A plan is being devised to restore the Institut d'Egypte. This article in al-Ahram also carries a rather horrendous picture of the damage to the building.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/43/30267/Heritage/Islamic/Action-taken-to-restore-Egypt-Scientific-Institute.aspx

There is a great deal of unclarity on the question of the damage in the Institut. Some reports suggest part of the Description de l'Egypte has been destroyed, others than it is OK. It is unclear whether this is the original materials or a copy of the printed version. Whatever it is, it is not good news:
http://www.scoop.it/t/egypte-actualites/p/846730509/majority-of-the-description-de-l-egypte-has-been-saved-says-official
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/29641.aspx

The Institute de l'Egypte, originally established in the wake of the Napoleonic invasion, is the oldest Western-style academic centre in the Middle East. In the course of the recent riots, it has caught fire. It is presently unclear the extent of damage which has been done, but it is evident that some ancient books and manuscripts have been destroyed. Le Monde says:
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2011/12/18/l-incendie-de-l-institut-d-egypte-une-catastrophe-pour-la-science_1620245_3212.html
This is in Masry el-Youm: http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/554351

You probably don't need me to remind you that there have been riots going on in central Cairo since Friday in relation to the ongoing concerns of people about the speed of the governmental tradition. This article is in the BBC news:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16243609

An article by Nevine El-Aref in al-Ahram Weekly indicates that the priority of the new Minister for Antiquities, Mohamed Ibrahim, will be developing the skills of archaeologists and sprucing up the administration of archaeological work.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/9/40/29053/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Antiquities-minister-eyes-new-policies-for-Egypt-h.aspx

There has been concern in Egypt (and then exaggerated by the western media) that if the Islamic parties have a majority in the new parliament, they might cut back on tourism as un-Islamic. This announcement has been made today in an attempt to allay these fears.
http://allaboutegypt.org/2011/12/islamic-parties-announce-support-for-egypt-tourism/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EgyptThenAndNow+%28Egypt+Then+and+Now%29

I was unaware that the SCA was lacking a head at the moment, but news reports indicate that a new man was appointed this week:
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/28842/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/New-minister-of-antiquities,-n%20ew-strategy.aspx

He is Mohamed Ibrahim Aly. Mostafa Amin was still the head of the SCA in an Al-Ahram article on the 7th (http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContentP/9/28596/Heritage/Secretary-General-of-the-Supreme-Council-of-Antiqu.aspx). 
If anyone can fill me in on what has happened it would be great.

I don't usually post discoveries from the Amenhotep III temple on the West Bank as there have been so many of them, but this one is worth a mention:
Statue of Egyptian king Amenhotep III found
This is presumably one of the bodies relating to the large heads which were found in the early 19th century and in about 1960, of which two were brought by Salt to the British Museum.

SCA news: Hussein Bassir has been appointed as supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum; his predecessor was removed a couple of weeks ago. 

Things sound quiet in Egypt now. I wish everyone good luck with the voting. Al Ahram is reporting early results suggesting that the Muslim Brotherhood seems to be heading up with 40% of the vote

The BBC has some nice photos from the first couple of days of the elections.