Times Square erupted in joy and a shower of multi-colored confetti as New York City's famed glass ball eased down to mark the final seconds ushering in 2014.

CAIRO: Egypt’s Christians rang in the New Year on Wednesday with prayers for peace after months of unrest, but expressed no regrets over backing the military’s overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.

Masked assailants bombed a GASCO pipeline in Egypt’s troubled Sinai region Tuesday. The explosion, which caused no injuries, took place 50 kilometres south of the coastal town of Al-Arish.

The United States expressed concern about the arrest of political activists, peaceful demonstrators and suspension of NGOs in Egypt, along with the declaration of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group.

CAIRO: A judicial source told Youm7 that the Supreme Electoral Committee, headed by Judge Nabil Salib, will hold Tuesday afternoon an important meeting to finalize preparations for the referendum process, including the use of electronic readers of ID cards at some voting stations in order to avoid multiple voting.

Famous TV host and satirist Bassem Youssef signed with MBC group this week and will return back to the screen in February 2014, sources in MBC told Ahram Online.

Cairo University President Gaber Nassar has referred law professor Yasser al-Serafy to an investigative committee on charges of affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and raising political issues during lectures that led to altercations between him and students.

CAIRO: Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDB) will join any political coalition and is willing to coordinate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Secretary General of ESDB Ahmed Fawzy told Youm7 Tuesday.

The top US defense official expressed "concern" about recent developments in Egypt in a call on Sunday to Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Pentagon said.

CAIRO: Presidential Advisor for Political Affairs Mostafa Hegazy said that a presidential declaration regarding presidential and parliamentary elections should following the constitutional referendum on Jan.14 and 15.

Egyptian secret police have arrested an award-winning Australian journalist and an Egyptian reporter for the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera channel on suspicion of illegally broadcasting news harming "domestic security", the interior ministry said.

CAIRO: The Kammel Gemeelak (Fulfill Your Role) campaign to support Minister of Defense Abdel Fatah al-Sisi received the signature of Local Development Minister Adel Labib to petition al-Sisi to run for president.

CAIRO: Spokesperson of the Free Egyptians Party Shehab Wagih said that the party supports holding presidential elections first, to pave the way for restoring stability.

Two German researchers have apologized for unauthorized entry to Giza pyramids last April, an incident that led Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry to accuse their archaeological mission of robbing antiquities.

The Sudanese Ministry of Transportation, Roads and Bridges has announced the upcoming opening of the Ashkin – Halfa Port. The opening of this port—which links Egypt and Sudan—was previously postponed for improvements, but has been placed back on schedule for its completion next January.

At least four have been injured in an explosion near the Sharqiya Governorate's Military Intelligence Headquarters in the city of Anshas midday Sunday, according to state TV. The blast is believed to have been caused by a car laden with explosives detonating near the intelligence building, Director of Sharqiya's Criminal Investigations Office Atef Khedr told Al-Ahram's Arabic news website.

The bust of a 26th dynasty prince that was stolen from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir during the 2011 revolution is returning to Egypt tomorrow from Belgium.

CAIRO: Tamarod movement will cooperate with civilian parties to prepare for the upcoming referendum on the draft constitution, according to a statement by Tamarod spokesperson Hassan Shaheen.

A huge explosion was heard Thursday morning near a school complex in Nasr City, Director of Civil Emergency Services Gamal Halawa told Ahram Arabic news website.

CAIRO: Interim president Adly Mansour declined a proposal to run for the presidency for one term during the National Dialogue session with political and social forces on Dec.25

Three jailed Egyptian political activists have started a hunger strike against what they describe as mistreatment in prison, said a statement on the website of the April 6 protest movement that two of them belonged to.