Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, on Tuesday met with Congressman David Dreier of the US House of Representatives and his accompanying delegation. The meeting discussed views on developments and rapid changes in the regional and international arenas, as well as the political transition toward democracy in Egypt, in light of the strategic relations between the two countries.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has seized two painted sarcophagi covers from a shop in the Old City of Jerusalem. According to a statement send out by the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities, the two covers were stolen and illegally smuggled out of the country after being modified to look like replicas.

In a further blow to the legitimacy of the constituent assembly, the head of a leading advisory body to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has called for the assembly to disband, following his own resignation from the body and those of many of its other members. Sameh Ashour, the head of the Advisory Council created by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in November 2011, has called for the SCAF to draft a new constitutional declaration.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister, Fayza Abouelnaga echoed statements by Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri Monday that, according to the constitutional declaration, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military council, has the sole power to appoint and sack cabinets. Abouelnaga said that the government feels the pulse of the street, and the prime minister and cabinet have sworn to protect the country and its national security, in a briefing at the cabinet's alternative headquarters at the General Investment Authority in Nasr City.

The new location of the Israeli embassy in Egypt is yet to be determined as Egyptian authorities will not have a say in choosing the location of the mission, reliable diplomatic sources revealed. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the media, said the Egyptian security apparatuses would only have to approve the new location.

Abu Bakr al-Guindy, president of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, on Monday announced the completion of an electronic program that checks the signatures collected by presidential candidates to detect forging and duplication.

The Constitution for Every Egyptian Front, a coalition of 31 political parties and forces, issued a statement Sunday calling for a huge protest in front of State Council at 10am, Tuesday, 23 April. The demonstration is in solidarity with a lawsuit filed against parliament calling for the nullification of the current Constituent Assembly, which the group said has lost its legitimacy.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s decision to nominate its deputy supreme guide, Khairat al-Shater, for president will oblige other candidates — especially Islamists — to rearrange their priorities, presidential candidate Amr Moussa has said.

Egypt's net foreign reserves fell to $15.119 billion at the end of March, Egypt's central bank announced on its website on Monday.

Presidential hopeful Ahmed Shafiq said Monday his decision to run for presidency is final and that discussions in the media over his withdrawal are completely untrue. “I made my decision to run for president,” Shafiq said in a statement. “I’m confident in my ability to lead Egypt during this hard time and transfer it to an advanced society. In case I win, I pledge that my term will exemplify wise rule, and I pledge that I will be the president who listens to the people.”

New reports spread on Monday morning that former vice president Omar Suleiman was going to submit his presidential candidacy later on the same day after weeks of rumours and unconfirmed news that he will join the presidential race.

Egyptians must elect the person most capable of achieving the values of the 25 January revolution in the upcoming presidential elections, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bernard Valero said on Monday According to state-owned MENA news service, the statement was made during a press conference in which France explained its position on the current developments in Egypt.

Seventy-five people are to stand trial on 17 April in connection with the Port Said football violence last month that left more than 70 people dead, state news agency MENA said Saturday. Nine policemen are among the defendants in the trial, which will be held in Cairo for security reasons, it reported.

Presidential hopeful Khaled Ali has called for the need to reform the management of the public sector, while promising to also support the private sector if he wins the elections. In a campaign rally at Mamar Square in Ismailia, Ali said "Public sector companies achieve [huge] profits, such as the Holding Company for Chemicals, which made LE1.9 billion out of a total profit of LE3.9 billion made by public sector companies."

The Ministry of Interior Saturday morning refused to allow an Ahly FC versus Ethiopian Coffee FC match scheduled for 8 April to be held at Egypt's Military Academy Stadium. The game is part of the second-leg matches in round 32 of the African Champions League.

Presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abul-Fotouh held a popular campaign rally in the town of Nagaa Hammadi in the governorate of Qena Friday. "If this country is ruled again by the imbeciles and the corrupt, it will be an infringement on the revolution," Abul-Fotouh said during the speech he made at the rally.

The Higher Presidential Elections Commission (HPEC) filed a complaint against presidential contender Hazem Salah Abu Ismail late Friday, accusing him of illegal campaigning. Earlier on the same day, thousands supporting Abu Ismail embarked on massive car parades and marches, using his banners and slogans as he submitted his presidential candidacy papers to HPEC headquarters.

Fire leaps out of the vat of fry oil Hatem uses to make falafel at his small restaurant. Usually, this is an accident and an occupational hazard that occurs when water makes contact with the hot oil. But this time, it’s intentional. Hatem is contributing to the pyrotechnics of the Ahly ultras who have been setting off fireworks, chanting and singing during their four-day-long sit-in across from his small restaurant near the barricades outside Parliament.

An Egyptian court on Thursday sentenced former Housing Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Suleiman, Alaa Mubarak’s father-in-law Magdy Rasekh, and businessmen Yahya al-Komi and Imad al-Hazeq on charges of illegally seizing state land and squandering public funds. The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Suleiman to eight years in prison, according to the state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA)

On the "Cairo Today" talk show on Wednesday, presented by TV Anchor Amr Adeeb on Orbit channel, presidential contender Abul-Ezz El-Hariri asserted that the People's Assembly should be dismissed, adding that he did not see a Islamic trend in Egypt. El-Hariri, an elected MP and long-time political activist, is running on the Socialist Popular Alliance (SPA) ticket.

France said Thursday it had banned four Muslim preachers from entering France to attend an Islamic conference, saying their "calls for hatred and violence" were a threat to public order. President Nicolas Sarkozy had wanted to ban the high-profile Islamic clerics from attending the conference next month in the wake of a series of killings by Al-Qaeda inspired gunman Mohamed Merah that shocked France.