Ancient industrial workshops dating from the Late Period to the early Ptolemaic era, along with a Roman-era cemetery, have been discovered at the Kom al-Ahmar and Kom Wasit sites in Egypt’s Western Nile Delta. The find, announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Tuesday, includes a large industrial building containing at least six rooms. The excavations also revealed a portion of a Roman cemetery featuring three distinct burial methods: direct ground burials, burials within pottery coffins, and child burials placed inside large amphorae. A bio-archaeological study is currently underway on the remains of 23 individuals found at the site, including men, women, and children. The discovery was made by a joint Egyptian-Italian archaeological mission involving the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Padua.

Egypt has completed 90 per cent of the planned natural gas delivery works for the first phase of the “Decent Life” (Haya Karima) presidential initiative, Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi said on Tuesday. The agreement aims to supply Lebanon’s Deir Ammar power station with natural gas for electricity generation. Badawi said the deal aligns with Egypt’s objective to strengthen its role as a regional hub for natural gas trade by receiving and re-exporting gas. He noted that the ministry is maintaining safety awareness campaigns and regular monitoring of natural gas networks to ensure public safety. To bolster national production, the Petroleum Minister highlighted the signing of several agreements with leading international companies.

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a pan-African Gold Bank programme, a strategic initiative aimed at formalising gold value chains, strengthening central bank reserves, and reducing Africa’s reliance on foreign refining and trading hubs. The landmark MoU was signed by CBE Governor Hassan Abdalla and Afreximbank President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors, George Elombi, during a ceremony held at the Central Bank of Egypt. The initiative envisages the establishment of an internationally accredited gold refinery, secure vaulting facilities, and related financial and trading services. He added that Egypt’s strategic location at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe positions it as a natural hub for regional gold trade and financial innovation. This MoU, which forms part of Afreximbank’s vision to ensure Africa’s resources benefit Africans, lays the foundation for an African Gold Bank that will fundamentally transform how we extract, refine, manage, value, store, and trade our gold.

Saudi Arabia has ordered the complete withdrawal of United Arab Emirates forces from Yemen within 24 hours, declaring its national security a “red line” following a military strike on what it described as unauthorised UAE-linked weapons shipments. The demand, issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, followed a “limited military operation” by coalition aircraft to destroy equipment offloaded at the port of Al-Mukalla. The diplomatic rupture intensified as the UAE Ministry of Defence announced later on Tuesday the immediate termination of its remaining counterterrorism personnel in Yemen. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs “categorically” rejected these claims, stating the shipment contained no weapons and the vehicles were intended for UAE forces, not Yemeni parties. The Saudi Ministry expressed hope that the “principles of brotherhood” within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) would prevail to preserve bilateral relations.

According to technical details provided by Farid:The lower ground floor (5,852 square metres) houses 17 outpatient clinics, a dialysis unit with eight chairs, and a lithotripsy department. (5,852 square metres) houses 17 outpatient clinics, a dialysis unit with eight chairs, and a lithotripsy department. The first floor (4,980 square metres) includes 60 beds and a neonatal intensive care unit with 10 incubators. (4,980 square metres) includes 60 beds and a neonatal intensive care unit with 10 incubators. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar added that the facility supports ministry efforts to expand health infrastructure and localise modern technology across all governorates.

Despite the official ban, the episode was quickly leaked, spreading like wildfire across the internet. Others suggested political considerations, given the sensitivity of the subject and its intersection with issues of immigration, security, and human rights. Yet the report does not stop there. While the report does not offer definitive answers, it raises serious legal and ethical questions. Despite the official ban, audiences followed it widely; the leak gave it additional momentum, increased its visibility, and boosted viewership beyond any prior estimate.

A few days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially announced Israel’s recognition of the so-called “Republic of Somaliland.” For those unfamiliar with the entity, Somaliland is a self-declared region within the internationally recognized state of Somalia. During a video call celebrating what was described as a diplomatic breakthrough, Netanyahu told Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi that he would inform President Trump of Somaliland’s willingness and readiness to join the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu appears to believe that this recognition provides Trump with political cover and renewed momentum to advance the displacement agenda, now that a potential destination—Somaliland—has ostensibly been prepared. Somaliland now hopes that Israel’s move will encourage others to follow suit, thereby enhancing its diplomatic standing and access to international markets. Israel’s recognition could also trigger a chain reaction among neighboring African states.

Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) has signed a construction contract worth approximately EGP 10bn ($200m) with Concrete Plus for Engineering and Construction to execute works at its South Med project on Egypt’s northwestern coast. This zone is part of the first phase of the South Med development, which includes nearly 400 buildings. He noted that Phase 1 of South Med covers more than 10 million square metres and includes various zones featuring villas, chalets, and a marina. The South Med development spans a total of 23 million square metres near Alamein Airport. TMG, which has a market value exceeding EGP 149bn ($3.1bn), currently holds a land bank of over 115 million square metres.

Egypt has received $3.5bn from Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company as the initial cash payment for a project to develop the Semla and Alam El Roum area on the northwestern coast, the Egyptian cabinet said. Cabinet spokesman Mohamed El-Homsani stated the $3.5bn represents the “cash price” component, which is the first part of the agreement. This profit sharing will commence after the full recovery of investment costs in accordance with the agreement’s provisions, El-Homsani said. Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, the Qatari Minister of Municipality and Chairperson of Qatari Diar, said in November, the development provides a strategic boost to the North Coast as a world-class, fully integrated destination. According to the project plans, Alam El Roum will be transformed into a comprehensive destination encompassing residential, commercial, and entertainment areas.

In yet another example of how Trump has broken the mold of the presidency, Trump openly boosts favored candidates and seeks to bend their national political and justice systems in their favor. If Trump could deliver Netanyahu from a criminal trial, he’d considerably ease the Israeli leader’s personal anxieties and might enhance his electoral prospects. It was a clever new spin by Netanyahu on the tradition of arriving to visit Trump bearing gifts. The Trump administration, however, rarely stops trying to shape foreign politics for its own gain. Trump’s global reachBut Trump’s political chess-playing isn’t confined to the Western Hemisphere.

The US military conducted a strike against an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, killing two people, according to US Southern Command. At least 107 people have now been killed in strikes on suspected drug boats as part of a campaign, dubbed Operation Southern Spear, that the Trump administration has said is aimed at curtailing narcotics trafficking. The administration has labeled those killed as “unlawful combatants” and claimed the ability to engage in lethal strikes without judicial review due to a classified Justice Department finding. The US military most recently struck a “low-profile vessel” allegedly trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on December 22. The Trump administration’s strikes have prompted scrutiny from some members of Congress, in addition to human rights groups.

Tehran, Iran AP —Iran’s largest protests in three years erupted Monday after the country’s currency plummeted to a record low against the US dollar, and the head of the Central Bank resigned. Witnesses reported similar rallies in other major cities including Isfahan in central Iran, Shiraz in the south and Mashhad in the northeast. Monday’s protests were the biggest since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. Iranian shopkeepers and traders protest against economic conditions as tear gas is fired by anti-riot police in Tehran, Iran, on Monday. In September, the United Nations reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran through what diplomats described as the “snapback” mechanism.

In addition to Gaza, Trump indicated plans to address issues in the occupied West Bank and potential threats posed by Iran. “President Trump has broken so many conventions to surprise people, so we decided to break a convention or create a new one,” Netanyahu said. “We’ve never had a friend like President Trump in the White House. “We’ve had a discussion, big discussion, for a long time on the West Bank, and I wouldn’t say we agree on the West Bank 100%,” Trump told CNN’s Kevin Liptak. In between bidding farewell to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and greeting Netanyahu, Trump spent Monday morning on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The relationship between Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is eternal and deeply rooted in history. Things will not be right in the Arab world or the Islamic world without the soundness of this relationship between Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he said. “A meeting between President Sisi and Donald Trump is very likely within the framework of the distinguished relations between the two leaderships. This is a strong and longstanding relationship dating back to President Trump’s first election campaign. Therefore, it is a very strong relationship characterized by mutual respect and trust, in addition to its strategic nature.

French actress and singer Brigitte Bardot, one of the most prominent icons of French cinema in the 1960s, died at the age of 91, the foundation bearing her name announced on Sunday. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation said in an official statement that it mourns its founder and president. Bardot had rarely appeared in public in recent months and was hospitalized in October before later denying rumors of her death. In 1973, she retired from acting permanently to dedicate herself to animal welfare, establishing a foundation bearing her name in 1986. Thanks to her striking features and style, Brigitte Bardot became a defining figure in European cinema, influencing fashion and popular culture for many years.