Malaysia's former Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, said on Sunday that Egypt could achieve great economic renaissance over a short period because of its vast natural and human resources which distinguish it from Malaysia at the time when the latter started its developmental experience.

Mahathir Mohamad expressed his gratitude to the Freedom and Justice Party for inviting him to speak about the Malaysian experience in achieving renaissance and development.

A survey by the Pew Research Centre in Washington has shown that the majority of Egyptians are supportive of President Mohammad Morsi's regime, despite a decline of confidence in the Muslim Brotherhood, to which the President belongs.

The poll, published on Thursday, revealed that 30 per cent of Egyptians believe that their country is heading in the right direction, compared to 53 per cent last year, and 56 per cent in 2011. Moreover, only 39 per cent believe that conditions are better than what they were during President Hosni Mubarak's rule.

The government of Morocco has announced that it will not invite Israeli scientists to attend a scientific conference in Fez, local newspapers said on Friday. The news was confirmed by the office of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The conference is due to be held in June at the Sidi Mohamed Bin-Abdullah University.

Egypt has deported 50 Ethiopians after they were caught in the Sinai Peninsula trying to infiltrate across the border into Israel. Official sources at Cairo International Airport said that the fifty were put on an Ethiopian Airways flight to Addis Ababa on Thursday morning.

Security staff seized the Ethiopians in groups over a period of time. Travel documents were issued by the Ethiopian Embassy in Cairo to facilitate their journey back to Addis.