Almost a day after a train collision in Egypt, the death toll has been revised down to 19, from an earlier number of at least 32.

On Thursday, two trains collided in southern Egypt as a result of which three carriages derailed in the province of Sohag.

The initial statement by the health ministry stated that "32 people were killed and 66 injured" and sent to a nearby hospital.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-32-killed-66-wounded-in-egypt-train-collision-373448">At least 32 killed, 66 wounded in Egypt train collision</a>

However, a revised statement reported that 19 people had lost their lives to this collision and the toll of injured people rose from 165 to 185.

"After we honed in on the details of those killed and injured... at this moment there are 185 injured and 19 corpses and three bags of body parts," Health Minister Hala Zayed said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-hospital-fire-kills-seven-coronavirus-patients-injures-five-352612" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-hospital-fire-kills-seven-coronavirus-patients-injures-five-352612&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjoq6bsztDvAhWD7XMBHUKMAKwQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1lBN1D5UpL-FydBS4vrHtR" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-hospital-fire-kills-seven-coronavirus-patients-injures-five-352612" target="_blank">Egypt: Hospital fire kills seven coronavirus patients, injures five</a>

Victims were laid to rest in the early hours of Sunday with small groups of family and friends who came to pay their respects to the loved ones.

The remaining victims' burial will take place after mid-day Muslim prayers, the AFP agency reported.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday called for "deterrent punishment" for those responsible for the collision of two passenger trains.&nbsp;

"Anyone who caused this painful accident through negligence or corruption, or anything similar, must receive a deterrent punishment without exception or delay," he said in a tweet.

Egypt's rail authority said that some passengers had "activated emergency brakes in several carriages" which led to the accident.&nbsp;

Almost a day after a train collision in Egypt, the death toll has been revised down to 19, from an earlier number of at least 32. On Thursday, two trains collided in southern Egypt as a result of which three carriages derailed in the province of Sohag.

Almost a day after a train collision in Egypt, the death toll has been revised down to 19, from an earlier number of at least 32. On Thursday, two trains collided in southern Egypt as a result of which three carriages derailed in the province of Sohag. The initial statement by the health ministry stated that "32 people were killed and 66 injured" and sent to a nearby hospital. Also read | At least 32 killed, 66 wounded in Egypt train collision However, a revised statement reported that 19 people had lost their lives to this collision and the toll of injured people rose from 165 to 185. "After we honed in on the details of those killed and injured... at this moment there are 185 injured and 19 corpses and three bags of body parts," Health Minister Hala Zayed said. Also read | Egypt: Hospital fire kills seven coronavirus patients, injures five Victims were laid to rest in the early hours of Sunday with small groups of family and friends who came to pay their respects to the loved ones. The remaining victims' burial will take place after mid-day Muslim prayers, the AFP agency reported. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday called for "deterrent punishment" for those responsible for the collision of two passenger trains. "Anyone who caused this painful accident through negligence or corruption, or anything similar, must receive a deterrent punishment without exception or delay," he said in a tweet. Egypt's rail authority said that some passengers had "activated emergency brakes in several carriages" which led to the accident.

Death toll of Egypt train collision revised down to 19; Burial begins

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project.&nbsp;

At the heart of the city, workers are putting finishing touches to an avenue of ministries that echo the architecture of pharaonic temples and adjoin a raised Islamic complex, two domed parliament buildings and a sprawling presidential compound.&nbsp;

There will be a monorail passing through a business district where a 385-metre central tower is close to completion. Beyond, the contours of a 10km park stretching to a giant mosque are taking shape.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-egypt-is-relocating-its-capital-city-371514">Watch |</a>

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The city, known simply as the New Administrative Capital, is designed to operate with smart technology on virgin land away from the clutter and chaos of Cairo. It will boast universities, leisure facilities and a diplomatic quarter.&nbsp;

But it has made halting progress, and after Emirati funding fell through shortly after it was announced in 2015, the military and government took on the estimated $25 billion cost of the first phase, injecting off-budget investment.&nbsp;

Some foreign loans and financing have been secured.&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic also slowed progress, and the first of three planned phases, covering 168 square kilometres, will not be completed when the government begins to move in.&nbsp;

"The rate of completion of the first phase has passed 60% across all projects," said Khaled el-Husseiny, spokesman for the new capital.&nbsp;

He added that the delayed transfer of civil servants would begin in July, ahead of an official opening planned for the end of 2021.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project.

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project. At the heart of the city, workers are putting finishing touches to an avenue of ministries that echo the architecture of pharaonic temples and adjoin a raised Islamic complex, two domed parliament buildings and a sprawling presidential compound. There will be a monorail passing through a business district where a 385-metre central tower is close to completion. Beyond, the contours of a 10km park stretching to a giant mosque are taking shape. Watch | The city, known simply as the New Administrative Capital, is designed to operate with smart technology on virgin land away from the clutter and chaos of Cairo. It will boast universities, leisure facilities and a diplomatic quarter. But it has made halting progress, and after Emirati funding fell through shortly after it was announced in 2015, the military and government took on the estimated $25 billion cost of the first phase, injecting off-budget investment. Some foreign loans and financing have been secured. The coronavirus pandemic also slowed progress, and the first of three planned phases, covering 168 square kilometres, will not be completed when the government begins to move in. "The rate of completion of the first phase has passed 60% across all projects," said Khaled el-Husseiny, spokesman for the new capital. He added that the delayed transfer of civil servants would begin in July, ahead of an official opening planned for the end of 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Egypt looks to move to new capital, away from chaos of Cairo 

Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has announced the discovery of a number of ancient churches and rooms in the Bahariya Oasis, southwest of Cairo.&nbsp;

In a statement, the Ministry said on Saturday that a Norwegian-French archaeological mission working at the Tal site in the Bahariya Oasis discovered a number of buildings constructed of basalt stone and carved into the rocks, as well as other buildings constructed of mud bricks, reports Xinhua news agency.&nbsp;

The buildings made of mud bricks date back from the fourth to the seventh century AD, the statement said, adding that the remains are parts of three churches and rooms for monks.&nbsp;

This discovery is important as it led the mission to know the planning of buildings as well as understanding the formation of the early monastic congregations in this region, according to the statement.&nbsp;

The North African country has witnessed several large-scale archaeological discoveries in recent years in different parts of the country, including Pharaonic tombs, statues, coffins and mummies.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has announced the discovery of a number of ancient churches and rooms in the Bahariya Oasis, southwest of Cairo. In a statement, the Ministry said on Saturday that a Norwegian-French archaeological mission working at the Tal site in the Bahariya Oasis discovered a number of buildings constructed of basalt stone and carved into the rocks, as well as other buildings constructed of mud bricks, reports Xinhua news agency.

Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has announced the discovery of a number of ancient churches and rooms in the Bahariya Oasis, southwest of Cairo. In a statement, the Ministry said on Saturday that a Norwegian-French archaeological mission working at the Tal site in the Bahariya Oasis discovered a number of buildings constructed of basalt stone and carved into the rocks, as well as other buildings constructed of mud bricks, reports Xinhua news agency. The buildings made of mud bricks date back from the fourth to the seventh century AD, the statement said, adding that the remains are parts of three churches and rooms for monks. This discovery is important as it led the mission to know the planning of buildings as well as understanding the formation of the early monastic congregations in this region, according to the statement. The North African country has witnessed several large-scale archaeological discoveries in recent years in different parts of the country, including Pharaonic tombs, statues, coffins and mummies. (With inputs from agencies)

In another archaeological discovery, ancient churches, rooms found in Egypt

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Twelve fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the fire, said AFP quoting sources.

Egypt has had a string of fires in recent years, as shoddy buildings have been constructed without safety standards amid a security vacuum following its 2011 revolution.

Last month, a fire in an unlicensed shoe warehouse in the capital's twin city Giza engulfed a 13-storey building overlooking a major highway. Residents were evacuated but no casualties were reported.

In 2020, a major fire broke out next to a busy Cairo highway as a leak from an oil pipeline set ablaze by passing cars left 17 people hurt.

(With AFP inputs)

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports.

At least 20 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a clothing factory in Egypt on Thursday. The factory is located on the eastern outskirts of Egyptian capital Cairo, as per reports. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Twelve fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the fire, said AFP quoting sources. Egypt has had a string of fires in recent years, as shoddy buildings have been constructed without safety standards amid a security vacuum following its 2011 revolution. Last month, a fire in an unlicensed shoe warehouse in the capital's twin city Giza engulfed a 13-storey building overlooking a major highway. Residents were evacuated but no casualties were reported. In 2020, a major fire broke out next to a busy Cairo highway as a leak from an oil pipeline set ablaze by passing cars left 17 people hurt. (With AFP inputs)

Egypt: At least 20 killed in clothing factory fire

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Sudan on Saturday for the first time since the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, as the neighbours push to break a diplomatic deadlock over a giant dam being built by Ethiopia.&nbsp;

Sisi was also due to discuss Red Sea security and developments on Sudan's borders during his visit to Khartoum, Egypt's presidency said in a statement.&nbsp;

Sudan faces security challenges including an increase in violence in the western Darfur region and recent armed skirmishes in a disputed area on its border with Ethiopia.&nbsp;

Both Egypt and Sudan lie downstream from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa says is crucial to its economic development.&nbsp;

Ethiopia, which says it has every right to use Nile waters long exploited by Egypt, started filling the reservoir behind the dam last summer after Egypt and Sudan failed to secure a legally binding agreement over the hydropower dam's operation.&nbsp;

Khartoum fears the dam, which lies on the Blue Nile close to the border with Sudan, could increase the risk of flooding and affect the safe operation of its own Nile dams, while water-scarce Egypt fears its supplies from the Nile could be hit.&nbsp;

Years of diplomatic talks over the project have repeatedly stalled.&nbsp;

Sudan recently proposed that the United States, European Union, United Nations and African Union should actively mediate in the dispute, rather than simply observing talks, a suggestion that Egypt supports.&nbsp;

Ethiopia this week indicated its opposition to adding mediators to an existing, African Union-led process.&nbsp;

In a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry 'stressed the need to launch a serious and effective negotiation process' over the dam before a second round of filling expected this summer.&nbsp;

Since Bashir was toppled following mass protests in 2019, a military-civilian council has held power in Sudan under a political transition expected to last until the end of 2023.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Sudan on Saturday for the first time since the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, as the neighbours push to break a diplomatic deadlock over a giant dam being built by Ethiopia.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Sudan on Saturday for the first time since the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir, as the neighbours push to break a diplomatic deadlock over a giant dam being built by Ethiopia. Sisi was also due to discuss Red Sea security and developments on Sudan's borders during his visit to Khartoum, Egypt's presidency said in a statement. Sudan faces security challenges including an increase in violence in the western Darfur region and recent armed skirmishes in a disputed area on its border with Ethiopia. Both Egypt and Sudan lie downstream from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa says is crucial to its economic development. Ethiopia, which says it has every right to use Nile waters long exploited by Egypt, started filling the reservoir behind the dam last summer after Egypt and Sudan failed to secure a legally binding agreement over the hydropower dam's operation. Khartoum fears the dam, which lies on the Blue Nile close to the border with Sudan, could increase the risk of flooding and affect the safe operation of its own Nile dams, while water-scarce Egypt fears its supplies from the Nile could be hit. Years of diplomatic talks over the project have repeatedly stalled. Sudan recently proposed that the United States, European Union, United Nations and African Union should actively mediate in the dispute, rather than simply observing talks, a suggestion that Egypt supports. Ethiopia this week indicated its opposition to adding mediators to an existing, African Union-led process. In a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry 'stressed the need to launch a serious and effective negotiation process' over the dam before a second round of filling expected this summer. Since Bashir was toppled following mass protests in 2019, a military-civilian council has held power in Sudan under a political transition expected to last until the end of 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

Egypt President visits Sudan with dam diplomacy, security on agenda 

The United States says it has decided to de-link its suspension of millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia from that country's dispute with Egypt over a massive hydroelectric dam project.&nbsp;

But the State Department early on Friday said that does not mean all the roughly USD 272 million in security and development assistance will immediately start to flow, and it depends on more recent 'developments', an apparent reference to the deadly conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region.&nbsp;

The State Department said humanitarian assistance remains exempt from the aid suspension.&nbsp;

It said it has informed Ethiopia's government. A spokeswoman for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed did not immediately respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Ethiopians were furious after former President Donald Trump last year directed the suspension of aid to their country in a rare example of his direct involvement in an African issue.&nbsp;

Ethiopia had left a US-led attempt to mediate the dispute with Egypt, alleging bias.&nbsp;

Trump also caused an uproar by saying downstream Egypt would blow up the dam project that Cairo considers an existential threat.&nbsp;

Ethiopia asserts that the US $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that it has nearly completed on the Blue Nile River is essential for development and the pulling of millions of people out of poverty. Egypt says it threatens its water supply.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-affirms-support-for-normalisation-of-ties-between-israel-arab-nations-364613">Biden affirms support for normalisation of ties between Israel, Arab nations</a>

Ethiopia is now under pressure from the US and others including the European Union and United Nations over the deadly fighting in its northern Tigray region, where some six million people have been largely cut off from the world since fighting began in November between Ethiopian and allied forces and Tigray ones.&nbsp;

Witness accounts have emerged of massacres, people beginning to starve to death and the presence of thousands of soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea, which Ethiopia's government has denied.&nbsp;

The US has said Eritrean soldiers should immediately leave Ethiopia. And earlier this week, a State Department spokesperson said we remain gravely concerned by the widespread humanitarian suffering and reported human rights abuses in the Tigray region.&nbsp;

The spokesperson urged an immediate end to the fighting in Tigray, full and unhindered humanitarian access, an independent investigation into the human rights violations and abuses and for those responsible to be held accountable.

The United States says it has decided to de-link its suspension of millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia from that country's dispute with Egypt over a massive hydroelectric dam project.

The United States says it has decided to de-link its suspension of millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia from that country's dispute with Egypt over a massive hydroelectric dam project. But the State Department early on Friday said that does not mean all the roughly USD 272 million in security and development assistance will immediately start to flow, and it depends on more recent 'developments', an apparent reference to the deadly conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The State Department said humanitarian assistance remains exempt from the aid suspension. It said it has informed Ethiopia's government. A spokeswoman for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed did not immediately respond to a request for comment. × Ethiopians were furious after former President Donald Trump last year directed the suspension of aid to their country in a rare example of his direct involvement in an African issue. Ethiopia had left a US-led attempt to mediate the dispute with Egypt, alleging bias. Trump also caused an uproar by saying downstream Egypt would blow up the dam project that Cairo considers an existential threat. Ethiopia asserts that the US $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that it has nearly completed on the Blue Nile River is essential for development and the pulling of millions of people out of poverty. Egypt says it threatens its water supply. Also Read: Biden affirms support for normalisation of ties between Israel, Arab nations Ethiopia is now under pressure from the US and others including the European Union and United Nations over the deadly fighting in its northern Tigray region, where some six million people have been largely cut off from the world since fighting began in November between Ethiopian and allied forces and Tigray ones. Witness accounts have emerged of massacres, people beginning to starve to death and the presence of thousands of soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea, which Ethiopia's government has denied. The US has said Eritrean soldiers should immediately leave Ethiopia. And earlier this week, a State Department spokesperson said we remain gravely concerned by the widespread humanitarian suffering and reported human rights abuses in the Tigray region. The spokesperson urged an immediate end to the fighting in Tigray, full and unhindered humanitarian access, an independent investigation into the human rights violations and abuses and for those responsible to be held accountable.

US: Aid pause to Ethiopia no longer linked to dam dispute

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a grand dam that has left three African nations divided. The dam is a source of national pride for Ethiopia but, for Egypt and Sudan, the dam is a headache. They fear it will cut off vital water supplies.

The six-way talks on GERD failed to make any progress, due to a disagreement on how to resume the negotiations and other procedural aspects of the negotiating process.

All three partners have been trying to reach an agreement but, the latest round of negotiations has failed. 
&nbsp; 
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been a source of tension in the Nile River basin ever since Ethiopia broke ground on it in 2011, with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan worried it will restrict vital water supplies. 
&nbsp; 
Ethiopia, the second-most populous country in Africa, says the hydroelectric power produced by the dam will be vital to meet the power needs of its 110 million people.

Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 per cent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat. 
&nbsp; 
Sudan expresses frustration after negotiations stall but Egypt, Ethiopia blame Sudanese objections for the new impasse. 
&nbsp; 
Ethiopia, which has said it reached its first-year target for filling the dam's reservoir, has recently signalled it would proceed with the filling regardless of whether a deal was concluded.

The Nile, the world's longest river, is a lifeline supplying both water and electricity to the 10 countries it traverses.

Its main tributaries, the White and Blue Nile, converge in the Sudanese capital Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea.

Last year the matter reached the United Nations and both Egypt and the Sudan raised their objections. Since then, all three parties have held several rounds of talks but yet failed to break the deadlock on Africa's biggest dam.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a grand dam that has left three African nations divided. The dam is a source of national pride for Ethiopia but, for Egypt and Sudan, the dam is a headache.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a grand dam that has left three African nations divided. The dam is a source of national pride for Ethiopia but, for Egypt and Sudan, the dam is a headache. They fear it will cut off vital water supplies. The six-way talks on GERD failed to make any progress, due to a disagreement on how to resume the negotiations and other procedural aspects of the negotiating process. All three partners have been trying to reach an agreement but, the latest round of negotiations has failed. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been a source of tension in the Nile River basin ever since Ethiopia broke ground on it in 2011, with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan worried it will restrict vital water supplies. Ethiopia, the second-most populous country in Africa, says the hydroelectric power produced by the dam will be vital to meet the power needs of its 110 million people. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 per cent of its irrigation and drinking water, sees the dam as an existential threat. Sudan expresses frustration after negotiations stall but Egypt, Ethiopia blame Sudanese objections for the new impasse. Ethiopia, which has said it reached its first-year target for filling the dam's reservoir, has recently signalled it would proceed with the filling regardless of whether a deal was concluded. The Nile, the world's longest river, is a lifeline supplying both water and electricity to the 10 countries it traverses. Its main tributaries, the White and Blue Nile, converge in the Sudanese capital Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea. Last year the matter reached the United Nations and both Egypt and the Sudan raised their objections. Since then, all three parties have held several rounds of talks but yet failed to break the deadlock on Africa's biggest dam. (With inputs from agencies)

Talks on Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam fail again

A fire broke out in a coronavirus hospital facility located in the north of the capital city of Egypt, Cairo. The fire took seven lives, as per initial reports.

The intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital caught fire and claimed seven coronavirus patients, and injured five others who were getting treated for the deadly virus in the hospital.

As of now, the cause of the fire has not been identified. However, an investigation has been launched to find out the origin of the deadly blaze.

The fire broke out on Saturday, and several units of firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the incident immediately. The officers were able to stop the blaze from spreading within an hour of the breakout.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-world-in-2020-needs-batman-egyptian-enthusiast-in-cosplay-352374">WATCH|</a>

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The incident has come at a time when the Arabic country is struggling to contain the spread of coronavirus and Egyptian hospitals are running out of space for coronavirus patients.

As of now, Egypt has recorded nearly 130,126 coronavirus cases and almost 7,309 deaths due to the deadly virus.

This is the second such fire after a hospital&nbsp;in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria killed seven coronavirus patients and injured seven others in June.

A fire broke out in a coronavirus hospital facility located in the north of the capital city of Egypt, Cairo. The fire took seven lives, as per initial reports. The intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital caught fire and claimed seven coronavirus patients, and injured five others who were getting treated for the deadly virus in the hospital.

A fire broke out in a coronavirus hospital facility located in the north of the capital city of Egypt, Cairo. The fire took seven lives, as per initial reports. The intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital caught fire and claimed seven coronavirus patients, and injured five others who were getting treated for the deadly virus in the hospital. As of now, the cause of the fire has not been identified. However, an investigation has been launched to find out the origin of the deadly blaze. The fire broke out on Saturday, and several units of firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the incident immediately. The officers were able to stop the blaze from spreading within an hour of the breakout. WATCH| × The incident has come at a time when the Arabic country is struggling to contain the spread of coronavirus and Egyptian hospitals are running out of space for coronavirus patients. As of now, Egypt has recorded nearly 130,126 coronavirus cases and almost 7,309 deaths due to the deadly virus. This is the second such fire after a hospital in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria killed seven coronavirus patients and injured seven others in June.

Egypt: Hospital fire kills seven coronavirus patients, injures five

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome.

The centrepiece of the visit will be talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Monday where the French leader is expected to seek to cement the strong ties between Cairo and Paris.

Sisi arrived at Paris Orly airport, the Egyptian presidency said in its Facebook page. He was due later Sunday to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egyptian-rights-group-head-hopes-release-will-help-other-prisoners-347795">Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners</a>

Egypt and France have enjoyed an increasingly close relationship under the secular rule of former army general Sisi, with common interests in the Middle East and a shared suspicion of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

No major deals are expected to be signed during the trip but Egypt is a major weapons client of French companies, in the past buying fighter jets and warships.

The situation in Libya, where efforts are underway to agree a lasting peace after years of conflict, is also expected to feature prominently.

But France's close relationship with Egypt at a time when Cairo stands accused of serial human rights violations has concerned activists, who want Macron to make the issue central to the discussions.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hope-france-will-get-rid-of-macron-says-turkey-president-erdogan-347552">I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan</a>

A statement by a dozen rights groups ahead of the talks said France had "long indulged President al-Sisi's brutal repression of any form of dissent."

"We are amazed that France is rolling out the red carpet for a dictator when there are more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience today in Egypt," Antoine Madelin, international advocacy director of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), told AFP.

Concern over Sisi's visit to Paris was amplified when three Egyptian activists were arrested last month following a meeting with foreign ambassadors.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-calls-abraham-accords-an-opportunity-for-palestinians-347953" hreflang="en">Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians</a>

However, following an international campaign backed by celebrities all three campaigners from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have been freed.

A French presidential source described this as a positive sign and insisted that rights would be raised at the talks.

The Egyptian presidency in a statement cited Sisi's spokesman as saying "the visit reflects both countries' keenness to strengthen the strategic relations between them in the coming period."

The spokesman said Sisi would present "Egypt's vision" regarding crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and the talks would also look at strengthening investment.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday began a three-day state visit to France, with activists warning Paris not to turn a blind eye to Cairo's rights record with a red carpet welcome. The centrepiece of the visit will be talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Monday where the French leader is expected to seek to cement the strong ties between Cairo and Paris. Sisi arrived at Paris Orly airport, the Egyptian presidency said in its Facebook page. He was due later Sunday to meet French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Also read| Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners Egypt and France have enjoyed an increasingly close relationship under the secular rule of former army general Sisi, with common interests in the Middle East and a shared suspicion of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No major deals are expected to be signed during the trip but Egypt is a major weapons client of French companies, in the past buying fighter jets and warships. The situation in Libya, where efforts are underway to agree a lasting peace after years of conflict, is also expected to feature prominently. But France's close relationship with Egypt at a time when Cairo stands accused of serial human rights violations has concerned activists, who want Macron to make the issue central to the discussions. Also read| I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan A statement by a dozen rights groups ahead of the talks said France had "long indulged President al-Sisi's brutal repression of any form of dissent." "We are amazed that France is rolling out the red carpet for a dictator when there are more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience today in Egypt," Antoine Madelin, international advocacy director of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), told AFP. Concern over Sisi's visit to Paris was amplified when three Egyptian activists were arrested last month following a meeting with foreign ambassadors. Also read| Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians However, following an international campaign backed by celebrities all three campaigners from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have been freed. A French presidential source described this as a positive sign and insisted that rights would be raised at the talks. The Egyptian presidency in a statement cited Sisi's spokesman as saying "the visit reflects both countries' keenness to strengthen the strategic relations between them in the coming period." The spokesman said Sisi would present "Egypt's vision" regarding crises in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East and the talks would also look at strengthening investment.

Egypt's Sisi arrives in France for controversial visit

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations. 
 
Activists saw the detention last month of Gasser Abdel Razek, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), and two of the group's other staff, as the latest escalation of a broad crackdown on political dissent under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hope-france-will-get-rid-of-macron-says-turkey-president-erdogan-347552">I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan</a> 
 
Egypt's foreign ministry had said EIPR was operating illegally, an accusation the group denies. There has been no official statement from public prosecutors since Abdel Razek's release, and officials could not be reached for comment. 
 
The arrests, which came after EIPR hosted a briefing on human rights for 13 senior diplomats in Cairo on November&nbsp;3, sparked rare public criticism from Western states and an international campaign on social media. 
 
Abdel Razek said he was unclear why he had been held beyond the officially stated charges of belonging to a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media - accusations made in the past against figures from across the political spectrum. 
 
Abdel Razek said it would be "business as usual" for EIPR.

"We're hitting the third decade of the 21st Century, human rights work will continue in Egypt and elsewhere," he said in an interview at his home in Cairo. 
 
"I`m hoping that our speedy release would have some sort of effect on the hundreds of people that are going through the same situation."

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While the total is unclear, rights groups say tens of thousands have been detained in a clampdown on political opposition since Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power in 2013. 
 
Sisi has said Egypt holds no political prisoners, that security is paramount and that the government is promoting human rights by working to provide basic needs such as jobs and housing. The president and his backers say the detentions over recent years are necessary to stabilise Egypt. 
 
The three EIPR staff were freed on Thursday. Patrick Zaki, an EIPR researcher who was a graduate student in Italy before his arrest in February, remains in jail. 
 
Abdel Razek said he had been very cold for the first few nights in solitary confinement in Cairo`s Tora prison, but had not suffered any physical mistreatment. 
 
"It's a great feeling to be around my kids, my wife and friends, but it`s very painful to leave the people behind, so let`s hope we can pressure to get them all out."

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations.

The head of a leading Egyptian human rights group who was held for two weeks on terrorism charges said on Saturday he hoped that the campaign to secure his release would help others still jailed on similar allegations. Activists saw the detention last month of Gasser Abdel Razek, executive director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), and two of the group's other staff, as the latest escalation of a broad crackdown on political dissent under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Also read| I hope France will get rid of Macron, says Turkey President Erdogan Egypt's foreign ministry had said EIPR was operating illegally, an accusation the group denies. There has been no official statement from public prosecutors since Abdel Razek's release, and officials could not be reached for comment. The arrests, which came after EIPR hosted a briefing on human rights for 13 senior diplomats in Cairo on November 3, sparked rare public criticism from Western states and an international campaign on social media. Abdel Razek said he was unclear why he had been held beyond the officially stated charges of belonging to a terrorist group, spreading false news and misusing social media - accusations made in the past against figures from across the political spectrum. Abdel Razek said it would be "business as usual" for EIPR. "We're hitting the third decade of the 21st Century, human rights work will continue in Egypt and elsewhere," he said in an interview at his home in Cairo. "I`m hoping that our speedy release would have some sort of effect on the hundreds of people that are going through the same situation." × While the total is unclear, rights groups say tens of thousands have been detained in a clampdown on political opposition since Sisi ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power in 2013. Sisi has said Egypt holds no political prisoners, that security is paramount and that the government is promoting human rights by working to provide basic needs such as jobs and housing. The president and his backers say the detentions over recent years are necessary to stabilise Egypt. The three EIPR staff were freed on Thursday. Patrick Zaki, an EIPR researcher who was a graduate student in Italy before his arrest in February, remains in jail. Abdel Razek said he had been very cold for the first few nights in solitary confinement in Cairo`s Tora prison, but had not suffered any physical mistreatment. "It's a great feeling to be around my kids, my wife and friends, but it`s very painful to leave the people behind, so let`s hope we can pressure to get them all out."

Egyptian rights group head hopes release will help other prisoners

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in South Sudan on Saturday (November 28) amid rising tension and instability in the region. The conflict between Ethiopia and Ethiopian region of Tigray is spiraling into neighbouring countrires and threatening regional stability.

Egypt, Africa's third-most populous nation, relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its fresh water supplies and wants a legally binding treaty on how Ethiopia can use the Blue Nile's waters. According to officials, President Sisi and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, will discuss bilateral issues and exchange views on regional stability, as well as deepening South Sudan's and Egypt's diplomatic ties.

South Sudan's cabinet recently decided to change the country's currency in order to improve the economy. On November 17, the International Monetary Fund said it had approved a $52.3 million rapid credit facility to South Sudan to help it limit the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Sudan's economy is still buckling from the damage caused by years of civil war between government forces under Kiir and those allied with Vice President Riek Machar. The fighting hit oil production, which is now also being affected by low prices for crude.

(With Reuters inputs)

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in South Sudan on Saturday (November 28) amid rising tension and instability in the region. The conflict between Ethiopia and Ethiopian region of Tigray is spiraling into neighbouring countrires and threatening regional stability.

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in South Sudan on Saturday (November 28) amid rising tension and instability in the region. The conflict between Ethiopia and Ethiopian region of Tigray is spiraling into neighbouring countrires and threatening regional stability. Egypt, Africa's third-most populous nation, relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its fresh water supplies and wants a legally binding treaty on how Ethiopia can use the Blue Nile's waters. According to officials, President Sisi and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, will discuss bilateral issues and exchange views on regional stability, as well as deepening South Sudan's and Egypt's diplomatic ties. South Sudan's cabinet recently decided to change the country's currency in order to improve the economy. On November 17, the International Monetary Fund said it had approved a $52.3 million rapid credit facility to South Sudan to help it limit the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic. South Sudan's economy is still buckling from the damage caused by years of civil war between government forces under Kiir and those allied with Vice President Riek Machar. The fighting hit oil production, which is now also being affected by low prices for crude. (With Reuters inputs)

Egypt president arrives in South Sudan amid rising regional tensions

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was in Egypt Sunday hoping to ease tensions following the publishing of controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked ire in the Arab world.

A diplomatic source said Le Drian would meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest Muslim authority.

Le Drian "will pursue the appeasement process" started by President Emmanuel Macron, the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Cairo-based Al-Azhar, considered the foremost religious institutions for Sunni Muslims, condemned French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's decision in September to reprint the cartoons.

And last month Tayeb denounced remarks by Macron in "Islamist separatism" as "racist" and spreading "hate speech".

Demonstrations have erupted in several Muslim-majority countries after Macron defended the right to publish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which many saw as insulting and an attack on Islam.&nbsp;

Macron's remarks came after a suspected Islamist decapitated a schoolteacher in a Paris suburb on October 16, after he showed the cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression.

Sisi himself had weighed in, saying last month that "to insult the prophets amounts to underestimating the religious beliefs of many people".

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was in Egypt Sunday hoping to ease tensions following the publishing of controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked ire in the Arab world.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was in Egypt Sunday hoping to ease tensions following the publishing of controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked ire in the Arab world. A diplomatic source said Le Drian would meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest Muslim authority. Le Drian "will pursue the appeasement process" started by President Emmanuel Macron, the French foreign ministry said in a statement. The Cairo-based Al-Azhar, considered the foremost religious institutions for Sunni Muslims, condemned French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's decision in September to reprint the cartoons. And last month Tayeb denounced remarks by Macron in "Islamist separatism" as "racist" and spreading "hate speech". Demonstrations have erupted in several Muslim-majority countries after Macron defended the right to publish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which many saw as insulting and an attack on Islam. Macron's remarks came after a suspected Islamist decapitated a schoolteacher in a Paris suburb on October 16, after he showed the cartoons during a lesson on freedom of expression. Sisi himself had weighed in, saying last month that "to insult the prophets amounts to underestimating the religious beliefs of many people".

France FM in Egypt to calm tensions after cartoon controversy

It was a party Aya Khamees has tried hard to forget.

One evening in May, the 18-year-old woman met up with a few friends, and a few of their friends, at a seedy hotel outside Cairo, not far from the majestic pyramids of Giza. They brought chicken and rice, beer and hash, and rented a few rooms to hang out, flouting Egypt’s strict social rules prohibiting unmarried men and women from mixing in private.

Around 1 a.m., a quarrel broke out. According to prosecutors, a young man, pretending to console Khamees, walked her into a room, held a razor to her face and raped her.

She went to a police station, battered and bruised, and was turned away, told to go to a different one. With no family to look to for support, she said, she felt abandoned and alone.

So she turned to her virtual world. Looking directly into a phone, her eyes blackened, her face cut, she broadcast an account of her attack on TikTok, on which she had hundreds of thousands of followers.

“If the government is watching, I want them to get out and get me my rights,” she demanded.

The video went viral, and within days police had rounded up the entire group — the accused rapist, the other party guests and Khamees. She was charged with prostitution, drug use and a crime recently added to Egypt’s penal code: violation of family values.

Blaming the victim for a sex crime is not unusual in Egypt.

But as the video continued to garner views online, a hashtag campaign arose demanding justice, and her case became the subject of the TV news and talk shows. After a three-month probation, during which she was required to complete a rehabilitation program, the charges were dropped.

“At first the government wasn’t going to help me,” Khamees said in an interview. “But when people spoke up, when my story became a public case, things changed.”

While dropping charges against the victim may seem like scant progress, the case was a harbinger of big changes rocking Egypt’s traditional male-dominated culture. A generation of young women who have found new freedoms online and a voice on social media are challenging the old guard of a socially conservative, patriarchal state that policed the morality of women while allowing crimes against them to go unpunished.

Her case was the leading edge of a moment that seemed to burst out of nowhere all at once.

In July, dozens of women went public with accusations in a serial assault case, leading to an arrest and prosecution. In another high-profile case, a woman testified against a group of wealthy young men, accusing them of gang-raping her years ago in a five-star hotel. And hundreds of reports poured into the National Council for Women with accusations of assaults.

But the groundswell didn’t come out of nowhere. It had been brewing quietly on social media, one of the few remaining precincts of free expression under the rule of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose government tightly controls traditional media like television and newspapers.

Now the state is pushing back against what some argue amounts to the unraveling of the country’s fundamental values.

A cybercrime law passed two years ago, partly in an effort to regulate social media, created the crime of violating “Egyptian family values.” The values were not defined, leaving it to judges and prosecutors, most of whom are men, to decide what constitutes a violation.

This year, the law took on the wildly popular TikTok app, a network for posting brief videos that young Egyptian women have seized on to flaunt their sexuality in ways they can’t do in real life. The women often wear trendy clothes that push the boundaries of what most Egyptian women can wear in public, and the most popular accounts have amassed millions of followers.

Egyptian prosecutors convicted at least nine TikTok stars this year, all women, of violating family values, sentencing them to at least two years in prison.

“Look at this!” said Mohammad el-Sehemy, a lawyer whose complaint helped send one of the women to jail, furiously pointing to a picture on his phone of a woman sitting in the back seat of a car, fully clothed, her legs wide apart. “It’s suggestive in ways that don’t fit our society.”

Such pictures rob society of its “innocence, chastity and purity,” he said, and would lead other young women down the same sinful road.

Asked why this type of moral policing targets women more than men, he gave a quizzical look. “What indecent thing can a guy do?” he asked.

Khamees has an answer for him.

Prosecutors say she was raped twice that night in May. Two other guests filmed her trying to get dressed after the attack, visibly shaken and gasping for air. A man is heard making an obscene comment about her, then a hard slap lands on her face. The video was posted online the next day.

“They wanted to break me,” Khamees said. “It looked like I was caught red-handed, doing something wrong, like a prostitute.”

There are no official numbers for the incidence of sexual assault in Egypt, but experts say the number reported is a fraction of those committed. Women are terrified of reporting the crimes for fear they will be blamed and end up in jail.

The investigation usually entails scrutiny of the victim’s sexual history, with an emphasis on her virginity status. If she wasn’t a virgin, women’s advocates say, police and prosecutors conclude she had it coming.

“If a girl had sex in previous relationships, there’s this sense of why not him as well?” said Hoda Nasralla, Khamees’ lawyer. “She’ll be perceived as a whore who encouraged the man to rape her. In the public imagination, for it to be considered rape, a woman has to be this innocent virgin who gets kidnapped before she’s assaulted.”

Even as the state moved to drop charges against Khamees, prosecutors mandated a three-month rehabilitation program to “reform her” and “correct her concepts.” The prosecutor’s statement conceded that she was a victim, deprived of her parents, who were dead, and “fooled by the fame that she achieved in a virtual environment, especially social media sites that delivered her to the wrong crowd.”

Lobna Darwish, the gender and human rights officer at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, an independent human rights group, applauded the decision to drop the charges but criticized the public prosecutor’s disciplinary tone.

“It’s like saying this woman needs to behave,” she said. “So the question becomes what is moral without establishing that women are free to live as they wish and still have a right to be safe.”

Khamees’ posts on TikTok, where she uses the handle Menna Abdel Aziz, were standard fare for the medium, with lots of dancing and posing in sexy outfits. For her generation, online at least, this is the new normal.

“What’s different is they’re not hiding, they’re wearing crop tops and dancing in the street,” Darwish said. “The idea that these women, who are not privileged, could have their own sense of self-worth and freedom drives people crazy. There’s an atmosphere of panic that society is changing.”

In many ways it is, with young women in the vanguard.

There’s Nadine Abdel Hamid, 22, a music technology student at one of Egypt’s elite universities who outed a young man in June who had harassed and blackmailed her for years. The revelation encouraged other women to speak out, producing an avalanche of harrowing testimonies including dozens who said they had been assaulted. The case led to a law protecting the identity of the accuser in sexual assault cases.

There’s Nour Imam, 28, who works as a doula, a woman who assists with childbirth, and is a growing Instagram phenomenon, who has made it her mission to normalize discussion of a woman’s body. One of her latest posts, an illustration of a woman holding up a mirror to her vagina, drove away hundreds of followers. Her response, in another post: “Bye.”

Fadila Elkarrany, 21, created Teen Times, an online magazine for teenage girls. Some of its content mirrors that of old-school teen magazines with tips on how to lose weight and prevent ingrown hairs. More surprising, however, are articles that offer advice on how to “sext” safely “if your reputation is important to you but so is your sexual health.”

And then there is Khamees, who set a precedent by exposing her identity and confronting her rapist and his accomplices online. Because she had shared her story widely, The New York Times, with her permission, used her name and photographs in this article.

The suspect in her case, Bassam Hanna, a 25-year-old liquor store owner, has denied the charges. His trial has begun, and he is expected to appear in court in December.

Khamees has taken her fate with a mix of acceptance and cynicism. In rehab a social worker helped her discern “right from wrong,” she said, and sounded like she meant it.

She lives with her older brother, who acts as her guardian and lets her go out one night a week. Otherwise, her social life is mostly on TikTok and Instagram.

But she has deactivated her old accounts and started new ones to revamp her image. She still sings and dances, but in a T-shirt covering her chest and shoulders.

“It’s backward,” she said, sitting in a coffee shop in a sleeveless shirt, smoking a cigarette. “But I have to get in line and be backward. We’re not in America.”

She had scars running up the insides of her arms where she’d cut herself. She described them as cries for help, not suicide attempts, and most were reactions to two shattering events: Some she made after her mother died four years ago, others after she said she was raped.

She is still waiting for justice.

“I want to see the people who hurt me go to jail,” she said. “I will walk with my head held high, or I will unleash all hell on this country. Just look what I managed to do with a five-minute video.”

It was a party Aya Khamees has tried hard to forget. One evening in May, the 18-year-old woman met up with a few friends, and a few of their friends, at a seedy hotel outside Cairo, not far from the majestic pyramids of Giza.

It was a party Aya Khamees has tried hard to forget. One evening in May, the 18-year-old woman met up with a few friends, and a few of their friends, at a seedy hotel outside Cairo, not far from the majestic pyramids of Giza. They brought chicken and rice, beer and hash, and rented a few rooms to hang out, flouting Egypt’s strict social rules prohibiting unmarried men and women from mixing in private. Around 1 a.m., a quarrel broke out. According to prosecutors, a young man, pretending to console Khamees, walked her into a room, held a razor to her face and raped her. She went to a police station, battered and bruised, and was turned away, told to go to a different one. With no family to look to for support, she said, she felt abandoned and alone. So she turned to her virtual world. Looking directly into a phone, her eyes blackened, her face cut, she broadcast an account of her attack on TikTok, on which she had hundreds of thousands of followers. “If the government is watching, I want them to get out and get me my rights,” she demanded. The video went viral, and within days police had rounded up the entire group — the accused rapist, the other party guests and Khamees. She was charged with prostitution, drug use and a crime recently added to Egypt’s penal code: violation of family values. Blaming the victim for a sex crime is not unusual in Egypt. But as the video continued to garner views online, a hashtag campaign arose demanding justice, and her case became the subject of the TV news and talk shows. After a three-month probation, during which she was required to complete a rehabilitation program, the charges were dropped. “At first the government wasn’t going to help me,” Khamees said in an interview. “But when people spoke up, when my story became a public case, things changed.” While dropping charges against the victim may seem like scant progress, the case was a harbinger of big changes rocking Egypt’s traditional male-dominated culture. A generation of young women who have found new freedoms online and a voice on social media are challenging the old guard of a socially conservative, patriarchal state that policed the morality of women while allowing crimes against them to go unpunished. Her case was the leading edge of a moment that seemed to burst out of nowhere all at once. In July, dozens of women went public with accusations in a serial assault case, leading to an arrest and prosecution. In another high-profile case, a woman testified against a group of wealthy young men, accusing them of gang-raping her years ago in a five-star hotel. And hundreds of reports poured into the National Council for Women with accusations of assaults. But the groundswell didn’t come out of nowhere. It had been brewing quietly on social media, one of the few remaining precincts of free expression under the rule of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose government tightly controls traditional media like television and newspapers. Now the state is pushing back against what some argue amounts to the unraveling of the country’s fundamental values. A cybercrime law passed two years ago, partly in an effort to regulate social media, created the crime of violating “Egyptian family values.” The values were not defined, leaving it to judges and prosecutors, most of whom are men, to decide what constitutes a violation. This year, the law took on the wildly popular TikTok app, a network for posting brief videos that young Egyptian women have seized on to flaunt their sexuality in ways they can’t do in real life. The women often wear trendy clothes that push the boundaries of what most Egyptian women can wear in public, and the most popular accounts have amassed millions of followers. Egyptian prosecutors convicted at least nine TikTok stars this year, all women, of violating family values, sentencing them to at least two years in prison. “Look at this!” said Mohammad el-Sehemy, a lawyer whose complaint helped send one of the women to jail, furiously pointing to a picture on his phone of a woman sitting in the back seat of a car, fully clothed, her legs wide apart. “It’s suggestive in ways that don’t fit our society.” Such pictures rob society of its “innocence, chastity and purity,” he said, and would lead other young women down the same sinful road. Asked why this type of moral policing targets women more than men, he gave a quizzical look. “What indecent thing can a guy do?” he asked. Khamees has an answer for him. Prosecutors say she was raped twice that night in May. Two other guests filmed her trying to get dressed after the attack, visibly shaken and gasping for air. A man is heard making an obscene comment about her, then a hard slap lands on her face. The video was posted online the next day. “They wanted to break me,” Khamees said. “It looked like I was caught red-handed, doing something wrong, like a prostitute.” There are no official numbers for the incidence of sexual assault in Egypt, but experts say the number reported is a fraction of those committed. Women are terrified of reporting the crimes for fear they will be blamed and end up in jail. The investigation usually entails scrutiny of the victim’s sexual history, with an emphasis on her virginity status. If she wasn’t a virgin, women’s advocates say, police and prosecutors conclude she had it coming. “If a girl had sex in previous relationships, there’s this sense of why not him as well?” said Hoda Nasralla, Khamees’ lawyer. “She’ll be perceived as a whore who encouraged the man to rape her. In the public imagination, for it to be considered rape, a woman has to be this innocent virgin who gets kidnapped before she’s assaulted.” Even as the state moved to drop charges against Khamees, prosecutors mandated a three-month rehabilitation program to “reform her” and “correct her concepts.” The prosecutor’s statement conceded that she was a victim, deprived of her parents, who were dead, and “fooled by the fame that she achieved in a virtual environment, especially social media sites that delivered her to the wrong crowd.” Lobna Darwish, the gender and human rights officer at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, an independent human rights group, applauded the decision to drop the charges but criticized the public prosecutor’s disciplinary tone. “It’s like saying this woman needs to behave,” she said. “So the question becomes what is moral without establishing that women are free to live as they wish and still have a right to be safe.” Khamees’ posts on TikTok, where she uses the handle Menna Abdel Aziz, were standard fare for the medium, with lots of dancing and posing in sexy outfits. For her generation, online at least, this is the new normal. “What’s different is they’re not hiding, they’re wearing crop tops and dancing in the street,” Darwish said. “The idea that these women, who are not privileged, could have their own sense of self-worth and freedom drives people crazy. There’s an atmosphere of panic that society is changing.” In many ways it is, with young women in the vanguard. There’s Nadine Abdel Hamid, 22, a music technology student at one of Egypt’s elite universities who outed a young man in June who had harassed and blackmailed her for years. The revelation encouraged other women to speak out, producing an avalanche of harrowing testimonies including dozens who said they had been assaulted. The case led to a law protecting the identity of the accuser in sexual assault cases. There’s Nour Imam, 28, who works as a doula, a woman who assists with childbirth, and is a growing Instagram phenomenon, who has made it her mission to normalize discussion of a woman’s body. One of her latest posts, an illustration of a woman holding up a mirror to her vagina, drove away hundreds of followers. Her response, in another post: “Bye.” Fadila Elkarrany, 21, created Teen Times, an online magazine for teenage girls. Some of its content mirrors that of old-school teen magazines with tips on how to lose weight and prevent ingrown hairs. More surprising, however, are articles that offer advice on how to “sext” safely “if your reputation is important to you but so is your sexual health.” And then there is Khamees, who set a precedent by exposing her identity and confronting her rapist and his accomplices online. Because she had shared her story widely, The New York Times, with her permission, used her name and photographs in this article. The suspect in her case, Bassam Hanna, a 25-year-old liquor store owner, has denied the charges. His trial has begun, and he is expected to appear in court in December. Khamees has taken her fate with a mix of acceptance and cynicism. In rehab a social worker helped her discern “right from wrong,” she said, and sounded like she meant it. She lives with her older brother, who acts as her guardian and lets her go out one night a week. Otherwise, her social life is mostly on TikTok and Instagram. But she has deactivated her old accounts and started new ones to revamp her image. She still sings and dances, but in a T-shirt covering her chest and shoulders. “It’s backward,” she said, sitting in a coffee shop in a sleeveless shirt, smoking a cigarette. “But I have to get in line and be backward. We’re not in America.” She had scars running up the insides of her arms where she’d cut herself. She described them as cries for help, not suicide attempts, and most were reactions to two shattering events: Some she made after her mother died four years ago, others after she said she was raped. She is still waiting for justice. “I want to see the people who hurt me go to jail,” she said. “I will walk with my head held high, or I will unleash all hell on this country. Just look what I managed to do with a five-minute video.”

Egyptian teen seeks justice in rape case, and a battle erupts over women’s rights

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947.

NSA Doval said, "Our state, India is a civilizational state, its not based on religion, not based on language, nor ethnicity but on a civilization."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reacted-early-and-well-on-covid-19-world-economic-forum-chief-klaus-schwab-337764">Also read|&nbsp;India reacted early and well on COVID-19: World Economic Forum chief Klaus Schwab</a>

He lauded India's saints and the role the played in nation building and gave examples of how Jews as a civilisation existed for 2,000 years but got a state in 1947, while how civilisations like Egypt disappeared.

While not mentioning any regional tensions, he said, "To save the nation is important....we will fight only where we are getting threats". Adding," We will fight, on our soil and outside, but not for selfish motives or vested interest but for Parmarth or larger good"

He also called on to spread the message of India's spirituality.

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947.

India's National Security Advisor has said that India is a "civilizational" state which has existed since times. Speaking at Parmarth Niketan in Uttarakhand, he highlighted how India as "Rastra" or civilisation existed, but as a "Rajya" or nation came to being in 1947. NSA Doval said, "Our state, India is a civilizational state, its not based on religion, not based on language, nor ethnicity but on a civilization." Also read| India reacted early and well on COVID-19: World Economic Forum chief Klaus Schwab He lauded India's saints and the role the played in nation building and gave examples of how Jews as a civilisation existed for 2,000 years but got a state in 1947, while how civilisations like Egypt disappeared. While not mentioning any regional tensions, he said, "To save the nation is important....we will fight only where we are getting threats". Adding," We will fight, on our soil and outside, but not for selfish motives or vested interest but for Parmarth or larger good" He also called on to spread the message of India's spirituality.

India is a civilisational state, not based on religion or language: NSA Doval

Nadeen Ashraf had a burning secret. Earlier this summer, an anonymous Instagram page that named and shamed a man accused of being a notorious sexual harasser at Egypt’s most prestigious university was causing a sensation among her friends. Unknown to them, she was running it.

The experiment started, in a flash of fury, in the dead of night. On July 1, Ashraf, a 22-year-old philosophy major, was up late to cram for an exam the next morning when she became preoccupied with the fate of a Facebook post that had mysteriously disappeared.

Days earlier, a fellow student at the American University in Cairo had posted a warning on Facebook about a man she said was a sexual predator — a brash, manipulative young man from a rich family said to be harassing and blackmailing women on campus. Now, Ashraf realized as she stared at her laptop, the post had been deleted without explanation.

Enraged, she set aside her textbooks and created an Instagram page under a pseudonym — @assaultpolice — that identified the man, Ahmed Bassam Zaki, alongside his photo and a list of accusations of misdeeds against women.

“This guy had been getting away with stuff since the 10th grade,” she said. “Every time a woman opened her mouth, someone taped it shut. I wanted to stop that.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/metoo-iranian-women-break-silence-about-sexual-abuse-through-twitter-324450">Also read|&nbsp;#MeToo: Iranian women break silence about sexual abuse through Twitter</a>

After creating the page, Ashraf flopped into bed at 6 a.m. and slept through her exam. But when she awoke, she found hundreds of notifications from people who applauded her post and about 30 messages from women who confided that they, too, had been assaulted by Zaki. Some said they had been raped.

An Egyptian #MeToo moment was born.

Within a week, Zaki had been arrested, the @assaultpolice account had amassed 70,000 followers, and the page had prompted an outpouring of testimonies from other Egyptian women fed up with being humiliated and violated.

Sexual assault is endemic in Egypt — a United Nations study in 2013 found that 99% of women had experienced harassment or violence — but reporting it is notoriously difficult. Police officials are reluctant to register assault cases. Powerful institutions prefer to sweep accusations under the carpet. Even the families of victims, wary of scandal or feeling a misplaced sense of shame, tend to hush it up.

Ashraf’s bold page offered a new way.

“It was so wonderful,” she recalled, sitting in her family home. “A lot of the girls who got in touch said, ‘I can’t believe I’m finally being heard.’ Even though it was a dark time, here they were, speaking out. There was a sense of empowerment, of relief.”

On Sept. 1, authorities charged Zaki, 21, with three counts of sexual assault against underage women as well as multiple counts of blackmail and harassment. He remains in detention, awaiting trial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-nod-to-metoo-china-codifies-sexual-harassment-by-law-302707">Also read|&nbsp;In nod to #MeToo, China codifies sexual harassment by law</a>

But then a second high-profile case came to light, also through Ashraf’s Instagram page, that complicated matters. It promised to be even more sensational — an account of a gang rape by five young men in a five-star hotel overlooking the Nile. In recent weeks, however, the case has become clouded in a murk of counteraccusations and leaked images that threatens to overshadow the progress Ashraf has made — and possibly even reverse it.

“It’s very worrisome,” she said.

Ashraf, 22, is not an archetypal Egyptian rebel. She comes from an apolitical family that lives in a gated community in eastern Cairo — a place of manicured lawns and hushed streets lined with luxury vehicles where support for Egypt’s authoritarian leader, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, runs relatively high.

Her father owns a software company, her mother is a nutritionist, and her family stayed in the suburbs during the 2011 uprising that toppled Egypt’s longtime ruler, Hosni Mubarak, and the 2013 protests that ushered in a military takeover and el-Sissi’s rule.

When the #MeToo movement erupted in the United States in 2017, driven by accusations against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, she didn’t pay much attention — even if she did have her own experience of assault.

When she was 11 years old, a delivery man carrying laundry approached her as she walked down the street and slapped her bottom. “I had no idea why he was doing this,” she said. “It took me years to realize it was sexual.”

Public outrage over sexual assault has been growing in Egypt for about a decade, driven by high-profile attacks and, last year, harassment accusations against a famous soccer player. Even so, men continue to assault with impunity.

Working-class women run a gantlet of harassment in crowded public buses, Ashraf said. Among the rich, although dating is tolerated, young men exploit their family connections to misbehave with license, she said, and many parents reflexively blame their daughters when things go wrong.

“The first response is that it’s your fault,” she said. “How did he get your number? Why did you let him in?”

Ashraf initially shielded her activism from her parents, who thought she was locked in her bedroom to study. When she finally came clean to her father weeks later, he was alarmed. “He went silent for three minutes,” she recalled. “Then he said, ‘You can’t tell anyone.’”

Ashraf told him it was a little late for that.

s her brand of vigilantism open to abuse, or even fair? False accusations are a hazard, she admitted, adding that she tried to confirm the charges against Zaki through her network of friends. Even so, she had to delete one accusation, from his time as a business student in Spain, after it was found to be untrue.

In a country like Egypt, such methods were necessary, she said. “It’s not like the West. You can’t just walk into a police station.”

The real difficulties started, though, with the second high-profile case.

In late July, Ashraf posted to Instagram about five men in their 20s, from wealthy families, who were said to have gang-raped a teenage woman in a suite at the Fairmont Nile City hotel after a party in 2014. A video of the assault, made by a sixth man, had been distributed to their friends.

The accusation caused a sensation. Although Ashraf didn’t identify the accused men, copycat accounts sprang up on Instagram that did. One is the son of a prominent steel tycoon; another is the son of a well-known soccer coach.

Within one week the victim, who said her drink had been spiked by the assailants, approached police and pressed charges. In late August, Egypt’s prosecutor general announced five arrests — two men in Egypt and three in Lebanon, who have since been extradited to Egypt. At least three other men are being sought.

But the investigation became muddied after investigators moved against several people who had come forward in connection to the case. Two men were accused of “debauchery” — code for homosexuality — based on photos found in their phones that were later leaked to the news media.

They have been detained, as has a woman — a former partner of one of those accused of rape — whose intimate photos have been leaked onto the internet.

Just who leaked those photos is unclear, and the cases are expected to come to court in the coming weeks. But they have already sent a chill through the ranks of Egyptian women who hoped it had become safer to report sexual violence.

“Fairmont has become our case of the century,” Ashraf said. “But it shouldn’t be a precedent for assault cases. There’s so many other things coming up that prove we are on the side of girls.”

After threats to her security, Ashraf suspended her Instagram page for 10 days in August. Now it is up and running again, but with a focus on educating women about their rights.

“You use the word ‘consent’ all the time in English,” she said. “But I’ve never heard its Arabic equivalent: taraadi. So we try to translate these concepts, break them down, explain.”

The only name she’s made public of late is her own. Realizing that her identity was leaking out and fearing retribution from men who were threatened by the page, she decided it was safest to end her anonymity. “I figured that if the bad guys knew who I was, good people should too,” she said. “There’s protection in that.”

Nadeen Ashraf had a burning secret. Earlier this summer, an anonymous Instagram page that named and shamed a man accused of being a notorious sexual harasser at Egypt’s most prestigious university was causing a sensation among her friends.

Nadeen Ashraf had a burning secret. Earlier this summer, an anonymous Instagram page that named and shamed a man accused of being a notorious sexual harasser at Egypt’s most prestigious university was causing a sensation among her friends. Unknown to them, she was running it. The experiment started, in a flash of fury, in the dead of night. On July 1, Ashraf, a 22-year-old philosophy major, was up late to cram for an exam the next morning when she became preoccupied with the fate of a Facebook post that had mysteriously disappeared. Days earlier, a fellow student at the American University in Cairo had posted a warning on Facebook about a man she said was a sexual predator — a brash, manipulative young man from a rich family said to be harassing and blackmailing women on campus. Now, Ashraf realized as she stared at her laptop, the post had been deleted without explanation. Enraged, she set aside her textbooks and created an Instagram page under a pseudonym — @assaultpolice — that identified the man, Ahmed Bassam Zaki, alongside his photo and a list of accusations of misdeeds against women. “This guy had been getting away with stuff since the 10th grade,” she said. “Every time a woman opened her mouth, someone taped it shut. I wanted to stop that.” Also read| #MeToo: Iranian women break silence about sexual abuse through Twitter After creating the page, Ashraf flopped into bed at 6 a.m. and slept through her exam. But when she awoke, she found hundreds of notifications from people who applauded her post and about 30 messages from women who confided that they, too, had been assaulted by Zaki. Some said they had been raped. An Egyptian #MeToo moment was born. Within a week, Zaki had been arrested, the @assaultpolice account had amassed 70,000 followers, and the page had prompted an outpouring of testimonies from other Egyptian women fed up with being humiliated and violated. Sexual assault is endemic in Egypt — a United Nations study in 2013 found that 99% of women had experienced harassment or violence — but reporting it is notoriously difficult. Police officials are reluctant to register assault cases. Powerful institutions prefer to sweep accusations under the carpet. Even the families of victims, wary of scandal or feeling a misplaced sense of shame, tend to hush it up. Ashraf’s bold page offered a new way. “It was so wonderful,” she recalled, sitting in her family home. “A lot of the girls who got in touch said, ‘I can’t believe I’m finally being heard.’ Even though it was a dark time, here they were, speaking out. There was a sense of empowerment, of relief.” On Sept. 1, authorities charged Zaki, 21, with three counts of sexual assault against underage women as well as multiple counts of blackmail and harassment. He remains in detention, awaiting trial. Also read| In nod to #MeToo, China codifies sexual harassment by law But then a second high-profile case came to light, also through Ashraf’s Instagram page, that complicated matters. It promised to be even more sensational — an account of a gang rape by five young men in a five-star hotel overlooking the Nile. In recent weeks, however, the case has become clouded in a murk of counteraccusations and leaked images that threatens to overshadow the progress Ashraf has made — and possibly even reverse it. “It’s very worrisome,” she said. Ashraf, 22, is not an archetypal Egyptian rebel. She comes from an apolitical family that lives in a gated community in eastern Cairo — a place of manicured lawns and hushed streets lined with luxury vehicles where support for Egypt’s authoritarian leader, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, runs relatively high. Her father owns a software company, her mother is a nutritionist, and her family stayed in the suburbs during the 2011 uprising that toppled Egypt’s longtime ruler, Hosni Mubarak, and the 2013 protests that ushered in a military takeover and el-Sissi’s rule. When the #MeToo movement erupted in the United States in 2017, driven by accusations against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, she didn’t pay much attention — even if she did have her own experience of assault. When she was 11 years old, a delivery man carrying laundry approached her as she walked down the street and slapped her bottom. “I had no idea why he was doing this,” she said. “It took me years to realize it was sexual.” Public outrage over sexual assault has been growing in Egypt for about a decade, driven by high-profile attacks and, last year, harassment accusations against a famous soccer player. Even so, men continue to assault with impunity. Working-class women run a gantlet of harassment in crowded public buses, Ashraf said. Among the rich, although dating is tolerated, young men exploit their family connections to misbehave with license, she said, and many parents reflexively blame their daughters when things go wrong. “The first response is that it’s your fault,” she said. “How did he get your number? Why did you let him in?” Ashraf initially shielded her activism from her parents, who thought she was locked in her bedroom to study. When she finally came clean to her father weeks later, he was alarmed. “He went silent for three minutes,” she recalled. “Then he said, ‘You can’t tell anyone.’” Ashraf told him it was a little late for that. s her brand of vigilantism open to abuse, or even fair? False accusations are a hazard, she admitted, adding that she tried to confirm the charges against Zaki through her network of friends. Even so, she had to delete one accusation, from his time as a business student in Spain, after it was found to be untrue. In a country like Egypt, such methods were necessary, she said. “It’s not like the West. You can’t just walk into a police station.” The real difficulties started, though, with the second high-profile case. In late July, Ashraf posted to Instagram about five men in their 20s, from wealthy families, who were said to have gang-raped a teenage woman in a suite at the Fairmont Nile City hotel after a party in 2014. A video of the assault, made by a sixth man, had been distributed to their friends. The accusation caused a sensation. Although Ashraf didn’t identify the accused men, copycat accounts sprang up on Instagram that did. One is the son of a prominent steel tycoon; another is the son of a well-known soccer coach. Within one week the victim, who said her drink had been spiked by the assailants, approached police and pressed charges. In late August, Egypt’s prosecutor general announced five arrests — two men in Egypt and three in Lebanon, who have since been extradited to Egypt. At least three other men are being sought. But the investigation became muddied after investigators moved against several people who had come forward in connection to the case. Two men were accused of “debauchery” — code for homosexuality — based on photos found in their phones that were later leaked to the news media. They have been detained, as has a woman — a former partner of one of those accused of rape — whose intimate photos have been leaked onto the internet. Just who leaked those photos is unclear, and the cases are expected to come to court in the coming weeks. But they have already sent a chill through the ranks of Egyptian women who hoped it had become safer to report sexual violence. “Fairmont has become our case of the century,” Ashraf said. “But it shouldn’t be a precedent for assault cases. There’s so many other things coming up that prove we are on the side of girls.” After threats to her security, Ashraf suspended her Instagram page for 10 days in August. Now it is up and running again, but with a focus on educating women about their rights. “You use the word ‘consent’ all the time in English,” she said. “But I’ve never heard its Arabic equivalent: taraadi. So we try to translate these concepts, break them down, explain.” The only name she’s made public of late is her own. Realizing that her identity was leaking out and fearing retribution from men who were threatened by the page, she decided it was safest to end her anonymity. “I figured that if the bad guys knew who I was, good people should too,” she said. “There’s protection in that.”

The 22-year-old force behind Egypt’s growing #MeToo movement

Thousands in&nbsp;Egypt are protesting against the rule of&nbsp;President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi demanding him to resign.

Videos circulating on social media showed the demonstrators holding banners and chanting slogans calling on el-Sissi to step down.

Others were seen setting a police car on fire and throwing stones at security forces. Dozens demonstrated in the al-Basateen district, a large neighborhood in southern Cairo, and in several surrounding areas.

Protesters marched in Maadi, another large district that houses embassies and foreigners and in Madinat Nasr, a Cairo suburb.

Amid&nbsp;such chaotic conditions in his country,&nbsp;Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is showing his commitment&nbsp;to helping Libyans "rid their country of armed militias and terrorist organizations, and put an end to the blatant interference of some regional parties."

&nbsp;

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Libya descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, it has been split, with an internationally recognized government controlling the capital, Tripoli, and the northwest, while military leader Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi rules the east.

Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates,&nbsp;Egypt&nbsp;and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey.

Egypt has tightened security after former army contractor Mohamed Ali called for anti-government protests to commemorate the anniversary of the 2019 mass protests.

During the 2019 protests, Egyptian security forces arrested people arbitrarily and even killed some on the grounds that they were armed. More than six people were killed by security forces. The people were allegedly members of the muslim brotherhood.

Labeling the group as a terrorist organization, el-Sissi's regime has detained, tortured and killed thousands of people with the claim that they were linked to the group.

According to Egyptian media, more than 1,200 people were arrested during the protests. However, Egyptian activists claim that the number is much higher since there were hundreds of detained people who were not registered by the police.

Thousands in Egypt are protesting against the rule of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi demanding him to resign. Videos circulating on social media showed the demonstrators holding banners and chanting slogans calling on el-Sissi to step down.

Thousands in Egypt are protesting against the rule of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi demanding him to resign. Videos circulating on social media showed the demonstrators holding banners and chanting slogans calling on el-Sissi to step down. Others were seen setting a police car on fire and throwing stones at security forces. Dozens demonstrated in the al-Basateen district, a large neighborhood in southern Cairo, and in several surrounding areas. Protesters marched in Maadi, another large district that houses embassies and foreigners and in Madinat Nasr, a Cairo suburb. Amid such chaotic conditions in his country, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is showing his commitment to helping Libyans "rid their country of armed militias and terrorist organizations, and put an end to the blatant interference of some regional parties." × Libya descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, it has been split, with an internationally recognized government controlling the capital, Tripoli, and the northwest, while military leader Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi rules the east. Haftar is supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey. Egypt has tightened security after former army contractor Mohamed Ali called for anti-government protests to commemorate the anniversary of the 2019 mass protests. During the 2019 protests, Egyptian security forces arrested people arbitrarily and even killed some on the grounds that they were armed. More than six people were killed by security forces. The people were allegedly members of the muslim brotherhood. Labeling the group as a terrorist organization, el-Sissi's regime has detained, tortured and killed thousands of people with the claim that they were linked to the group. According to Egyptian media, more than 1,200 people were arrested during the protests. However, Egyptian activists claim that the number is much higher since there were hundreds of detained people who were not registered by the police.

Protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's rule break out across Egypt

Egypt is building two highways across the pyramids plateau outside Cairo, reviving and expanding a project that was suspended in the 1990s after an international outcry.

The Great Pyramids, Egypt’s top tourist destination, are the sole survivor of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the plateau is a UNESCO world heritage site.

The highways are part of an infrastructure push spearheaded by Egypt’s powerful military and championed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is building a new capital city to ease the population pressure on Cairo, home to 20 million people.

The northern highway will cross the desert 2.5 km (1.6 miles) south of the Great Pyramids. The southern one will pass between the Step Pyramid of Saqqara - the oldest one - and the Dahshur area, home to the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.

Each highway appears to be about eight lanes wide.

Critics say they could cause irrevocable damage to one of the world’s most important heritage sites. Authorities say they will be built with care and improve transport links, connecting new urban developments and bypassing central Cairo’s congestion.

“The roads are very, very important for development, for Egyptians, for inside Egypt,” said Mostafa al-Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. “Know that we take good care of our antiquities sites everywhere in Egypt.”

Some Egyptologists and conservationists say the highways will disrupt the integrity of the pyramids plateau, pave over unexplored archaeological sites, generate pollution that could corrode monuments, produce litter and expose closed areas packed with hidden archaeological treasures to looting.

Al-Waziri said existing roads were much closer to the pyramids and carried a lot of tourist buses. “That is why we are doing a lot of development,” he said, noting plans to use electric tourist buses within the plateau to avoid pollution.

Memphis

The highways, which will dissect the plateau into three, will cross a section of ancient Memphis, one of the world’s biggest and most influential cities for almost 3,000 years.

“I was flabbergasted by what I saw,” said former senior UNESCO official Said Zulficar, who visited a portion of the southern highway two months ago. “All the work that I had done nearly 25 years ago is now being put into question.”

Zulficar led a successful campaign in the mid 1990s to suspend construction of the northern highway, a branch of Cairo’s first ringroad. UNESCO said it had requested detailed information on the new plan several times and asked to send a monitoring mission.

The state press centre referred a Reuters request for further comment on the plans to a communications advisor of the tourism and antiquities ministry, who could not be reached.

Construction began well over a year ago in desert areas largely out of public sight and became more visible around March, Egyptologists and Google Earth images indicate.

On a recent visit, Reuters journalists saw heavy machinery clearing fields and building bridges and junctions along both highways. Hundreds of uprooted date palms lay in piles.

The southern highway is a part of Cairo’s second ringroad that will connect the western satellite city of Sixth of October to the new capital city east of Cairo via 16 km of desert on the pyramids plateau, farmland and a corner of Memphis.

In 2014, the World Bank estimated congestion in the greater Cairo area cut about 3.6 percentage points off Egypt’s output.

“The road cuts through archaeologically unexplored cemeteries of the little-known 13th Dynasty, in walking distance of the pyramids of Pepi II and Khendjer and the Mastabat el-Fara’un”, said an Egyptologist who knows the area.

The person was among six Egyptologists Reuters spoke to. Most of them declined to be named for fear of losing clearance to handle antiquities.

One said caches of statues and blocks with hieroglyphs had been unearthed since highway construction began; the antiquities authority said on its Facebook page these had been discovered on nearby private property.

Memphis, said to have been founded in about 3,000 B.C. when Egypt was united into a single country, was eclipsed but not abandoned when Alexander the Great moved the capital to Alexandria in 331 B.C.

It extended more than 6 square kilometres, the Nile valley’s largest ancient settlement site.

The new road comes close to the ancient city’s commercial districts, its harbour walls and the former site of an ancient Nilometer, used to measure the height of the annual flood, said David Jeffreys, a British Egyptologist who has been working on Memphis for the Egypt Exploration Society since 1981.

It also endangers a Roman wall that once bordered the Nile that Jeffreys said few people were aware of.

“Memphis has long been neglected, even by Egyptologists, as it is a complicated site to excavate,” another Egyptologist said. “But it is enormously rich, bursting with temples, archives, administrative buildings and industrial areas.”

Egypt is building two highways across the pyramids plateau outside Cairo, reviving and expanding a project that was suspended in the 1990s after an international outcry.

Egypt is building two highways across the pyramids plateau outside Cairo, reviving and expanding a project that was suspended in the 1990s after an international outcry. The Great Pyramids, Egypt’s top tourist destination, are the sole survivor of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the plateau is a UNESCO world heritage site. The highways are part of an infrastructure push spearheaded by Egypt’s powerful military and championed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is building a new capital city to ease the population pressure on Cairo, home to 20 million people. The northern highway will cross the desert 2.5 km (1.6 miles) south of the Great Pyramids. The southern one will pass between the Step Pyramid of Saqqara - the oldest one - and the Dahshur area, home to the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. Each highway appears to be about eight lanes wide. Critics say they could cause irrevocable damage to one of the world’s most important heritage sites. Authorities say they will be built with care and improve transport links, connecting new urban developments and bypassing central Cairo’s congestion. “The roads are very, very important for development, for Egyptians, for inside Egypt,” said Mostafa al-Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. “Know that we take good care of our antiquities sites everywhere in Egypt.” Some Egyptologists and conservationists say the highways will disrupt the integrity of the pyramids plateau, pave over unexplored archaeological sites, generate pollution that could corrode monuments, produce litter and expose closed areas packed with hidden archaeological treasures to looting. Al-Waziri said existing roads were much closer to the pyramids and carried a lot of tourist buses. “That is why we are doing a lot of development,” he said, noting plans to use electric tourist buses within the plateau to avoid pollution. Memphis The highways, which will dissect the plateau into three, will cross a section of ancient Memphis, one of the world’s biggest and most influential cities for almost 3,000 years. “I was flabbergasted by what I saw,” said former senior UNESCO official Said Zulficar, who visited a portion of the southern highway two months ago. “All the work that I had done nearly 25 years ago is now being put into question.” Zulficar led a successful campaign in the mid 1990s to suspend construction of the northern highway, a branch of Cairo’s first ringroad. UNESCO said it had requested detailed information on the new plan several times and asked to send a monitoring mission. The state press centre referred a Reuters request for further comment on the plans to a communications advisor of the tourism and antiquities ministry, who could not be reached. Construction began well over a year ago in desert areas largely out of public sight and became more visible around March, Egyptologists and Google Earth images indicate. On a recent visit, Reuters journalists saw heavy machinery clearing fields and building bridges and junctions along both highways. Hundreds of uprooted date palms lay in piles. The southern highway is a part of Cairo’s second ringroad that will connect the western satellite city of Sixth of October to the new capital city east of Cairo via 16 km of desert on the pyramids plateau, farmland and a corner of Memphis. In 2014, the World Bank estimated congestion in the greater Cairo area cut about 3.6 percentage points off Egypt’s output. “The road cuts through archaeologically unexplored cemeteries of the little-known 13th Dynasty, in walking distance of the pyramids of Pepi II and Khendjer and the Mastabat el-Fara’un”, said an Egyptologist who knows the area. The person was among six Egyptologists Reuters spoke to. Most of them declined to be named for fear of losing clearance to handle antiquities. One said caches of statues and blocks with hieroglyphs had been unearthed since highway construction began; the antiquities authority said on its Facebook page these had been discovered on nearby private property. Memphis, said to have been founded in about 3,000 B.C. when Egypt was united into a single country, was eclipsed but not abandoned when Alexander the Great moved the capital to Alexandria in 331 B.C. It extended more than 6 square kilometres, the Nile valley’s largest ancient settlement site. The new road comes close to the ancient city’s commercial districts, its harbour walls and the former site of an ancient Nilometer, used to measure the height of the annual flood, said David Jeffreys, a British Egyptologist who has been working on Memphis for the Egypt Exploration Society since 1981. It also endangers a Roman wall that once bordered the Nile that Jeffreys said few people were aware of. “Memphis has long been neglected, even by Egyptologists, as it is a complicated site to excavate,” another Egyptologist said. “But it is enormously rich, bursting with temples, archives, administrative buildings and industrial areas.”

Egypt cuts highways across pyramids plateau, alarming conservationists

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Friday ceasefire declarations made by neighbouring Libya's warring rival governments.

Tripoli-based, internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) announced a ceasefire on Friday and the Eastern-based Libyan parliament called for an immediate ceasefire.

"I welcome statements by Libya's presidential council and the House of Representatives calling for a ceasefire and halting military operations in all Libyan territory," Sisi said in a tweet.&nbsp;

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ارحب بالبيانات الصادرة عن المجلس الرئاسى ومجلس النواب فى ليبيا بوقف اطلاق النار ووقف العمليات العسكرية فى كافة الأراضي الليبية باعتبار ذلك خطوة هامة على طريق تحقيق التسوية السياسية وطموحات الشعب الليبى فى استعادة الاستقرار والازدهار فى ليبيا وحفظ مقدرات شعبها
— Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlsisiOfficial/status/1296765021586894848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Sisi, whose government has been a major supporter of the eastern-based administration dominated by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, said the twin announcements were an "important step" on the path to restoring stability.

The GNA has been locked in conflict with east-Libyan based forces led by veteran commander Khalifa Haftar, who launched a 14-month offensive on Tripoli before Turkish support for the GNA forced him to retreat in June.

GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj "issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories", a statement said.

The LNA is backed by the United Arab Emirates,&nbsp;Egypt&nbsp;and Russia. International intervention in Libya has deepened since the LNA offensive began in April 2019.

The GNA appealed in its statement for the LNA to lift a blockade on oil facilities that has all but halted the country's output, saying revenue should be held in a special account and only be released after a political deal was reached.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Friday ceasefire declarations made by neighbouring Libya's warring rival governments. Tripoli-based, internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) announced a ceasefire on Friday and the Eastern-based Libyan parliament called for an immediate ceasefire.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Friday ceasefire declarations made by neighbouring Libya's warring rival governments. Tripoli-based, internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) announced a ceasefire on Friday and the Eastern-based Libyan parliament called for an immediate ceasefire. "I welcome statements by Libya's presidential council and the House of Representatives calling for a ceasefire and halting military operations in all Libyan territory," Sisi said in a tweet. ارحب بالبيانات الصادرة عن المجلس الرئاسى ومجلس النواب فى ليبيا بوقف اطلاق النار ووقف العمليات العسكرية فى كافة الأراضي الليبية باعتبار ذلك خطوة هامة على طريق تحقيق التسوية السياسية وطموحات الشعب الليبى فى استعادة الاستقرار والازدهار فى ليبيا وحفظ مقدرات شعبها — Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) August 21, 2020 × Sisi, whose government has been a major supporter of the eastern-based administration dominated by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, said the twin announcements were an "important step" on the path to restoring stability. The GNA has been locked in conflict with east-Libyan based forces led by veteran commander Khalifa Haftar, who launched a 14-month offensive on Tripoli before Turkish support for the GNA forced him to retreat in June. GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj "issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories", a statement said. The LNA is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia. International intervention in Libya has deepened since the LNA offensive began in April 2019. The GNA appealed in its statement for the LNA to lift a blockade on oil facilities that has all but halted the country's output, saying revenue should be held in a special account and only be released after a political deal was reached.

Egypt's Sisi welcomes ceasefire declarations by rival Libya governments

Scientists digitally 'unwrap' mummies of ancient Egyptian cat, snake and bird

When dozens of Egyptians began posting accounts of sexual assault on social media last month, activists sensed a "#MeToo" moment in a nation where women have long felt disadvantaged.

Video: Sexual assault accusations spotlight social stigmas in Egypt

There is a dam that's coming up on the River Nile.&nbsp;Once complete, it will be the largest in Africa. A matter of pride for Ethiopia, who is building it. But, a matter of life and death for Egypt and Sudan. Since the project began in 2011, the three countries have been locked in a diplomatic conflict. Ethiopia has erected the dam on the Blue Nile. One of Nile's two tributaries that flows into Egypt and Sudan. So, both Sudan and Egypt fear the dam could lead to water shortages in their own lands. Nearly 100 million Egyptians rely on Nile for fresh water. It is a source of life and livelihood, especially for farmers. Same is the case with Sudan, which is also concerned about its own smaller dams running dry. The three countries met earlier this month to find a common ground.

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Since Ethiopia is adamant on making the dam operational, Egypt and Sudan wanted assurances about the volume of water that will be released each year. Particularly during the years of drought. They asked Ethiopia to inform them before filling up the dam. But, the talks fell apart. Now, the tension along the river Nile is escalating. The grand Ethiopian renaissance dam is filling up. Ethiopia is blaming heavy rainfall. But, Egypt and Sudan are not ready to buy that argument. Egypt has asked for clarification. But, Sudan says Ethiopia has shut the gates.

Ethiopia is disregarding these protests as the dam holds economic importance. The four billion dollar dam will double the country's power capacity to 6,500 megawatt. With that, Ethiopia will become Africa's biggest power exporter. It will provide power to 65 million Ethiopians and run their businesses. Ethiopia does not want to let go of the chance. It is seeking to undo agreements signed way back in 1920s with the British as the overseeing power.

Another agreement in 1959 increased the flow of water to Egypt and Sudan. Since 1960s, Ethiopia repeatedly tried to secure control over the Blue Nile's waters. The chance came in 2011 as Egypt rocked under the Arab Springs. Ethiopia made use of the diversion to begin building the dam. Egypt threatened to send troops to stop the construction. By 2015, both Egypt and Sudan were ready for negotiations.

In 2018, Egypt sent troops to the Sudanese border. Over 2019 and 2020, the US Offered to mediate and in February, the US and World Bank failed to secure an agreement. Now, the African Union has come forward to be the broker. But, the question remains as Nile stops to flow freely, can the conflict lead to war?

There is a dam that's coming up on the River Nile. Once complete, it will be the largest in Africa. A matter of pride for Ethiopia, who is building it. But, a matter of life and death for Egypt and Sudan.

There is a dam that's coming up on the River Nile. Once complete, it will be the largest in Africa. A matter of pride for Ethiopia, who is building it. But, a matter of life and death for Egypt and Sudan. Since the project began in 2011, the three countries have been locked in a diplomatic conflict. Ethiopia has erected the dam on the Blue Nile. One of Nile's two tributaries that flows into Egypt and Sudan. So, both Sudan and Egypt fear the dam could lead to water shortages in their own lands. Nearly 100 million Egyptians rely on Nile for fresh water. It is a source of life and livelihood, especially for farmers. Same is the case with Sudan, which is also concerned about its own smaller dams running dry. The three countries met earlier this month to find a common ground. × Since Ethiopia is adamant on making the dam operational, Egypt and Sudan wanted assurances about the volume of water that will be released each year. Particularly during the years of drought. They asked Ethiopia to inform them before filling up the dam. But, the talks fell apart. Now, the tension along the river Nile is escalating. The grand Ethiopian renaissance dam is filling up. Ethiopia is blaming heavy rainfall. But, Egypt and Sudan are not ready to buy that argument. Egypt has asked for clarification. But, Sudan says Ethiopia has shut the gates. Ethiopia is disregarding these protests as the dam holds economic importance. The four billion dollar dam will double the country's power capacity to 6,500 megawatt. With that, Ethiopia will become Africa's biggest power exporter. It will provide power to 65 million Ethiopians and run their businesses. Ethiopia does not want to let go of the chance. It is seeking to undo agreements signed way back in 1920s with the British as the overseeing power. Another agreement in 1959 increased the flow of water to Egypt and Sudan. Since 1960s, Ethiopia repeatedly tried to secure control over the Blue Nile's waters. The chance came in 2011 as Egypt rocked under the Arab Springs. Ethiopia made use of the diversion to begin building the dam. Egypt threatened to send troops to stop the construction. By 2015, both Egypt and Sudan were ready for negotiations. In 2018, Egypt sent troops to the Sudanese border. Over 2019 and 2020, the US Offered to mediate and in February, the US and World Bank failed to secure an agreement. Now, the African Union has come forward to be the broker. But, the question remains as Nile stops to flow freely, can the conflict lead to war?

Why River Nile is bone of contention between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia

Dispute about Ethiopia's controversial Nile dam

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged the Egyptian government to stop harassing the US citizens residing in Egypt.

The statement came after Egypt released&nbsp;Mohamed Amashah, an American medical student, after being locked up in Egyptian prison for nearly 16 months.

Amashah was&nbsp;arrested in Cairo's Tahrir Square for holding up a sign seeking the release of prisoners, according to human rights campaigners. He is a dual-citizen of the US and Egypt but resides in New Jersey. He was released from the Egyptian prison on Monday.

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"We thank Egypt for securing his release and his repatriation," Pompeo told a news conference.

"But at the same time, we urge Egyptian officials to stop unwarranted harassment of US citizens and their families who remain there," he said.

Pompeo issued the statement after a group of foreign policy experts urged him to warn the Egyptian government against the ongoing harassment of the US citizens and even the Egyptian journalists and activists. The group had asked Pompeo to make it clear to the Egyptian government that all sort of aids, including military aid, will be at stake if Egypt does not stop the harassment.

"As the Trump administration tries to hold Iran and China to account for their reckless and dangerous abuses of human rights, we hope that you will hold Egypt to the same standards," said the working group on Egypt organized under the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"Continued mass violations of human rights increase the prospect of instability in Egypt and threaten US national security interests," they wrote.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged the Egyptian government to stop harassing the US citizens residing in Egypt. The statement came after Egypt released Mohamed Amashah, an American medical student, after being locked up in Egyptian prison for nearly 16 months.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged the Egyptian government to stop harassing the US citizens residing in Egypt. The statement came after Egypt released Mohamed Amashah, an American medical student, after being locked up in Egyptian prison for nearly 16 months. Amashah was arrested in Cairo's Tahrir Square for holding up a sign seeking the release of prisoners, according to human rights campaigners. He is a dual-citizen of the US and Egypt but resides in New Jersey. He was released from the Egyptian prison on Monday. Also watch:Egypt welcomes tourists to pyramids after COVID-19 closure "We thank Egypt for securing his release and his repatriation," Pompeo told a news conference. "But at the same time, we urge Egyptian officials to stop unwarranted harassment of US citizens and their families who remain there," he said. Pompeo issued the statement after a group of foreign policy experts urged him to warn the Egyptian government against the ongoing harassment of the US citizens and even the Egyptian journalists and activists. The group had asked Pompeo to make it clear to the Egyptian government that all sort of aids, including military aid, will be at stake if Egypt does not stop the harassment. "As the Trump administration tries to hold Iran and China to account for their reckless and dangerous abuses of human rights, we hope that you will hold Egypt to the same standards," said the working group on Egypt organized under the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Continued mass violations of human rights increase the prospect of instability in Egypt and threaten US national security interests," they wrote.

Stop harassing US citizens in Egypt: Mike Pompeo warns Egypt after release of American student

The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved Egypt's request for a USD 5.2 billion loan as the country's economy reels from the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The one-year arrangement, which comes on top of a separate USD 2.77 billion emergency financing announced last month, aims to boost Egypt's social spending, spur job creation and advance structural reforms to "put Egypt on a strong footing for sustained recovery," the IMF said in a statement.

Egypt had been one of the fastest-growing emerging markets in the world before the pandemic. Now, the IMF warned, disruptions "have worsened the economic outlook and reshuffled policy priorities." There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government on the loan's approval.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-sudan-ethiopia-wont-fill-disputed-dam-before-accord-308912">Also read|&nbsp;Egypt, Sudan: Ethiopia won't fill disputed dam before accord</a>

The Arab world's most populous country is struggling to cope with a collapse of critical sources of income, including tourism revenue, remittances from Egyptian workers abroad, shipping fees from the Suez Canal and gas and oil revenues.

Egypt only just emerged from a three-year economic overhaul after securing a USD 12 billion IMF loan in late 2016. The government's significant reforms included floating the currency, slashing key subsidies and imposing a value-added tax.

The austerity measures won President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi praise from Cairo's Western backers and bankers, and helped attract foreign investment after years of political turmoil that followed the 2011 popular uprising. But the overhaul also dramatically hiked prices for everything from electricity to drinking water, squeezing the poor and middle class.

Before the pandemic threw millions of casual laborers out of work, one in three Egyptians was already living in poverty, according to government figures.

During the pandemic, the government has handed out 500 Egyptian pounds (USD 31) a month to informal workers in need. But that seemingly hasn't solved the economic distress of millions.

The government's statistics agency reported recently that about half of all Egyptian families had been forced to borrow money because of the economic shutdown. Over 73% of citizens said their income had declined.

To fend off further financial strain, the government has resisted a harsh lockdown, instead enacting a nighttime curfew, shutting down schools, mosques, gyms and clubs, and urging citizens to wear masks and take other precautions against the virus.

Starting next week, the government plans to gradually reopen society even as it reports over 1,000 new infections and close to 100 deaths a day.

Restaurants, coffee shops, clubs and theaters will resume operations at 25% capacity, while mosques and churches will welcome worshippers after a three-month suspension. International flights will resume for tourism to destinations less hard-hit by the virus.

Health experts have cautioned that reopening for business could pose a serious risk as Egypt's coronavirus case count soars.

The country's doctors union warned last month the country was careening toward a catastrophe and that its health system was nearing collapse.

Egyptian social media have been flooded with stories of families struggling to find hospital beds for sick relatives. 
Meanwhile, the doctors union reported that five physicians have been arrested for speaking out about authorities' handling of the pandemic, as el-Sissi's government tightens its grip on information about the outbreak.

Egypt's health ministry has reported 62,755 infections, including 2,620 deaths --&nbsp;the highest death toll in the region.

The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved Egypt's request for a USD 5.2 billion loan as the country's economy reels from the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved Egypt's request for a USD 5.2 billion loan as the country's economy reels from the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. The one-year arrangement, which comes on top of a separate USD 2.77 billion emergency financing announced last month, aims to boost Egypt's social spending, spur job creation and advance structural reforms to "put Egypt on a strong footing for sustained recovery," the IMF said in a statement. Egypt had been one of the fastest-growing emerging markets in the world before the pandemic. Now, the IMF warned, disruptions "have worsened the economic outlook and reshuffled policy priorities." There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government on the loan's approval. Also read| Egypt, Sudan: Ethiopia won't fill disputed dam before accord The Arab world's most populous country is struggling to cope with a collapse of critical sources of income, including tourism revenue, remittances from Egyptian workers abroad, shipping fees from the Suez Canal and gas and oil revenues. Egypt only just emerged from a three-year economic overhaul after securing a USD 12 billion IMF loan in late 2016. The government's significant reforms included floating the currency, slashing key subsidies and imposing a value-added tax. The austerity measures won President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi praise from Cairo's Western backers and bankers, and helped attract foreign investment after years of political turmoil that followed the 2011 popular uprising. But the overhaul also dramatically hiked prices for everything from electricity to drinking water, squeezing the poor and middle class. Before the pandemic threw millions of casual laborers out of work, one in three Egyptians was already living in poverty, according to government figures. During the pandemic, the government has handed out 500 Egyptian pounds (USD 31) a month to informal workers in need. But that seemingly hasn't solved the economic distress of millions. The government's statistics agency reported recently that about half of all Egyptian families had been forced to borrow money because of the economic shutdown. Over 73% of citizens said their income had declined. To fend off further financial strain, the government has resisted a harsh lockdown, instead enacting a nighttime curfew, shutting down schools, mosques, gyms and clubs, and urging citizens to wear masks and take other precautions against the virus. Starting next week, the government plans to gradually reopen society even as it reports over 1,000 new infections and close to 100 deaths a day. Restaurants, coffee shops, clubs and theaters will resume operations at 25% capacity, while mosques and churches will welcome worshippers after a three-month suspension. International flights will resume for tourism to destinations less hard-hit by the virus. Health experts have cautioned that reopening for business could pose a serious risk as Egypt's coronavirus case count soars. The country's doctors union warned last month the country was careening toward a catastrophe and that its health system was nearing collapse. Egyptian social media have been flooded with stories of families struggling to find hospital beds for sick relatives. Meanwhile, the doctors union reported that five physicians have been arrested for speaking out about authorities' handling of the pandemic, as el-Sissi's government tightens its grip on information about the outbreak. Egypt's health ministry has reported 62,755 infections, including 2,620 deaths -- the highest death toll in the region.

Egypt secures USD 5.2 billion IMF loan amid coronavirus fallout

The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have agreed that Ethiopia will refrain from filling its new hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile next month and return to talks aimed at reaching an agreement among the three nations on use of the river's waters, according to statements from Egypt and Sudan.

The announcement was a modest reprieve from weeks of bellicose rhetoric and escalating tensions over the USD 4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia had vowed to start filling at the start of the rainy season in July.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-is-committed-to-a-diplomatic-solution-to-ethiopias-dam-crisis-sisi-307352">Also read|&nbsp;Egypt is committed to a diplomatic solution to Ethiopia's dam crisis: Sisi</a>

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia on Friday's statement, beyond a tweet from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that described an African Union summit discussion about the dam as "fruitful".

Ethiopia has hinged its development ambitions on the mega-project, describing the dam as a crucial lifeline to bring millions out of poverty.

Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies and already faces high water stress, fears a devastating impact on its booming population of 100 million.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/fragile-big-power-ties-add-to-uncertainty-in-the-middle-east-307021">Also read|&nbsp;Fragile big power ties add to uncertainty in the Middle East</a>

Sudan, which also depends on the Nile for water, has played a key role in bringing the two sides together after the collapse of US-mediated talks in February.

Just last week, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew declared that his country would start filling the dam's reservoir, after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan failed to reach an accord governing how the dam will be filled and operated.

After the African Union video conference chaired by South Africa on Friday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that "all parties" had pledged not to take "any unilateral action" by filling the dam without a final agreement, said Bassam Radi, Egypt's presidency spokesman.

Sudan's state-run media also reported that the impasse between the Nile basin countries had eased, saying the countries had agreed to restart negotiations through a technical committee with the aim of reaching a deal in two weeks.

Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam if a multi-year drought occurs and how Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disagreements.

Both Egypt and Sudan have appealed to the UN Security Council to intervene in the years-long dispute and help the Nile basin countries avert a crisis. The council is set to hold a public meeting on the issue Monday.

Filling the dam without an agreement could bring the stand-off to a critical juncture. Both Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at military steps to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in talks could lead to open conflict.

The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have agreed that Ethiopia will refrain from filling its new hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile next month and return to talks aimed at reaching an agreement among the three nations on use of the river's waters, according to statements from Egypt and Sudan.

The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia have agreed that Ethiopia will refrain from filling its new hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile next month and return to talks aimed at reaching an agreement among the three nations on use of the river's waters, according to statements from Egypt and Sudan. The announcement was a modest reprieve from weeks of bellicose rhetoric and escalating tensions over the USD 4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia had vowed to start filling at the start of the rainy season in July. Also read| Egypt is committed to a diplomatic solution to Ethiopia's dam crisis: Sisi There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia on Friday's statement, beyond a tweet from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that described an African Union summit discussion about the dam as "fruitful". Ethiopia has hinged its development ambitions on the mega-project, describing the dam as a crucial lifeline to bring millions out of poverty. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies and already faces high water stress, fears a devastating impact on its booming population of 100 million. Also read| Fragile big power ties add to uncertainty in the Middle East Sudan, which also depends on the Nile for water, has played a key role in bringing the two sides together after the collapse of US-mediated talks in February. Just last week, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew declared that his country would start filling the dam's reservoir, after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan failed to reach an accord governing how the dam will be filled and operated. After the African Union video conference chaired by South Africa on Friday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that "all parties" had pledged not to take "any unilateral action" by filling the dam without a final agreement, said Bassam Radi, Egypt's presidency spokesman. Sudan's state-run media also reported that the impasse between the Nile basin countries had eased, saying the countries had agreed to restart negotiations through a technical committee with the aim of reaching a deal in two weeks. Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam if a multi-year drought occurs and how Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disagreements. Both Egypt and Sudan have appealed to the UN Security Council to intervene in the years-long dispute and help the Nile basin countries avert a crisis. The council is set to hold a public meeting on the issue Monday. Filling the dam without an agreement could bring the stand-off to a critical juncture. Both Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at military steps to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in talks could lead to open conflict.

Egypt, Sudan: Ethiopia won't fill disputed dam before accord

Egypt is committed to using diplomacy to resolve a crisis with Ethiopia over its construction of a giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday, addressing stalled talks on the issue.

The talks were halted once again on Wednesday, this time only about a fortnight before the expected start-up of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is being built near Ethiopia`s border with Sudan and is the centrepiece in its bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter.

Cairo said on Friday it had called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to restart the talks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/fragile-big-power-ties-add-to-uncertainty-in-the-middle-east-307021">Also read:&nbsp;Fragile big power ties add to uncertainty in the Middle East</a>

"When we moved to the Security Council... that was (because) we are always keen to take the diplomatic and political path until its end," Sisi said in a speech at an air force base.

"We need to move strongly towards concluding the negotiations and reach an agreement... and solutions that achieve the interest of all," he said.

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Egypt, which is almost entirely dependent on the Nile for its fresh water supplies, is anxious to secure a legally binding deal that would guarantee minimum flows and a mechanism for resolving disputes before the dam starts operating.

The latest talks, which had started on June 9 over video conference, followed a previous round of negotiations in Washington, which ended without agreement in February.

On Saturday, Sisi recalled that in a speech he gave to the Ethiopian parliament five years ago he said that while Egypt respects Ethiopians` need for development they also should respect its needs for "life".

Earlier on Saturday, Sisi ordered his army to be ready to carry out any mission inside or outside the country amid tensions over regional rival Turkey`s intervention in neighbouring Libya.

Egypt is committed to using diplomacy to resolve a crisis with Ethiopia over its construction of a giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday, addressing stalled talks on the issue.

Egypt is committed to using diplomacy to resolve a crisis with Ethiopia over its construction of a giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday, addressing stalled talks on the issue. The talks were halted once again on Wednesday, this time only about a fortnight before the expected start-up of the $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is being built near Ethiopia`s border with Sudan and is the centrepiece in its bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter. Cairo said on Friday it had called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to restart the talks. Also read: Fragile big power ties add to uncertainty in the Middle East "When we moved to the Security Council... that was (because) we are always keen to take the diplomatic and political path until its end," Sisi said in a speech at an air force base. "We need to move strongly towards concluding the negotiations and reach an agreement... and solutions that achieve the interest of all," he said. Also read: Death of Egypt LGBT+ activist jailed for waving rainbow flag mourned Egypt, which is almost entirely dependent on the Nile for its fresh water supplies, is anxious to secure a legally binding deal that would guarantee minimum flows and a mechanism for resolving disputes before the dam starts operating. The latest talks, which had started on June 9 over video conference, followed a previous round of negotiations in Washington, which ended without agreement in February. On Saturday, Sisi recalled that in a speech he gave to the Ethiopian parliament five years ago he said that while Egypt respects Ethiopians` need for development they also should respect its needs for "life". Earlier on Saturday, Sisi ordered his army to be ready to carry out any mission inside or outside the country amid tensions over regional rival Turkey`s intervention in neighbouring Libya.

Egypt is committed to a diplomatic solution to Ethiopia's dam crisis: Sisi

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday that Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar have welcomed an initiative to end the military conflict in the neighboring war-torn Libya.

The announcement came after Sisi attentded a meeting with Libyan leaders in Cairo. The meeting was organised to&nbsp;discuss the recent developments of the ongoing war civil war in Libya.

The peace-calling initiative is called&nbsp;Cairo Declaration. It seeks a cease-fire between the&nbsp;warring Libyan parties starting from June 8, a UN-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council and drafting a constitutional declaration to regulate elections for the later stage, Sisi said in a joint press conference with Haftar and Saleh.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libyas-haftar-pulls-back-east-as-tripoli-offensive-crumbles-303763">Also read:&nbsp;Libya's Haftar pulls back east as Tripoli offensive crumbles</a>

Under the initiative, foreign mercenaries will pull out from Libya. All militias will dismantle and disarm, to allow the Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA) take charge in the country, according to the Egyptian president.

Things have been tense in Libya since 2011 when former leader&nbsp;Muammar Gaddafi was assassinated, and later in 2014 the country was divided into two major parts -- one ruled by&nbsp;Government of National Accord (GNA), which is backed by UN,&nbsp;Turkey, Italy and Qatar and the other being LNA, backed by&nbsp;Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia .

"The initiative calls for respecting all relevant UN efforts and initiatives. The initiative will mark a beginning for a new stage towards the return of normal and safe life to Libya," Sisi said.

Sisi's announcement was welcomed by other countries. The Egyptian President said he hopes the UN will invite all Libyan parties to the UN headquarters to relaunch the political process.

(With inputs from ANI)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday that Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar have welcomed an initiative to end the military conflict in the neighboring war-torn Libya.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced on Saturday that Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and eastern-based military leader Khalifa Haftar have welcomed an initiative to end the military conflict in the neighboring war-torn Libya. The announcement came after Sisi attentded a meeting with Libyan leaders in Cairo. The meeting was organised to discuss the recent developments of the ongoing war civil war in Libya. The peace-calling initiative is called Cairo Declaration. It seeks a cease-fire between the warring Libyan parties starting from June 8, a UN-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council and drafting a constitutional declaration to regulate elections for the later stage, Sisi said in a joint press conference with Haftar and Saleh. Also read: Libya's Haftar pulls back east as Tripoli offensive crumbles Under the initiative, foreign mercenaries will pull out from Libya. All militias will dismantle and disarm, to allow the Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA) take charge in the country, according to the Egyptian president. Things have been tense in Libya since 2011 when former leader Muammar Gaddafi was assassinated, and later in 2014 the country was divided into two major parts -- one ruled by Government of National Accord (GNA), which is backed by UN, Turkey, Italy and Qatar and the other being LNA, backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia . "The initiative calls for respecting all relevant UN efforts and initiatives. The initiative will mark a beginning for a new stage towards the return of normal and safe life to Libya," Sisi said. Sisi's announcement was welcomed by other countries. The Egyptian President said he hopes the UN will invite all Libyan parties to the UN headquarters to relaunch the political process. (With inputs from ANI)

Egypt's President offers peace-talks to end civil war in war-torn Libya

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has recently announced the unearthing of five limestone sarcophagi and four coffins containing human mummies.&nbsp;

The wooden coffins were found inside a burial shaft stretching nine meters below ground.&nbsp;

The shaft was found in Sacred Animal Necropolis in Saqqara, which is an ancient burial ground, 20 miles south of Cairo. It is the same area where the oldest pyramid, Step Pyramid, is located.

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Some other small artifacts, including 365 faience ushabti figurines and some inscribed with hieroglyphics, were also found in the shaft.

The announcement was made through a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moantiquities/videos/2554142418186206/">facebook video</a> of the Ministry's official facebook page.&nbsp;

A small wooden obelisk about 40 centimeters tall was also found in the shaft. It was painted with scenes featuring the Egyptian goddesses Isis, associated with rebirth, the death goddess Nephthys, and the god Horus.

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While majority artifacts were removed from the shaft for restoration purposes, the sarcophagi and wooden coffins are being restored inside the shaft, says the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

On April 24, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also announced the uncovering of a mummy that dates back to Egypt's 17th dynasty, circa 1550 BCE.

Archaeologists have also discovered red leather sandals and a pair of leather balls tied to each other with thread. Also buried nearby were two mummified cats,&nbsp;another smaller coffin with a wooden ushabti inside.

The officials assured that all members of the team are maintaining proper social distance and are following all the precautions of coronavirus.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has recently announced the unearthing of five limestone sarcophagi and four coffins containing human mummies. The wooden coffins were found inside a burial shaft stretching nine meters below ground.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has recently announced the unearthing of five limestone sarcophagi and four coffins containing human mummies. The wooden coffins were found inside a burial shaft stretching nine meters below ground. The shaft was found in Sacred Animal Necropolis in Saqqara, which is an ancient burial ground, 20 miles south of Cairo. It is the same area where the oldest pyramid, Step Pyramid, is located. Also read: La Liga to begin with individual training as government to ease lockdown Some other small artifacts, including 365 faience ushabti figurines and some inscribed with hieroglyphics, were also found in the shaft. The announcement was made through a facebook video of the Ministry's official facebook page. A small wooden obelisk about 40 centimeters tall was also found in the shaft. It was painted with scenes featuring the Egyptian goddesses Isis, associated with rebirth, the death goddess Nephthys, and the god Horus. Also read: US considering coronavirus checks on international flights: Trump While majority artifacts were removed from the shaft for restoration purposes, the sarcophagi and wooden coffins are being restored inside the shaft, says the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. On April 24, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also announced the uncovering of a mummy that dates back to Egypt's 17th dynasty, circa 1550 BCE. Archaeologists have also discovered red leather sandals and a pair of leather balls tied to each other with thread. Also buried nearby were two mummified cats, another smaller coffin with a wooden ushabti inside. The officials assured that all members of the team are maintaining proper social distance and are following all the precautions of coronavirus.

Mummies found in a burial shaft in Egypt

There’s a message in Pakistani and Egyptian responses to the Coronavirus: Neither ultra-conservative science-rejecting worldviews nor self-serving autocratic policies could have blunted the impact of the disease.

To be sure, Pakistan and Egypt, although different in what drove their responses, are in good company. Overwhelmingly, governments across the globe with the exceptions of Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea, failed to take the initial warnings signs seriously.

Unlike western democracies that have little to boast about in their handling of the crisis, countries like Pakistan and Egypt lack the checks and balances, robust civil societies, and independent media needed as correctives.

And both Egypt and Pakistan have gone out of their way to keep it that way.

Egypt, apparently taking a leaf out of China’s playbook, reprimanded foreign correspondents for The Guardian and The New York Times in Cairo for reporting that the number of cases in the country was exponentially higher than the 495 confirmed by authorities as of March 29.&nbsp;

The coverage was based on conclusions by infectious disease specialists at the University of Toronto who had analyzed flight and traveller data as well as infection rates.

The scientists estimated that “Egypt likely has a large burden of Covid-19 cases that are unreported.” They put the number of Egyptian cases as high as 19,130 as of March 15.

In response, authorities withdrew the press permit of The Guardian’s Ruth Michaelson and expelled her from the country while The New York Times’ Declan Walsh was forced to delete a tweet. Furthermore, several Egyptians have been detained on charges of spreading false and fabricated rumours.

Yet, Egypt imposed strict measures including the closure of all educational institutions and the suspension of flights on March 15, the day the scientists published their findings. The government also announced a $6.38 billion fund to fight the virus.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) official in Cairo said the group could not verify the scientists’ methodology but added that “It is possible that there are many other cases with mild symptoms which did not result in hospital visits, and therefore are not detected or reported.”

Independent reporting is a crucial node in an effective early warning system. It creates pressure for a timely response. The effort to suppress it was in line with Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s initial reaction to the virus.

Rather than focusing on early preventive measures at home, Al-Sisi sought to benefit from China’s predicament.

With only one officially confirmed case of a Chinese national arriving in February at Cairo airport who was hospitalised and cured, Al Sisi sent his health minister, Hala Zayed, to China to praise it for preventing a far worse global outbreak by taking very strong precautionary measures. This despite Beijing’s costly failure to confront the disease firmly from the outset.

Pakistan’s approach in recent months was no less negligent.

Like Egypt, a country in which the power of the military is thinly camouflaged by hollowed-out institutions, Pakistan too waffled until last week in its response to the pandemic.

The Pakistani government refused early on to evacuate some 800 students from Wuhan in a bid to earn brownie points in Beijing. It also failed to manage the return of potentially infected pilgrims from Iran. And finally, it catered to ultra-conservative groups whose worldviews were akin to ones long prevalent in Saudi Arabia with its significant cultural and religious influence in the South Asian nation.

As a result, Pakistan, a deeply religious country that borders on both China and Iran, allowed Tablighi Jamaat, a proselytising group with a huge global following in some 80 countries that is banned in Saudi Arabia, to continue organising mass events.

The group organised a 16,000 people mass gathering in early March in Malaysia where scores were infected with the Coronavirus.

Hundreds of Tablighi gathered from March 21 to 23 in the Mardan District of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to pray, listen to speeches, and eat and sleep in congested quarters.

One participant, professing his belief that God would protect the Tablighi, described spending almost six weeks together with thousands of others at Tablighi headquarters near Lahore, a city of 11 million, just before travelling to Mardan.

Pakistan Religious Affairs Minister Noor-ul-Haq Qadri caved into demands by the clergy to keep mosques open but capped the maximum number of people at prayers at five.

The minister’s concession reinforced a popular perception of the government’s message that the virus crisis was less grave than projected by health authorities across the globe.

“If the pandemic was serious, the government would’ve shut down all the mosques,” said Sadiq Bhutt, speaking through an interpreter, as he entered a mosque in Islamabad for Friday prayers.

Eventually, overriding government policy, the Pakistan military intervened in recent days to impose a lockdown like in much of the rest of the world.

But as in Egypt, it may be too late for Pakistan.

Ultimately, the lesson of Egypt, Pakistan, and China’s initial handling of the Coronavirus is that neither self-serving autocrats nor authoritarians have the wherewithal to confront a crisis like a pandemic in a timely fashion. Their much-delayed responses have failed to take the public’s interests to the heart rather than those of elites that prioritise geopolitical or political advantage.

Western democracies have performed not much better with US President Donald J Trump seemingly more concerned about the economic impact in an election year than about public health and people’s lives.

The difference, however, is that western democracies have the potential of holding leaders to account and implementing lessons learned from the costly mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s hard to hold out a similar hope for Arab autocracies or countries like Pakistan whose democratic façade is at best skin-deep.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

There’s a message in Pakistani and Egyptian responses to the Coronavirus: Neither ultra-conservative science-rejecting worldviews nor self-serving autocratic policies could have blunted the impact of the disease.

There’s a message in Pakistani and Egyptian responses to the Coronavirus: Neither ultra-conservative science-rejecting worldviews nor self-serving autocratic policies could have blunted the impact of the disease. To be sure, Pakistan and Egypt, although different in what drove their responses, are in good company. Overwhelmingly, governments across the globe with the exceptions of Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea, failed to take the initial warnings signs seriously. Unlike western democracies that have little to boast about in their handling of the crisis, countries like Pakistan and Egypt lack the checks and balances, robust civil societies, and independent media needed as correctives. And both Egypt and Pakistan have gone out of their way to keep it that way. Egypt, apparently taking a leaf out of China’s playbook, reprimanded foreign correspondents for The Guardian and The New York Times in Cairo for reporting that the number of cases in the country was exponentially higher than the 495 confirmed by authorities as of March 29. The coverage was based on conclusions by infectious disease specialists at the University of Toronto who had analyzed flight and traveller data as well as infection rates. The scientists estimated that “Egypt likely has a large burden of Covid-19 cases that are unreported.” They put the number of Egyptian cases as high as 19,130 as of March 15. In response, authorities withdrew the press permit of The Guardian’s Ruth Michaelson and expelled her from the country while The New York Times’ Declan Walsh was forced to delete a tweet. Furthermore, several Egyptians have been detained on charges of spreading false and fabricated rumours. Yet, Egypt imposed strict measures including the closure of all educational institutions and the suspension of flights on March 15, the day the scientists published their findings. The government also announced a $6.38 billion fund to fight the virus. A World Health Organisation (WHO) official in Cairo said the group could not verify the scientists’ methodology but added that “It is possible that there are many other cases with mild symptoms which did not result in hospital visits, and therefore are not detected or reported.” Independent reporting is a crucial node in an effective early warning system. It creates pressure for a timely response. The effort to suppress it was in line with Egyptian general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s initial reaction to the virus. Rather than focusing on early preventive measures at home, Al-Sisi sought to benefit from China’s predicament. With only one officially confirmed case of a Chinese national arriving in February at Cairo airport who was hospitalised and cured, Al Sisi sent his health minister, Hala Zayed, to China to praise it for preventing a far worse global outbreak by taking very strong precautionary measures. This despite Beijing’s costly failure to confront the disease firmly from the outset. Pakistan’s approach in recent months was no less negligent. Like Egypt, a country in which the power of the military is thinly camouflaged by hollowed-out institutions, Pakistan too waffled until last week in its response to the pandemic. The Pakistani government refused early on to evacuate some 800 students from Wuhan in a bid to earn brownie points in Beijing. It also failed to manage the return of potentially infected pilgrims from Iran. And finally, it catered to ultra-conservative groups whose worldviews were akin to ones long prevalent in Saudi Arabia with its significant cultural and religious influence in the South Asian nation. As a result, Pakistan, a deeply religious country that borders on both China and Iran, allowed Tablighi Jamaat, a proselytising group with a huge global following in some 80 countries that is banned in Saudi Arabia, to continue organising mass events. The group organised a 16,000 people mass gathering in early March in Malaysia where scores were infected with the Coronavirus. Hundreds of Tablighi gathered from March 21 to 23 in the Mardan District of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to pray, listen to speeches, and eat and sleep in congested quarters. One participant, professing his belief that God would protect the Tablighi, described spending almost six weeks together with thousands of others at Tablighi headquarters near Lahore, a city of 11 million, just before travelling to Mardan. Pakistan Religious Affairs Minister Noor-ul-Haq Qadri caved into demands by the clergy to keep mosques open but capped the maximum number of people at prayers at five. The minister’s concession reinforced a popular perception of the government’s message that the virus crisis was less grave than projected by health authorities across the globe. “If the pandemic was serious, the government would’ve shut down all the mosques,” said Sadiq Bhutt, speaking through an interpreter, as he entered a mosque in Islamabad for Friday prayers. Eventually, overriding government policy, the Pakistan military intervened in recent days to impose a lockdown like in much of the rest of the world. But as in Egypt, it may be too late for Pakistan. Ultimately, the lesson of Egypt, Pakistan, and China’s initial handling of the Coronavirus is that neither self-serving autocrats nor authoritarians have the wherewithal to confront a crisis like a pandemic in a timely fashion. Their much-delayed responses have failed to take the public’s interests to the heart rather than those of elites that prioritise geopolitical or political advantage. Western democracies have performed not much better with US President Donald J Trump seemingly more concerned about the economic impact in an election year than about public health and people’s lives. The difference, however, is that western democracies have the potential of holding leaders to account and implementing lessons learned from the costly mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s hard to hold out a similar hope for Arab autocracies or countries like Pakistan whose democratic façade is at best skin-deep. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How Egypt and Pakistan waffled in their response to coronavirus

Saudi Arabia imposed on Sunday a temporary lockdown on its eastern oil-producing province of Qatif, home to most of its 15 coronavirus infections, and suspended schools and universities nationwide.

Four new cases, including an American arrival who visited Italy and the Philippines, took the tally to 15 on Monday, as the kingdom suspended travel with nine nations, from neighbouring United Arab Emirates to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/opinion-the-real-reason-why-saudi-arabia-lifted-its-ban-on-women-driving-146910">Opinion: The real reason why Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women driving</a>

The interior ministry announced the lockdown in Qatif, which has a large Shi'ite Muslim population, after Saudi Arabia confirmed the four latest cases. It is not expected to have any impact on Saudi oil production, two industry sources said.

But the decision could stir resentment in Qatif, which has been a flashpoint between the Sunni-dominated Saudi government and minority Shi'ites who have complained of discrimination and marginalisation, charges the government denies.

"Work at all public and private institutions is halted as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease," the interior ministry said in a statement, adding that only vital services such as security and provisioning would be excluded.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-lifts-ban-on-women-driving-26949">Saudi Arabia lifts ban on women drivers</a>

The ministry said the Qatif curbs on movement would allow residents to return home and commercial supplies to continue.

Cement blocks were placed on the main road to Qatif, said one resident of the province, while others reported a rush to grocery shops after the lockdown began.

Saudi authorities have previously said those infected had visited either Iran or Iraq or been in contact with people who visited those countries, home to Shi'ite holy sites.

The curbs in Qatif could also increase tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran, rivals in a regional struggle for influence. Riyadh denounced Tehran on Thursday for granting Saudi citizens entry during the outbreak.

From among Monday's cases, the American visitor has been transferred to a hospital in Riyadh, the capital. The rest involve a Saudi national who had contact with an infected person in Qatif, and two Bahraini women who came from Iraq.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-begins-screening-films-after-decades-long-ban-lifted-29580">Saudi Arabia begins screening films after decades-long ban is lifted</a>

The entertainment authority announced on Monday the closure of leisure attractions Riyadh Boulevard and Winter Wonderland, over virus concerns.

Saudi Arabia, which suspended travel with nine countries on Monday, had already banned travel to Iran, which has a tally of 194 virus deaths.

The health ministry said the newly diagnosed people, three of whom are women, had contact with a person with the virus who was reported to have returned from Iran via the United Arab Emirates but did not disclose his visit to the authorities.

Sunday's precautions included suspending all educational and Koranic activities in mosques in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam.

All public and private schools and universities would also be suspended from Monday until further notice, state media said, adding that distance learning measures would be adopted.

The March 23 start of the new Saudi Games, billed as the country's largest sporting event, has been postponed, Al Arabiya TV said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-shuts-qatars-al-jazeera-amid-ban-crisis-16464">Saudi Arabia shuts Qatar's Al Jazeera amid ban crisis</a>

On Sunday, the Saudi government restricted land crossings with Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE to commercial trucks with passenger arrivals limited to three airports.

Qatar, with 15 cases, is to temporarily bar travellers from 14 countries from Monday. [L8N2B10WY]

Bahrain, with 85 infections, said its Formula One Grand Prix would go ahead this month without spectators.

Kuwait reported two more infections on Sunday, taking its total to 64, and its central bank announced a fund of 10 million dinars ($33 million) for the virus fight.

 
&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia imposed on Sunday a temporary lockdown on its eastern oil-producing province of Qatif, home to most of its 15 coronavirus infections, and suspended schools and universities nationwide.

Saudi Arabia imposed on Sunday a temporary lockdown on its eastern oil-producing province of Qatif, home to most of its 15 coronavirus infections, and suspended schools and universities nationwide. Four new cases, including an American arrival who visited Italy and the Philippines, took the tally to 15 on Monday, as the kingdom suspended travel with nine nations, from neighbouring United Arab Emirates to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt. Also Read: Opinion: The real reason why Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women driving The interior ministry announced the lockdown in Qatif, which has a large Shi'ite Muslim population, after Saudi Arabia confirmed the four latest cases. It is not expected to have any impact on Saudi oil production, two industry sources said. But the decision could stir resentment in Qatif, which has been a flashpoint between the Sunni-dominated Saudi government and minority Shi'ites who have complained of discrimination and marginalisation, charges the government denies. "Work at all public and private institutions is halted as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease," the interior ministry said in a statement, adding that only vital services such as security and provisioning would be excluded. Also Read: Saudi Arabia lifts ban on women drivers The ministry said the Qatif curbs on movement would allow residents to return home and commercial supplies to continue. Cement blocks were placed on the main road to Qatif, said one resident of the province, while others reported a rush to grocery shops after the lockdown began. Saudi authorities have previously said those infected had visited either Iran or Iraq or been in contact with people who visited those countries, home to Shi'ite holy sites. The curbs in Qatif could also increase tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran, rivals in a regional struggle for influence. Riyadh denounced Tehran on Thursday for granting Saudi citizens entry during the outbreak. From among Monday's cases, the American visitor has been transferred to a hospital in Riyadh, the capital. The rest involve a Saudi national who had contact with an infected person in Qatif, and two Bahraini women who came from Iraq. Also Read: Saudi Arabia begins screening films after decades-long ban is lifted The entertainment authority announced on Monday the closure of leisure attractions Riyadh Boulevard and Winter Wonderland, over virus concerns. Saudi Arabia, which suspended travel with nine countries on Monday, had already banned travel to Iran, which has a tally of 194 virus deaths. The health ministry said the newly diagnosed people, three of whom are women, had contact with a person with the virus who was reported to have returned from Iran via the United Arab Emirates but did not disclose his visit to the authorities. Sunday's precautions included suspending all educational and Koranic activities in mosques in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam. All public and private schools and universities would also be suspended from Monday until further notice, state media said, adding that distance learning measures would be adopted. The March 23 start of the new Saudi Games, billed as the country's largest sporting event, has been postponed, Al Arabiya TV said. Also Read: Saudi Arabia shuts Qatar's Al Jazeera amid ban crisis On Sunday, the Saudi government restricted land crossings with Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE to commercial trucks with passenger arrivals limited to three airports. Qatar, with 15 cases, is to temporarily bar travellers from 14 countries from Monday. [L8N2B10WY] Bahrain, with 85 infections, said its Formula One Grand Prix would go ahead this month without spectators. Kuwait reported two more infections on Sunday, taking its total to 64, and its central bank announced a fund of 10 million dinars ($33 million) for the virus fight.

Saudi Arabia locks down province, bans travel with 9 nations over coronavirus

Egypt detected 12 new cases Friday of the novel coronavirus among workers aboard a Nile cruise boat heading from Aswan to Luxor, a health ministry statement said.

"Twelve new cases tested positive for the coronavirus among Egyptian staff on the cruise boat without showing any symptoms," the joint statement with the World Health Organization said.

Authorities were alerted after it was found that a Taiwanese tourist of "American origin" who travelled on the ship had caused the virus to spread, they said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-reopens-mecca-medina-holy-sites-after-coronavirus-closure-report-284702">Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca, Medina holy sites after coronavirus closure: Report</a>

WHO had alerted Egyptian officials that tests revealed that the tourist, a woman, was the "main case that infected other cases", the statement added.

It was not clear where the tourist contracted the virus and if she had gone back to Taiwan or another country.

The 12 workers were quarantined after they were suspected of contracting the coronavirus and tested positive on the last day of their 14-day isolation.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/eastern-mediterranean-region-a-microcosm-of-regional-and-global-battles-284505">Eastern Mediterranean region: A microcosm of regional and global battles</a>

Other people who were on the boat and had come in contact with the tourist were also quarantined for 14 days.

Earlier this week, authorities said they had detected a third case of the virus, in a 44-year-old Egyptian man who had returned from Serbia after a 12-hour transit in France.

Initially, the man had shown no symptoms but a few days after his return home he checked himself into a hospital after experiencing some minor symptoms, officials said.

The first person infected in Egypt was a Chinese national who has since recovered.

The novel coronavirus originated in China last year and has so far killed over 3,385 people worldwide and infected over 98,000.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Egypt detected 12 new cases Friday of the novel coronavirus among workers aboard a Nile cruise boat heading from Aswan to Luxor, a health ministry statement said.

Egypt detected 12 new cases Friday of the novel coronavirus among workers aboard a Nile cruise boat heading from Aswan to Luxor, a health ministry statement said. "Twelve new cases tested positive for the coronavirus among Egyptian staff on the cruise boat without showing any symptoms," the joint statement with the World Health Organization said. Authorities were alerted after it was found that a Taiwanese tourist of "American origin" who travelled on the ship had caused the virus to spread, they said. Also read: Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca, Medina holy sites after coronavirus closure: Report WHO had alerted Egyptian officials that tests revealed that the tourist, a woman, was the "main case that infected other cases", the statement added. It was not clear where the tourist contracted the virus and if she had gone back to Taiwan or another country. The 12 workers were quarantined after they were suspected of contracting the coronavirus and tested positive on the last day of their 14-day isolation. Also see: Eastern Mediterranean region: A microcosm of regional and global battles Other people who were on the boat and had come in contact with the tourist were also quarantined for 14 days. Earlier this week, authorities said they had detected a third case of the virus, in a 44-year-old Egyptian man who had returned from Serbia after a 12-hour transit in France. Initially, the man had shown no symptoms but a few days after his return home he checked himself into a hospital after experiencing some minor symptoms, officials said. The first person infected in Egypt was a Chinese national who has since recovered. The novel coronavirus originated in China last year and has so far killed over 3,385 people worldwide and infected over 98,000.

Egypt detects 12 new coronavirus cases on Nile cruise boat

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