Ranked as the world’s 28th largest, Egypt’s tourism continues to gain popularity. As major growth engine of the national economy, the trade currently employs over 10 percent of the total labour force providing 2.2 million direct and indirect jobs. Through 2006, it is expected to grow further with an increasing capacity to generate more employment.

Closing figures for 2005 continue to exhibit clear signs of resilience and growth as Egypt expects to end the year with more than 5 percent growth over 2004. Within the coming years, tourism’s role will continue to grow in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) contribution, job creation for young nationals, and return on investment as the country fulfils its expectations of doubling international tourist arrivals and room nights, as well as realizing increases in investments by 2014...

Onward with Egypt tourism, TravelVideo.TV, Ontario, Canada, January 01, 2006.

Egyptian authorities arrested the owner of a souvenir shop near the pyramids plateau after receiving a tip that he had tried to sell a mummy for $10m, said a source from the Tourism and Antiquities police on Tuesday.

Shop owner Ahmed al-Jabari was arrested on Monday after trying to sell items dating to the Pharaonic era, but on inspecting the premises police found no sign of the mummy in a sarcophagus that he had allegedly offered to sell earlier.

Police seized from al-Jabari 126 items believed to be Pharaonic antiquities, among them 27 necklaces, the most important of which was made from gold and designed in the shape of a bird, alongside 18 amulets.

In another incident of antiquities-related malfeasance, police took into custody on Monday a group of antiquities vendors who were conducting illegal digs in the desert near Minya, 250km south of Cairo.

Among those taken into custody was a police officer. The number of those arrested was not being released.

Mummy for sale for $10m, News 24, South Africa, December 27, 2005.

British Prime Minister has chosen to take his family on vacation to an Egyptian resort city that was bombed by Muslim extremists earlier this year.

Downing Street had ordered a news blackout on Blair's holiday plans in Sharm el-Sheikh, but the Egyptian Tourism Minister Lila Habib confirmed the Blairs would be spending their winter break there in a high-security part of the resort that can be cordoned off.

In July, 88 people were killed in triple attacks when suicide bombers exploded devices that destroyed several hotels in the Red Sea resort city.

Politically, Blair's decision to go there is seen as a show of support for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has been trying to heed British and U.S. calls to clamp down on terror cells, The Independent reported Tuesday.

Blair ignores threat, vacations in Egypt, UPI, December 27, 2005.

Dwarfs in ancient Egypt were assimilated into daily life and their condition was not seen as a physical handicap, said a US scientist.

Chahira Kozma, of the department of paediatrics at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, examined the remains and artistic evidence of dwarfism in ancient Egypt, including both elite dwarfs who achieved important status, and ordinary dwarfs.

Pictorial sources of dwarfism in tomb and vase paintings, statues and other art forms are numerous and indicate that dwarfs were employed as personal attendants, overseers of linen, animal tenders, jewellers, dancers and entertainers, according to Kozma...

Dwarfs assimilated in ancient Egypt, Middle East Times, Cyprus, January 02, 2006.