A 3,000-year-old gold bracelet belonging to Pharaoh Amenemope has been stolen from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and melted down for scrap, according to authorities. The theft has sparked national outrage over lax security and the irreversible loss of a priceless piece of Egypt’s ancient heritage.
The bracelet, featuring a lapis lazuli bead, was taken on 9 September from a restoration lab inside the Egyptian Museum.
Officials said that an on duty female restoration specialist removed it from a locked safe and sold it through a chain of middlemen: first to a silver shop in Cairo’s Sayyeda Zeinab district, then to a gold workshop in the historic Al-Sagha market, and finally to a gold foundry worker who melted it down together with other gold.
Authorities say it fetched around $4,000 in the end.
Four people have been arrested, including the museum specialist, and have confessed according to officials. The authorities also seized the money exchanged in the transaction.
Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy has blamed the incident on “laxity” in security procedures and noted that the restoration lab lacked surveillance cameras. Many Egyptians, including archaeologists and civil society activists, have expressed shock and demanded stricter protection for antiquities. Some are calling for a pause on overseas exhibitions until better controls are in place.
A judge has ordered that the restoration specialist and her main accomplice be detained for 15 days pending further investigation; the other two suspects may be released on bail.
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security,...
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organis...
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings an...
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited...
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude...
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security, according to Associate Professor George Mchedlishvili of European University in Tbilisi.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited access to healthcare, according to London-based pharmacist and health commentator Thorrun Govind.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
A growing majority of Europeans believe the European Union should pursue a more independent foreign policy and reduce its reliance on the U.S., according to a new survey published on Friday.
An Inca child mummy discovered high in the Andes more than a century ago has been returned to an indigenous community in north-western Argentina after spending 119 years in a museum collection.
India is expected to experience its weakest monsoon in more than a decade in 2026, raising concerns over crop production, food prices and economic growth as the country also grapples with inflationary pressures linked to the Iran conflict.
Kenyan authorities have arrested eight students on suspicion of arson following a fire at a girls’ boarding school that killed 16, according to the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The blaze, which happened in Kenya's Rift Valley, also injured dozens of students.
The British government has unveiled 300,000 new work experience and training placements for young people after a major review warned that rising youth unemployment could leave more young people disconnected from work, education and training.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment