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Minister of Antiquities: 33,000 Egyptian Artefacts are Missing

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani stands beside the collosus explaining new evidence pointing to it depicting Psammetich I in Cairo, Egypt, March 16, 2017. Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani stands beside the collosus explaining new evidence pointing to it depicting Psammetich I in Cairo, Egypt, March 16, 2017. Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
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Minister of Antiquities: 33,000 Egyptian Artefacts are Missing

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani stands beside the collosus explaining new evidence pointing to it depicting Psammetich I in Cairo, Egypt, March 16, 2017. Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani stands beside the collosus explaining new evidence pointing to it depicting Psammetich I in Cairo, Egypt, March 16, 2017. Credit: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters

Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anani revealed that 33,000 ancient artefacts are missing.

"31,000 of the missed pieces are kept in the house of a citizen, who tried to register them, after the endorsement of the law that allows keeping antiquities under the supervision of the ministry, and bans selling or exploiting them,” Anani said during a parliamentary session.

“The best solution to protect antiquities against theft is to establish an electronic database, and we have already started working on it.”

Last year, the Ministry of Antiquities launched a campaign to save and renovate museums' depots in order to save the human heritage and protect Egypt's archaeological treasures against violations and thefts.

At that time, archaeologists and parliamentarians called on the Egyptian Minister of Antiquities to explain the details of monuments theft, and to identify the perpetrator and his punishment before the public.

Archaeological sources said: "There are many archaeological depots that have not been inventoried before, and thus, myriads of pieces have not been registered." Egypt has 72 depots, 35 of which are in museums, 20 for archaeological missions, in addition to 17 sub depots in different governorates.

For his part, Archaeologist Osama Ibrahim said: «Museum storehouses are not secure, and the disappearance of this large number of antiquities indicates that Egypt's archaeological heritage is not protected”, pointing out that the depots have seen deterioration and lack of protection, under a weak security system.”

Speaking about the returned pieces, the minister said: "This year, we returned 500 pieces from more than 10 countries, along with 800 pieces in the last year," adding that the pieces which were exhibited at international auctions, were bought from a merchant for two pound each in 1932.The Egyptian law allowed the trade of antiquities until 1983.

Anani highlighted that the international law obstructs the return of the Egyptian monuments stolen abroad, because of the UNESCO Convention signed by Egypt since 1970. However, it’s not true that 70% of the country’s antiquities are stolen, and the Convention requires the submission of any document proving the ownership of the pieces to return them to their original country."

Finally, he announced that part of the Grand Egyptian Museum will be partially open for public at the end of this year, and revealed that a new international discovery will be unveiled within the few coming weeks, along with opening of the first museum in Mersa Matruh.

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Artemis Astronauts More than Halfway to Moon, Putting Earth in Rearview

This screengrab from a NASA live broadcast video shows (L-R) NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman during a press call as they travel to the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, on April 3, 2026. (Photo by NASA / AFP)
This screengrab from a NASA live broadcast video shows (L-R) NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman during a press call as they travel to the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, on April 3, 2026. (Photo by NASA / AFP)
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Artemis Astronauts More than Halfway to Moon, Putting Earth in Rearview

This screengrab from a NASA live broadcast video shows (L-R) NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman during a press call as they travel to the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, on April 3, 2026. (Photo by NASA / AFP)
This screengrab from a NASA live broadcast video shows (L-R) NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman during a press call as they travel to the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, on April 3, 2026. (Photo by NASA / AFP)

The Artemis 2 astronauts have passed the halfway point between Earth and the Moon on Saturday as they sped toward a planned lunar flyby, with NASA releasing initial images of Earth taken from inside the Orion spacecraft.

Astronaut Christina Koch said the crew had a collective "expression of joy" upon being told of the milestone, which was hit around two days, five hours and 24 minutes after the spacecraft blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, AFP said.

"We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now, it is a beautiful sight," Koch said around 11 pm (0400 GMT) Friday, according to the space agency's official live broadcast.

NASA's online dashboard showed early Saturday that the Orion spacecraft carrying the astronauts was more than 229,000 kilometers (142,000 miles) from Earth.

The space agency earlier released images from Orion that included a full portrait of Earth, featuring its deep blue oceans and billowing clouds.

After a flurry of high-stakes activity including a dramatic blast-off and an engine firing that catapulted them on their historic trajectory to circle the Moon, the four astronauts aboard were able to catch their breath, even as they continued to perform a variety of equipment checks and tests.

"There has been a tremendous amount of disbelief for me, it's just so extraordinary," said Canadian Jeremy Hansen during a Q&A session with press late Thursday.

"I really like it up here," said Hansen, on his first ever journey to space. "The views are extraordinary."

"It's really fun to be floating around" in zero gravity, he added. "It just makes me feel like a little kid."

Hansen is on the crew with Americans Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman.

They are due to loop around the Moon early next week -- a feat not accomplished in more than 50 years.

NASA official Lakiesha Hawkins praised the photographs taken by commander Wiseman, calling them "amazing" during a briefing Friday.

"We continue to learn all about our spacecraft as we operate it in deep space with crew for the first time," Hawkins said.

"It's important to remind ourselves of that as we learn a little bit more day by day."

- 'Great spirits' -

Friday's to-do list includes a CPR demonstration and medical kit checks, the US space agency said, as well as preparation for the scientific observations they'll need to document when they are closest to the Moon on day six of their journey.

NASA officials reported Friday that all systems were performing well, and that the astronauts were in "great spirits" and had spoken to their families.

The next major milestone of the approximately 10-day journey is expected overnight Sunday into Monday, at which point the astronauts will enter the "lunar sphere of influence" -- when the Moon's gravity will have stronger pull on the spacecraft than Earth's.

If all proceeds smoothly, as Orion whips around the Moon the astronauts could set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.

"There is nothing normal about this," said mission commander Wiseman late Thursday.

"Sending four humans 250,000 miles away is a Herculean effort, and we are now just realizing the gravity of that."

The Artemis 2 mission is part of a longer-term plan to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent lunar base that will offer a platform for further exploration.

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'Breathtaking': Artemis Astronauts Blast towards Moon

This image taken from video provided by NASA shows the Earth, left, from NASA's Orion spacecraft as it fired its engines heading toward the moon Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This image taken from video provided by NASA shows the Earth, left, from NASA's Orion spacecraft as it fired its engines heading toward the moon Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)
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'Breathtaking': Artemis Astronauts Blast towards Moon

This image taken from video provided by NASA shows the Earth, left, from NASA's Orion spacecraft as it fired its engines heading toward the moon Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This image taken from video provided by NASA shows the Earth, left, from NASA's Orion spacecraft as it fired its engines heading toward the moon Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)

Four Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the Moon late Thursday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century.

With enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway driving speed in less than three seconds, the Orion capsule engine blasted the astronauts on their trajectory towards the Moon, which they now will loop as part of the 10-day Artemis 2 mission, reported AFP.

In the moments that followed what the US space agency dubbed a "flawless" firing that lasted just under six minutes, astronaut Jeremy Hansen said that "humanity has once again shown what we are capable of."

The astronauts said they were "glued to the window" taking pictures, and later passed a floating microphone back and forth as they took questions from US television networks.

They said the spacecraft was a little chilly and they were still making it a home, but the crew was all smiles.

"There's nothing that prepares you for the breathtaking aspect of seeing your home planet both lit up bright as day, and also the Moon glow on it at night with the beautiful beam of the sunset," said Christina Koch.

Thursday's nudge came one day after the enormous orange-and-white Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion capsule launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the long-anticipated journey around the Moon.

The astronauts are now on a "free-return" trajectory, which uses the Moon's gravity to slingshot around it before heading back towards Earth without propulsion.

"From this point forward, the laws of orbital mechanics are going to carry our crew to the Moon, around the far side and back to Earth," NASA official Lori Glaze said.

The astronauts are wearing suits that also serve as "survival systems" -- in the unlikely case of a cabin depressurization or leak, they'll maintain oxygen, temperature controls and the correct pressure for up to six days.

The astronauts -- Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Koch along with Canadian Hansen -- spent their first hours in space performing checks and troubleshooting minor problems on the spacecraft that has never carried humans before, including a communications issue and a malfunctioning toilet.

Queried on the toilet situation, Koch said she was "proud to call myself the space plumber.

"I like to say that it is probably the most important piece of equipment on board," she said. "So we were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine."

- 'Herculean' -

Crewmembers also had their first workouts of the mission on the spacecraft's "flywheel exercise device" -- each astronaut will carve out 30 minutes a day for fitness, a bid to minimize the muscle and bone loss that happens without gravity.

The 10-day mission is aimed at paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028.

Artemis 2 marks a series of historic accomplishments: sending the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.

If all proceeds smoothly, the astronauts could also set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.

"There is nothing normal about this," said Wiseman. "Sending four humans 250,000 miles away is a Herculean effort, and we are now just realizing the gravity of that."

The Artemis 2 mission is part of a longer-term plan to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a platform for further exploration.

The current era of American lunar investment has frequently been portrayed as an effort to compete with China, which aims to land humans on the Moon by 2030.

Asked about division closer to home and what message they had for Americans, Glover said from his vantage point, "You look amazing. You look beautiful."

"From up here, you also look like one thing," he added. "We're all one people."

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Trump Ballroom Approved by Panel, Remains Stalled by Judge

Donald Trump has cited the need for the ballroom to host state dinners for visiting dignitaries. Mandel NGAN / AFP/File
Donald Trump has cited the need for the ballroom to host state dinners for visiting dignitaries. Mandel NGAN / AFP/File
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Trump Ballroom Approved by Panel, Remains Stalled by Judge

Donald Trump has cited the need for the ballroom to host state dinners for visiting dignitaries. Mandel NGAN / AFP/File
Donald Trump has cited the need for the ballroom to host state dinners for visiting dignitaries. Mandel NGAN / AFP/File

US President Donald Trump's White House ballroom won final planning approval on Thursday, but construction remains in limbo following a court order that he needs congressional approval.

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which has several Trump appointees on its board, greenlit the plans in an 8-1 vote, said AFP.

The project aims to construct a massive ballroom on the site of the White House's East Wing -- previously best known for housing the First Lady's offices. It was demolished in September.

Trump expressed his thanks in a post on his Truth social media platform, saying, "when completed, it will be the greatest and most beautiful ballroom of its kind anywhere in the world."

Planning approval does not, however, mean construction can go ahead unchecked.

On Tuesday, a federal judge ordered a halt to construction, saying Trump needed congressional approval. The president is "steward" of the White House, Judge Richard Leon wrote. "He is not, however, the owner!"

Will Scharf, the commission's chairman and a political ally of Trump, addressed the lawsuit before the vote, saying, "That order really does not impact our action here today.

"From my perspective, we have a project before us. We've been asked to review it, and that's really our job here today."

He noted that Judge Leon had placed a two-week delay on his stop-work order to allow the Trump administration to appeal.

The ballroom has become a passion project for Trump during his second term: the president often discusses the plan in public appearances, press conferences and meetings.

Trump has repeatedly said that a large ballroom is needed to host, among other key events, state dinners for visiting dignitaries.

"For more than 150 years, every president has dreamt about having a ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, state visits, and even, in the modern day, inaugurations," Trump wrote on Truth. "I am honored to be the first president to finally get this much-needed project, which is on time and under budget, underway."

He has promised to meet the costs -- estimated to be upwards of $400 million -- with private donations, not tax payer money.