Egypt

Egypt needs more drinkable water – how windy coastal resorts could help

Egypt needs more drinkable water – how windy coastal resorts could help: Egypt is facing a growing water crisis due to its arid climate, limited water resources, and rapidly increasing population. The country of 114 million people depends heavily on the longest river in the world, the Nile, for fresh water. But rising demand for …

Egypt on edge: finding a delicate balance between Gaza and Trump

Egypt on edge: finding a delicate balance between Gaza and Trump: US president Donald Trump famously called Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi his “favourite dictator” in 2019, but their relationship has been complex. Trump’s return to the White House for a second term has sent ripples of concern through Cairo. In January 2025, Trump proposed …

How Sherlock Holmes, ancient Egypt and a mysterious ‘curse’ inspired Agatha Christie

How Sherlock Holmes, ancient Egypt and a mysterious ‘curse’ inspired Agatha Christie: Agatha Christie published The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb in September 1923, almost a year after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Her Hercule Poirot short story drew inspiration from the sensationalised folklore of the “mummy’s curse”. Lord …

Ancient Egypt had far more venomous snakes than the country today, according to our new study of a scroll

Ancient Egypt had far more venomous snakes than the country today, according to our new study of a scroll: How much can the written records of ancient civilisations tell us about the animals they lived alongside? Our latest research, based on the venomous snakes described in an ancient Egyptian papyrus, suggests more than you might …

Hamas-Israeli conflict: what’s at stake for Egypt

Hamas-Israeli conflict: what’s at stake for Egypt: As the Israeli-Hamas crisis continues, a great deal of focus is shifting to Egypt. Egypt shares a border with both Israel and Gaza – the narrow strip of Palestinian territory which is currently under blockade following the violent attack against Israel by Hamas, a radical Islamist organisation that …

Egypt and Ethiopia are finally working on a water deal – what that means for other Nile River states

Egypt and Ethiopia are finally working on a water deal – what that means for other Nile River states: The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam began generating electricity in 2022. Minasse Hailu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Egypt and Ethiopia have waged a diplomatic war of words over Ethiopia’s massive new dam – the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam – …

Cleopatra’s skin colour didn’t matter in ancient Egypt – her strategic role in world history did

Cleopatra’s skin colour didn’t matter in ancient Egypt – her strategic role in world history did: Cleopatra (centre) is played by a black actress, Adele James, in the new Netflix docudrama series. Image courtesy Netflix Cleopatra, queen of Egypt in the years 51-30 BC, is back in the news thanks to a controversial docudrama series …

Rosetta Stone: a new museum is reviving calls to return the artefact to Egypt

Rosetta Stone: a new museum is reviving calls to return the artefact to Egypt: The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Ashy Cat Inc, CC BY-NC-SA With the Arab spring of 2011, a downturn in tourism and the devastation of COVID, the odds have been stacked against the opening of Giza’s Grand Egyptian Museum, work on …

COP27 shines light on civil liberties in Egypt, but it’ll take work to achieve real freedom

COP27 shines light on civil liberties in Egypt, but it’ll take work to achieve real freedom: Activists gather in front of Tel Aviv's Embassy of Egypt to demonstrate in support of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. Photo by Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The ability to speak freely in Egypt is currently very constrained. Individuals, …

Podcasting in Egypt – how feminist activism has emerged through shared stories

Podcasting in Egypt – how feminist activism has emerged through shared stories: Den Potisev/iStock/Getty Images Plus After more than a decade of teaching audio production to my college students in Cairo, it finally dawned on me that podcasts themselves can serve as teaching tools that highlight lessons in Egyptian society. I realised this because so …

Russia-Ukraine crisis poses a serious threat to Egypt – the world’s largest wheat importer

Russia-Ukraine crisis poses a serious threat to Egypt – the world’s largest wheat importer: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly pledged to keep food prices in the fair range amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Photo by Ahmed Gomaa/Xinhua via Getty Images Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could create a global food security crisis. It …

Cool British Library digitised image from page 368 of “The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]” image

A cool Paternoster image: British Library digitised image from page 368 of “The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]” Image by The British Library Image taken from: Title: "The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]" Author(s): Longsdon, J. W. [person] ; Adams, Francis William Lauderdale, 1862-1893 [person] …