Eritrean forces have boarded a merchant vessel that was in their territorial waters in an incident the crew initially reported as a pirate attack, maritime officials said on Sunday.

Approving the 2014 Constitution is Egypt’s first step in its journey towards the future, interim President Adly Mansour said Sunday, but declined to specify whether the next step would be presidential or parliamentary elections.

The Egyptian army arrested nine "terrorists" on Monday during a security campaign in Northern Sinai, the army spokesman said in a statement.

A number of politicians have denounced statements by former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi, who said Saturday that a presidential run by Defense Minister Abdel Fatah al-Sisi would not “be in favor of the revolution.”

8.2 million persons have signed a petition organized by the Homeland Demand campaign to indication their support of a presidential run by General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, said campaign spokesperson Mlaz al-Hakim.

A US congressional delegation met on Sunday with Egyptian army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to discuss US-Egypt ties and recent developments in the region, a military source has said.

National Council for Human Rights Chief Mohamed Fa’eq said that the fact-finding committee formed by the council to investigate incidents of Kerdasa and dispersing Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda sit-ins as well as killing of inmates in Abu Zaabal prison truck and burning churches will reveal its findings by the end of week.

Informed sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that they have asked Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to announce his candidacy for presidency in the next couple days to reassure Egyptians, rather than waiting for the planned announcement date on Saturday, 25 January.

US archaeologists have uncovered the tomb in southern Egypt of a previously unknown pharaoh who ruled 3,700 years ago, antiquities officials said on Wednesday.

Police on Wednesday detained a freelance Egyptian TV cameraman who was covering the country's constitutional referendum for The Associated Press.

The interim government has cracked down on the Qatari-based channel since the ouster of Mohamed Mursi on 3 July, accusing the channel of biased coverage. Since the channel has been banned, any Al-Jazeera reporters caught working within the country have been arrested, Egypt Independent reported.

Amr Moussa, who chaired the 50-member committee that worked through thick and thin to produce the charter's near 250 articles at a time of clear societal divide, has managed to return to the centre of the political sphere from a new door after he had lost a bulk of his lustre.

The son of Cairo University President Gaber Nassar, Mohamed Gaber Nassar, was injured during clashes between security forces and Muslim Brotherhood supporters at the campus on Thursday.

Undeterred after a day of sporadic violence, Egyptians on Wednesday lined up to vote on the second, final day of a key referendum on the country's new constitution.

Three trade unionists kidnapped last week near Suez have been freed after a ransom was paid – a fourth hostage is still being held pending the payment of his ransom.

Prominent activist and leading member of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party Hossam Hassan was released in Assiut on Tuesday following a weeks-long detention period over his role in recent protests, according to Al-Ahram's Arabic news website.

A source from the Supreme Electoral Committee said that if anyone wants to participate in the constitutional referendum they have to cast the vote in designated polling stations.

CAIRO: Head of Women’s Complaints Office in the National Council for Women Fatma Khafagi, said that they it received 90 complaints during the first day of the constitutional referendum.

CAIRO,-- A bomb exploded outside a court in Cairo on Tuesday morning, minutes before the referendum on Egypt's new draft constitution kicks off, state-run Al-Ahram news website reported.

A first day of voting has been taking place in Egypt on a new constitution that could pave the way for fresh elections.

The Interior Ministry reported that four people died and nine others were injured, including two policemen, in clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and security forces in Sohag on the first day of the constitution referendum.