Egypt extends state of emergency 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday issued a decree extending the state of emergency across the country for yet another three months.

The decree, which was published in the official gazette, gives the armed forces and the police powers to act as necessary to confront the dangers of terrorism and its funding, and to preserve security and protect lives and public and private property across the country.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli also imposed a curfew in a number of areas in the province of North Sinai, according to Egyptian media outlets.

North Sinai, which borders the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east, is the epicentre of militant insurgency for which the Daesh-affiliated group Wilayat Sinai claims responsibility.

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The area where the curfew is in place stretches from Tal Rafah to the west of Arish and Jabal Al Halal.

The state of emergency has been in place in Egypt since 2017 when twin suicide bombings killed 45 people in two churches on Palm Sunday in the provinces of Tanta and Alexandria. It has been repeatedly extended for three-month intervals for more than four years now.