Topping coverage of Egypt in the foreign press today: The prevalence of tattoos in Ancient Egypt. Researchers who used infrared photography to examine seven mummified women in Deir el Medina found tattoos of motifs that were sacred in ancient Egyptian culture, as well as what looked like hieroglyphs, according to a study whose findings were presented at the American Schools of Oriental Research in San Diego in November. Previously, tattoos had only been found on six other Egyptian mummies, suggesting that it was the infrared photography that allowed the researchers to spot what was previously invisible to the eye. Science Alert | ZME Science | Smithsonian Magazine.

Other headlines worth a skim:

• Not everyone wants to see the back of Egypt’s tuk-tuks: Egypt’s plan to replace tuk-tuks with small minivans could devastate the informal economy and create resentment among drivers who cannot afford to buy the new minibuses, which could be running on Egypt’s streets within a year, Citizen Truth reports.
• GERD talks are stalling because Ethiopia wants single-handed control over operating, filling and managing the dam, an official involved with technical talks tells Al Monitor.
• Egypt has sold almost half of the land in the first phase of the new administrative capital, said Magdy Amin, head of real estate at the New Administrative Capital for Urban Development, according to Reuters.
• Arrest of Christian rights advocate: A Coptic Christian civil rights advocate was arrested in late November, and has since been charged with joining and financing a terrorist group, RNS reports.
• More Mohamed Ali: In a profile of the controversial actor turned public figure the Independent’s Robert Fisk (yes, he’s still writing…) attempts to understand what motivates him and how he became so popular.
• Remains of ancient temple of Ptah discovered: Archaeologists have discovered 19 blocks of pink granite and limestone that formed part of the ancient temple of Ptah, close to the Giza pyramids, Xinhua reports.
• Egypt serving Uber South Africa: Business Insider gives an inside look at Uber’s Cairo “Centre of Excellence" with customer service agents who work with South Africa.