Designating the Ikhwan as a terrorist organization remains an important issue for the Congress, US Congressman Robert Pittenger told Extra News on Thursday (runtime 1:29). Pittenger is a co-sponsor of the bill to designate the Ikhwan a terrorist organization. He added that there is increased understanding of the importance of the bill as congressmen understand more about the central role the Ikhwan play in terrorist activities. Pittenger’s statement comes on the back of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s meeting with President Donald Trump and his cabinet

El Sisi had subsequently met with US Senators John McCain — the Chair of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee — and Lindsey Graham in Cairo on Saturday to discuss a number of issues related to security and human rights, an emailed statement from Ittihadiya said. Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi met with Chairman of the US House Judiciary Committee Darrell Issa in Cairo, Al Mal reports.

Egypt urges restraint on Syria: Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amr Abul Atta also called on the US and Russia to cooperate and reach a political settlement to avoid further destruction in Syria, according to the State Information Service. Atta said that disagreements and competition in the Security Council far from Syria is the origin of the problem. His statements come following the US Tomahawk missile strike on a Syrian government air base on Friday, reported to be the launch site of a chemical weapons attack on Tuesday, which resulted in the death of at least 70 people. A Foreign Ministry statement on Friday also urged de-escalation.

The ministry also condemned the Friday attack in Stockholm, during which a hijacked lorry drove into a crowd of people in the center of the Swedish capital, killing four and injuring 15 more, Al Masry Al Youm reports.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is scheduled to visit Khartoum, where discussions are expected to include lifting Sudan’s ban on a number of Egyptian goods, Ahram Online reports. The two sides also look set to blame their respective media industries for poor relations, saying “irresponsible” media have prompted flaps and suggesting there should be some form of media code of conduct in each country.

On a related note, Sudan has issued an entry visa requirement for all Egyptian males aged 18-50. Egyptian authorities will begin implementing the requirements today, according to Ahram Gate.

Meanwhile, Qatar, which had been happily stirring up the pot that is Sudan-Egypt relations, is again trying to stir things up between Egypt and Ethiopia, as Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani heads to Ethiopia tomorrow on a two-day official visit. Ostensibly, He is expected to sign agreements on visa requirements with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome. Al Masry Al Youm is viewing the true motives behind the statelet’s push into the Nile basin with some skepticism, and frankly, so are we.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General William Swing arrived in Cairo yesterday for a two-day visit during which he will meet with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, Ahram Gate reports.

14 Arab energy ministers signed an MoU on Thursday to establish a joint electricity market, Al Borsa reported. The signatories include Egypt, KSA, UAE, Bahrain, Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Comoros Islands, Libya, Morocco, Kuwait, and Yemen.