Egyptian prosecutors have questioned an award-winning novelist over accusations he insulted religion, in the latest of a series of cases to cause concern over freedom of expression in Islamist-run Egypt.

The head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II, has insisted that statements attributed to him in Middle Eastern newspapers, saying the country's rulers should be obeyed, are entirely false.

An Egyptian court ruled on Wednesday that policemen may grow beards, ending a decades-old convention barring them from making what is often seen here as a display of Islamic piety.

The dismissal on Sunday of President Mohamed Morsi's Salafist advisor Khaled Alam El-Din was as an attempt to prevent the presidency's image from being tarnished, the presidential office asserted in a Tuesday morning statement.

Jama'a al-Islamiya on Tuesday announced it has formed squads with 13 other Islamist parties and movements to fight vandals, thugs and groups like the Black Bloc.

Tarek al-Zomor, founder of Jama'a al-Islamiya's Construction and Development Party, said Tuesday his party would try to heal the rift between the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafi Nour Party.

President Mohamed Morsy met with Jama'a al-Islamiya's Construction and Development Party Tuesday at the Ettehadiya Presidential Palace.

Saad al-Katatny, the president of the Freedom and Justice Party, will meet with leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood at the residence of Khairat al-Shater, the deputy supreme guide, on Tuesday to brief them on his meeting with Mohamed ElBaradei, the president of the Dostour Party, and Al-Sayed al-Badawy, president of the Wafd Party, informed sources said Monday.

Bassam El-Zarqa, leading member of the Salafist Nour Party and assistant to President Mohamed Morsi, announced on Monday that he would step down from his post as presidential advisor.

Recently dismissed Salafist advisor to the president for environmental affairs Khaled Alam El-Din slammed the presidency at a Monday press conference, strenuously denying claims that he had used his advisory post for personal gain.President Mohamed Morsi dismissed Alam El-Din, a leading member of the Salafist Nour Party, on Sunday.

The first meeting of the United Council for Egyptian Churches was held on Monday in Cairo between Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and representatives of Egypt's Episcopal, Evangelical, Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.

Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayyeb has ordered an urgent investigation into allegations related to unspecified sexual harassment within Al-Azhar University.

Prominent journalist Hani Shukrallah said the current Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated administration of the country’s flagship paper Al-Ahram has driven him out of the institution.

Egypt's state prosecutor ordered on Sunday an extremist Islamic preacher detained for questioning on suspicion of insulting religion after a complaint from a Christian activist, a judicial source said.

President Mohamed Morsi has dismissed his advisor on environmental affairs, Khaled Alam El-Din, Sunday. El-Din, who was appointed last August, is a leading member of the Salafist El-Nour Party.

Dozens of Copts marched Sunday from Shubra Square to the High Court complex in downtown Cairo to protest the attack on Mar Girgis Church in Fayoum, video broadcast on Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr showed.

The Free Front for Peaceful Change movement has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of abducting and torturing Ibrahim Hanafi, one of its leading members in the eastern Delta governorate of Sharqiya.

Hamas released a statement on Saturday condemning Egypt’s closure of tunnels with Gaza, saying this renews Israel’s blockade on the strip, reported AFP.

Egyptian authorities have seized a weapons cache in the Sinai desert, a security official said on Sunday, only two days after authorities said they had captured a large stockpile of explosives bound for the restive peninsula.

The Muslim Brotherhood announced Wednesday it will participate in the "Together against Violence" demonstration planned to take place Friday in front of Cairo University.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Saturday that his Lebanese militant group does not need support from allies in Syria or Iran for any future battle against Israel.