What to do in Cairo

Looking for where to go for Sham El-Nessim in Egypt? Whether you’re planning a quick escape or a relaxed long weekend, this is one of the best times of year to step out of Cairo and enjoy a change of pace. From beach breaks to nature retreats, there are plenty of easy staycation options just a short drive away. Sham El-Nessim is one of Egypt’s oldest and most unique national holidays. Meaning “smelling the breeze,” it dates back over 4,500 years to ancient Egypt, originally celebrated as a spring festival. Today, it’s still widely observed across the country, bringing people...

Several popular destinations have updated visa policies and border procedures in 2026. If you're planning an international trip this year, checking the latest entry rules before you fly could save you time, money, and unnecessary surprises. Here's a simple guide to the biggest changes. Visa-Free Travel Updates China: Visa-Free Entry Extended China has extended its visa-free entry policy until December 31, 2026. Citizens of more than 40 countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, can stay in China for up to 30 days without applying for a visa before travelling. This includes tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit. Thailand:...

If your days have suddenly started revolving around kick-off times, you're not alone. The biggest World Cup in history is in full swing, with 48 national teams competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Round of 32 is done, and only 16 teams remain in the race for the trophy. The Round of 16 is up next, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze final, and the championship match. Here's the complete schedule with every confirmed fixture so far. World Cup 2026: Round of 16 Schedule This round features the 16 teams, with eight matches deciding who reaches the...

YouTube just gave parents in MENA more control over what kids watch. The platform has launched supervised kid accounts in the region. Let’s take a look at what changed. What Are YouTube Kid Accounts? YouTube supervised kid accounts let parents manage a child’s viewing experience from inside the app. Creating content or writing comments from such accounts is impossible. Additionally, autoplay is switched off, so videos will not keep playing one after another. Personal ad targeting is not allowed on supervised kid accounts. YouTube already has supervised teen accounts in the region. Parents and teens can link accounts, and parents...

Imagine logging into your favorite game, only to find that it’s no longer available. For millions of players in Egypt, that’s the new reality. This week, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation announced a full ban on Roblox, leaving fans wondering what happened and why the popular platform is now out of reach. The company has reached out to Egypt’s authorities, hoping to talk things through and possibly restore access. Despite Roblox’s attempts to adjust and limit certain features and even introducing mandatory age verification for chat features, it wasn’t enough to satisfy Egyptian authorities, and now the platform is...

A big change is coming to WhatsApp, and if you haven't heard about it, here are the details. The platform has launched usernames, and soon you'll be able to use one to chat without sharing your phone number. The feature will reach accounts gradually over the next few months. If you don't see it yet, there's nothing you need to do. You'll get a notification in the app as soon as usernames become available for your region. You can reserve your username by updating to the latest version of the app and going to Settings > Account > Username. As...

How many apps does it take to keep your life organised these days? Somehow we're all juggling so much information that it's easy to lose track of things. Google has a cute answer: a new AI app called Dreambeans. It takes information scattered across Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Photos, YouTube, and Search history and turns it into personalised daily stories. Each one comes with AI-generated artwork inspired by your plans, interests, and everyday life, making it feel like a page from your own storybook. Here's how it works: Dreambeans looks at information from your connected Google apps, finds links between...

If you've ever spent more time writing an Instagram caption than choosing the pics, there's some good news. After years of requests from users, Instagram finally gave carousel posts the upgrade they deserved. The new feature lets you add separate captions to every slide in a carousel post. Now every photo or video in your carousel can come with a proper description. Dropping a concert dump? Add the name of each song in the caption. Posting post-vacay pics? You can mention each location separately, and the caption will appear right under the matching slide. Carousel posts support up to 20...

Shakira is officially back in her FIFA World Cup era, and football fans already know what that means for summer playlists. The Colombian superstar just teased fans on Instagram with a brand-new anthem called Dai Dai. The track dropped on May 14 ahead of the tournament and features Nigerian singer Burna Boy. The catchy chant already feels impossible to get out of your head before the tournament even begins. For a lot of people, Shakira’s music and the World Cup practically go hand in hand at this point. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) became one of football’s most recognizable...

Egypt has officially announced the public holiday dates for Eid Al Adha 2026 after Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly issued a decree confirming the upcoming break for state employees. The paid public holiday will begin on Tuesday, May 26 and continue until Sunday, May 31. The decision applies to employees working in government ministries, public authorities, local administration units, and public business sector companies. However, all academic examinations scheduled during those dates will continue according to their original timetable. If you're spending this time in the country don't miss top concerts, festivals and events in Egypt: from Andrea Bocelli to...