At its 72nd meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the Egyptian Cabinet approved a package of key decisions spanning traffic regulation, healthcare, infrastructure development, vocational training, and economic reform. 66 of 1973, introducing stricter penalties for selected violations to enhance public safety and curb road accidents. Harsher penalties—including doubled fines and license suspension—will apply to repeat offenders involved in littering, excessive noise, or unsafe transport of goods. In vocational training, the Cabinet approved contracting Ibda Edu to manage and develop 38 training centers under the Ministry of Labor. Additionally, the Cabinet approved guidelines for restructuring Egypt’s economic authorities, emphasizing financial and administrative independence, the adoption of commercial management practices, and sustainable resource management.

Tensions surrounding the Gaza ceasefire escalated on Wednesday as Israel and Hamas exchanged accusations of violations, while regional and international actors intensified diplomatic, political, and legal engagement related to the conflict. Turkey’s foreign ministry confirmed the meeting between Fidan and the Hamas delegation, saying discussions focused on developments in Gaza and the second phase of the ceasefire plan, without elaborating further. On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said an Israeli delegation travelled to Cairo on Wednesday for talks with senior Egyptian officials and representatives of mediating countries regarding the return of the remains of the final Israeli captives in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to continue military operations in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Yemen despite international and regional efforts to de-escalate tensions. He said the incident demonstrated Hamas’s refusal to disarm as required under the ceasefire, warning that Israel would respond accordingly.

Egypt’s Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hano has delivered 13 maps, 22 documents, and 43 historical agreements to Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty following their restoration by the National Library and Archives. The handover represents the completion of the first and second phases of a restoration project for documents belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates. The items, which were processed within the laboratories of the National Library and Archives (Dar Al-Kutub), date back to the Khedivial and Royal eras. The transfer took place in the presence of Osama Talaat, Chairman of the National Library and Archives. The Foreign Minister also highlighted the significance of the cultural dimension in diplomatic efforts, describing it as a fundamental pillar and an essential tool of Egyptian foreign policy.

The redevelopment of Egypt’s former Ministry of Interior headquarters in Cairo’s Lazoghli district into a mixed-use complex is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib said on Wednesday. The project, which is being developed by Reliance Real Estate Development in partnership with the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, is expected to create 3,000 direct and 10,000 indirect jobs. The complex will include 364 hotel rooms and 35 commercial units, alongside food and beverage outlets and cultural zones. Noha Khalil, Acting CEO of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, stated that the fund collaborated with international consultancy firms to develop the multi-use vision for the Lazoghli site. The development aims to attract foreign investment and build private sector partnerships, which Khalil identified as core objectives of the fund’s mandate.

South Korea’s concessional financing portfolio in Egypt reached $1.3bn in 2025, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said on Wednesday. The figure was disclosed during a meeting between Al-Mashat and the outgoing South Korean Ambassador to Cairo, Kim Young-hyun, to mark the conclusion of his tenure. Egypt was previously selected by South Korea as a strategic partner for development cooperation for the 2020–2025 period. In October, Al-Mashat attended the South Korean Embassy’s celebration of Korea’s National Day, which marked 30 years since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations. During that period, she also held a bilateral meeting with the South Korean President’s Special Envoy to discuss future cooperation based on shared priorities.

The FRA’s data provided a breakdown of the financing distributed during the ten-month period:Equity issuances: EGP 553.4bn, representing growth of 41.6%. SME and micro-enterprise financing: EGP 85.9bn, up 11.9%. Minimum pricing levels remained stable across all risk categories, while market trends showed a concentration of financing entities dealing with medium-risk clients. The FRA reported that 81% of SME financing entities adhered to the responsible pricing standards according to the index. Meanwhile, commitment rates stood at 64.4% for individual financing entities and 64.3% for group financing entities.

These include a high-level committee bringing together the Ministry of Finance and the Egyptian Tourism Federation, as well as a subcommittee chaired by the Head of the Tax Authority. According to Abdel Aal, relations between the Egyptian Tax Authority and taxpayers have seen tangible improvement over the past year and a half. She stressed the importance of prioritising challenges according to urgency, an approach reflected in the first package of tax facilitation measures launched in February. For his part, Ahmed Amwi, Head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, said the tourism sector is a cornerstone of national income, noting that customs interacts with the sector through exemptions on certain supplies used by hotels and tourism establishments, including tourist vehicles and buses. He stressed the importance of dialogue-based meetings in identifying challenges, reviewing implemented reforms and reaching unified procedures and legislation that balance investor interests with state requirements while supporting the tourism sector.

Umm Kulthum is depicted as stingy, obsessively auditing accounts in a vulgar manner, and exaggerated into a calculating, chain-smoking opportunist, while her legendary generosity and unquestionable national sacrifices are wilfully ignored. Even more damning is the film’s dialogue, which bears no relation whatsoever to the historical period in which Umm Kulthum lived. How can the vast legacy of a woman of Umm Kulthum’s stature be reduced to such a grotesque and degrading image? Audiences perceive the film as a direct insult, portraying Umm Kulthum as a chain-smoker, unfilial and opportunistic, raising urgent questions: why this distortion now, and in whose interest is it to dismantle our national symbols so brazenly? The creators of Al-Sett–Marwan Hamed, Ahmed Mourad, Mona Zaki and the producers–have committed a cultural crime against an immortal Egyptian icon.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) is set to hold its final meeting of 2025 on Thursday, amid strong market expectations that it will cut key policy interest rates. Achieving this, he argued, would require the nominal policy rate to fall to around 13-15%. Egypt’s external positionMeanwhile, HC Securities and Investment expects the CBE to cut interest rates by 150 basis points. Egyptian monetary policy managementBanking expert Shaimaa Wagih also expects an interest-rate cut at the CBE’s final meeting of 2025, describing the decision as a strategic turning point in Egypt’s monetary policy management. “A rate cut reflects a clear and well-calibrated economic vision,” Wagih said, citing lower borrowing costs, stronger investment, enhanced purchasing power, improved liquidity, and stronger aggregate demand as key benefits.

Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) is nearing the completion of all concrete works for the first phase of its SouthMed project on Egypt’s Northwest Coast, the developer announced on Wednesday. The developer added that the works are intended to ensure the Southmed development is fully operational from the first day of resident occupancy. In addition to the concrete works, TMG reported progress on road networks and infrastructure, while construction at the marina is proceeding according to the planned timeframe. The SouthMed project covers an area of 23m square metres. According to the company, the project will also include over 2,000 hotel rooms, an international golf course, commercial shopping districts, and the largest entertainment theme park in the Middle East.

Egypt has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the fifth and sixth reviews of its economic reform programme, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Wednesday. Speaking during a weekly press conference at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, Madbouly stated that the Egyptian economy has achieved noticeable growth led by the private sector. The Prime Minister noted that the government is working to provide further opportunities for the private sector while maintaining full commitment to competitive neutrality. The agreement with the IMF bolsters confidence in the ability of the Egyptian economy to complete its reform path and achieve sustainable growth, Madbouly said. He added that tax and customs facilitation packages are driving trust and partnership with the private sector and have received a strong response internationally.

In Mostafa Madbouly’s recent commentary on public debt, I could only see the Egyptian economy as a patient recently transitioned from the ICU to a regular ward—yet still dangerously tethered to life-support systems. In his view, the trajectory of debt should not be judged at its highest point, but rather by the descent that follows. Ultimately, the takeaway from Madbouly’s piece is a sobering one: that borrowing is no longer a temporary necessity, but has become a perpetual choice. He worked as Editor-in-Chief of CBC Extra channel, which he founded, as former Managing-Editor of Al Watan newspaper, and former Executive Editor-in-Chief of its website. He also co-founded the Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, the Al Watan newspaper, and the Al Ashera Masaan program on Dream TV channel, and was the Head of Program Editing at Alhurra channel.

Egyptian Actor Ahmed Hatem promoted his new film “Al-Molhed,” (The Atheist) which is scheduled to premiere in cinemas on New Year’s Eve, December 31. Hatem shared the film’s poster on his Facebook page, captioning it, “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”Producer Ahmed al-Sobky said the film’s release date of December 31 follows a long period of controversy and repeated requests to ban its screening. This decision came after writer Ibrahim Eissa announced that the Egyptian judiciary had issued its final ruling allowing the film’s release and rejecting all lawsuits seeking to halt its screening. Sobky shared the official trailer for the film on his social media accounts, writing: “The official trailer for ‘The Atheist’ is out! “The Atheist” explores the growing phenomenon of atheism among some young people and its impact on individuals and society.

The Luxury Dahabiya Nile boats trips in Luxor and Aswan have seen recent international attention, especially amongst the global elite. This growing media attention is a sign of Egypt’s efforts to elevate the Dahabiya boats from other Nile cruises, offering travelers a totally unique opportunity to experience Egypt. The Nil-Segeln blog explained that Dahabiya trips represent “the true pinnacle of the slow travel philosophy,” as they offer travelers time for reflection and relaxation away from the noise of cities and technology. World Insight Reisemagazin said that the allure of Dahabiya trips lies in their “close proximity to the Nile,” where the small boats sail alongside fields and villages, anchoring in natural spots inaccessible to larger vessels. He adds, “In Aswan, Dahabiya trips offer guests something priceless – true tranquility.

Reverend Amir Tharwat, pastor of the Evangelical Church in al-Faggala, Cairo, said on Tuesday that Christians in Egypt do not believe that Israel has a right to be called “the Promised Land”. Tharwat added that Judaism is not inherently a closed religion, but has been transformed into one. He pointed out that the Book of Joshua is present in the Christian Bible, and that there is a significant time gap of 3,500 years between Netanyahu and Joshua. Tharwat explained that Joshua was waging a war of extermination against his enemies, and that declaring victory meant the annihilation of the other people, as was the nature of the times. “There are atheist Zionists, and their number is significant,” he noted.