The North African country of Egypt&nbsp;has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 bombings of two Coptic churches by an Islamic State group affiliate that killed more than 40 people.

The extension comes nine years after the January 2011 uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, who had also ruled for decades under a state of emergency.

"The president of Egypt ordered the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/freedom-under-attack-in-egypt-256185">extension of the state of emergency</a> nationwide for three months starting Monday, January 27," said the official gazette on Sunday.&nbsp;

Under a state of emergency, police powers such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypts-ex-military-chief-of-staff-released-after-near-two-year-detention-269622">arresting and holding citizens</a> are extended and&nbsp;constitutional rights&nbsp;such as freedom of speech and assembly are curtailed.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-seeks-to-parry-rights-criticism-after-mass-arrests-261743">Egypt seeks to parry human rights criticism after mass arrests</a>

Egypt has for years been battling an Islamist insurgency, which surged following the 2013 military ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi.

The attacks have been largely concentrated in the restive <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-ethiopia-sudan-views-come-closer-on-giant-nile-dam-sudanese-minister-269627">northern Sinai Peninsula</a> but occasionally struck elsewhere in the country.

In February 2018, Egypt launched a large-scale nationwide anti-militant operation.

Rights groups say the state of emergency coupled with the government's effective protest ban since 2013 has helped it in crushing dissent.&nbsp;

In September, rare minor protests broke out in Egypt triggered by online calls for Sisi's removal.&nbsp;

Some 4,000 people were arrested in the following weeks, according to local rights groups.

Activists have called it one of the worst waves of a crackdown against any dissent that was launched when Sisi officially took power in 2014. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The North African country of Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 bombings of two Coptic churches by an Islamic State group affiliate that killed more than 40 people.

The North African country of Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 bombings of two Coptic churches by an Islamic State group affiliate that killed more than 40 people. The extension comes nine years after the January 2011 uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, who had also ruled for decades under a state of emergency. "The president of Egypt ordered the extension of the state of emergency nationwide for three months starting Monday, January 27," said the official gazette on Sunday. Under a state of emergency, police powers such as arresting and holding citizens are extended and constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and assembly are curtailed. Also Read: Egypt seeks to parry human rights criticism after mass arrests Egypt has for years been battling an Islamist insurgency, which surged following the 2013 military ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi. The attacks have been largely concentrated in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula but occasionally struck elsewhere in the country. In February 2018, Egypt launched a large-scale nationwide anti-militant operation. Rights groups say the state of emergency coupled with the government's effective protest ban since 2013 has helped it in crushing dissent. In September, rare minor protests broke out in Egypt triggered by online calls for Sisi's removal. Some 4,000 people were arrested in the following weeks, according to local rights groups. Activists have called it one of the worst waves of a crackdown against any dissent that was launched when Sisi officially took power in 2014.

Egypt extends state of emergency to three years

The International Olympic Committee has &#39;extended the deadline&#39; for North Korea&#39;s participation in the Winter Olympics, it announced on Monday.

&quot;We will be as flexible as we can be,&quot; an IOC spokesman told AFP over North Korea sending a team to the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

Talks between the two Koreas hosted by IOC president Thomas Bach will take place at the Olympic movement&#39;s headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday.

&quot;We welcome the discussion which will take place... between the governments of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People&#39;s Republic of Korea (DPRK),&quot; the IOC said.

&quot;The IOC has been having discussions with both sides for a long time. In doing so we have kept the door open by extending the deadline for registration, and by offering support to North Korean athletes in the qualification process, whilst always respecting United Nations sanctions.&quot;

On Saturday, North Korea Olympic body member Chang Ung said the isolated state was &#39;likely to participate&#39; in the Pyeongchang Games from February 9-25.

Tuesday&#39;s Lausanne summit comes days after the two Koreas agreed to hold their first official dialogue in more than two years to discuss the North&#39;s participation in the Winter Olympics.

The tentative rapprochement comes after the North&#39;s leader Kim Jong-Un warned in his New Year speech that he had a nuclear button on his desk, but also said Pyongyang could send a team to the Olympics.

The IOC in its statement Monday emphasised that its mission was &quot;always to ensure the participation of all qualified athletes, beyond all political tensions and divisions.

&quot;With regard to the very particular situation on the Korean peninsula we need the political commitment from all parties concerned to make such a participation possible,&quot; it added.

&quot;Once this political commitment is clear the IOC will take the final decision.&quot;

&nbsp;

'We will be as flexible as we can be,' an IOC spokesman said

The International Olympic Committee has 'extended the deadline' for North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics, it announced on Monday. "We will be as flexible as we can be," an IOC spokesman told AFP over North Korea sending a team to the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea. Talks between the two Koreas hosted by IOC president Thomas Bach will take place at the Olympic movement's headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday. "We welcome the discussion which will take place... between the governments of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," the IOC said. "The IOC has been having discussions with both sides for a long time. In doing so we have kept the door open by extending the deadline for registration, and by offering support to North Korean athletes in the qualification process, whilst always respecting United Nations sanctions." On Saturday, North Korea Olympic body member Chang Ung said the isolated state was 'likely to participate' in the Pyeongchang Games from February 9-25. Tuesday's Lausanne summit comes days after the two Koreas agreed to hold their first official dialogue in more than two years to discuss the North's participation in the Winter Olympics. The tentative rapprochement comes after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un warned in his New Year speech that he had a nuclear button on his desk, but also said Pyongyang could send a team to the Olympics. The IOC in its statement Monday emphasised that its mission was "always to ensure the participation of all qualified athletes, beyond all political tensions and divisions. "With regard to the very particular situation on the Korean peninsula we need the political commitment from all parties concerned to make such a participation possible," it added. "Once this political commitment is clear the IOC will take the final decision."

North Korea 'likely to participate' in Winter Olympics, IOC extends deadline

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