The tourist submarine Sindbad, carrying 50 people including 45 tourists of various nationalities (notably Russians, Indians, Norwegians, and Swedes) and 5 Egyptian crew, sank off the coast of Hurghada, the Red Sea Governorate’s operations room confirmed.

The ambulance operations room and relevant authorities were notified. 21 ambulances rushed to the scene, and rescue operations began swiftly.

Most passengers were rescued, but the incident resulted in 6 fatalities, all of whom were Russian tourists. 23 injured individuals were transferred to hospitals, while the remaining survivors returned to their hotels after their health conditions were confirmed stable.

The injuries ranged from cuts, bruises, and abrasions to shortness of breath, while 4 cases are in intensive care due to the severity of their injuries.

The Sindbad submarine is one of the most popular sea excursions in Hurghada, taking passengers on a trip to view coral reefs and marine life at a depth of 25 meters below the water’s surface, with the trip lasting for two hours.

The Russian Consulate in Hurghada issued a statement confirming that most of the submarine’s passengers were Russian tourists affiliated with the Biblio Globus tourism company, and that most of them were rescued and are now in their hotels or hospitals receiving the necessary care.

Investigations are still underway to determine the real causes of the accident, amidst questions about the technical reasons behind it and whether there was negligence or a technical malfunction that led to this tragedy.

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A heavy transport truck veered off the road in an Egyptian village in Qalyubia governorate, crashing into a house.

The accident did not result in any casualties, but the fate of the house is uncertain after parts of it were damaged by the collision. The Public Prosecution Office has taken over the investigation into the incident.

The Public Prosecution ordered the formation of an engineering committee from the city council to inspect the impact of the accident and the extent of the threat to the house’s safety, in order to take measures regarding evacuating the house or not.

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The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) revealed the expected weather conditions for Friday, explaining that hot weather will prevail during the daytime across the country, with moderate temperatures at night and during the early morning hours in most areas.

Weather maps warned of wind activity on the northwestern coasts, potentially stirring up sand and dust in parts of Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, the Canal cities, the northeastern coasts, Sinai, and the southern regions at intermittent intervals.

Friday’s weather will see light rainfall, sometimes thundery, in areas of South Sinai, the Red Sea mountain ranges, and southern Upper Egypt.

As for the state of the Mediterranean Sea, it will be moderate to rough, with wave heights ranging from two to three meters and northwesterly surface winds.

The Red Sea will be moderate, with wave heights ranging from one and a half to two meters and southwesterly to southeasterly surface winds

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CAIRO, March 27 (MENA) – Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark on Thursday sent a cable of greeting to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the occasion of Eidul Fitr (Lesser Bairam).

In his cable, the pope extended Eid greeting to the president and Muslims on behalf of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church, praying to god to grant the president health and strength and help in facing challenges facing the nation.

The pope expressed hope that the nation would be blessed by peace and prosperity.

Eidul Fitr is a religious feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide after the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

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Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayyeb, thanked President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for inquiring after his health and his kind prayers for speedy recovery during his recent illness.

He also expressed appreciation for the care shown by the Egyptian people, both Muslims and Christians, and by those who prayed for him from abroad.

Al-Tayyeb said the sincere concern and support he received helped ease the impact of his health condition and contributed to his recovery.

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CAIRO, March 27 (MENA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty stressed on Thursday that Egypt will continue offering all kinds of support to brotherly Lebanon, its government and national institutions to materialize the aspirations of the Lebanese people for a better future.

In a phone call with his Lebanese counterpart Youssef Rajji, Abdelatty expressed hope of further cooperation with Lebanon to boost bilateral relations in all domains, reiterating Egypt’s readiness to take part in the reconstruction of Lebanon’s infrastructure.

The contact tackled the latest developments in Lebanon with Abdelatty reiterating Egypt’s support of Lebanon in face of security challenges.

He renewed Egypt’s rejection of any moves that could undermine the security and stability of brotherly Lebanon.

The top diplomat underlined the importance of abiding by the ceasefire agreement in South Lebanon, fully pulling out Israeli forces and implementing UN Resolution 1701 by all sides.

The resolution calls for a full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. (MENA)

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Egypt has strongly condemned Israel’s incursion into Syrian territory and the bombing of the town of Kuwaya in the Daraa countryside, accusing it of continuing to strengthen its positions in the territories it occupied deep inside Syria.

This condemnation follows an Israeli attack that targeted the town of Kuwaya in the Daraa governorate in southern Syria on March 25, resulting in the death of seven people and injuries to others, according to official Syrian reports and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry affirmed Egypt’s complete rejection of Israel’s exploitation of internal developments in Syria to seize more Syrian territory and undermine the nation’s security and stability.

Egypt views Israel’s attacks on Syrian territory as further systematic violation of international law, and warned of the dire consequences that Israel’s aggression will bring.

It called on the Security Council and influential international powers to assume their responsibility in addressing this dangerous escalation in Syria, stressing the need to respect Syria’s unity, stability, and sovereignty over its entire territory.

 

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The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) explained that the country is going through a noticeable increase in temperatures, with hot weather prevailing during the daytime nationwide.

Weather maps for Thursday warned of wind activity that may stir up sand and dust in exposed areas of Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, and northern Upper Egypt, along with wind activity stirring up sand and dust in the northwestern coasts and the Western Desert, leading to a decrease in horizontal visibility.

The EMA cautioned on wearing appropriate clothing for the weather, with lighter clothes during the day and warmer clothes for evening.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the government will continue implementing its plan to gradually lift fuel subsidies until the end of 2025.

During a Wednesday press conference at the Cabinet headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, Madbouly denied any intention by the government to eliminate the remaining subsidies in one go.

He pointed out that the government has adhered to its previous commitments and that the period from October 2024 to March 2025 did not witness any price adjustments – in line with the promise not to increase prices for six months.

The government is monitoring the daily price movements of goods in the markets, he added, stating, “Our goal is to stop the bleeding of subsidies while maintaining cross-subsidization for some products such as diesel and butane cylinders.”

According to Madbouly, these upcoming increases will be determined by the automatic pricing committee for petroleum products, which will hold its next meeting in April.

There will be three additional increases until December, with rates not exceeding 10 percent each time, according to estimates by economic experts.

The Prime Minister stressed that the government is seeking to mitigate the social impact of these increases, referring to the social protection packages recently announced, including salary and pension increases that will begin in July with the new fiscal year.

He affirmed that diesel, the lifeblood of transportation and industry, will continue to receive partial subsidies even after the plan ends given its direct impact on commodity prices.

 

Economic pressures

The Egyptian government’s statements come amid increasing economic pressures facing Egypt, as the government seeks to reduce the subsidy bill, which exceeded LE154 billion (US$3.02 billion) in the fiscal year 2024/2025, according to data from the Ministry of Finance.

Egypt relies on imports for about 40 percent of its fuel needs, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices and the exchange rate, where the dollar has reached about LE51 in the official market.

The government began its economic reform program in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund in 2016, which includes gradually lifting energy subsidies to reach fair pricing by the end of 2025.

In 2024, fuel prices witnessed three increases, the latest of which was in October, when the price of 95-octane gasoline rose to LE17 per liter and diesel to LE11.5.

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A new study on the Egyptian pyramids has caused a stir worldwide, after researchers from Italy and Scotland claimed that there is a “huge underground city” extending over 6,500 feet beneath Giza pyramids – ten times larger than the pyramids themselves.

This claim is based on the use of pulse radar devices by experts to create high-resolution images deep underground beneath the structures, in the same way that sonar radar is used to map the depths of the oceans.

The study, which has not been reviewed by independent experts, revealed the presence of eight vertical cylindrical structures extending over 2,100 feet beneath the pyramid, in addition to additional unknown structures at a depth of 4,000 feet.

A press release described the findings as “groundbreaking,” and if proven true, could rewrite the history of ancient Egypt.

However, independent experts have raised serious concerns about the study.

A ground-penetrating radar (GPR) archaeological researcher at the University of Denver, Lawrence Conyers, told DailyMail.com that it is impossible for the technology to penetrate that deep into the ground.

He called the claims of an underground city “a huge exaggeration”, and instead explained that it is more conceivable that small structures, such as columns and rooms, existed beneath the pyramids before they were built.

Conyers added that the only way to prove the authenticity of the discoveries is would be to conduct “targeted excavations, and my opinion is that as long as the authors aren’t making things up and their basic methods are correct, everyone interested in the site should take a look at their interpretations.”

He also told the DailyMail that he cannot determine whether the technology used actually captured a hidden structure beneath the pyramid, adding that they are using all sorts of sophisticated proprietary data analysis software.

Former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh al-Damaty slammed the claims as ‘utterly baseless’.

Damaty noted that documented archaeological research have not hinted at any secret structures of this size.

He explained that the pyramids and their surrounding lands have been subject to decades of study and excavation by professional archaeologists, and no evidence has emerged to support these claims.

 

A study lacking in proper standards

Egyptologist and former Director General of the Giza Pyramids Area, Hussein Abdel-Basir, stated that this study lacks the most basic standards of proper scientific research.

He added that any genuine scientific discovery in the field of archaeology must first be published in a reliable scientific journal after careful peer review.

Abdel-Basir continued, “What happened here was merely a press conference and press release, without a scientific paper published in any respectable journal, and without an official announcement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities or the Supreme Council of Antiquities.”

He said that geophysical techniques such as GPRs or seismic analysis can only survey limited depths, not exceeding tens of meters in the best of circumstances.

The claim of the existence of huge structures at a depth of 2,000 feet (600 meters) is science fiction and not based on any reality, Abdel-Basir stressed.

He also noted that one of the people making this claim, Corrado Malanga, is a well-known researcher in unidentified flying objects and has previously appeared on programs about aliens.

Abdel-Basir added, “When this approach is introduced into archaeological research, it transforms from scientific research into the promotion of conspiracy theories and populism that do not serve the truth.”

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The Egyptian State Information Service (SIS) on Tuesday has slammed allegations spread online through social media and news websites about Egypt providing military aid to Israel.

It clarified that these websites, which it accused of being “detached from reality”, consistently ignore Egypt’s unshakeable stance on Gaza ever since the war broke out, which has ensured that it will take every measure possible to support the people of Palestine.

The SIS stressed that Egypt was the one that helped establish the categorical Arab and international rejection towards liquidating the Palestinian cause by displacing citizens from their land in the Gaza Strip.

This has made Egypt the target of numerous disinformation campaigns by Israeli officials and media outlets.

The SIS stressed that Egypt has provided Gaza with more than 75 percent of its total aid, has put all its health capabilities to treat the wounded and sick among them, and has been going through all the hardships of negotiation since the first day of the aggression to stop it.

It added that always seeking the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and which has not stopped for a moment from seeking to mend the internal Palestinian rift.

The SIS concluded that Egypt stands firmly on the side of justice, rejecting any acts of aggression and occupation – a foundation it has stuck to for eight decades and for which it has paid every price that comes with it, remaining forever steadfast on its national, pan-Arab and moral principles.

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Minister of Labor Mohamed Gobran announced on Tuesday that the Eid al-Fitr holiday has been extended.

Saturday, March 29, to Tuesday, April 1, will be an official paid holiday for private sector employees on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

This holiday had previously been the first and second days of Shawwal 1446 AH, and now will be extended.

Gobran said that if the legal sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon indicates that Monday, March 31, is the first day of Shawwal 1446 AH, the aforementioned holiday will be extended until Wednesday, April 2.

He noted that employers have the right to employ workers on these days, if work conditions require it. In this case, the worker will be entitled to double their wages, in addition to their wages for these days.

This comes to ensure that all official holiday dates are unified for all workers in various government sectors – whenever possible.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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The instant payment network, InstaPay Egypt, has released a new update to its fees and tariffs.

InstaPay is a modern financial service offered by banks to facilitate instant money transfers between bank accounts.

 

When will the new fees be applied?

Egyptian banks are scheduled to begin imposing fees on InstaPay transfer services, starting April 1.

These fees include the following:

• Money transfers: A fee of 0.1 percent of the transaction value is charged, with a minimum of one LE and a maximum of LE 20 per transaction.
• Non-financial services: These include balance inquiries and mini-statement requests. A fee of LE 0.5 per request will be charged, with users being granted 10 free requests per month per mobile number.

 

New service fees

InstaPay has set new fees for transfers through its app at 0.1 percent of the transaction value, with a minimum of 50 piasters and a maximum of LE20 per transaction.

The app will allow 10 free balance or mini-statement inquiries per month for each customer, with a fee of 50 piasters applied for each additional inquiry.

This step comes in light of the significant expansion from the InstaPay app since its launch in April 2022, where transfer and inquiry services have been provided free of charge for the past three years.

 

Daily withdrawal limit

The Central Bank of Egypt recently announced withdrawal limits for the InstaPay app, after amending the maximum daily and monthly transaction limits and the maximum single transaction limit on the digital app.

Withdrawal limits from InstaPay Egypt app vary between a maximum single transaction withdrawal of up to LE 70,000 and a maximum daily transaction limit of LE 120,000.

Over the course of a month, withdrawals using the InstaPay app must not exceed LE 400,000, according to a circular published on the Central Bank’s official website.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the signing of a $1.65 billion contract to establish the Shin Feng Integrated Metal Industries Complex in the Ain Sokhna industrial zone, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The deal was signed at the Cabinet headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, in the presence of Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel al-Wazir.

The project will be built in two phases over five years on 3.75 million square meters. It includes nine factories and two service centers—one for research and development and another for solid waste recycling. The complex is expected to provide around 8,000 direct jobs.

The first phase, set for completion by 2027, covers two million square meters and includes four factories producing auto components, metal parts for appliances, fasteners, and hot-rolled steel. This stage is expected to create over 4,400 jobs.

The second phase will span 1.75 million square meters and includes five factories for machinery parts, brake discs, structural steel, alloy car parts, and cold-rolled steel, in addition to the two service centers. Trial operations are set to begin between January 2029 and March 2030, adding another 3,500 jobs.

The agreement was signed by officials from Egypt’s General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Industrial Development Authority, alongside executives from Xin Feng Egypt and its Chinese parent company.

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The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) expects a gradual rise in temperatures across most parts of the country on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s weather will be hot during the day, and moderate at night and early morning across most parts of the country.

Winds will occasionally be active in parts of the northwestern coast, at intermittent intervals.

The EMA added that starting Saturday, temperatures are expected to drop across most parts of the country, with a chance of rainfall.

Expected temperatures on Wednesday:

• Matrouh: 27C
• Alexandria, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh: 31C
• Cairo: 33C
• Aswan: 36C
• Luxor: 37C

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and his Bulgarian counterpart Georg Georgiev shared their views on regional tensions and the situation in the embattled Gaza Strip during a phone call on Tuesday.

During their phone conversation, the top diplomats have also discussed bilateral relations and how to promote trade, economic and investment cooperation, given Bulgaria’s important role as one of Egypt’s main suppliers of wheat and grains.

The two ministers underscored the importance of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive partnership, as well as the need to provide all support to disburse 2nd tranche of the a substantial EU financial support package for Egypt.

Meanwhile, Abdelatty extended heartfelt condolences to the Bulgarian minister over the death of Bulgarian officer Marin Marinov, a member of the UN mission in Gaza, who was killed in the Israeli shelling of the UN headquarters in central Gaza last week.

Abdelatty condemned Israel’s targeting of the UN buildings in Gaza.

He briefed the Bulgarian official on the Early Recovery, Reconstruction, and Development of Gaza plan adopted during an Arab summit in Cairo earlier this month.

Abdelatty also shed light on the efforts made to uphold the ceasefire in Gaza and move forward with the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire and prisoner-swap agreement that came into effect on January 19.

For his part, Georgiev thanked Egypt for its sedulous efforts to draw up the Arab plan for Gaza reconstruction, as well as its ongoing endeavors to restore calm and release all hostages held by Hamas and Israel.

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Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh al-Hefny praised the high level of competence and advanced global ranking of EgyptAir pilots thanking them for their efforts and dedication.

In a speech on Monday 24/3/2025 – during an annual Iftar banquet of the Egyptian Airlines Pilots Association – delivered on his behalf by Montaser Manaa, Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation – the minister of civil aviation urged Egyptian pilots to maintain the level of progress they attained in terms of competence.

For his part, Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company Ahmed Adel said, Egyptian pilots, especially of EgyptAir are the foundation of the civil aviation system.

The Iftar ceremony honored the minister of civil aviation and presented him with a shield, that was received by the chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company.

The association also honored pilots who reached retirement age for their expertise that has enriched the field of civil aviation.

 

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