President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday called on Egyptians to endure a raft of tough economic reforms introduced by the government, speaking the same day the government increased electricity prices. "All challenges and difficulties can be easy if Egyptians endure the conditions the Egyptian state is passing through," El-Sisi was quoted as saying by state news agency MENA.

The leaders of Ethiopia and Egypt vowed on Sunday to iron out their differences over a dam Addis Ababa is building on the Nile River that Cairo fears threatens its water supplies. Talks over the Grand Renaissance Dam, Ethiopia s $4 billion hydroelectric project, have been deadlocked for months. But at a press conferee in Cairo, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi signaled they had made a breakthrough.

Egypt s Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker announced in a press conference on Tuesday new increases in electricity prices along seven tiers of consumption, at an overall average of 26%, for the fiscal year 2018/2019, which starts in July. The average increase in electric bills for households will be 29%. The increase in electric bills for factories will be 41.8%. During the conference, Shaker also presented on the size of the electric power generated by the power stations the government has built and upgraded in the last four years, as well as the government s plans in completing under-construction stations and the development of solar energy plants.

Egypt s education ministry said on Tuesday that the electronic bar code printed on each Thanaweya Amma exam booklet has helped identify the individual who leaked the English language exam on Tuesday, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported. The student used a smart phone to post the exam on social media one half-hour after the test began.

Egyptian authorities released 32 Ethiopian prisoners on Monday during the visit of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Cairo, Egyptian and Ethiopian news websites reported. The released prisoners reportedly left the country on Monday on the prime minister s plane as he departed to Addis Ababa.

Sources close to Egypt s newly appointed Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told Al-Ahram Daily that the new PM has concluded most of his consultations and meetings with candidates for ministerial posts in the new cabinet, and has communicated with the ministers from former PM Sherif Ismail s cabinet who will continue to serve in their positions. Madbouly is expected to present the final list of ministers for approval by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Monday before the ministers take their constitutional oath ahead of Eid, the sources said.

The House of Representatives approved on Sunday a new draft law regulating press and media, and referred it over to the State Council. Before the final approval of the law, a number of MPs objected to distribution of the draft law s report prepared by the Information Committee immediately before the plenary session, which did not enable them to examine the report properly.

Egypt has expressed its complete support for Saudi Arabia against any attack that would undermine the peace and stability in the kingdom, after a missile that was fired across the border from Yemen into Saudi Arabia on Saturday killed three civilians in Gazan. Cairo expresses "support for the kingdom in the face of brutal terrorism," a statement by Egypt s foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has appointed Mostafa Madbouly, formerly the housing minister, as the country s new prime minister, two days after outgoing Prime Minister Sherif Ismail submitted his resignation and that of his cabinet. “President El-Sisi received Dr. Mostafa Madbouly today to commission him to form the new government,” said Bassam Radi, the president s official spokesperson, on his official Facebook page.

The French language thanaweya amma high school exam was leaked on social media on Thursday, according to a senior official in Egypt s education ministry speaking to Al-Ahram Arabic website. "After checking the exam posted online we found it to be identical to the exam currently being sat by students," he said.

Egypt s House of Representatives approved on Tuesday a draft law to amend existing and impose new fees for several licenses and services including acquiring mobile phones and residency permits, as well as driving and firearms licenses. The draft law, finalized by lawmakers headed by Ali Abdel-Aty, amends some provisions of Law No. 147, which imposes fees as a way to bolster the state s financial resources.

Egypt’s cabinet submitted its resignation to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday following his swearing-in for a second term after a landslide election victory. The government, headed by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, will stay on in a caretaker capacity until the new one is appointed.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, Transport Minister Hisham Arafat and Alexandria Governor Mohamed Sultan decided on Monday to begin work on the project to upgrade Alexandria s 150-year-old tramway system next year, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported. During the meeting, PM Ismail reviewed executive procedures on initiating the project to upgrade the tramway system, which is the oldest in Africa and one of the oldest in the world.

The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced that Egypt’s cotton exports have risen by 181.6% in the second quarter (Q2) from December 2017 to February 2018, recording 379,700 tons compared to 134,800 tons during Q2 of the previous year. However, in its quarterly newsletter covering that period, CAPMAS announced that the domestic cotton use has seen a 63% plummet, reaching 47,200 metric kantars (one kantar is equal to 45.02 kilograms), compared to 127,600 metric kantars last year.

The Egyptian Parliament s manpower committee approved on Sunday a draft law granting annual and additional raises for state employees and public servants, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported. The first article of the draft law s four articles stipulates a 15% increase in pensions for state employees to be added to their basic pensions as of 30 June 2018, and an increase of the minimum pension to EGP 750 per month.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail signed a new decree raising the fees of drinking water and sanitation services by 46.5%, a second consecutive increase in less than a year, according to the Official Gazette. The decision raised the cost of drinking water from 65 piasters to LE 3.15 per cubic meter according to the consumption category. The decision also included a 12% increase in sanitation fees. Sewage fees, calculated upon the water consumption bill, surged to 75% of the water price.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) to Egypt has declined to $1.9 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017/2018, down from $2.4 billion in the same period last year at a rate of 20.8%, the Central Bank of Egypt said on Sunday. According to state-run MENA news agency, the CBE released a monthly report that said overall inflows dropped to $3.4 billion in comparison to $3.9 billion during the corresponding period of FY 2016/2017.

Ethiopia’s ambassador to Sudan, Mawtada Zoudi, announced on Wednesday that the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has passed 65% completion. During an Iftar (Ramadan breakfast) feast in Sudan for news agencies and the local press, organized by the Ethiopian embassy, Zoudi added that “work in the dam is in full swing.”