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Business Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Egypt grand museum delay puts tourism hopes on hold
[CAIRO] In the shadow of the Grand Egyptian Museum, souvenir shop owner Mona has been readying for the tourist boom she hoped the long-awaited opening would bring, now once again out of reach. 'I had bet everything on this opening,' she said from her shop, just steps from the iconic pyramids of Giza, which the much-anticipated museum overlooks. Originally scheduled to fully open this month, the museum was expected to attract up to five million visitors annually, fuelling optimism across Cairo's battered tourism sector. 'We planned our entire summer and fall packages around the museum opening,' said Nadine Ahmed, a 28-year-old agent with Time Travel tours. 'But with group cancellations, refunds and route changes, we have lost tens of thousands of US dollars.' Though parts of the museum have been open for months, the main draw, the treasures of Tutankhamun, will remain under wraps until the official launch. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Less than three weeks before its Jul 3 opening, the government announced another delay, this time pushing the landmark event to the final quarter of the year. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly cited regional security concerns and the desire to host an event of 'global scale'. Decades in the making The vast museum, two decades in the making, has faced repeated delays, from political upheaval and economic crises to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of the expected launch, Mona, who asked to be identified by her first name only, took out a loan to renovate her store and stock up on goods inspired by the museum's collection. A few streets away, Mohamed Mamdouh Khattab, 38, prepared months in advance, hiring and training extra staff and expanding his inventory. 'The opening of the museum is a key milestone,' said Khattab, who owns a sprawling bazaar of handcrafted jewellery and ancient replicas. 'It's a project that should have been launched a long time ago,' said the vendor, whose family has been in the industry since the 1970s. Tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of Egypt's workforce, but the sector has struggled, from the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring to militant attacks and the Covid-19 shutdown. Still, signs of recovery have emerged: Egypt welcomed 3.9 million tourists in the first quarter of 2025, up 25 per cent from the same period last year, itself a record. Fragility At a Giza papyrus workshop, 30-year-old tour guide Sara Mahmoud hopes the opening will revive visitor numbers. 'Big openings have brought a lot of tourism to Egypt before,' she said, pointing to the 2021 Pharaohs' Golden Parade and the reopening of the Avenue of the Sphinxes. 'These events get people excited, we saw the crowds coming in.' Such momentum could make a real difference, said Ragui Assaad, an economist at the University of Minnesota. 'Any initiative that directly increases foreign exchange earnings is likely to have a good return on investment,' he said. 'If you compare it with all the other mega-projects, which do not increase foreign exchange earnings... this is a far better project.' He was referring to a sweeping infrastructure drive under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, including the construction of a massive new administrative capital east of Cairo. The stakes are high: since 2022, Egypt's currency has lost two-thirds of its value, squeezing household budgets and straining every layer of the economy. 'There were days when I sold just one bracelet,' Mona lamented, thinking back to the years when 'tourists arrived in droves'. AFP
Int'l Business Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Egypt Grand Museum Delay Puts Tourism Hopes On Hold
In the shadow of the Grand Egyptian Museum, souvenir shop owner Mona has been readying for the tourist boom she hoped the long-awaited opening would bring -- now once again out of reach. "I had bet everything on this opening," she told AFP from her shop, just steps from the iconic pyramids of Giza, which the much-anticipated museum overlooks. Originally scheduled to fully open this month, the museum was expected to attract up to five million visitors annually, fuelling optimism across Cairo's battered tourism sector. "We planned our entire summer and fall packages around the museum opening," said Nadine Ahmed, a 28-year-old agent with Time Travel tours. "But with group cancellations, refunds and route changes, we've lost tens of thousands of dollars." Though parts of the museum have been open for months, the main draw -- the treasures of Tutankhamun -- will remain under wraps until the official launch. Less than three weeks before its July 3 opening, the government announced another delay, this time pushing the landmark event to the final quarter of the year. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly cited regional security concerns and the desire to host an event of "global scale". The vast museum, two decades in the making, has faced repeated delays -- from political upheaval and economic crises to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ahead of the expected launch, Mona, who asked to be identified by her first name only, took out a loan to renovate her store and stock up on goods inspired by the museum's collection. A few streets away, Mohamed Mamdouh Khattab, 38, prepared months in advance, hiring and training extra staff and expanding his inventory. "The opening of the museum is a key milestone," said Khattab, who owns a sprawling bazaar of handcrafted jewellery and ancient replicas. "It's a project that should have been launched a long time ago," said the vendor, whose family has been in the industry since the 1970s. Tourism accounts for about 10 percent of Egypt's workforce, but the sector has struggled -- from the fallout of the 2011 Arab Spring to militant attacks and the Covid shutdown. Still, signs of recovery have emerged: Egypt welcomed 3.9 million tourists in the first quarter of 2025, up 25 percent from the same period last year -- itself a record. At a Giza papyrus workshop, 30-year-old tour guide Sara Mahmoud hopes the opening will revive visitor numbers. "Big openings have brought a lot of tourism to Egypt before," she said, pointing to the 2021 Pharaohs' Golden Parade and the reopening of the Avenue of the Sphinxes. "These events get people excited -- we saw the crowds coming in." Such momentum could make a real difference, said Ragui Assaad, an economist at the University of Minnesota. "Any initiative that directly increases foreign exchange earnings is likely to have a good return on investment," he told AFP. "If you compare it with all the other mega-projects, which do not increase foreign exchange earnings... this is a far better project." He was referring to a sweeping infrastructure drive under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, including the construction of a massive new administrative capital east of Cairo. The stakes are high: since 2022, Egypt's currency has lost two-thirds of its value, squeezing household budgets and straining every layer of the economy. "There were days when I sold just one bracelet," Mona lamented, thinking back to the years when "tourists arrived in droves". A tourist visits Philae Jewellery Bazaar near the Great Pyramids plateau in Giza AFP
Fox News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Michael J. Fox made 'Back to the Future' co-star feel like she 'had a high school boyfriend'
Great Scott – It's been 40 years since "Back to the Future" blasted its way onto the big screen and became a beloved '80s classic. The film, which premiered on July 3, 1985, starred Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Dr. "Doc" Emmett Brown. It tells the tale of a teen who befriends a maverick scientist and, thanks to his invention, accidentally goes back in time to 1955. It was Claudia Wells' first film as an actress. She played McFly's love interest, Jennifer Parker. "Michael J. Fox was incredibly nice and easy-going [with me]," Wells recalled to Fox News Digital. "I loved feeling like I had a high school boyfriend whenever we were filming together. It was really wonderful." "He was funny, relaxed, very upbeat and, as everyone knows, such a genius with his acting," she gushed. "I remember us sitting in the BMW in the driveway of the last scene we were in. During breaks, he would play rock music. Since I grew up listening to opera, symphonies and Simon & Garfunkel, it was really the first time that I got to feel like a teenager, listening to teenager music." "I was nervous because it was the first time I was in an actual movie, not just television," Wells admitted. "But once the camera started rolling… it was a breeze for me and very second nature… [And] Jennifer Parker and I were very similar." The 59-year-old noted it was Lloyd who left her speechless on set. "I was so surprised at how quiet Christopher Lloyd is," she said. "But I love that about him because when he speaks, it's because he really has something to say. It makes me and others really want to listen." Looking back, Wells described how she struggled to shake off the jitters. "I remember writing a long list of questions about the time sequence and why Jennifer was the same after all the things that changed from Marty being in 1955," Wells recalled. "I had lots and lots of questions about the time continuum. I was asking [screenwriter] Bob Gale all of these questions over the phone, prior to filming." "Bob [finally] said, 'Claudia, you think too much – just be Jennifer,'" said Wells. "Bob Zemeckis was an extraordinary director. He's very specific about how he directs, and that's one of the reasons I think that the movie turned out so amazingly." Wells continues to have fond memories of bringing the comedy to life. "I loved making the film!" she said. "Bob Gale and I forged a great friendship from the beginning of me being cast to now. It's astounding to me that it's already 40 years since the film came out. My life is forever changed for the better, because I got to be Jennifer Parker… [And] what really makes me smile daily is how the movie has brought such a shared love to people throughout the world." The film's success resulted in a trilogy, but Wells reluctantly turned down the offer to reprise her role. Elisabeth Shue went on to replace her in "Back to the Future II" (1989) and "Back to the Future III" (1990). At the time, Wells' mother, who was also her manager, was dying from breast cancer. WATCH: 'FAMILY TIES' STAR MEREDITH BAXTER TALKS WORKING WITH MICHAEL J. FOX "I know she wanted me to continue doing the part and didn't agree with my decision," Wells previously told Fox News Digital. "But I was just not in a place emotionally where I could handle any more than what I was already handling. I wanted my mother to be supported and cared for. I left acting altogether, but I knew I would come back. I never felt it was over." Wells took a break from acting in 1986 and went on to open a menswear shop, Armani Wells, in Studio City, California. Back in 2021, Wells shared her favorite theory about her character. "I had a business lunch [with a friend]," she told Fox News Digital at the time. "We were talking about 'Back to the Future' and how Elisabeth Shue later became Jennifer. He said, 'You want to know why I really think you were Jennifer in the first movie and Elisabeth in the sequels?' I thought he was going to say it was because my mom was so sick at the time." "He said, 'Forgive me, maybe I'm too into this film, but when Marty went to the past, Doc Brown kept warning him, 'Be very careful about what you do, because you're going to change the future. If you do anything by mistake, it will affect someone's life,'" Wells shared. "He said, "I think Marty must have done something that changed Jennifer Parker's parents. One of the parents changed. So instead of your parents meeting, it was Elisabeth Shue's parents who met, where one parent was different. And therefore, they gave birth to Elisabeth Shue's version of Jennifer, not yours. And when he went into the present, everyone thought it was just normal because no one realized all the changes Marty made." "I thought that theory was so cool," said Wells. "Remember, Doc Brown kept warning Marty, 'Don't do any weird moves because you're going to alter the future.' And I think that's why you see me in the first film, but not in the sequels. It's wild."
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
This Korean Animation Is About to Change Everything
A Korean Animation That's Going Global-And Indian Screens Are Next Ready for something totally different? King of Kings, a Korean animated film directed by Seong-ho Jang, is making waves across the world and is now eyeing a release in India! After a blockbuster run in North America, this movie is set to open in over 120 countries-including our very own theatres. With Indian youth always on the lookout for fresh, meaningful stories, this one's got all the right ingredients: adventure, family drama, and a dash of history. Dickens, Time Travel, and the Ultimate Father-Son Adventure Forget the typical fantasy or superhero plot. King of Kings takes you on a wild time-travel journey with the legendary author Charles Dickens and his son Walter. Dickens, wanting to connect with his son (who's obsessed with King Arthur, by the way), spins a story that pulls them both into a world of miracles, challenges, and life-changing lessons. As Walter gets lost in the adventure, he discovers what it truly means to love, dream, and stand by your family - no matter what era you're in. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The film's heart isn't about any one belief or ideology. It's about the universal quest for meaning, the struggles between generations, and the kind of emotional moments that hit you right in the feels. Whether you're a literature nerd, a history buff, or just someone who loves a good family drama, there's something here for everyone. Why Indian Youth Are Already Hyped Let's be real-Indian youth are the kings and queens of global pop culture. We've devoured K-dramas, anime, and everything in between. King of Kings is different because it's not just about action or spectacle; it's about real relationships and the epic journey of growing up. The movie's already got a star-studded English voice cast-Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Kenneth Branagh-and the Korean version is just as stacked with big names like Lee Byung-hun and Honey Lee. And here's the best part: it's not pushing any one message. Instead, it's about the bonds that tie us together, the courage to face the unknown, and the magic of stories that cross generations and cultures. In a country as diverse as ours, that's exactly the kind of story that can bring everyone to the theatre-no matter what you believe in. Will This Be the Next Big Thing for Youth? Indian audiences love a good underdog story, a bit of nostalgia, and a whole lot of heart. King of Kings could be the next big thing if it's positioned as a universal family adventure rather than just another animated film. With talks ongoing for an Indian release, you can expect debates, fan theories, and maybe even a few viral memes. At the end of the day, it's about more than just a movie-it's about the connections we make, the stories we share, and the adventures that inspire us to dream bigger. Whether you're from Mumbai, Chennai, or Kolkata, the themes of family, courage, and finding your own path will hit home. There's something super relatable about a dad trying to bond with his son through stories. No matter where you're from, that struggle-and the laughter, drama, and love that come with it-feels like home.
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Olipop is offering you a FREE vacation this summer - Plus an exclusive limited-edition giveaway for 5,000 fans
Do you like summer? Do you like soda? How about a FREE vacation? IF you just answered yes to any of these questions, you are going to want to keep reading! Viral healthy soda brand OLIPOP is back at it again with yet another exciting giveaway opportunity, and this time it involves time traveling! Though you may be familiar with their most popular flavors, such as Strawberry Vanilla, this sweet-scape, however, involves some of the most nostalgic flavors to date. OLIPOP's Time Travel Travel Agency Ready to travel back in time with Olipop? This summer the famous good for you soda brand is bringing fans a way to indulge with an exclusive drink themed hotel stay in Austin. Explore rooms such as the '2002 Cherry Cola Suite' and more! Plus, for 5,000 fans there will be even more to enjoy with an unboxing that only will cost five cents. Make sure to enter ASAP before the hotline closes on July 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST! ENTER NOW Shop OLIPOP is bringing a never before seen one of a kind experience to its sippers with its Time Travel Travel Agency sweepstakes! The exciting, immersive experience will take place in Texas at the Austin Motel, where a handful of lucky fans will actually stay over in one of three soda-themed decade rooms. So, how do you enter this incredible sweepstakes? Easy! All you have to do is call the hotline at call 1-844-2-OLIPOP before July 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST to enter. From there, three winners will be selected on July 9 and be whisked away to either the 2002 Cherry Cola Suite, 1995 Strawberry Vanilla Suite, or 1986 Cream Soda Suite. Each room is designed with nostalgia in mind as you sip, play, and explore! Fans will get to enjoy boy band posters, old-school video games, and more. The best part is winners will be flown in on OLIPOP, making this giveaway a total WIN. OLIPOP is known for being the pioneer of soda alternatives, with their drinks having all the fun without any of the negative ingredients. Every can is formulated with high fiber and low sugar, making them the perfect summer refresher! Fans across the country can finally not only experience OLIPOP in a can but also an immersive real-life experience. But in case you don't get the chance to stay in the iconic Austin Motel with OLIPOP, you can still win because the giveaway keeps getting better... 5,000 fans will be treated to a limited-edition OLIPOP Unboxing Experience sent right to their doorstep — and they only cost five cents. Each box includes an array of seasonal OLIPOP flavors, an OLIPOPsicle Mold, an OLIPOP Puffer Tote, and a Mini Wireless Speaker! What makes OLIPOP so enticing is just how flavorful they taste! We know that for many, soda is a must-have, but we promise once you try this alternative, you will never go back. Explore their iconic flavors, including popular soda dupes, Cherry Cola, Cream Soda, and Strawberry Vanilla, to satisfy your sweet tooth guilt-free. OLIPOP drinkers can not get enough, with one saying: 'This tastes so delicious... tastes like a Coke, but better!' Don't miss your chance to travel back in time with OLIPOP! The Time Travel Travel Agency sweepstakes will only be open to enter now till July 8 at 11:59 p.m. EST. And remember, all you have to do is call 1-844-2-OLIPOP.
