Red Sea islands move

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has ratified a maritime demarcation deal with Saudi Arabia to transfer two Red Sea islands to the Saudi authorities.

The Egyptian president’s ratification on Saturday came after the Egyptian parliament approved in a general vote the controversial agreement to hand over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir.

Sisi’s administration says the islands originally belonged to the Saudis and should be returned, while politicians opposed to the deal say the islands are Egyptian and giving them up will be sacrificing national soil for temporary interests.