The Egyptian government says it's still negotiating the release of 19 tourists who had been kidnapped, despite earlier reports that they have been released. The government said the group, including Germans, Italians, and a Romanian, as well as their Egyptian guides, were abducted by gunmen on Friday. A ransom was demanded for their release. Christian Fraser reports from Cairo.

The group is thought to have been visiting Gilf al-Kebir, a remote desert plateau in southwestern tip of Egypt, near the border with Sudan and Libya. It's still unclear exactly what happened on Friday, but it appears that over the weekend, the group were taken across the border into Sudan, where demand for ransom was made. Egyptians have worked closely with their Sudanese counterparts, and it did appear from assertions given by the Egyptian Foreign Minister in New York that the hostages have been released, but the Tourism Ministry here says that statement is premature, and negotiations are still ongoing.