President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reiterated on Saturday that Egypt is facing major economic challenges, saying authorities and citizens must work together and embrace reforms to overcome such dire conditions.

Egypt abstained Friday from voting on a UN Security Council resolution that authorises a 4,000-strong regional protection force under the umbrella of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. The resolution passed on a majority vote in the council.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the Egypt will repay the $12 billion loan over a period of 10 years, adding that Egypt is expected to receive the loan on a semi-annual basis.

The number of Ukrainian tourists flocking to Egypt has increased by 33 percent during the period from January to June, compared to the same period last year, the head of the International Tourism sector Mohamed Abdel Gabar told Youm7.

Egypt will restore a total of 44 archeological antiquities and a painting from France during the current month; Youm7 quoted Shaaban Abdel Gawad, the general supervisor of the Antiquities Recuperation Department.

Egypt expects to receive the first $4 billion tranche of a $12 billion three-year IMF loan facility within six weeks, Finance Minister Amr al-Garhy told newspaper Youm 7 on Thursday.

Twenty-three Egyptian citizens who had been kidnapped by an armed group in Libya have been freed and arrived in Cairo on Friday, the website of Egypt's state television channel reported.

Member of Parliament Silvia Nabil criticized conflicted reports by two official bodies on the size of the inflation in Egypt, saying “this is unacceptable,” she told Youm7.

Fifty-five Egyptian tourists have been struck by food poisoning at a resort in Hurghada, according to reports from medical sources from the Red Sea governorate on Friday morning.

A Cairo criminal court referred to investigation on Tuesday accusations made by leading Muslim Brotherhood member Mohamed El-Beltagy that he was tortured by leading interior ministry officials.

Minister of Transport Galal el-Saeed said that Cairo metro is currently serving 3.5 million people, and by the year 2030, it is expected to serve around 9 million commuters after all six lines are completed, in TV statements.

Egypt's representative in the UN Human Rights Council boycotted on Thursday the screening process of candidates for the new position of independent expert, whose role is to follow up on rights of LGBT persons.

Egypt's government approved a draft bill that would settle tax disputes, the cabinet said in a statement on Wednesday, a move aimed at restoring confidence with investors amidst ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund.

A Minya military court sentenced eight Mohamed Morsi supporters to seven-year prison sentences for storming and torching a local council building in Minya governorate in August 2013.

A group of young Egyptians has launched a campaign to collect 40 million signatures from Egyptian citizens on a petition to extend the presidential term of the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for four more years — apparently without the need for another election.

US Army Central commanding general, Michael Garrett, met with senior Egyptian military officials to discuss the military partnership between the United States and Egypt in a two-day visit to Cairo, the US Embassy in Cairo announced Thursday.

Egypt's Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding said on Thursday its first quarter net profit had fallen to 48.73 million Egyptian pounds ($5.49 million) from 373.85 million in the same period of last year.

The economic sub-committee at the parliament is set to meet with the economic group ministers; finance, planning and investment ministers to discuss developments of the IMF loan.

Tariq Amer, the governor of Central Bank of Egypt, announced that negotiations with IMF mission were successful and that Egypt agreed with the fund on a 3-year loan programme worth $12 million, according to CBC TV channel.

The Egyptian government, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the IMF have reached a staff-level agreement on a three-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in the amount of SDR 8.5966 billion (422 percent of quota or about US$12 billion), a statement by Chris Jarvis, IMF mission chief for Egypt said on Thursday.

Ministry of Education will discuss Thursday a UNESCO report on developing science and mathematics curricula in accordance with international standards, a source at the ministry told Youm7.