Hassan Allam Properties targets EGP 14bn in 2026 projects, plans new hospitality brand
Hassan Allam Properties plans to execute new projects worth EGP 14bn during 2026 and will launch a dedicated hospitality brand to manage its expanding hotel portfolio, Vice Chairperson and CEO Mohamed Allam said. The company is diversifying its operations beyond residential developments into hospitality, sports, and education through partnerships with local and international entities. The new hospitality brand will manage the firm’s own hotel projects as well as third-party developments, Allam revealed. Hassan Allam Properties currently has four hotels under development in New Cairo, 6th of October City, and the North Coast. Mostakbal City remains a primary focus for the company’s investments, having served as a foundation for its current diversified project portfolio, Allam added.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 17:39 UTC
Spinneys Egypt Strengthens Presence with 35th Store Opening in New Cairo
Spinneys Egypt has officially opened its newest store at The Gray mall in First Settlement, New Cairo, marking another milestone in the company’s ambitious expansion strategy. The new store, located next to Ahl Masr Hospital, spans 1,400 square meters and represents an investment of approximately EGP 80 million. This opening brings Spinneys’ nationwide presence to 35 stores across 11 governorates, including five in New Cairo, reinforcing the company’s position as the second-largest international retailer in Egypt. “This new store reflects our long-term commitment to Egypt and our belief in the resilience of the local retail market,” said Mohanad Adly, CEO of Spinneys Egypt. This opening marks Spinneys’ first new store in 2026, with plans to launch eight additional stores before the end of the year, expanding the company’s nationwide network to 43 branches by year-end.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 17:35 UTC
Heat and Dust Are Cutting Solar Power Output Across Sub-Saharan Africa, Study Finds
“High operating temperatures, dust deposition and inconsistent policy frameworks remain the most persistent barriers to PV performance in Sub-Saharan Africa,” the authors wrote . The review notes that crystalline silicon modules — the most widely used PV technology — can suffer 15–20% efficiency losses under such heat stress due to declining voltage output. Sub-Saharan Africa receives less than 2% of global renewable energy investment, despite having some of the world’s highest solar potential, the researchers noted. Around 600 million people in the region still lack access to electricity, making solar power a critical development tool — but one that requires stronger governance and support systems. The review concludes that solar power remains essential for Africa’s energy transition, but its long-term success will depend on combining technology adaptation with stronger investment and regulatory coordination.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 17:06 UTC
Gaza’s Rafah crossing partially reopens after nearly 2 years of closure
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt began a trial phase on Sunday ahead of its planned reopening that will allow a limited number of Palestinians to leave the war-torn enclave and completing the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire plan. Ali Shaath, the head of the Palestinian technocratic committee that is supposed to run Gaza, said on social media that the crossing will open in both directions on Monday. An Israeli security official told CNN that 150 Palestinians a day will be allowed to leave Gaza, but only 50 will be allowed to enter. The full reopening of the Rafah crossing was part of the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that went into effect in mid-October. But Israel refused to open the crossing until the return of all of the living and deceased hostages.
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 15:35 UTC
More than 120 people dead after multiple attacks in southwest Pakistan
Though Baloch separatists and the Pakistani Taliban frequently target security forces in Balochistan and elsewhere in the country, coordinated attacks on this scale are rare. They came a day after the military said security forces this week raided two militant hideouts in the country’s southwest, killing 41 insurgents in separate gunbattles. A person stands amid the damage at a site, after militant attacks, in Quetta, Pakistan on February 1, 2026. Pakistan has repeatedly said that Baloch separatists, the Pakistani Taliban and other militants are using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, have intensified attacks in Pakistan in recent months.
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 15:31 UTC
Millions of Delhi residents lost water for days. Some say it’s still toxic
“Water comes once every three days, and even then, you only get clean water for an hour,” the father of three told CNN on Monday. Esha Mitra/CNNIn this city of 20 million people, the Delhi Water Board said last Thursday that 43 neighborhoods – home to about two million people – had been affected by water shortages. However, earlier this week, some residents told CNN they still didn’t have a reliable supply. The Yamuna River flows south from a glacier in the Himalayas for 855 miles (1,376 kilometers) through several Indian states. Esha Mitra/CNNThe pungent fumes from the foam engulfed the air as activists waded through the toxic water.
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 15:31 UTC
Fire breaks out in basement of popular mall in Sheikh Zayed
Civil defense forces in Giza successfully contained a fire that broke out in the basement of a well-known mall in Sheikh Zayed City on Saturday. Cooling operations were carried out to ensure the fire did not reignite, and a team from the Public Prosecution Office inspected the scene. A technical committee comprised of representatives from the Sheikh Zayed City Authority and the Civil Protection Department was formed to verify the mall had been complying occupational safety and health requirements. It also checked the availability of Civil Protection permits within the basement, and secured CCTV footage from the area surrounding the fire to determine if there was any criminal intent. The Public Prosecution Office also requested to hear statements from the administrative security personnel and maintenance staff at the shopping center regarding the fire.
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 15:25 UTC
Temperatures continue to rise in Egypt, dusty weather expected: EMA
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) anticipates temperatures across Egypt to continue rising on Sunday. A member of the EMA’s media center, Manar Ghanem, explained that the maximum temperature in Greater Cairo is at 27C, six to seven degrees above the average. This is due to hot air masses originating from the desert regions, she stated, in addition to the influence of a high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere, bringing warmer weather and increased periods of sunshine. During the talk show “Hadith al-Qahira” (Cairo Talk), Ghanem predicted wind speeds of 35 to 45 kilometers per hour, bringing dusty weather to Greater Cairo and Upper Egypt. Expected temperatures for Sunday:Matrouh, Alexandria and Cairo: 26CSharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada: 27CLuxor: 30CAswan: 31CEdited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 14:25 UTC
CBE launches Soft POS service for contactless mobile payments to cut merchant costs
The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has officially launched a contactless electronic payment acceptance service that allows merchants to use smartphones and tablets as electronic points of sale (POS). The service utilizes Soft POS applications, enabling smart devices to function as payment terminals. Under the new system, merchants can accept payments from various contactless cards by downloading an application, with card PINs entered directly on the device through internationally accredited and secure protocols. By using mobile devices as terminals, the service eliminates purchase and maintenance costs associated with traditional POS hardware for payment service providers and merchants. The official rollout follows a pilot version of the service launched in previous years, which carried a transaction limit of EGP 600.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 12:55 UTC
Bricks vs. Bullion: How Expiring Bank Certificates are Fuelling Egypt’s Real Estate Boom
The destination of choice is increasingly clear: the Egyptian property market. Cost-Push Reality: Why Prices Defy GravityThe narrative that Egyptian property prices might cool is being met with firm resistance from the sector’s largest players. “The demand is real, not speculative,” Moustafa noted, highlighting that over the last 50 years, real estate in Egypt has outperformed the US dollar. “These fluctuations may drive some investors to exit gold and move toward real estate, which offers more stability,” Genena stated. He added that the influx of liquidity from maturing bank certificates would likely create a “state of balance” in the property market, preventing a vacuum as other asset classes cool.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 12:36 UTC
Sisi reaffirms support for resuming negotiations between US and Iran
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call on Saturday from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The call addressed developments in the Iranian nuclear issue, with Sisi expressing Egypt’s deep concern over escalating tensions in the region. Sisi emphasized that diplomatic solutions are the only way to resolve the crisis, thus sparing the Middle East region further tension and instability. Sisi expressed Egypt’s hope and support that all parties involved would prioritize dialogue to overcome differences and reach a comprehensive settlement. The Iranian President on his end expressed deep gratitude for Egypt’s positive role in preventing escalation and maintaining security and stability in the region, affirming his country’s commitment to strengthening political consultation and coordination with Egypt to support regional stability.
Source:Egypt Independent
February 01, 2026 09:06 UTC
Finance Ministry plans local debt tenders worth EGP 843bn in February
Egypt’s Ministry of Finance has announced plans to issue local debt instruments worth EGP 843bn in February 2025, as part of a broader plan published on the ministry’s official website. CBE, which conducts the tenders on behalf of the government, will offer in February 16 Treasury bill tenders worth EGP 660bn, 13 Treasury bond tenders worth EGP 172bn, in addition to two sukuk tenders worth EGP 11bn. According to the plan, Treasury bills worth EGP 100bn will be offered with a 91-day maturity, EGP 160bn with a 182-day maturity, and EGP 190bn with a 273-day maturity, while 364-day T-bills worth EGP 210bn are also scheduled. The plan also includes the issuance of two-year Treasury bonds worth EGP 48bn, including EGP 12bn in zero-coupon bonds, alongside three-year bonds worth EGP 90bn and five-year bonds worth EGP 34bn, including EGP 4bn in floating-rate bonds. In addition, the ministry plans to issue two local fixed-return sukuk tenders worth a total of EGP 11bn.
Source:Daily News Egypt
February 01, 2026 06:34 UTC
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill at least 12, including children, health ministry says
At least 12 people, including children, were killed and others injured after Israeli airstrikes struck locations across Gaza, Palestinian health officials reported on Jan. 31, 2026. The latest strikes occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the territory and add to the mounting humanitarian toll in a densely populated enclave already strained by two years of intense conflict. Hospitals in Gaza, which operate under chronic resource constraints, are confronting shortages of medicines, fuel and surgical supplies as patient numbers rise. The strikes are part of sustained Israeli campaigns that have continued despite repeated international calls for de-escalation. Disruption to markets and transport within Gaza is likely to deepen unemployment and reduce household incomes, prolonging dependency on international aid.
Source:Egypt Today
January 31, 2026 21:07 UTC
TPLF seeks African Union intervention as EU warns of northern Ethiopia clashes
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on Saturday called for an African Union-led dialogue to resolve “outstanding issues” with the Ethiopian government, as the European Union warned of “military confrontations and clashes” in the country’s north. In a letter addressed to African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael said the group remains committed to the Pretoria Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA). The group urged the African Union to generate the “necessary momentum” to move beyond what it described as a “current impasse.”The European Union reiterated that the November 2022 agreement must serve as the framework for dispute resolution. Government drone strikes on Tigray; TPLF media says it hit food trucksReuters reported that one person has been killed and another injured in drone strikes in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. TPLF-affiliated news outlet Dimtsi Weyane posted pictures on Facebook that it said showed the trucks damaged in the strikes.
Source:Daily News Egypt
January 31, 2026 20:39 UTC
The Great Pivot: Somalia’s UAE Rupture and the Pursuit of a New Regional Order
Somalia’s decision to dismantle its long-standing agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) marks a seismic shift in the Horn of Africa’s diplomatic landscape. Somalia’s fragile federal system grants significant autonomy to regional states like Puntland and Jubaland, while Somaliland maintains a stance of total independence. Opening a second front against regional administrations would risk a total fracture of the state along clan lines. In 2018, UAE officials claimed their arrangements in Berbera carried the “blessing” of the Somali federal government. For an Israeli administration facing domestic turmoil and regional isolation, a foothold in the Horn of Africa offers a strategic diversion.
Source:Daily News Egypt
January 31, 2026 19:03 UTC