Egypt housing minister to head government while premier receives treatment abroad

CAIRO – Egypt has appointed Housing Minister Mustafa Madbuly to serve as interim prime minister while Prime Minister Sherif Ismail receives medical treatment abroad, state newspaper Al-Ahram reported on Thursday.

The cabinet said on Wednesday that Ismail would travel to Germany on Thursday for surgery and is expected to remain there for three weeks, though it did not specify the condition he would be treated for.