by Aziz EL MASSASSI Agence France Presse Hurghada, Egypt (AFP) — In serene turquoise waters off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, scuba divers ease among delicate pink jellyfish and admire coral — yet a rebounding tourism sector threatens the fragile marine ecosystem. The Red Sea is a top scuba diving destination, but Egypt’s tourism sector was buffeted by a wave of security shocks through much of this decade, before a partial recovery since 2017. A diving […]
Tag: Egypt
Fiery crash at Cairo train station kills 20
by Menna Zaki and Aziz El Massassi A hurtling locomotive crashed, derailed and caught fire at Cairo’s main train station on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people in the latest disaster to strike Egypt’s rundown railways. The country’s transportation minister resigned hours after the accident. The train engine appeared to have slammed into the buffers at the end of the track at high speed, sparking a major blaze that blackened the walls of the […]
Egypt threatens Apple with legal action under competition law
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Egypt has warned it will take legal action against Apple if the US tech giant fails to remove alleged “restrictions” on local distributors within 60 days. A decree threatening action was published in the official gazette on Monday after accusations from Egypt’s Competition Authority that Apple had violated the country’s competition law. It said the company had “isolated the Egyptian market geographically” by restricting sales to distributors in the country from […]
Egypt unearths one of oldest Nile Delta villages
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — One of the oldest villages in the Nile Delta has been discovered after archaeologists unearthed artifacts dating to the fifth millennium BC, Egypt’s antiquities ministry has said. Remains of the village were uncovered by a French-Egyptian team at Tel Samara, in northeastern Egypt, the ministry said Sunday. Similar structures dating to the period between 4,200 BC and 2,900 BC “have never been found in that region,” said Ayman Ashmawy, the ministry’s […]
Blast at Cairo chemical site injures 12: army
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — A strong explosion at a chemical tank near Cairo airport in the east of the Egyptian capital has left at least a dozen people injured, the army said on Thursday night. Witnesses reported the blast after hearing a loud noise, and images of flames and smoke were shared on social media. Security sources said the 12 injured people were taken to hospital for treatment. Army spokesman Tamer el-Refai said on Twitter […]
Russia sours return of Egypt’s Salah to close in on last 16 of World Cup 2018
by Kieran Canning Agence France Presse SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia — The return of Mohamed Salah from injury couldn’t prevent World Cup hosts Russia from virtually sealing their place in the last 16 by beating Egypt 3-1 on Tuesday. An own goal by Egypt captain Ahmed Fathy opened the floodgates on a sodden night in Saint Petersburg before goals from Denis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba furthered Russian hopes they can defy pre-tournament expectations with a deep […]
Egypt opens Gaza border for month of Ramadan: president
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has made a rare decision to open the Rafah crossing with Gaza for a month, allowing Palestinians to cross during the period of Ramadan. The decision to keep the crossing open was taken “to alleviate the suffering” of residents in the Palestinian enclave, Sisi said on Facebook late Thursday. The Rafah crossing is Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world not controlled by Israel, but Egypt […]
In photos: INC members in Cairo, Egypt take part in Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty
Egyptians vote in second day of election
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Polls opened in Egypt on Tuesday for the second day of a presidential election incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win easily against a little-known rival. Few voters could be seen at one polling station which opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT) in Cairo. Authorities have been urging Egyptians to participate in the three-day vote, hoping for a high turnout despite what is seen as a foregone conclusion. Sisi’s sole […]
Egypt: pyramids, desert and military rule
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Egypt, known worldwide for its ancient pyramids, is the Arab world’s most populous country and has been under military control for decades. It is ruled by ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is assured of a second term in elections next week. Here is some background about the country. Army’s grip on power After a period of British rule, Egypt gained independence in 1922 under King Fuad I. In 1952, charismatic army […]
10 killed as Egypt trains collide: health ministry
CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded Wednesday as two trains collided in Egypt, the latest in a string of deadly accidents on the North African country’s railways, the health ministry said. The collision between a freight train and a passenger train took place in the northern province of Behaira, it said in a statement. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, but it comes months after […]
Israel announces ‘historic’ gas contract with Egypt
JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israel has struck an “historic” contract for sales of billions of dollars’ worth of natural gas to Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday. “This will bring billions of dollars to state coffers,” he said in a statement announcing the deal with Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel. The Israeli energy group Delek said the value of the contract was $15 billion. It […]





