Second Suez canal will be 'symbol of new Egypt'

The expansion of the Suez Canal - one of the world's most important trade corridors - will be completed on time in August, Egyptian officials have said.

The Chairman of the Canal Authority has told the BBC work is going on around the clock to finish a new lane, which will double the capacity of the waterway.

The 146-year-old canal, which links the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

Orla Guerin reports.