GERD back to the airwaves: US President Donald Trump’s latest comments on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and improved travel guidance from the US and UK were the main talking points on the airwaves last night.

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Trump doubles down on GERD remarks: Trump has once again weighed in on the GERD dispute, saying Ethiopia “built the dam with US money largely,” adding that “it doesn’t allow much water going into the Nile River,” Trump told GOP senators yesterday (watch, runtime: 17:52). Trump described the GERD as “one of the largest dams in the world” and said, “It should’ve never happened the way it happened.” The topic has been getting a lot of attention from Trump as of late, with the US president making similar comments last week, when he called the GERD a “big problem” and stressed the Nile’s vital importance to Egypt.

An end to the dispute? Ala Masouleety’s Ahmed Moussa weighed in on Trump’s remarks, saying the US president stressed that “the dispute will be solved soon” — though he gave no timeline for a resolution (watch, runtime: 4:09).

AND- US, UK ease travel advisories on Egypt: The US State Department has upgraded its travel advisory for Egypt to Level 2 — “exercise increased caution” — placing it on par with destinations like France and Germany. The UK Foreign Office also revised its guidance, citing the nearly 1 mn Brits who visit Egypt each year as a reflection of the country’s stability and safety, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Could we see more countries follow? Moussa described the US’ decision as a significant and timely step (watch, runtime: 2:51). “Many countries follow America’s lead when it comes to travel guidance,” he said.

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