Ahmed Salem Ali

Cairo is monitoring Houthi advances near Bab al-Mandab amid fears of disruption to Red Sea shipping and traffic through the Suez Canal.

The presidential pardon comes just days after al-Qaradawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 200,000 dirhams.

Xi's Cairo visit highlights Egypt's efforts to deepen ties with China while maintaining strategic relations with Washington as regional tensions brew.