Everything you need to know about Egypt: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Egypt: World's Oldest Civilisation and Land of the Pyramids
Egypt is located in North Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East. Egypt is the world's oldest civilization and the foundation stone of this mighty civilization was laid around 3200 BC. Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines replaced the last native dynasty of Egypt in 341BC. The Mamluks, local military caste ruled Egypt till it was taken over by Ottoman Empire in 1517. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 changed the whole fate and made the Egypt an important world transportation hub. Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882 that lasted till 1952. Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world. To meet the demand of current situation the Egyptian government initiated economic reforms and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.
Egypt Profile: Overview of Facts and Figures:
Geographical Information on Egypt :
Egypt is located in northeastern Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, is bordered on the west by Libya, on the south by Sudan, and on the east by the Red Sea and Israel.
Apart from the Nile Valley the majority of Egypt's landscape is a desert. The winds blowing can create sand dunes more than 100 feet (30 m) high. Egyptian desert includes parts of the Sahara Desert and of the Libyan Desert.
Climate of Egypt is desert having hot, dry summers with moderate winters. Egypt does not receive much rainfall except in the winter month. The Khamaseen is a wind that blows from the south in Egypt in spring, brings sand and dust that raises the temperature in the desert to more than 100 °F.
Culture, Cuisine and Tradition of Egypt:
The Culture of Egypt is fine blend of the old and the new. In Egypt one can witness the charm and splendor of ancient culture imbibed with the modern culture and life style of people. Ancient Egyptians constructed Pyramids for the final resting ground of their Pharaohs or kings. The pyramid of Giza is an example of exemplary architecture and craftsmanship.
Egyptian cuisine is a fine blend of cooking from Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine and Syrian food cultures. These amalgamations provide uniqueness to Egyptian food. Rice along with bread is the food of Egyptian main courses. The other most important item of Egyptian cuisine is fava beans. Egyptians are very fond of strong flavor of garlic and onions. Kebabs in different flavor holds important place in Egyptian menu and recipes. Hamaam (small pigeons) and fish are the other flavored non-vegetarian dishes of Egypt.
Tourist Attractions of Egypt:
There are many tourist attractions in Egypt that spellbound visitors. Among the prominent Egyptian pyramids is Giza. Apart from the pyramids there is the Sphinx and Sharm al Sheikh to be visited.
Egypt is the womb of the world civilization and its capital Cairo is the most visited city. The beauty and significance of Cairo can be judged from the fact that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The charisma of pyramids and Nile cruises will leave an everlasting impact on the senses. Another tourist attraction in Egypt is Alexandria, a historic site reminding one of the great warriors Alexander and beautiful Cleopatra.
Major Sight-seeing Places in Egypt include:
• Giza pyramid
• Great Sphinx
• Sharm El Sheikh
• Marsa Alam
• Alexandria
• Nile cruises
• Lake Nasser
Paris, May 24 (IANS/EFE) Singer-songwriter Georges Moustaki died Thursday in the French Mediterranean city of Nice, his family said. He was 79.
Moscow, May 24 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Taliban influence in Afghanistan may grow after international coalition forces pull out, while rising radicalism in Syria could lead to the country's disintegration, Russian military intelligence agency GRU has said.
New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) After twice failing to get the nod from the International Olympic Committee, the squash world is hoping that the IOC, at its meeeting in St. Petersburg on May 29, will shortlist the racquet sport for the 2020 Games.
London, May 21 (ANI): Discrimination against Jews and Muslims is on the rise around the world, according to a new report in the US.
Ankara, May 20 (IANS) A hot air balloon crashed while flying over a popular tourist destination in Turkey, and collided with another balloon just 300 metres above the ground, killing two people and injuring 23 Monday.
Gaza, May 19 (IANS) Fouad Yahya, a resident of the Gaza Strip, had never expected that one day a fish will help treat his skin disease, a therapy that he learnt about via the internet.
Paris, May 18 (IANS) Top seed and defending champion Ding Ning led five Chinese to the quarterfinals of the women's singles event at the World Table Tennis Championships here.
Washington, May 18 (ANI): A Microsoft security expert said that computer viruses are on a rise worldwide once again after years of being less popular amongst computer attackers.
Cairo, May 18 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirtaes (UAE) and Egypt have held talks over enhancing cooperation in the civil aviation sector.
Cairo, May 17 (IANS/EFE) Archaeologists found the 1,400-year-old remains of a soldier in Aswan, a city in southern Egypt, Minister of State for Antiquities Ahmed Eisa said.
London, May 16 (ANI): The only refuge for KFC lovers in the Gaza strip is to get the food delivered via tunnels linking the besieged land to Egypt.
Washington, May 16 (ANI): An al Qaeda-linked militant cell had planned to carry out suicide attacks on the French and US embassies in Egypt.
Washington, May 14 (ANI): Mariah Carey is reportedly planning to go on tour.
Speaking at a press conference here, Egypt's presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmi said: "Egypt considers Iran part of a solution to the Syrian crisis not part of the crisis, as some parties believe", and termed Iran an "influential" country in the region, reported Xinhua.
Cairo, May 13 (ANI): Former president Hosni Mubarak, who fell from power in Egypt after the uprising in 2011, said that future generations would judge him 'fairly'.
Dubai, May 13 (IANS) Nearly half of over $61 billion sent by expatriates in the Gulf countries in 2012 went to India, according to new data.
Teotihuacan (Mexico), May 13 (IANS/EFE) A robot that weighs just 25 kg is helping scientists explore the underworld of Teotihuacan, an archaeological complex.
Johannesburg, May 12 (ANI): Police in Egypt have arrested members of an al-Qaeda-linked cell that plotted to carry out a suicide bombing against a Western embassy and other targets in the country, the interior minister has said.
Cairo, May 11 (IANS) A court in Egypt decided Saturday to adjourn the retrial of former president Hosni Mubarak to June 8, state media reported.
London, May 11 (ANI): An American student is attempting to make a record as the youngest person in history to fly solo around the world, and will be making his first stop in the UK after setting off from California on May 2.
Lagos, May 10 (IANS) The Nigerian Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is looking to replace its aging stars by scouting for talent at the grassroots.
Sydney, May 7 (ANI): The Islamic-ruled Egyptian government has opened its arms to visitors who drink alcohol and wear bikinis in an effort to boost tourism numbers which has suffered a decline following a popular uprising which toppled the Hosni Mubarak government in 2011.
Cairo, May 7 (IANS/AKI) Islamist militants have shot dead a man selling alcohol in Egypt's Sinai peninsula, security sources said.
Gaborone (Bostwana), May 4 (IANS) Botswana national football team coach Stanley Tshosane has announced a provisional squad in preparation for a friendly against former African champions Egypt June 4.
Beijing, May 4 (Xinhua-ANI): Three people were killed in Egypt after a Facebook overnight spat over President Mohamed Morsi turned into a bloody fight, state-run Al-Ahram news website reported Friday.
Dubai, May 2 (IANS) India topped the list of countries to which remittances have been sent by expatriate workers in Qatar in the period 2006-2012, according to a new report.
Johannesburg, May 1 (ANI): More than three quarters of Muslims in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia favour traditional sharia to be 'the official law of the land' in all Islamic countries, but are divided on the issue of its application, a recent survey has revealed.
Islamabad, May. 1 (ANI): A US government-appointed panel has urged Washington to step up pressure on Pakistan over religious freedom, warning that risks to its minorities have reached a crisis level.
London, Apr. 29 (ANI): The office of Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi has suggested a compromise may have been reached to end a crisis over the judiciary.
Tehran, April 29 (IANS) Iran is ready to host the next meeting of the quartet group on Syria set to begin in near future, the country's foreign minister Ali-Akbar Salehi has said.
Tehran, April 29 (IANS) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that insecurity of Syria will jeopardise the whole region.
Sydney, Apr. 26 (ANI): Google has been getting requests by governments of various countries to censor its content.
Kolkata, April 25 (IANS) South Africa has emerged as the new popular destination for Indian leisure travellers on a budget, followed by Egypt and Morocco, according to a survey by an international travel site.
Washington, Apr 25 (ANI): The builders of the famous Giza pyramids feasted on food from a massive catering-type operation, the remains of which scientists have discovered at a workers' town near the pyramids.
Cairo, April 24 (IANS/AKI) A court in Cairo has sentenced Egypt's former minister of finance Youssef Boutros Ghali to 25 years in prison for squandering public funds.
Milan, April 23 (IANS/AKI) Italy's oil and gas giant Eni has been awarded a deepwater exploration block in Egypt's eastern Mediterranean, the company said.
Mumbai, April 22 (IANS) International telecom services provider and a unit of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, Reliance Globalcom, Monday said that Saudi Arabia-based mobile communications and technology provider Mobily has become its first customer to activate the newly launched 'Hawk' submarine cable system in the Mediterranean Sea.
Jerusalem, Apr 22 (ANI): Egyptian security forces have uncovered an Israeli spy network operating in northern Sinai, a report has said.
Beijing, Apr. 21 (Xinhua-ANI): Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Saturday reaffirmed that a cabinet reshuffle will come soon but it will not be swayed by any opposition pressure.
Sharjah, April 21 (IANS/WAM) Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and north Africa, "will continue to set standard for the low-cost travel segment, offering great fares to an ever growing range of destinations".
Cairo, April 18 (IANS) Indian music and dance won many Egyptian hearts when a Bollywood fusion show rocked the Cairo Opera House here earlier this week.
Cairo, April 18 (IANS) A unique exhibition of visual arts showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Indian scripts has been unspooled at the Hanager Arts Centre in this Egyptian capital.
Cairo, April 18 (IANS) In a first of its kind in Egypt, the Indian embassy and Teamwork productions in collaboration with the soloists of the Cairo Opera Ballet Company presented "Bollywood Music and Dance Fusion" at the Opera House here last weekend, drawing enthusiastic support from the audience.
Cairo, April 18 (IANS) Indian handicraft and calligraphy are being showcased in the Egyptian capital through a week-long exhibition, aimed at highlighting India's great written heritage.
Cairo, April 17 (IANS) An Egyptian court Wednesday sentenced Prime Minister Hesham Qandil, in absentia, to a jail term of one year over failing to enforce a judicial verdict to nationalise the Tanta Flax company, Xinhua reported.
Cairo, April 17 (IANS) Egypt's prosecution Wednesday ordered that former president Hosni Mubarak be sent back back to Tora Prison Hospital, Xinhua reported quoting official Al-Ahram news website.
Cairo, April 17 (IANS) Egypt's Misdemeanor Dokki Court sentenced Wednesday Prime Minister Hesham Qandil to one year in prison and ordered his removal from job, accusing him of failing to implement a verdict to return a privatised company to the state, state-run Al-Ahram online reported, according to Xinhua.
Cairo, April 13 (Xinhua-ANI): Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak arrived in the Police Academy in Cairo's outskirts for his retrial Saturday morning, state TV reported.
Cairo, April 13 (IANS/AKI) A team of archaeologists in Egypt has unearthed what are believed to be the world's most ancient harbour and a set of hieroglyphic papyri dating to the third millennium B.C..
Washington, Apr 13 (ANI): Egyptian Defence Minister Abdel Fatah al-Sissi has denied reports that the armed forces were involved in killing and torturing protesters during the country's 2011 revolution.
Ankara (Turkey), April 12 (IANS) Egyptian Minister of Sport El Amry Farouk has said they would give full support to Turkey's 2020 Olympics bid.
Cairao, April 11 (IANS) A Hungarian officer affiliated with the peacekeeping forces was abducted in Egypt's North Sinai by Bedouins, official source told Xinhua Thursday.
London, Apr. 11 (ANI): Egypt's armed forces participated in forced disappearances, torture and killings across the country during the 2011 uprising, according to a leaked presidential report on revolution-era crimes.
Cairo, April 10 (IANS/AKI) Egyptian prosecutors have begun an investigation into three complaints against popular TV comedian Bassem Youssef over allegations of promoting atheism, harming diplomatic ties between Egypt and Pakistan, and insulting the attorney general.
London, Apr. 7 (ANI): A court in Egypt has rejected a lawsuit calling for a ban on the TV programme of popular satirist Bassem Youssef.
Washington, Apr. 7 (ANI): At least five people have been killed and five more injured after clashes broke out between Christians and Muslims in Egypt.
London, Apr 6 (ANI): Egypt's parliament is set to pass a law, which according to campaigners will severely restrict the activity of human rights groups and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country.
New York, Apr 6 (ANI): Typically, women order wine and men order beer, but beer was much more of a woman's beverage back in the day-and children had their fill of it too.
Mumbai, April 4 (IANS) International telecom services provider Reliance Globalcom Thursday activated its 'Hawk' submarine cable system in Egypt and integrated it with the company's network to meet the growing customer requirements for high-speed, reliable and cost-effective solutions in the Middle East and India.
Beijing, Apr. 3 (Xinhua-ANI): Islamic Hamas movement warned on Wednesday of a possible escalation of strikes by Israeli army against the Gaza Strip.
Cairo, April 2 (IANS) Hamas' Shura council, the highest decision-making body of the Islamic Palestinian militant group, has decided in Cairo to grant a new term to its current leader Khaled Meshaal, official news agency MENA reported.
Cairo, April 1 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Egypt has prepared technologies and equipment to block access to websites with pornographic content, the deputy head of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority Sherif Hashem said.
Cairo, April 1 (IANS) Egyptian government has said it believes Iran should participate in the diplomatic efforts to find out a solution of the ongoing Syria conflict.
Cairo, April 1 (IANS) A technical team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to visit Egypt Wednesday to discuss a $4.8 billion loan aimed at boosting Egypt's ailing economy, Xinhua reported.
Washington, Mar. 31 (ANI): A leading cleric in Egypt has said in a video, that it is only a matter of time before "the flag of Islam flies above the White House".
Oran (Algeria), March 31 (IANS) Egypt Under-20 football team snatched the 2013 African Youth Championship (AYC) title at the Ahmed Zabana Stadium here after edging past Ghana 5-4 on penalties.
It's been a few days since the worst denial-of-service attack in the internet's three-decade history. A 300-gigabit-per-second torrent of traffic flooded the networks of Spamhaus, and the Internet's major switches in London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. It was like a million cars trying to get on to Mumbai's Sealink at the same time. Some called it the attack that 'almost broke the Internet'.
London, Mar. 31 (ANI): A Popular Egyptian political satirist has been issued an arrest warrant for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mohammed Morsi.
Gaza, March 30 (IANS) Hama's Gaza chief Ismail Haniyeh Saturday led a high-ranking delegation headed to Egypt in a surprise visit, reported Xinhua citing sources.
Islamabad, Mar 39 (ANI): Libyan deputy Prime Minister Awad al-Barassi has revealed two British activists of Pakistani origin with a humanitarian convoy destined for the Gaza Strip were subjected to a brutal gang rape by five men in front of their father in eastern city of Benghazi.
Sydney, Mar. 29 (ANI): Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib has won the right to make a claim of racial discrimination against the New South Wales Police.
Kuala Lumpur, March 28 (IANS) India's top squash players Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal lost their respective matches in the KL Open here Thursday.
Kuala Lumpur, March 28 (IANS) India's top squash players Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal lost their respective matches in the KL Open here Thursday.
Washington, Mar. 28 (ANI): Women in Egypt are fighting against sexual assaults that have skyrocketed and often committed by gangs of men during protests against President Mohammed Morsi at Tahrir Square.
Abu Dhabi, March 27 (IANS/WAM) Engineering students in the UAE will build a fuel-efficient "made-in-the-UAE" car to compete at a challenge in Malaysia in July.
Durban, March 26 (IANS) As leaders from the five BRICS nations, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a host of invitees, gather here for the BRICS Summit March 26-27, Africa will be the focus at the 5th edition.
Washington, Mar. 25 (ANI): Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has delivered a stern warning to his opponents, saying he might be close to taking unspecified measures to 'protect Egypt'.
Cairo, March 25 (IANS) Egypt's Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah has decided to hand over two former Libyan officials to the Egyptian Interpol for extradition to Libya, state news agency MENA reported.
Cairo, March 24 (IANS) Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is scheduled to attend the Arab League Summit in Qatar and the BRICS Summit in South Africa March 26-27, reports Xinhua.
Manama, Mar 23 (ANI): A Syrian actress has accused Islamists of attacking her at the Cairo Opera House where she was reading a poem supportive of President Bashar Al Assad.
Cairo, March 23 (IANS/EFE) Two foreign tourists were kidnapped Friday while travelling in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, a source in the Egyptian security services told EFE.
New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Understanding the BRICS group of emerging economies will allow controlling its contours as also help it expand to other countries, India's External Affairs Minister said Friday.
Oslo, March 22 (IANS) A Norwegian woman has been kidnapped in the Sinai desert in Egypt, the country's foreign ministry said Friday.
New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) India should look at Egypt as its gateway to Africa, Osama Saleh, Egypt's Minister of Investment, said here.
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) India and Egypt Wednesday agreed on the scope for boosting defence ties through increased interactions between armed forces and technology collaboration between industries of two countries.
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Visas on arrival, more direct flights and cultural exhibitions across India are some of the steps Egypt will take to woo Indian tourists, it was announced Wednesday.
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Egypt Wednesday invited Indian investments in the country, and said it also proposes to establish a free economic zone for Indian companies.
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday lauded Egypt's nascent democracy and said the two countries must find new ways of engagement between their youthful populations.
New Delhi, Mar 20 (ANI) President Pranab Mukherjee has said that India has sought Egypt's active cooperation in building a genuinely representative global order.
As one spends a quiet evening on a quaint beach of the White Nile, it is no giveaway that the longest river on the planet is simmering. The slugfest involves the 11 riparian states, touched by the 6,650 km of main river and tributaries, each involved in a complicated dog fight of bilateral diplomacy mixed with regional trade unionism in north and east Africa with its ripples felt as far as the Gulf.
London, Mar 20 (ANI): A close aide and cousin of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been arrested in Egypt.
New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) India and Egypt Tuesday inked seven agreements, including for setting up a centre of excellence in Information Technology at Cairo's Al Azhar University, after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Egypt Tuesday pushed for India to join its ambitious Suez Canal corridor project as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi met here for talks to forge closer cooperation in economic and other fields.
New Delhi, Mar. 19 (ANI): India and Egypt on Tuesday inked five MOUs in IT, space, cyber security and education during the visit of President Dr. Mohamed Morsy to New Delhi. The agreements signed included the following:
New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday said that he and the visiting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi underscored the importance of forging stronger regional and international cooperation between our two countries to address common challenges like climate change, food and energy security and terrorism.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): India has said that it will seek to strengthen its bilateral ties with Egypt during President Mohamed Morsi's three-day state visit.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi was given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here this morning.
Cairo, Mar 18 (ANI): Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has criticised a report by the United Nations that aims to end violence against women and girls.
New Delhi, Mar 18 (ANI): Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi will begin a three- day official visit to India from today.
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi arrives here Monday on a three-day visit, after a short stopover in Islamabad, to boost bilateral ties with India, especially in trade.
