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An earthquake measuring magnitude 5.4 struck in the Mediterranean Sea off Egypt's coast early on Monday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

The Egyptian Red Crescent said it activated its emergency response plan in the governorates where the tremor was felt. The organisation said it had received no reports of casualties or property damage so far.

A strong earthquake has shaken cities across Egypt, taking place shortly after 3AM local time. Initial reports indicate the earthquake had a strength of 5.3 on the Richter scale.

This story is developing.

BREAKING: Strong quake felt across Egypt

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Egypt urged all media outlets, news agencies, and foreign correspondents in Egypt and abroad to exercise accuracy in their reporting and to prioritize accuracy when reporting on matters related to Egypt, following the monitoring of reports published by some foreign media outlets regarding the recent attack on two ships at Damietta Port.



According to a statement released by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Egypt noted that some of these outlets have published inaccurate and misleading information about the incident. In this context, Egypt affirmed that investigations are still underway to determine all the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify the responsible party.



One day earlier, Egypt’s Minister of State for Information, Diaa Rashwan, denied on Friday claims published by The Wall Street Journal regarding the recent incident at Damietta Port.



The U.S. newspaper cited two anonymous Egyptian sources who accused Iran of responsibility for the attack. Rashwan countered that "there are no anonymous sources in Egypt" and emphasized that official information is released only by the relevant authorities. He urged media outlets to ensure accuracy and refrain from relying on undocumented accounts.



In televised statements, Rashwan affirmed that the Egyptian state remains committed to full transparency and that citizens have a right to the truth. However, he noted that updates will be delivered in a manner that respects the progress of the investigation, with no results announced prior to its completion.



The minister stressed that the state is treating the Damietta Port incident with the utmost seriousness, expressing dismay over what occurred. He reiterated that determining responsibility will happen only after the official investigations are fully concluded and the final findings are made public.



Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi denied his country’s involvement in the Damietta incident, saying on his X account: “Egypt is an important friend and partner in the region, and its security is of utmost importance to us. We must all be vigilant against Israeli plots and false-flag operations designed to undermine regional peace.” He continued: “The threat is clear, mutual, and fearful of Muslim solidarity.”



Responding to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi's denial of Tehran's involvement, Rashwan noted that the statement "deserves consideration and reflection." However, he reaffirmed that Egypt's official stance will be guided strictly by the outcome of the ongoing investigation conducted by the competent national authorities.



Israeli media reported that a spokesperson for the Israeli occupation army denied the validity of media reports alleging Israeli involvement in targeting Damietta Port, asserting that these reports are "incorrect."



The Houthis of Yemen—Iran’s allies—also denied their involvement in the incident. Houthi sources told Al Masirah Network that rumors about Yemen targeting a ship at the Port of Damietta in Egypt are false. The sources added: “The Yemeni position is clear, public, and explicit, targeting only the Saudi regime for its unjust blockade and ongoing aggression against the Yemeni people.” They affirmed that navigation is safe in the Red Sea and that there is no justification for any fears “that the Saudi regime is trying to spread in order to extricate itself from the predicament it has created for itself.



A preliminary investigation by Egyptian relevant authorities has found that a drone caused the fire involving two vessels at Damietta Port on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Egypt's Cabinet said. In a statement on Thursday, the Cabinet said no party has claimed responsibility for the incident. Also, the the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said a fire broke out involving a regasification vessel and a storage vessel at Damietta Port, without causing any casualties.

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Saudi Arabia has reiterated a strict warning for Hajj and Umrah service companies, saying they can face fines of up to SR100,000 if they fail to report pilgrims or Umrah performers who overstay their authorized period in the Kingdom.

The penalty can increase depending on the number of overstayers that are not reported, showing the authorities’ firm stance on compliance, public safety, and proper pilgrimage management. Public Security also urged people to report residency, labour, and border security violations through the official hotlines.

The message is clear: companies involved in pilgrimage services must act responsibly and notify the authorities without delay when any overstay is detected.

Saudi Arabia has once again made it clear that violations linked to Hajj and Umrah rules will not be taken lightly, as the Kingdom continues tightening oversight to protect order during the pilgrimage seasons.

Gulf News

Egypt’s new electricity tariff rates following increase

August 1, 2026

Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy announced a new increase in residential electricity tariffs for 2026, including a comprehensive restructuring of consumption brackets.

The ministry kept the prices for the first bracket unchanged, while applying varying increases to the remaining brackets, averaging approximately 12 percent, in a move aims to ensure the sustainability of the electricity supply and reduce the widening funding gap.

The new strategy aims to improve collection efficiency and achieve a balance between the cost of producing a kilowatt-hour and considering the social impact.



First Bracket Unchanged

The ministry confirmed that the price of the first consumption bracket, which covers consumption from 0 to 50 kilowatt-hours, will remain at 68 piasters per kilowatt-hour without any increase.

Within this bracket, consumers continue to receive the highest level of government subsidy, reaching up to 75 percent of the actual cost of production and distribution.



Increases

Second bracket (51-100 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 78 piasters to 95 piasters, representing an increase of approximately 21.8 percent. This category continues to benefit from the discount provided for the first percent on the first 50 kWh of consumption.

Third bracket (101-200 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 95 piasters to 115 piasters, representing an increase of 21.1 percent.

The total consumption of the first kWh is recalculated at the price of this percent, without benefiting from the discounts of the first and second brackets.

Fourth bracket (201 to 350 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 155 piasters to 172 piasters, representing an 11 percent increase. This bracket automatically benefits from the application of the third bracket’s price to the first 200 kWh.

Fifth bracket (351 to 650 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 195 piasters to 218 piasters, an 11.8 percent increase. Cumulative billing continues according to the rules established for the previous brackets.

The new structure included imposing prices that closely reflect or exactly match the actual cost for high consumption:

Sixth bracket (over 650 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 210 piasters to 240 piasters, representing a 14.3 percent increase.

Seventh bracket (over 1000 kWh): The price per kWh increased from 258 piasters to 274 piasters (at the full cost of purchasing and producing fuel), representing a 6.2 percent increase.

All previous forms of subsidies were eliminated, and subscribers are now billed directly for their total consumption, starting with the first kWh.

Egypt's National Theatre Festival Goes Nationwide to Empower Local Theatre

The 19th Egyptian National Theatre Festival is not limited to Cairo; it is spreading its wings in Egypt as well

30 Jul 2026

Egypt's theatre industry is moving away from Cairo as the National Theatre Festival gets underway for the 19th year, amid increased resolve to promote access and reach audiences throughout Egypt. The festival, which began at Cairo Opera House on 25 July and will continue until 11 August, is being held under the theme "Throughout All of Egypt," in recognition that this year the event seeks to include and reach more people than those within the established cultural venues in Cairo.

TV presenter Reham Ibrahim hosted the opening ceremony. At the same time, the inauguration of the event was done by Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Abdelaziz Konsowa, who is currently serving as acting minister of culture. During the speech, Konsowa stressed that everyone should have access to cultural activities.

"The festival's president, Mohamed Riad, said that this year's version is a milestone toward building theatre activity in Egypt's governorates," said Riad. "Mansoura has been chosen as the venue for the festival away from Cairo, where 72 activities such as workshops, seminars, readings, master classes, and theatrical shows will take place. This programme will end with Hekayat (Tales), directed by Khaled Galal." In Cairo, the festival will hold 23 intellectual seminars and 11 workshops, with some 20,000 participants expected to attend.

Among the performances presented during the festival opening was Journey, a movement-theatre show by director Walid Aouni, performed by the graduates of the Movement Expression Training Workshop under Karima Bedeir's direction. The festival also paid tribute to actress and producer Essad Younes on the occasion of her half-century service to Egyptian theatre. Essad Younes used the event to call upon all concerned bodies and independent producers to adopt a systematic policy for archiving Egypt's theatrical heritage. Other accolades have been bestowed upon actor Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Abdelaziz and Shahira, as well as directors Magdy Megahed and Ahmed El-Banhawy, and critic Hamdy El-Gabry.

The theatre festival includes performances staged by state theatres, independent productions, university plays, and private theatre productions, including classical theatre pieces such as "King Lear," "Crime and Punishment," and "Les Misérables," as well as productions from Egypt itself. A new discussion forum, "Theatre and the Audience: Does the Audience Go to Theatre or Does Theatre Go to the Audience?" will look at audience development and innovation. Through this festival, the aim is to nurture the artistic environment in Egypt through expanding the reach of theatre into non-traditional venues.

Thousands of Yemenis rallied in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, on Monday in support of Iran-aligned Houthi leaders' declaration of a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. The announcement sent shockwaves through global energy markets, which are already rattled from renewed U.S. attacks on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Experts warn a Houthi closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea could halt Saudi oil exports to Asia while slashing global oil supply by an additional 7%.

Saudi Arabia promised to meet the Houthis' blockade with force and said it would move to protect its ships moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Meanwhile, the cost of insuring cargo ships traversing the Red Sea soared on Monday, more than doubling after the Houthis' announcement.

The Houthi movement, also known as Ansarallah, governs most of northwestern Yemen, while a Saudi-backed government controls the rest of the country.

🛢️ Saudi Aramco is offering additional crude oil cargoes from Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir as Red Sea shipping risks intensify.

The cargoes are transported through Egypt’s SUMED pipeline from Ain Sukhna to Sidi Kerir, providing buyers with an alternative export route amid heightened concerns around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. 🌍🚢

Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture has begun implementing a unified national strategy for managing street animals, banning the use of poisons, mass culling, and the unauthorised relocation of strays outside the designated framework. Violators will face immediate legal action.

The strategy confirms sterilisation, rabies vaccination, and the Trap-Neuter-Return programme as the country’s official approach, described by the ministry as the only internationally recognised scientific method for managing stray populations while preserving ecological balance.

The announcement followed a coordination conference at the Egyptian Military Academy attended by Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk, Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad, and representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Housing, Social Solidarity, and Endowments, alongside the Egyptian Veterinary Syndicate. The plan aligns with Egypt’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health, and forms part of the wider national goal of a rabies-free Egypt by 2030.