US Justice Department attempts to conceal Trump’s connection to Epstein: Report
After months of political wrangling, the US Justice Department released documents from its investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which could have political repercussions. The report stated that the Justice Department is using a variety of tactics to try to conceal the US president’s connection to the sex offender, referring to Epstein. It explained that the Justice Department’s “partial release” of the Epstein files reflects a variety of tactics used to try to “conceal” and “obfuscate” Trump’s relationship with Epstein. “Hundreds of thousands were released today, and then in the coming weeks, I expect hundreds of thousands more. The report confirmed that by the time the administration released thousands of pages of material on Friday evening—not the hundreds of thousands promised by Blanche—many documents had been heavily or completely redacted.
Source:Egypt Independent
December 21, 2025 16:26 UTC
Gold prices in Egypt surge by over EGP 2,000 in 2025: iSagha
Saied Embaby, CEO of iSagha, said local gold prices increased by roughly EGP 45 over the week. The price of 21-karat gold opened trading at EGP 5,745 per gram, touched EGP 5,800, and closed at EGP 5,790. Embaby added that 24-karat gold reached EGP 6,617 per gram, 18-karat gold stood at EGP 4,963, and the price of a gold pound climbed to EGP 46,320. Since the beginning of 2025, local gold prices have surged by around EGP 2,050, marking a 55% increase. Despite this typically negative correlation with gold, prices continued to rise, supported by strong demand.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 21, 2025 15:56 UTC
Egypt calls for Nile Basin inclusivity and rejection of unilateral measures in Rwanda talks
Egypt on Saturday called for the restoration of inclusivity within the Nile Basin Initiative and the rejection of unilateral measures in the Eastern Nile during talks with Rwanda on the sidelines of the Russian-African Ministerial Forum. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty emphasised the importance of cooperation and integration in the Nile River to achieve mutual benefits. Abdelatty also identified new avenues for partnership in telecommunications, information technology, social development, parliamentary cooperation, livestock development, and veterinary vaccines. Egypt has already dispatched experts in rice cultivation and irrigation to Rwanda following a request from the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture, Abdelatty said. He added that the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development will continue providing training programmes in fields including defence, policing, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 21, 2025 15:45 UTC
Egypt proposes direct Cairo-Lilongwe flight and airport rehabilitation in Malawi talks
Egypt has proposed establishing a direct flight route between Cairo and Lilongwe and offered to involve Egyptian firms in the rehabilitation of Malawi’s Kamuzu International Airport, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday. In a meeting with Malawian Foreign Minister George Chaponda on the sidelines of the Russian-African Ministerial Forum, Abdelatty discussed boosting economic cooperation through a potential trade mechanism to exchange Egyptian fertilisers for Malawian commodities. Abdelatty, who congratulated Chaponda on his October 2025 appointment, emphasised Egypt’s commitment to supporting the new Malawian government’s development plans. He noted that Malawi’s decision to open its mining sector to foreign investment provides a significant opening for enhanced bilateral cooperation. He further expressed Egypt’s intent to provide high-quality, competitively priced pharmaceutical products to Malawi and promote Egypt as a destination for medical tourism.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 21, 2025 15:15 UTC
Bangladesh rocked by unrest over death of student leader
Reuters —Bangladesh was rocked by violent protests in several cities after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi late Thursday, with concerns of further unrest ahead of national elections. Activists block an intersection in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on December 15, 2025, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the attack on Sharif Osman Hadi. The country’s national election is scheduled for February 12. Violence was also reported in several other cities across Bangladesh, including the port city of Chittagong. The unrest follows fresh anti-India protests earlier in the week, with ties between the neighbors deteriorating since Hasina fled to Delhi.
Source:Egypt Independent
December 21, 2025 14:03 UTC
Al-Sisi meets Kurdistan Region PM Barzani, reaffirms support for Iraq’s unity
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Sunday with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, to discuss reinforcing Iraq’s unity and expanding bilateral economic cooperation, according to a presidential statement. During the meeting, Al-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s full support for Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and praised security coordination between Egyptian and Iraqi institutions. He also commended ongoing efforts by Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government to enhance stability across the country, presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said. Barzani expressed appreciation for Egypt’s role in supporting Iraq and contributing to regional stability, noting the Kurdistan Regional Government’s interest in deepening cooperation with Egyptian state institutions. Discussions also focused on strengthening economic ties between Egypt and Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 21, 2025 13:19 UTC
FM: Russia-Africa partnership model for interest-based cooperation
CAIRO, Dec 20 (MENA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said the partnership between Russia and Africa serves as a model for cooperation based on shared interests. Abdelatty’s remarks came at a joint news conference held Saturday with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the conclusion of the 2nd ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo. Abdelatty welcomed the Russian diplomat and all African ministers who participated in the conference Egypt hosted as part of its key role in this partnership, especially after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin co-chaired the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi.
Source:Egypt Independent
December 21, 2025 10:33 UTC
Alaa Abdel-Fattah removed from travel ban lists
Public Prosecutor Mohamed Shawky Ayad, issued a decision on Saturday to remove political activist Alaa Ahmed Seif al-Islam Abdel-Fattah, also known as Alaa Abdel-Fattah, from travel ban lists, based on a request submitted by his defense team. This legal procedure entails the cancellation of the travel ban, the lifting of the asset freeze, and the termination of restrictions related to issuing or renewing passports, which are legal consequences of inclusion on those lists. This came weeks after a presidential pardon was issued for Abdel-Fattah on September 22, as part of a broader pardon that included a number of prisoners held in connection with various cases. He was released the day after the pardon was issued. Abdel-Fattah’s lawyer, Khaled Ali, considered the decision to remove his client’s name from the travel ban list a significant legal development in his case.
Source:Egypt Independent
December 21, 2025 10:00 UTC
Authorities responds to video alleging Egyptian flight exceeded capacity
The Egyptian Cabinet’s Media Center responded on Saturday to a widely circulated video on social media alleging that a flight exceeded its passenger capacity. In a statement, the center reported the Ministry of Civil Aviation as saying that the flight shown in the video did not depart from Cairo International Airport, but rather arrived from another country and was not operated by any Egyptian airline. The Media Center indicated that the video was immediately reviewed by the relevant departments within the ministry to verify its claims and ascertain all the technical and operational details related to the flight in question, in accordance with established procedures and regulations. It affirmed that any violation of these regulations constitutes a serious breach warranting immediate investigation and the application of deterrent legal measures if proven. The statement urged social media users to carefully check the accuracy of any information regarding the civil aviation sector before sharing it, and to rely on official statements issued by the competent authorities in order to avoid public confusion.
Source:Egypt Independent
December 21, 2025 08:43 UTC
Egypt, Tanzania explore joint strategic projects in transport, industry
Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, held high-level talks with Tanzanian officials on launching joint strategic projects in the transport and industrial sectors, underscoring the deepening partnership between the two countries. Al-Wazir met with Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Thabit Kombo and Minister of Information, Culture and Sports Professor Yalamma Gamba John Kabudi, in the presence of senior officials from Egypt’s ministries of industry, transport, and foreign affairs. Both sides also explored the reciprocal establishment of logistics zones—one for Egypt in Tanzania and another for Tanzania in Egypt—modeled on Egypt’s successful experience with Rwanda. He affirmed their readiness to implement projects in Tanzania to the highest quality standards, within short timelines, and at competitive costs. For his part, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo expressed appreciation for Egypt’s role in advancing bilateral cooperation, praising Egyptian expertise in industry, transport, infrastructure, and agriculture.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 20:39 UTC
Egypt’s Prime Minister orders advanced tech overhaul of Cairo airport on Al-Sisi’s instructions
Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has announced the implementation of advanced operating systems at Cairo International Airport, following strict instructions from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to integrate the latest navigation and ground operation technologies. The Prime Minister conducted the tour immediately upon his return from Beirut, Lebanon, accompanied by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Sameh El-Hefny, and the Chairperson of the Cairo Airport Company, Magdy Ishak. Mohamed Moussa, head of the Central Administration of Cairo Airport Customs, provided a briefing on current operational workflows in the area. Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh El-Hefny said the ministry’s vision aims to strengthen Cairo International Airport’s position as a regional hub. The visit concluded at the Cairo International Airport Operations Centre, described by officials as the “operating brain” of the facility.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 20:39 UTC
Al-Sisi, Russia’s Lavrov discuss Gaza, Ukraine, and key bilateral projects
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday to review bilateral relations and exchange views on pressing regional and international issues, including the situation in Gaza, developments in Libya and Sudan, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said President Al-Sisi asked Lavrov to convey his greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin and praised the steady growth of strategic relations between Egypt and Russia across political, economic, and trade spheres. Lavrov conveyed President Putin’s greetings to Al-Sisi and affirmed Moscow’s commitment to building on the outcomes of the Egyptian president’s visit to Russia in May 2025, with the aim of expanding bilateral cooperation across various sectors. The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the second ministerial conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, which was hosted by Egypt. Al-Sisi highlighted the forum’s significance in enhancing economic and development cooperation between Russia and African nations and in supporting the objectives of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 20:06 UTC
Egypt’s urban inflation eases to 12.3% in November as food price pressures subside: CBE
Annual urban headline inflation in Egypt eased slightly to 12.3% in November 2025, down from 12.5% in October, according to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). This slowdown was largely attributed to a decline in core food prices, which fell by 0.8% during the month. At the national level, annual rural headline inflation remained broadly stable at 7.9% in November, up slightly from 7.8% in October, while nationwide headline inflation held steady at 10.0%, easing marginally from 10.1% in the previous month. Monthly food inflation contracted by 2.6% in November, contributing negative 1.0 percentage point to headline inflation. Core food prices contributed negatively to core inflation, while services and retail items continued to exert upward pressure.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 20:06 UTC
Housing Ministry receives 6,863 applications to legalize land status in New Sphinx City
Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, Sherif El-Sherbiny, visited New Sphinx City following a tour of Sheikh Zayed City to review ongoing and planned development projects spanning approximately 85,000 feddans. During his visit, El-Sherbiny chaired a meeting at the headquarters of the New Sphinx City Authority, where he reviewed operations at the technological center and evaluated the customer service system. El-Sherbiny reviewed progress on several major infrastructure projects, most notably the 16-kilometer Sphinx Axis Road, including its first phase and expansion works. Progress on initial roadworks and utility networks for internal roads within the city’s urgent first development phase was also reviewed. The visit forms part of the Ministry of Housing’s broader efforts to accelerate infrastructure development in New Sphinx City and position it as a major urban expansion hub west of Cairo.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 19:53 UTC
Agriculture Minister reviews progress on establishing advanced pesticide plant with Chinese delegation
Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, received a high-level delegation of Chinese experts to review the latest developments in the project to establish a new agricultural pesticide manufacturing plant in Egypt. During the meeting, participants reviewed the project’s implementation plans, which are expected to represent a significant qualitative addition to Egypt’s agricultural sector. The plant will be established using advanced Chinese technologies, enabling the transfer of state-of-the-art pesticide manufacturing expertise to Egypt. Farouk emphasized the strategic importance of the project, noting that it supports the localization of agricultural pesticide production, the transfer of advanced technology, and the strengthening of domestic manufacturing capabilities. He stressed that the agricultural sector remains a promising field with substantial investment opportunities, underscoring the state’s commitment to engaging the private sector in achieving sustainable agricultural development.
Source:Daily News Egypt
December 20, 2025 19:38 UTC