Egypt Expands E-Learning to Cope with Pandemic

High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. (Reuters)
High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. (Reuters)
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Egypt Expands E-Learning to Cope with Pandemic

High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. (Reuters)
High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. (Reuters)

Egyptian authorities have sought to expand e-learning platforms and mechanisms as it entered the second day of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

The government, meanwhile, commended the “unrivaled” awareness shown by worshippers at mosques following the decision to reopen them.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi urged during a meeting with Education Minister Tarek Shawki the “expansion” of the use of e-learning platforms and apps. He also called for assessing the e-learning experience that was necessitated during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.

Shawki said that 1.5 million students are sitting for this year’s official high school exams, which are being supervised by 500,000 academic staff members. Preventive measures have been taken by the government to ensure that the tests are held in safe health conditions.

Egypt was among the few countries that managed to complete the academic year despite the pandemic, he added.

Meanwhile, the Awqaf Ministry hailed as “unprecedented” the level of awareness and responsibility displayed by worshippers as mosques reopened for the first time since virus restrictions were eased.

They are totally aware of the sensitivity of this stage and have committed to the preventive measures set by the Ministry, such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, avoiding handshakes and leaving the mosque immediately after completing prayers.



Iraq, UK Agree on Trade Package Worth up to $15 Billion, Defense Deal

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) shake hands during their meeting in Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) shake hands during their meeting in Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
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Iraq, UK Agree on Trade Package Worth up to $15 Billion, Defense Deal

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) shake hands during their meeting in Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) shake hands during their meeting in Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 January 2025. (EPA)

Iraq and Britain have agreed on a trade package worth up to 12.3 billion pounds ($14.98 billion) and a bilateral defense deal, the Iraqi and British prime ministers said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

The deal, envisaging more than 10 times the total of bilateral trade in 2024, was announced after a meeting between Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and British counterpart Keir Starmer at the latter's Downing Street offices.

It includes a 1.2-billion-pound project in which British-made power transmission systems will be used for a grid interconnection project between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as a 500-million-pound plan to upgrade the Al-Qayyarah air base in northern Iraq.

A water infrastructure project by a UK-led consortium that will help provide clean water in arid southern and western Iraq is also part of the deal, the statement said. The project would be worth up to 5.3 billion pounds in UK exports.

Sudani and Starmer also signed a defense deal that "establishes the basis for a new era in security cooperation".

Sudani said earlier that the UK-Iraqi security deal would develop bilateral military ties after last year's announcement that the US-led coalition set up to fight ISIS would end its work in Iraq in 2026.

The Iraqi premier began an official visit to the United Kingdom on Monday amid historic geopolitical shifts in the Middle East.

Iraq is trying to avoid becoming a conflict zone once again amid a period of regional upheaval that has seen Iran's allies Hamas degraded in Gaza and Hezbollah battered in Lebanon during wars with Israel, and Bashar al-Assad toppled in Syria.