Egypt

CAIRO, Mar 24 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said, it started on Monday, to disinfect and sanitise museums and tourist sites nationwide, over COVID-19 concerns.

The campaign, which included so far the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Luxor Museum, the Aswan Museum, and the Tanta Museum, is part of the ministry’s plan to sanitise all museums and archaeological sites, to prevent the spread of the virus.

23 Mar 2020; MEMO: An Egyptian online opposition campaign has accused President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of failing to deal with the coronavirus crisis that has swept the world in the past weeks, calling on Egyptians to confront Al-Sisi just like they need to confront COVID-19 because they are both dangerous for Egyptians’ lives and future.

The “Batel” movement said in a post on its Facebook page, which has more than 260,000 followers, that Al-Sisi and the coronavirus “are two sides of the same danger.”

20 March 2020; AFP: Early one morning in Cairo, volunteers paddle their kayaks across the Nile, fishing out garbage from the mighty waterway that gave birth to Egyptian civilisation but now faces multiple threats.

Egypt's lifeline since Pharaonic days and the source of 97 percent of its water is under massive strain from pollution and climate change and now the threat of a colossal dam being built far upstream in Ethiopia.

18 Mar 2020; MEMO: Egyptian authorities yesterday shut down the local office of the Guardian newspaper after the British agency released a report which said that the number of coronavirus cases in the country were higher than official figures indicated.

CAIRO/GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that Middle East states needed urgently to offer more information about coronavirus cases to help bolster the fight against the disease across the region.

Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said the regional approach to fighting the coronavirus had so far been “uneven” and that much more should be done.

CAIRO, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Egyptian government has approved the request of the county’s space agency to contract with a Chinese institution for using its satellite launching stations.

The Egyptian Space Agency was approved to sign a contact with the China Great Wall Industry Corporation to use its stations to launch Egyptian satellites, Egypt’s official news agency MENA, has said.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has suspended all international flights for two weeks, starting Sunday, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA said on Saturday, citing an official source at interior ministry.

The period will be considered as an exceptional official holiday for citizens and residents who are unable to return due to the suspension of flights or if they face quarantine after their return to the Kingdom, SPA cited the official as saying.

Saudi Arabia has reported 86 coronavirus cases.

11 Mar 2020; MEMO: Egyptian authorities yesterday said visits to all prisons would be suspended for ten days starting Tuesday “in the interest of public health and the safety of the inmates after an increase in the number of Coronavirus infection cases.”

11 Mar 2020; MEMO: The defence team of the family of the late Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi expressed severe concern over the safety of Morsi’s imprisoned son, Osama Morsi, and the constant threats he is subject to.

In a statement, the defence team called on the Egyptian authorities to make sure to treat the detainee Osama Morsi under international law.

10 Mar 2020; MEMO: On Monday, the Military Court in Egypt sentenced 112 detainees to life in prison, alleging that they have been affiliated to Hasm Movement that the Egyptian authorities classify as terrorist, and involved in case No. 64 of 2017, Northern Military Prosecution Cairo, known as the Assistant Attorney General or the Case of Hasm Movement (HM).