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Egypt to Impose Strict Lockdown Measures to Control COVID-19

Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
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Egypt to Impose Strict Lockdown Measures to Control COVID-19

Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)

The Egyptian authorities will start implementing Sunday new strict measures to help limit the spread of new coronavirus during Eid al-Fitr until the end of the week, which was announced an official holiday for both private and public sectors.

The new measures include a nationwide curfew between 5 pm and 6 am, halting all public transportation between Egypt’s governorates, as well as closing all shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and public beaches.

The government is trying to reduce movement hours on Eid to avoid any possible crowds or gatherings.

Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Youssry Shaarawy discussed with the governors the preparations for Eid al-Fitr, stressing authorities should monitor the implementation of the decisions of the government regarding the prevention of gatherings.

Shaarawy told local officials that executive bodies must coordinate with security units to implement decisions preventing the spread of the coronavirus. He stressed that all crowding must be banned especially in the sidewalks of the coastal cities.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced that over 41,000 persons, including 40 cafes and about 14 thousand cars, motorcycles, and vehicles owners have violated lockdown measures over the past week.

In turn, Egypt’s Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced that university hospitals will be at their maximum readiness at all levels during the holiday to receive any possible cases.

He also announced that emergency and intensive care units will be fully equipped, as doctors and medical staff on call had been summoned to ensure the utmost readiness.

Abdel-Ghaffar stressed the need to ensure the availability of medicines, supplies, medical equipment, and the necessary quantities of blood bags and its derivatives in all university hospitals.

On Saturday, the health ministry reported 727 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 16,513.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 735 nationwide, after announcing 28 deaths, while 254 Egyptians have fully recovered, with the total number of recoveries from the virus rising to 4,628.

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Arab World

Macron Meets Pope Leo to Talk Lebanon, Middle East War

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
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Macron Meets Pope Leo to Talk Lebanon, Middle East War

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived Friday at the Vatican for his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV, a private audience expected to be dominated by the Iran war.

The French leader, who arrived with his wife Brigitte after flying to Rome on Thursday, will meet the US pontiff and the Vatican's secretary of state, Pietro Parolin.

Macron and the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics were due above all to discuss "the resolution of the crisis in the Middle East", a spokesman for Macron's office told reporters.

They are particularly focused on Lebanon, where deadly Israeli strikes threatened this week's temporary truce between the US and Iran.

Leo XIV visited Lebanon late last year as part of his first trip abroad, which also included Türkiye, and has repeatedly prayed for the victims of conflict there.

Macron has also made numerous appeals for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire.

He discussed the conflict on Thursday evening with representatives of the Catholic community of Sant'Egidio, an informal diplomatic channel of the Holy See that is very active on Middle Eastern and humanitarian issues.

"Macron is a man of peace," and "can do a lot" to "support" the Lebanese authorities, the community's founder, Andrea Riccardi, told reporters, adding that Lebanon "must not be left alone".

In recent days, both Macron and the Chicago-born pontiff have spoken out against US President Donald Trump over the war, which began with Israel-US attacks on Iran.

Leo condemned as "unacceptable" threats to civilian targets -- while not citing Trump by name -- while Macron said there was "too much talk, and it's all over the place".

Both welcomed the truce and have urged a diplomatic solution to the war, which has expanded across the Middle East and roiled the global economy.

The US government on Thursday denied a report that the Vatican's US envoy was summoned in January for a "bitter" dressing down over a speech by the pope condemning "diplomacy based on force", in remarks widely viewed as aimed at the Trump administration.

Macron is expected to invite Leo, a more reserved character than his predecessor, to visit France soon.

Friday's meeting at the Vatican comes three days before the pope's visit to the former French colony of Algeria, the first ever by a pontiff.

Arab World

World Food Program Warns Lebanon Facing Food Security Crisis Due to Iran War

Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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World Food Program Warns Lebanon Facing Food Security Crisis Due to Iran War

Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon is facing a food security crisis as the Iran war disrupts supplies of goods inside the ‌country, the ‌United Nations ‌World ⁠Food Program said on ⁠Friday.

"What we're witnessing is not just a displacement ⁠crisis, it is rapidly ‌becoming ‌a food ‌security crisis," ‌said World Food Program country director Allison Oman, speaking ‌via video link from Beirut.

She warned ⁠that ⁠food was becoming increasingly unaffordable due to rising food prices and rising demand among displaced families.

Arab World

Egypt-Pakistan Military Drill Underscores Closer Ties

Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
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Egypt-Pakistan Military Drill Underscores Closer Ties

Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)

A joint military exercise between Egypt and Pakistan has underscored growing ties between the two countries, which became increasingly evident during the recent Iran war.

The joint drill, dubbed “Raad 2,” began Thursday with the participation of Egyptian paratroopers and Pakistani special forces and is set to run for several days at special forces training grounds in Pakistan.

Egypt’s military spokesman said the exercise includes a range of joint training activities focused on special operations and counterterrorism, aimed at exchanging tactical expertise, aligning operational concepts and enhancing coordination and combat readiness among participating units.

Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye emerged as key mediators in the Iran war, which began on Feb. 28.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire announced this week between the US and Iran and urged all parties to engage seriously in talks “to achieve lasting peace and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the region and the world.”

Cairo also reiterated its support for initiatives aimed at achieving peace and security, stressing its continued efforts with Pakistan and Türkiye to work with regional and international partners to enhance stability.

Pakistan, which maintains good relations with both the administration of US President Donald Trump and neighboring Iran, played a mediating role between Washington and Tehran.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday in a post on X that China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar had all provided support to help secure a ceasefire and give diplomacy a chance.

A four-way meeting involving Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye and Pakistan held in Islamabad in late March discussed ways to enhance coordination in response to rapid developments and escalating military tensions in the region.

Participants also exchanged assessments of the severe economic repercussions of the escalation, including its impact on international shipping, supply chains, food security and energy security amid rising oil prices.

Rakha Ahmed Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a former assistant foreign minister, said Egyptian-Pakistani cooperation dates back many years and includes joint exercises and exchanges of expertise.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat the drill aims to strengthen ties and benefit from evolving military experience, particularly in light of new weapons and technologies introduced in both countries.

He added the exercise is not directly linked to the Iran war but comes within the broader context of addressing various challenges. “The training is military support and is not directed against anyone,” he stated.

In recent days, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held daily contacts with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss efforts to launch direct negotiations between the US and Iran and to promote diplomacy over military escalation.

Hassan said Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye played a significant role in reaching a truce, noting that the three countries helped bridge differences between the sides thanks to their strong relations with all parties and their interest in ending a war that caused heavy damage to all sides, including the US and Israel.