The transitional period that includes constitutional amendments, parliamentary elections and ends with presidential elections is expected to finish within nine months, said Mostafa Higazy, presidential advisor for political affairs.

European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Affairs Catherine Ashton has met on Wednesday evening with representatives from Egypt's anti-Morsi petition drive 'Rebel' and representatives from the Muslim Brotherhood from which the now-deposed president hails.

AMMAN - Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday there would be no hasty U.S. decision on whether Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy's ouster constituted a coup, a determination that would affect U.S. aid for Cairo. "On the issue of a coup, this is obviously an extremely complex and very difficult situation," Kerry told a news conference in Amman, where he held talks with Arab officials.

Presidential Advisor for Political Affairs Mostafa Hegazy has said that the presidency may contact the Brotherhood and other political parties in a week, in the context of national reconciliation.

Cairo Appeal Court Wednesday set 19 August as the date for the trial of toppled president Hosni Mubarak and his sons on corruption charges in the so-called "presidential palaces" case.

German Ambassador Michael Bock clarified his country’s stance on the situation in Egypt on Wednesday, describing the 30 June demonstrations as the “second wave of the January 25th Revolution” and called for “access” to the former president Mohamed Morsi.

Supporters of Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi staged mass marches in several Egyptian governorates Monday night, following a call for protests by an Islamist alliance led by the Muslim Brotherhood – from which Morsi hails – to demand his reinstatement.

Egyptian police fired tear gas in central Cairo on Monday after scuffles broke out between supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsy and locals in and around Ramses Street, eyewitnesses said.

Ministers of the new cabinet, headed by PM Hazem El-Beblawi, have been sworn in in front of interim president Adly Mansour at the presidential palace on Monday afternoon.

Police have arrested 401 people and referred them to interrogation over involvement in clashes that erupted at Cairo’s Ramsis Square between supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsy and police forces backed by citizens, security sources said.

JERUSALEM, July 16 (Reuters) - Israel has allowed Egypt to boost its forces in the Sinai peninsula after Cairo requested additional troops to fight Islamist militants in the lawless region, Israel's defence minister said on Tuesday.

At least three people were killed and 17 wounded early on Monday in Egypt's North Sinai province when suspected militants used rocket-propelled grenades to attack a bus carrying workers employed at a cement factory, security and medical sources said.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül met with Egypt's Ambassador to Ankara Abdel-Rahman Salaheddin on Monday, state news agency MENA reports.

Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsy at Nahda Square in Giza threatened on Monday to escalate protests to demand that the toppled leader be reinstated after the army overthrew him to appease demonstrators demanding early elections.

Ziad Bahaa Eddin, candidate for the post of Minister of International Cooperation, has said that the new cabinet will only focus on six main dossiers due to the body's transitional nature.

Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris, whose family controls the sprawling Orascom corporate empire, says he and his brothers will be "investing in Egypt like never before" after the ousting of a president he accused of bullying opponents to his rule.

Egypt announced a criminal investigation on Saturday against deposed Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, with prosecutors saying they were examining complaints of spying, inciting violence and ruining the economy.

Egyptian businessman and opposition leader Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour has accepted an offer to become Investment Minister made to him by caretaker government Premier Hazem El Beblawi, sources reported on Sunday.

The Nour Party has declined an offer to participate in Egypt's new interim administration, according to party vice-president Bassam al-Zarqa.

Prominent media figure Doria Sharaf al-Din said on Sunday she was proud and happy to be the first female candidate from the state radio and television to hold the post of Information Minister.

Egypt's new prime minister is putting the finishing touches on a cabinet that he says will be finalised by mid-week.