Bookmarks (322)

French tourist Yann Bourdon, who was the subject of a mysterious year-long disappearance since 10 August 2021, presented himself to the French Embassy in Cairo on 9 August 2022. Bourdon announced his presence in Egypt, reached out to his family, and reunited with them in France the next day,ending a year-long mystery. He has so […] The post Missing French Tourist in Egypt Reappears...

A child rests her head against her father’s reassurances; the nurse takes a scalpel to her body, between her thighs, and it kills her. Bein Bahrain (‘Between Two Seas’, 2019) is a raw, unforgiving tale set in rural Egypt—one which refuses to stray from the gory, gritty realities of illiteracy and violence against women. From […] The post REVIEW: ‘Between Two Seas’ as a...

Reports on Monday evening suggested that Egypt and Liverpool’s iconic footballer Mohamed Salah donated EGP 3 million (USD 156,820) to the families and victims of the Abu Sefein Church fire, which took place in Giza on 14 August and killed at least 41 people.  The news was first shared by television presenter Ibrahim Abdel Gawad, […] The post Did Mohamed Salah Donate EGP 3...

A sail of red colors the oblong tablecloth, and karkade is served in a small, crystal teacup. Ice clicks against the sides, drowns the handful of mint leaves offered with it. The qahwa is busy with a restless Ramadan crowd, but the night is young and the laughter carries into nearby alleyways. Much like Egypt’s […] The post Ruby Red: How Karkade Became a...

The death toll of the Abu Sefein Church fire stands at 41, including 18 children, and 14 injured. Hundreds of mourners gathered late Sunday afternoon for the pre-burial prayers in churches near the Waraq neighborhood. The fire occurred in the Abu Sefein Church in Imababa (Giza) as worshippers gathered for morning mass on Sunday, 14 […] The post Egypt Mourns Abu Sefein Church Fire...

Aesthetic labor for women has always been hidden behind the closed doors of bathrooms or a mother’s dressing table. Stepping inside a beauty salon is like entering a private space or a secret factory concealed from the masses, where women are wholly committed to beautification and self-transformation. But as beauty critic Jessica DeFino once asked, […] The post From Beauty Salons to Online Views:...

The seaports are places of oceangoing ships ,where the land and the open sea meet to communicate in trade. Egypt’s fascinating geographical location plays a valuable role in facilitating its maritime transport, and its exceptional ports that border the Mediterranean and Red Seas as well as the Suez Canal make it stand out internationally. There […] The post In Photos: Voyaging Across Egypt’s Main...

The Coptic Orthodox Church announced that a massive fire broke out at Abu Sefein Church in Imbaba, Giza, resulting in at least 41 deaths and 14 injuries. The outbreak occurred on Sunday morning, 14 August, after the holy mass, and 30 ambulance cars rushed to the site of the accident. Egypt’s Ministry of Health and […] The post 41+ Killed in Egypt Abu Sefein...

The occult world of Egyptian mythology has inspired creators around the world for decades, from one of Marvel’s latest series, ‘Moon Knight’ (2022), to Gerad Butler’s film ‘Gods of Egypt’ in 2016, there is an array of references and inspirations drawn from ancient Egypt in media across the world. Inspiration from Egyptian mythology has not […] The post Japanese Anime Meets Egyptian Mythology in...

The Egyptian Government announced a cabinet reshuffle on the morning of  Saturday, 13 August, introducing 13 new ministers in different roles. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi released a statement noting that he called for the House of Representatives to urgently convene today to discuss the cabinet reshuffle after the changes were agreed upon with Prime […] The post Egypt Announces Cabinet Reshuffle Introducing 13...

Egypt’s Minister of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram is set to be replaced in a surprise cabinet reshuffle. In a statement on Facebook, shared by Cairo24, Makram confirmed the reshuffle, stating that it had been an honor to serve the Egyptian people for the past seven years. Makram, one of the current government’s […] The post Egypt’s Long-Serving Minister Nabila Makram Replaced...

After 20 months since the court ruling, the death sentence was carried out on Thursday, August 11, for two men who were found guilty of the killing of a 24-year-old woman, Maryam Mohamed, in Cairo’s Maadi. The death sentence was carried out after the rejection of the appeal submitted to the Court of Cassation, a […] The post Egypt Executes Two Men for Killing...

Egypt’s ‘most hated building’ is soon to undergo a transfiguration, much to the surprise of the country’s citizens. The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) signed a new partnership agreement on Tuesday, 9 August, with US-Emirati international consortium CairoHouse to transform the infamous Tahrir Square Complex Building, commonly known as Mugamma El-Tahrir, into a grand luxury […] The post El-Tahrir’s Mugamma to Transform into ‘World...

It’s past 2 AM. I’m scrolling aimlessly through my phone, and I notice that my countdown application—flashing a picture of a picture of Andrew and I on our engagement day— says 37 days. It hits me. I’m getting married. I’m getting married in a little over a month, and all I can think of are […] The post A Spiral of ‘What Ifs’ One...

Bronze refracts the sunset, and the lions glare forward into Cairene traffic. Lovers stand hand in hand overlooking the Nile, karkade street vendors unroll their wads of tens and fives, and the day comes to a breathless halt: a Saturday evening in the making. Braced at either end of the Qasr al-Nil bridge, witnessing all […] The post Witnessing Cairo: How the Lions of...

A nation-wide survey conducted by Egypt’s Ministry of Health in 2018 revealed that 25 percent of the Egyptian population suffers from mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, depression and more. Unfortunately, many of the common responses to mental disorders expose the deeply-rooted stigma that is rife in Egypt. Often these illnesses […] The post Behman: a Leading Psychiatric Hospital in...

The newly-established Saudi Egyptian Investment Co. (SEIC), owned by Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquired stakes in four Egyptian companies for USD 1.3 billion (EGP 25 billion), Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development said on Wednesday. The four companies, which are listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX), are Abu Qir Fertilisers […] The post Saudi Egyptian Investment Co. Invests USD...

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Tuesday 9 August the government’s plan to rationalise energy consumption nationwide as a means of redirecting natural gas towards exports to net foreign currency. The plan, which includes a basket of restrictive measures concerning energy and electricity consumption, is to be announced on Thursday 11 August, and is […] The post Egypt to Impose Energy Use Restrictions...

Twenty-year-old Salma Bahgat was deliberately stabbed to death, on the morning of Tuesday 9 August, 2022 by suspect Islam Mohamed in front of a Zagazig courthouse. Mohamed, 22, is currently in custody and being questioned by the public prosecution. Reports claim that Mohamed murdered Bahgat after she chose to terminate their relationship. According to the […] The post Sharqia Girl Salma Bahgat Stabbed to...

If all of the months in the calendar were like a whole family, August would be the odd one out. Dressed in the simplest outfit, it would be the one with a completely ordinary and uneventful life, always standing in the corner looking unbothered to engage with the other siblings. There is nothing interesting about […] The post Review: Legleisah Bedouin Cuisine Brings a...

At the age of 13 years old, Mariam Satour’s passion for the arts became her gateway into a world of embroidery and fiber artistry. Although she was a teenager when her mother introduced her to needlework—still grappling with school and extracurriculars— she had known then that it was her calling. Fiber artistry is a type […] The post How This Self-Taught Cairo-Based Fiber Artist...

Abya Farid stood in a movie-set full of men, worried if she would ever make a name for herself. Today, she is remembered as the first female cinematographer in Egypt. Farid’s influence continues to reverberate through the industry, as the cinematographer who broke barriers, and as a trailblazer for other women in Egypt’s film industry. […] The post Discovered Anew: Abya Farid, the Trailblazer...

Egypt homes over nine million international migrants and refugees from 133 countries, reveals the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In a press statement published by the renowned non-profit organization on 8 August, the IOM estimated that up to 9,012,582 migrants, or 8.7 percent of the country’s population, consists of migrants. The IOM’s latest statistics, part […] The post IOM: Egypt Home to More Than...

Spreading a fascination with culture, instilling a passion for adventure, and embracing diversity: these are the reasons Hanya Seleem mentions when asked about the inspiration behind Hobos Magazine, a children’s fantasy-adventure comic book. Seleem, 25, is a designer and illustrator. Alongside writer Esraa Hesham, the two embark on an ambitious trek to breathe life into […] The post How Hobos Magazine Hopes to Usher...

The European Union (EU) is providing Egypt with a EUR 4 million grant to encourage environmental protection. The grant comes after Egyptian Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, signed a joint cooperation agreement with the EU ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 27) in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022 . In an official statement, […] The post Ahead of COP27 Egypt to Receive...

“Roxy yasta?” “Tahrir yasta?” “Yasta” or “Osta” is the title given to drivers in Egypt. For as long as I can remember, Egyptians have endlessly complained about taxi drivers: from declining requests to drive to certain neighborhoods, to refusing to switch on the AC in the summer, or demanding unreasonably high fares. Opting for a […] The post Survival of the Fittest: Rating Ride-hailing...

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) organization and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza brokered by Egypt and will go into effect at 8 PM on Sunday, 7 August (17:00 GMT), a Palestinian official reported to Reuters. The ongoing and escalating violence in Gaza has claimed the lives of 31 Palestinians by Israeli airstrikes: […] The post Egypt Brokers Ceasefire in Gaza as...

“Estargel.” (Man up.) “Enshaf.” (Be tough.) “Mat’ayatsh.” (Don’t cry.) These are all expressions that most men in Egypt grow up hearing. Imposing a sense of emotional paralysis, men are expected to be tough, dependable, emotionless, and strong. A tweet asking “why do men have a hard time expressing their emotions?” was the straw that broke […] The post Between Cultural Norms and Gender Stereotypes:...

The Sovereign Fund of Egypt signed a draft agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to launch a new company – the Saudi Egyptian Investment Company – in Egypt to attract investments worth USD 10 billion (EGP 194 billion), the Egyptian cabinet said in a statement. Saudi private companies will have better access to Egyptian […] The post New Saudi Egyptian Investment Company to...

Israel launched airstrikes on numerous sites in the Gaza Strip on Friday, 5 August, killing at least 10 people, including three children, Palestinian media reports. At least 75 others were wounded when the airstrikes hit their homes in the east of Gaza City, and were immediately moved to hospital for medical treatment, the Palestinian Ministry […] The post Israel Launches Airstrikes, Killing 10 and...

Translated books sit on street corners gathering curb-side dust, their vacuum-sealed plastic wraps starting to tear. ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2003) sits translated, side by side with a self-help book on how to get rich fast. The cinema house across the street boasts new local releases—gritty dramas, raunchy comedies, and of […] The post Why Egypt’s Lack of Children’s Media...

The silence and stillness of the ocean conceals the spirited and rich lives of sea animals, who exhibit a wide range of emotions and expressions. There can be so much more to summer than swimming in crystal blue seas; it can also be a time to be more aware of how animals share the world […] The post Explore Marsa Alam’s Dolphin Swimming Spots...

“We were told not to look beyond the wall and the Libyan Auxiliary Police made the rocky hills shake while they searched for us.” It is a raw, concise vision of an otherwise unsentimental reality. Hamdi Abu Golayyel’s ‘The Men Who Swallowed the Sun’ (2022) spins a furious, unapologetic tale of illegal immigration, discrimination, and […] The post Book Review: ‘The Men Who Swallowed...

Jazz music: hearts beat for its lively tunes and feet tap to its pulsating rhythms. An art of improvisation and surprise, it is a genre that rejuvenates the soul; jazz was described by American jazz critic John Fordham as the “sound of the skipped heartbeat, the caught breath, and the sudden smile.” Between the 1890s […] The post Jazz Giants Who Pioneered Soul Music...

In one of its star-studded advertising campaigns, real estate development company Zed showcases its two flagship compounds, each located on the opposite side of the Cairo metropolis. While half of the celebrities in the ad tout the New Cairo compound and its amenities, the other half list the benefits of residing in the one in […] The post Many Cities in One: Is Cairo’s...

“Egypt is not a country we live in, but a country that lives within us.” This is one of the most popular quotes attributed to Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. A courageous leader, a talented poet, a gifted preacher, a passionate teacher, a talented […] The post More Than Just a Religious Leader:...

While many travel to the North Coast and El Gouna to enjoy the luxurious beaches and relaxing resorts, others fish around for affordable locations on the water with no gates or entrance fees, to give their children a chance to enjoy splashing around during summer. “People looking for an affordable masyaf (summer getaway) were shocked […] The post In Photos: An Affordable Summer Getaway...

Tender in voice and powerful in impact is Mohamed Mounir; when he enters the stage with his bright smile, hundreds of thousands line up – because Mounir is an Egyptian sensation. Calling for peace and justice, Mounir’s Nubian musical style and socially-conscious lyrics earned him the title ‘king’ for nearly four decades in Egypt. A […] The post Why Mohamed Mounir is the ‘King’...

A United States drone strike has killed the leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, in Afghanistan, confirmed US President Joe Biden on Monday, 1 August in a speech from the White House. Al-Zawahiri was killed in a precision strike “that would remove him from the battlefield, once and for all,” Biden said. White House officials said […] The post US Kills Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri...

“Her connections with the past were now cut forever, so why should she retain her name?” – Naguib Mahfouz This passage touches upon the idea of abandoning one’s own identity and heritage, and adopting a new one, treating names as trivial aspects of an identity that can be easily disregarded. Many cultures, particularly in developing […] The post “Midaq alley: Does Mahfouz’s Exploration of...

A man taps his cigarette against the balcony railing, balances his qahwa turki along sparse wood. A woman flares her living room carpet over a different, iron-wrought railing three floors from him, beats the dust from its fringes. A group of children stand on tiptoe, peering down at a Harraniya street just past their family […] The post On a Neighbor’s Balcony: the Colorful...

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced Egypt’s Hamdy Abdelwahab’s victory over America’s Don’Tale Mayes on Sunday, 31 July. Abdelwahab is the first Egyptian to play and win at a UFC event. Dubbed as “The Hammer”, the 29-year-old won his UFC debut with only 12 days’ notice. Official results by UFC revealed that Abdelwahab defeated Mayes […] The post Hamdy Abdelwahab Becomes First-Ever Egyptian to...

“Start your website” flashed on my laptop’s screen, inviting me to explore the world of blogging at a time when Facebook pages, blog posts and Tweets were particularly renowned for rallying the masses and equipping them with the power of information to battle inequality, corruption and authoritarianism like never before. As I sat in a […] The post 10 Years Later: Growing Egyptian Streets...

Ever since Disney Plus’s Moon Knight offered what they perceived as an accurate image of their country, both modern and historical, thousands of Egyptians brought discussions of culturally sensitive media representations to the forefront of everyday conversations. Mohamed Diab, the series’ lead director and executive producer, had helmed the project and intentionally championed the involvement […] The post ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ Highlights Positive...

Holding a vintage 1933 photograph of Alexandria’s Stanley beach beside a modern 2019 photograph of the same site, American photojournalist Maya Alleruzzo captured a key striking difference: the rising sea level over the years. Photography has its own kind of power to communicate the crisis of climate change. It is not just a tool for […] The post In Photos: Seeing Africa’s Climate Crisis...

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed in a press release on Friday, July 29, 2022, that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has directed a letter to the current president of the United Nations Security Council, Ronaldo Costa Filho, formally registering Egypt’s rejection of Ethiopia’s continuation of its unilateral action to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance […] The post Egypt Submits Formal Rejection of Ethiopia’s...

Etched into Egypt’s history is its Coptic Christian community. In its pure form, the word ‘Copt’ or ‘Coptic’ is linguistically translated to Egypt or Egyptians.’ Though Christians coexist all around Egypt, some districts stand out as heartening models of Coptic identity to the world. “One does find large concentrations of Christians in certain Cairene districts, […] The post Hidden Histories: 3 Famous Coptic Christian...

The Egyptian Public Prosecution issued a statement on Thursday, 28 July, dismissing the allegations of mistreatment and other violations against prominent political activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. The statement comes after a senior prosecutor was dispatched on Wednesday 27 July to Wadi el-Natrun prison, where Abdel Fattah is imprisoned, to investigate the claims of ill-treatment made […] The post Egypt’s Public Prosecution Denies Activist Alaa...

Walking past the swollen belly of Rome’s Pantheon, living in the trailing outskirts of Athens, or tilting back to look at the majesty of an Aztec ziggurat: global heritage is stitched into the human experience. However, an increasing number of historic sites now strain under the weight of over-tourism and unsustainable practices, making the need […] The post Visiting Heritage: Respectful Ways to Explore...

Egypt has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an Indian company, Indian ReNew Power Private Limited (RENE.BO), to build a green hydrogen factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, according to a statement by the cabinet. The factory, which is worth USD 8 billion (EGP 151 million) will produce 20,000 tonnes of green hydrogen […] The post Indian Company to Build $8 Billion...