It is a daily independent liberal-oriented newspaper, covering mainly politics, militant affairs and sport.

[3][4] The founder and owner of the paper is Ibrahim Al Moellam, who also owns El Tahrir daily.

Following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état which deposed President Mohammed Morsi, it was closed down for two consecutive days due to the publication of an article written by journalist Belal Fadl who later resigned from the newspaper.

[8] Its coverage ranges from for example the 2009 Egypt–Algeria World Cup dispute[9] to important political issues and activity and interviews of militant Islamists.

[10] In late August and early September 2009, it published a document entitled al-Badil al-Thalith bayna al-Istibdad wa-al-Istislam (The Third Alternative between Despotism and Surrender) written by then incarcerated Abbud al-Zumar and Tarek al-Zumar[11] The printed version of the paper is not among the top ten,[12] but the circulation of the paper became 150,000 copies during the 25 January revolution in 2011.