CAIRO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto discussed on Tuesday a series of African issues and bilateral cooperation.

During the phone conversation, both leaders discussed the situation in the war-torn Sudan and development in the Nile Basin region, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.

They also agreed to intensify coordination and consultation between the two countries to enhance joint African action, in a way that contributes to achieving the desired sustainable development for the continent.

Sisi and Ruto also stressed the need to promote endeavors aimed at achieving continental integration at all levels, according to the statement.

The two presidents highlighted the broad prospects for developing distinguished bilateral relations and advancing frameworks for joint cooperation between Egypt and Kenya. - Xinhua

On the afternoon of July 28, 2023, President Xi Jinping met in Chengdu with President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye who is in China to attend the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games and pay a visit to the country.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China-Burundi relations have withstood the test of the changing international landscape, and the two countries are all-weather friends sharing weal and woe and good partners respecting each other and developing together. China firmly supports Burundi in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and pursuing an independent and self-reliant development path, and opposes external forces' interference. China is ready to work with Burundi to continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results as well as common development at a higher level.

Xi Jinping stressed that China is ready to strengthen exchanges of state governance experience with Burundi and enrich the China-Burundi all-weather partnership. Practical cooperation between China and Burundi has strongly boosted Burundi's economic development and improved people's livelihood. China will accelerate the advancement of relevant major cooperation projects, support the early export of Burundi's agricultural products to China, give full play to the role of the agricultural technology demonstration center and agricultural experts, encourage competitive Chinese enterprises to invest in Burundi, and help Burundi achieve food self-sufficiency and self-reliant sustainable development. China is ready to work with Burundi to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation on major international affairs, especially hotspot issues in Africa, and jointly make positive contributions to peace and stability in Africa.

Stressing that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future, Xi Jinping said developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries has been the cornerstone of China's foreign policy, as well as a firm and longstanding strategy. Over the years, China-Africa cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, which has not only brought tangible benefits to Africa, but also created better conditions for the international community to conduct cooperation with Africa. As the world is now facing multiple challenges and crises, it is all the more important for China and Africa to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to safeguard the common interests of the vast number of developing countries as well as international fairness and justice. China is ready to provide new opportunities to African countries with its new development, and work with African brothers, including Burundi, to follow through on the outcomes of the Dakar Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, promote Belt and Road cooperation, synergize the Global Development Initiative with the African Union's Agenda 2063, and achieve common development and progress.

Ndayishimiye said although Burundi and China are far apart, the friendship between the two peoples has grown stronger as time goes by, and the two countries have always respected, trusted and supported each other. Burundi thanks China for its valuable support, and regards China as an all-weather cooperative partner for its national development. Burundi firmly pursues the one-China policy and considers Taiwan as an inalienable part of China. Burundi firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by China, opposes double standards on human rights issues, and stands against interference in other countries' internal affairs. Burundi hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in agriculture, mining, animal husbandry and other fields, to align with the African Union's Agenda 2063, help Burundi and Africa achieve development and strive for greater development of Africa-China relations. The Africa-China cooperation is mutually beneficial for win-win results. Burundi is ready to work with China to enhance communication and cooperation in regional and international affairs, strengthen Africa-China solidarity and cooperation, and build a more just and reasonable international order.

Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi, and Shen Yiqin, among others, attended the meeting. - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

The phrase “black market” should not be used because it is racist, banking leaders have said.

UK Finance, a lobby group that represents the interests of Britain’s banks and those in financial services, issued guidance banning language it says is “non-inclusive”.

The guidance suggests replacing “black market” with “illegal market” to avoid racial bias or discrimination.

The cyber security term “black hat”, which refers to an unauthorised user on a network, should be replaced with “unethical”, it adds, while “sanity check” should be replaced by “functional test” in order not to “infer a level of disability”.

David Postings, the chief executive of UK Finance, said the body takes linguistic issues in society “extremely seriously”

But Nigel Mills, a Tory MP, called the guidance – which was issued in 2021 – “woke nonsense”, adding: “You’d think bank bosses would have their focus on the country’s economy rather than this.” 

‘Gender biased’

The phrase “man in the middle” which indicates a cyber attack, was also thought to be gender biased, to be replaced with “network interception”, says the guidance. 

A cyber attack check to see how secure a network is, known as “penetration testing”, should now be called “ethical hacking” or “blue testing”.

A spokesman for UK Finance said: “Two years ago, we issued a report in conjunction with EY and Microsoft that looked at the issue of language in technology and cyber security.”

It comes after a charity advised doctors to refer to a vagina as a “bonus hole” to avoid upsetting transgender men.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said “bonus hole” and “front hole” were acceptable alternatives to vagina, a word that could “cause someone to feel hurt or distressed”.

Oxfam also published an inclusive language guide which cautioned staff against using the terms “mother” and “father”.

And in April a judge in North Wales, Mr Justice Eyre, asked jurors whether addressing them as “ladies and gentlemen” was acceptable for fear it may have been too “traditional, offensive or exclusive”. By Alex Barton, The Telegraph