Egypt's state news agency says a court has turned down deposed president Hosni Mubarak's request to be released from prison pending an investigation into corruption charges.

Hurghada saw the opening of a no-alcohol resort on Saturday – dubbed by state media as the first of its kind in the Red Sea – allocating an entire floor for women only.

Senior Egyptian officials visited Iran on Saturday to further a proposal by Cairo for an Islamic quartet that would help to resolve the Syrian conflict, the presidency said.

Egypt's state news agency says police in a Nile Delta province are blocking off entrance to their station, the latest labor unrest hitting the country's police force

Egypt has called on Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to place all their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. According to state-owned news agency MENA, the statement was made by Ambassador Sayed Abul Enein, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Disarmament and Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy, during the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations NPT Review Conference in Geneva.

Egyptian Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah on Thursday appealed a court verdict, issued early March, to dismiss him from his position and allow the return of his predecessor Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud.

Military prosecutors are questioning 11 men arrested last week after attempting to bomb a military installation in Egypt's North Sinai city of Rafah.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel underscored Washington's military commitment to Egypt on Wednesday and pledged American support as Egyptian forces evolve to address new and shifting security threats, US defence officials said.

The Strong Egypt Party has criticised President Morsi's intention to restrict an impending cabinet reshuffle to particular ministries, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reports.

This piece was written for Egypt Independent's final weekly print edition, which was banned from going to press. We offer you our 50th and final edition here.

Egypt's Illicit Gains Authority ordered on Wednesday that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak be detained for 15 more days pending further investigations.

Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Bahaa Eddin has called for the prohibition of rice cultivation in desert lands, which is already forbidden by law, so as to reduce overdraft of water from aquifers.

Veteran judge Ahmed El-Zend, who is head of unofficial judicial union the Judges Club, called on President Mohamed Morsi to apologise for "insults" directed at Egypt's judiciary by Islamist figures.

The Egyptian presidency confirmed that Prime Minister Hisham Qandil will remain in his post, despite an expected government reshuffle.

General Hany El-Refai of Egypt’s prison directorate denied that Israeli spy Ouda Tarabin has went on a hunger strike as reported earlier today.

Egyptian fund manager Mohamed Ayad watched his clients lose money for months until he himself became a victim of the stock market's slump.

Leftist forces, revolutionary movements and trade unions are planning a million-strong demonstration to mark May Day.

Judges Club chief Ahmed al-Zend has declared an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday by the club’s general assembly that will be attended by members of several other judicial authorities.

Egyptian Finance Minister El-Morsi El-Sayed Hegazy officially submitted the government's 2013/14 budget to the Shura Council (Parliament's upper house) on Tuesday.

A Cairo criminal court has sentenced Egypt's former minister of finance Youssef Boutros Ghali in absentia to 25 years in prison on charges of squandering public funds.

Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki, who submitted his resignation on Sunday, has said he will only continue in his job if he receives official guarantees regarding judicial independence.