Handball: Hosts Egypt pick group that includes Sweden, Czech Republic in World Championship

Egypt hosted the World Championship draw against the spectacular
backdrop of the Sphinx and Pyramids 

Hosts Egypt assigned themselves to a group that includes Sweden and the Czech Republic in the expanded Handball World Championship after the draw was made against the spectacular backdrop of the Sphinx and Pyramids on Saturday.

Group G also features the representatives of the South and Central America Handball Confederation (SCAHC), who are yet to be determined.

The 2021 edition, which will take place from 13-31 January, will include 32 teams for the first time in the tournament's history.

The preliminary round features eight groups of four teams each. The top three teams from each group will advance to the main round, where they will be divided into four groups of six teams each.

The top-two teams from each group will then advance to the quarterfinals.

Egypt will come up against four-time World Championship winners Sweden, their toughest opponents in the preliminary round. The Czech Republic have also won the tournament once in 1967.

"We are looking to go as far as possible in the World Championship," said Hesham Nasr, the president of the Egyptian Handball Federation.

"We are realistic with regards to our hopes but we are emboldened by the impressive results of our national youth teams."

Last year, Egypt's U19 handball team won the World Championship in Macedonia while the U21 side clinched the bronze medal in Spain.

The best outcome for Egypt's senior side was a fourth-place finish in France in 2001. In last year's edition in Denmark and Germany, the Pharaohs finished eighth for their best position in 18 years.

They also won the African Championship in Tunisia earlier this year.

Source: Ahram Online

News, Minya: Egypt's Ministers of Antiquities and Tourism, 11 Ambassadors, Tour Minya Sites

Egypt's Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat and 11 ambassadors to Egypt toured a number of antiquities sites in Minya on Friday. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

  

In Tel El-Amarna they visited the tombs of Panehsi and Mery Re, two of the top officials in the reign of king Akhenaten, which feature notable wall paintings.

The paintings depict scenes showing the visit of Akhenaten, his wife Queen Nefertiti and their daughters to Aten Temple, as well as scenes showing them worshipping Aten and distributing offerings to the people.

In Beni Hassan they visited tombs of top officials from the Middle Kingdom which have paintings showing hunting scenes, marriage ceremonies, hair cutting, military training.

There are 39 tombs at the site, four of which are open to the public. During the tour, El-Enany announced the opening of a fifth tomb, which features wonderful paintings.

The last stop in the tour was the under-construction Aten museum on the banks of the Nile in Minya city, where El-Enany inspected recent construction work.

Work on the museum stopped in 2010 after the completion of its first and second phase due to lack of funds, and resumed in 2016.

In November 2018, Germany’s parliament agreed to grant Egypt 10 million euros to help in the completion of the third and fourth phases. 

The museum relates the story of the monotheistic Akhenaten, who was one of the most important pharaohs in ancient Egypt.

Source: Ahram Online

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Our Treasures Abroad, London: Egypt Retrieves Smuggled Ancient Artefact From London Auction.

Egypt has retrieved an ancient artifact illegally smuggled out of the country after being displayed at an auction hall in London, the antiquities ministry said. Witten By/ Nevine El-Aref.

The piece, a cartouche of King Amenhotep I, was identified following observation of international auction websites, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The ministry took all the necessary measures to stop the sale of the relief and withdraw it from auction,” it added.

The ministry did not elaborate on when or how the artifact was stolen and smuggled out of the country.

The relic was earlier exhibited at the open museum of the ancient temple of Karnak in the southern city of Luxor, the ministry's repatriation department director Shaaban Abdel-Gawad said.

The Egyptian embassy in London received the piece last September following coordination between the foreign ministry, the embassy and British authorities, Abdel-Gawad added.

Earlier this month, the BBC reported that the only casing stone from the Great Pyramid of Giza will be displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh from 8 February.

The large block of fine white limestone will go on show for the first time outside Egypt and the first time since it arrived in Scotland in 1872, the BBC said.

Abdel-Gawad told Ahram Online last week that Egypt would send an official inquiry to Scotland asking for a certificate of possession and export documents for the stone, adding that Egyptian authorities will take all necessary step to recover the piece if it was proved to be smuggled out of the country.

Source: Ahram Online

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