Thousands stage strike at Egypt textile giant

More than 23,000 workers angered by low wages at Egypt's biggest textile company staged a strike on Sunday, bringing production to a halt and adding to the challenges facing the new president.

The factory of state-owned Misr Spinning and Weaving, in the Nile Delta city of Mahalla, was the site of protests in 2008 that sparked a wave of strikes across the country, widely regarded as a catalyst for the revolt that ended the rule of Hosni Mubarak last year.

The latest strike is a test for newly elected Islamist president Mohamed Mursi as he strives to form a cabinet to replace the army-backed administration.