts, whose portfolio of nine brands spans the lodging spectrum – from affordable lifestyle hotels to full-service luxury retreats. Brands being considered for the French market include Dusit Thani (Bespoke Luxury), Devarana – Dusit Retreats (Wellness Luxury), Dusit Collection (Character Luxury), Dusit Hotels (Upper Upscale), dusitD2 (Lifestyle Upscale), Dusit Princess (Upper Midscale), ASAI Hotels (Lifestyle Midscale), and Dusit Suites (Lifestyle Long Stay). Together, Dusit and SYDEL will identify strategic locations, support asset owners with repositioning projects, and introduce innovative hotel concepts focused on delivering memorable guest experiences, championing well-being, and creating long-term sustainable value. The partnership was formalised at an exclusive signing ceremony held on 10 July 2025 in Paris. At the event, Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, shared the vision for Dusit France and outlined the group's growth ambitions in the region. "We are thrilled to partner with SYDEL to seek opportunities to expand Dusit's footprint and bring our distinctive brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to France – one of the world's most iconic travel destinations," said Mr Cretallaz. "This partnership marks an important milestone in our global expansion strategy, and we are confident that our unique blend of cultural authenticity, innovation, and gracious service will resonate strongly with travellers and developers alike." Dusit's portfolio currently spans 294 properties across 18 countries, including 55 operating under Dusit Hotels and Resorts and 239 luxury villas under Elite Havens. In Europe, the company operates the upper-upscale Dusit Suites Athens in Greece, located in the vibrant coastal district of Glyfada on the Athenian Riviera. Hashtag: #dusitinternational The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Dusit International


The National
9 hours ago
- The National
Mercedes adding Microsoft Teams to its cars feels like a meeting invitation nobody asked for
As if being stuck in traffic or missing an exit wasn't stressful enough, Mercedes-Benz has now decided to add Microsoft Teams to its vehicles, starting with its new CLA model. The collaboration between the German car company and the US tech giant feels not just confusing, but completely unnecessary. After all, nothing screams luxury like the ability to join a meeting mid-commute. But in all seriousness, this seems like a bad idea for many reasons. The most obvious concern is safety. Mercedes insists a camera, which will be built into the screen above the central display, won't distract drivers, but can that be true? When the car is in motion, drivers can't see the meeting but can still hear it, while colleagues and bosses can still see them. But why is that necessary? More importantly, why add another potential distraction to a space where even a momentary lapse in focus can be dangerous? Most road safety experts agree that even small distractions can dramatically increase the risk of accidents, so it doesn't feel right to normalise conference calls while on the go. Then, there's the absurdity of it all. Who asked for this? Did a survey reveal Mercedes owners begging for the ability to hop into a Teams meeting during their commute? Or is this for people so dedicated to their work that they feel the need to always be on call? Unless you're in a life-saving profession, I can't imagine that being necessary. And honestly, what kind of experience does this create? Imagine being stuck in traffic, the AC fighting off the summer heat, when your boss pops up on your car dashboard to ask about an unanswered email. Having a high-end car once meant comfort, freedom and maybe even a little indulgence. Now, apparently, it means bringing the office along for the ride. This leads to another big problem: how much it blurs the line between work and personal life. The pandemic pushed work into our homes. Do we really need it invading our cars, too? In Germany, where Mercedes is based, labour laws acknowledge this issue with measures aimed at protecting employees from the expectation of being constantly available. So it's a bit strange that the company is now designing cars that make it easier to be "always on". Sure, there's something to be said for being successful enough to afford a Mercedes-Benz with Microsoft Teams built in, but if that's the measure of success, I'm not sure I want it. These days, the world already feels hectic and stressful. People need to protect their mental health, and one of the best ways to do that is by setting boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Cars can be a buffer between work and home. When I'm in mine, it's time to myself, when I can listen to relaxing music or a podcast, or just be alone with my thoughts. If I suddenly heard the Microsoft Teams ringtone go off in my car, whatever Zen mode I was in would immediately be ruined. Psychologists often say that downtime, even the short drive between work and home, is vital for mental decompression. Are we sure we want to get rid of that? This isn't about just a new 'innovative' car feature, but about the start of a slippery slope where tech slowly infiltrates even more aspects of our lives. Today it's Microsoft Teams in the car, maybe tomorrow it's Slack on the bathroom mirror or Zoom on the refrigerator. At what point do we draw the line and say 'enough'? Technology was supposed to make our lives easier, not turn every spare moment into another chance to clock in. Mercedes might believe this is innovation, but it's a mistake. We need to ask: are these features making our lives better or just erasing the last spaces we had left for ourselves?