After US cuts, delays aid to Egypt, Kushner snubbed in Cairo

Cairo - White House adviser Jared Kushner and visiting US officials have been snubbed by the Foreign Ministry in Cairo in apparent protest over a US cut in aid to Egypt.

The ministry says the country's top diplomat, Sameh Shoukry, cancelled his meeting with Kushner and the others, which had been scheduled for later on Wednesday. The US delegation is in Cairo as part of a Mideast tour to press Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

The gesture comes after the Trump administration on Tuesday cut nearly $100m in military and economic aid to Egypt and delayed almost $200m more in military financing, pending human rights improvements and action to ease harsh restrictions on civic and other non-governmental groups.

A government statement says the American delegation will still meet with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.