CAIRO - An Egyptian court on Wednesday sentenced former Information Minister Anas el-Feqqi to seven years in prison for squandering public fun from the state television union, the latest prison sentence to be handed to a member of Hosni Mubarak's former cabinet. The court also sentenced Osama el-Sheikh, the former head of the union, to five years on the same charges, the court ruled.

CAIRO: A walkabout in central Cairo by Egypt's military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawy donning civilian clothes has unleashed a torrent of questions about his political intentions. Tantawy took a stroll in Cairo's Downtown area on Monday night wearing a business suit and with no personal security in tow.

CAIRO: Parliamentary election, the first since a popular revolt ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February, will start on November 28, the official MENA news agency reported on Tuesday. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has set November 28 as the start of the first stage of the parliamentary election, which will be held over three rounds," it reported.

CAIRO – The Minister of Tourism Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour opened, on Tuesday, global festivities organised in Aswan to mark World Tourism Day, launched in collaboration with the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

CAIRO: Presidential hopeful Mohamed ElBaradie met representatives of farmers unions

CAIRO - A fresh attack overnight on a pipeline delivering gas from Egypt to Israel left one person injured, witnesses and Egyptian security sources said Tuesday. At least three gunmen in a van opened fire on a gas installation before an explosion hit the pipeline near the town of al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, witnesses said.

CAIRO: Political forces slammed Monday amendments made to the parliament law that increase the share of party lists from 50 percent to two-thirds of the seats, while reducing the number of seats in both houses of parliament.

CAIRO: Following an altercation with reporters, lawyers representing the families

CAIRO – Egypt's Police and Armed Forces in Ismailia have seized four boxes containing eight anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles and three empty boxes that probably included RPGs missiles, www.egynews.net reported on Sunday.

CAIRO: Public school teachers decided to suspend nation-wide strikes for one week until the education ministry presents a timeline for meeting their demands following a mass protest on Saturday. But teachers in some schools in Beni Seuif, Sharkiya, Suez and parts of Cairo continued the strike pending “positive steps” by the ministry, said Hala Talaat, activist and teacher.

CAIRO - Egypt's military rulers have agreed to amend election rules, state-run media said on Saturday, but some politicians say the changes still leave too much scope for supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak to seek parliamentary seats.

CAIRO: Mohamed ElBaradei was in his hometown of Ibyar in Al-Gharbeya governorate on Friday to “visit family,” according to the press office of the campaign supporting ElBaradei as Egypt’s next president.

ALEXANDRIA - Alexandria's criminal court on Saturday adjourned, until 22 October, the trial of two policemen implicated in the death of Khaled Saeed. Saeed, born in 1982, was allegedly beaten to death by two policemen in Alexandria on 6 June, 2010.

CAIRO (Updated) - Egypt's state of emergency will remain in place until June 2012, a military official said Wednesday, stressing that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) seeks to "end the emergency as soon as possible".

CAIRO: The Administrative Court suspended Wednesday the privatization contracts of three privatized companies, returning them to the public sector. The court’s decision also cleared them of all debts and mortgages resulting from the privatization, and restored the rights of the companies' workers.

CAIRO - African champions Egypt have dropped two places to 36 in the latest FIFA world rankings, released on Wednesday.

CAIRO - Egypt bought 2.6 million tonnes of wheat from local producers in 2011 compared to 2.1 million tonnes a year earlier, Social Solidarity Minister Gouda Abdel Khaleq said on Tuesday. "We procured 25 per cent more wheat this year due to better price incentives," he said during a conference in Cairo. He did not give details on the incentives. Egypt is the world's biggest wheat importer.

CAIRO: Striking teachers called for a million-man march to the Cabinet of Ministers on Saturday to protest government’s inaction to their demands, the Independent Teachers Union said on Tuesday School teachers said more schools have joined the strike, which continued for the fourth day Tuesday.

CAIRO: Egyptian rights groups have accused Egyptian authorities of carrying out random arrests after this month's attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo, citing it as another example of a return to the ways of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

CAIRO – It took 18 days of democracy protests to end Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's 30 years in power. It may yet take at least 18 months after his overthrow to see off the generals who succeeded him. The military, in charge since Mubarak was toppled in February, has said it will not hand over power until presidential elections are held. According to a timeline announced this week, that may not happen until August 2012.

CAIRO: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) agreed to put an end to military trials for civilians, except for “those who attack army soldiers,” at a meeting with representatives of 47 political parties on Sunday.