Power boost for Egypt.

Egypt’s ministry of electricity and energy has allocated LE 120 billion for the construction of nine new power stations with a combined generating capacity of just under 11,000 MW, local news sources report. Construction is expected to begin in 2012...

Cairo Marriott Hotel bans smoking.

Cairo’s five-star Marriott Hotel in Zamalek has banned smoking in its ground-floor and first-floor lobbies, the “Daily News Egypt” reports. The move is the result less of health than of aesthetic concerns, since one of the lobbies has just...

Egypt tax returns.

Egyptians could soon be able to file their tax returns through the state’s National Bank of Egypt (NBE) in the latest move to improve efficiency and increase tax revenue, Reuters news agency reports. Until now taxpayers have had to file...

Female quota introduced in Egyptian parliament.

Egypt’s parliament has approved a law increasing the number of seats in the powerful lower chamber, or People’s Assembly, and introducing a fixed quota of 64 seats for women. The move takes the total number of seats in the chamber...

Zara arrives in Cairo

The arrival of famous Spanish fashion brand Zara in Egypt, heralded by a crescendo of excited blogging among Cairo’s fashion conscious, descended into a flurry of “pushing, shoving, snatching… and even fighting” according to The Daily News. Hundreds of...

Zeinhom development scheme complete.

Zeinhom neighbourhood in southern Cairo has a new look thanks to an ambitious redevelopment programme completed recently. The project in the former slum area has involved building 179 new housing units and improving public services and infrastructure. The project,...

Cairo airport scans against swine flu.

Egypt has continued its crusade against swine influenza with the installation of five thermal body scanners at Cairo international airport. Passengers arriving in the country from abroad who are detected by the imagers as having a high skin temperature are...

Egypt to host 2009 U-20s football world cup.

Egypt is to host the FIFA U-20 world cup, or the biennial world championship of association football for male players aged under 20, in 2009. The provisional dates for the tournament are 10-13 July. Nigeria will be hosting the FIFA...