Shoukry heads to Brussels following UN Security Council GERD negotiations: After a week in New York lobbying for UN help on the GERD dispute, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry was in Brussels yesterday to discuss “bilateral relations and regional issues” with European officials, a ministry statement said without providing further information. Shoukry met with the president of the European Council Charles Michel, as well as the Maltese and Slovenian foreign ministers during his visit.

Also from Brussels: Shoukry met new Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid for the first time since Israel’s new coalition government entered office in June. He emphasized the need for Israel and Palestine to reenter talks and urged the Israeli government to avoid escalating tensions with the Palestinieans, Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

Also worth knowing this morning:

• Sultan of Oman visits Saudi Arabia for first time: Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq traveled to Saudi Arabia yesterday for the first time since assuming power last year, marking the first official visit by an Omani leader in over a decade. The two sides signed a document that should pave the way for several agreements covering commerce, culture, investment promotion and post and transport. The story got coverage in Bloomberg and Reuters.
• China warns US after companies blacklisted: China has threatened to retaliate against Washington’s “unreasonable suppression” of Chinese companies following the addition of 23 Chinese entities to a US economic blacklist over their alleged role in human rights abuses and military ties, Bloomberg reports, citing a statement by Beijing’s commerce ministry.