[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Political Rights
A dark black hole and joyful nights of bliss Caught between grieving former losses, and incredulously observing today's "absurd" reality, Noha's preoccupations reveal a marked will to reconcile past with present, as well as a desire to escape from both.
Magdy’s square As his world shrunk to the size of a house, Madgy’s memories of the ‘70s student movement and the 25 January revolution became both his comforting companion and a source of distress.
Anti-torture NGO Al-Nadeem awarded 2018 Amnesty International Germany Human Rights Award Cairo-based anti-torture NGO Al-Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence received Amnesty International’s 2018 Germany Human Rights Award for what the international organization described as “a strong stand against torture,” according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
Sisi submits candidacy forms to NEA, reveals 2018 campaign leadership President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi submitted his candidacy forms to the National Elections Authority on Wednesday and revealed the first details of his 2018 presidential campaign, according to his official Facebook page.
Egypt's Salafist Nour Party backs Sisi in upcoming presidential elections The Nour Party announced on Sunday it is backing President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in his bid for a second presidential term in this spring’s presidential election.
Wafd Party rejects party leader’s nomination for presidency Egypt’s Wafd Party announced on Saturday its official refusal of party head Al-Sayed al-Badawy’s nomination in the upcoming presidential election, which could see Badawy become the only contender to current President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Former state auditor, member of ex-army chief’s presidential bid injured in attack Former head of Egypt’s Central Auditing Authority Hesham Geneina, who was revealed last week to be a member of retired military chief Sami Anan’s presidential bid, was transported to hospital after he was physically assaulted on Saturday morning, according to Geneina’s lawyer ِAli Taha.
Egypt's former anti-corruption chief Geneina released, three others detained after street assault The Egyptian prosecution released Hisham Geneina and ordered the detention of three other people on Sunday, pending national security investigations into an alleged assault on the former head of the state’s Central Auditing Organization.
Wafd Party leader to seek presidential bid Al-Sayed al-Badawy, the leader of the Wafd Party, has reportedly decided to run in the 2018 presidential elections, following a seven-hour meeting with party leaders, according to Yasser al-Houdeiby, a senior member of the Wafd Party.
State actors urging political players to field presidential candidates: MP Mostafa Bakry State actors have called members of the Wafd Party and former presidential contender Hamdeen Sabbahi in an effort to convince them to participate in the upcoming presidential election, according to member of Parliament Mostafa Bakry.
Khaled Ali withdraws from presidential race, citing government violations Lawyer Khaled Ali announced his withdrawal from the 2018 presidential race, citing government violations and unfair competition as the reasons why he will not be submitting the paperwork needed to support his candidacy application to the National Elections Authority.
Former Armed Forces chief of staff arrested, referred to military prosecution after announcing presidential bid Former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Sami Anan was arrested on Tuesday, accused of violating military bylaws by announcing his intent to run for Egypt’s presidency, according to his son, Samir Sami Anan.
Sami Anan’s whereabouts unknown: Son The whereabouts of former Chief of Staff Sami Anan, who was arrested and brought before the military prosecution after announcing his presidential bid, remain unknown, his son Samir Anan disclosed on Wednesday.
Detainee executed for 2013 murder of military officer in Ismailia Prison authorities executed Mohamed Abu Sri in a Cairo prison on Tuesday morning, according to lawyer Ezzat Ghoneim. An Ismailia military court sentenced Abu Sri to death for killing an Armed Forces officer in a 2013 attack on a checkpoint in Ismailia.
Egypt cabinet ratifies law establishing Supreme Council for Combating Terrorism and Extremism The Egyptian cabinet has ratified a law establishing the Supreme Council for Combating Terrorism and Extremism, modifying Presidential Decree 355/2017 which created the National Council for Combating Terrorism and Extremism.
Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail returns to work after 2-month medical leave Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail resumed on Saturday his duties as the country's PM at his office in Cairo after a two-month medical leave.
President Sisi honors martyrs' families on National Police Day President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi honored the families of Egypt's martyrs, including some officers, in a ceremony held at the Police Academy on Wednesday on the occasion of the sixty-sixth National Police Day, which also coincides the seventh anniversary of 25 January revolution.
Economy
Video | 2 years after the mineral resources law was passed: Quarry workers in Minya between arrests and absent security The mineral resources law imposes a fine and a prison sentence for anyone who extracts raw materials without a license, while simultaneously making it harder to obtain a license from the government and military authorities responsible for them. The law has also upped licensing costs for business owners.
Video | Sudan Street: Under construction
The Giza Traffic Department has closed parts of Sudan Street, which links the Cairo neighborhoods of Kit Kat and Haram, to construct two new stations on Cairo Metro Line 3. Mada Masr speaks with people affected by the closure
Foreign Relations
Egypt hits back at John McCain Egyptian officials have slammed remarks by US Senator John McCain in which he sharply criticized Cairo's human rights record.
Egyptian parliamentary committee responds to 'Coptic issues' memo released by US Congress Parliament's foreign affairs committee responded to US allegations of discrimination against Copts, stating that the Muslim Brotherhood had sought to provoke sectarian conflict in Egypt.
Italian General Prosecutor: Egyptian secret services complicit in Regeni case Egyptian secret services played a role in the Giulio Regeni case, and investigations have demonstrated that Regeni’s “research activity” was the primary motive for his torture and murder, Italian General Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone claimed in a letter addressed to two major Italian newspapers on Thursday, according to the Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, Italy’s leading wire news agency.
Document sent to Italian Embassy in Switzerland on Regeni case is entirely forged: Egypt prosecution Egypt's general prosecution said on Wednesday that a document sent anonymously to the Italian Embassy in Switzerland – which stated that Italian student Giulio Regeni, who was found murdered in February 2016 in Cairo, had been arrested shortly before he disappeared – was entirely forged.
FM spokesperson: Ethiopian PM’s rejection of World Bank mediation in Renaissance Dam negotiations ‘taken out of context’ Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry telephoned his Ethiopian counterpart on Sunday night to express concern over a news report that Ethiopia had rejected Egypt’s proposal for the World Bank to mediate the technical studies on the environmental impact of the Grand Renaissance Ethiopian Dam.
Egypt's Sisi and Sudan's El-Bashir meet in Ethiopia, agree to form joint ministerial committee Egypt's President Abdel al-Sisi met with his Sudanese counterpart President Omar Al-Bashir in Addis Ababa on Saturday evening on the sidelines of African Union summit, the Egyptian president's office said.
Egypt, Sudan historical relations enough to overcome differences: Egypt FM spokesman The foreign ministers of Egypt and Sudan stressed during a meeting on Friday, which took place on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, that the two countries aim to clear up any "misunderstanding" that has resulted in tensions in recent months.
Leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to meet in Addis Ababa Monday for Nile dam talks The leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan will meet on Monday on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
Egypt's Sisi arrives in Ethiopia to participate in African Union Summit Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa on Saturday to participate in the thirtieth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which is taking place from 22 to 29 January.
Terrorist organisations exploit civil conflicts, says Sisi at AU's Peace and Security Council session Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday that terrorist organisations take advantage of armed civil conflicts to recruit fighters, calling for adopting an effective strategy to fight terrorism.
Egypt to chair African Union Summit in 2019 Egypt was elected by African leaders in Addis Ababa to head the African Union's upcoming thirty-first session in 2019, the Egyptian presidency announced.
Domestic Security
Six terrorists killed in shootout with police in North Sinai: Egypt's interior ministry Egypt's interior ministry said Tuesday that six terrorists were killed in a shootout with police during a raid on a militant hideout in North Sinai.
Egyptian army kills two 'dangerous extremists' ahead of terror plot in North Sinai Egypt’s army said it killed two dangerous extremists in North Sinai ahead of their plot to carry out a terror attack against the forces, a statement by the Egyptian armed forces read on Tuesday.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
Alain Badiou on the Egyptian Revolution: Questions of the Movement and its Vision The seven-year anniversary of the 25 January Egyptian Revolution, an event that captured global attention and inspired countless movements, provides an opportune moment to reflect on the state of politics today. French philosopher Alain Badiou was among the first major intellectual figures to theorize the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings and articulate their historical significance in his book, The Rebirth of History: Times of Riots and Uprisings.
آلان باديو عن الثورة المصرية: حول سؤال الحركة ورؤيتها The seven-year anniversary of the 25 January Egyptian Revolution, an event that captured global attention and inspired countless movements, provides an opportune moment to reflect on the state of politics today. French philosopher Alain Badiou was among the first major intellectual figures to theorize the Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings and articulate their historical significance in his book, The Rebirth of History: Times of Riots and Uprisings.
Arabic
أخطاء يناير Ezzedine Fishere writes about the mistakes of the 25 January revolution.
في ذكراها السابعة| نشطاء: لساها ثورة يناير.. والنظام مرعوب Activists recount their participation in the 25 January revolution.
الوطنية للانتخابات: قبول أوراق 27 منظمة لمتابعة الانتخابات الرئاسية The spokesman for the National Electoral Commission said that twenty seven nongovernmental organizations were approved to monitor the presidential elections scheduled for the end of March this year.
مصادر تكشف تفاصيل جديدة حول استبعاد عنان من قاعدة بيانات الناخبين The National Electoral Commission excluded ex-general Sami Anan from the voters' database for the upcoming presidential elections over breaching the military's laws.
إشكالية مكافحة الفساد.. من أين تبدأ المواجهة؟ Anti-corruption is the biggest challenge facing the state, as the bodies and councils that have been set up to fight it proved to be incompetent.
مصر: الجيش يحظر النشر بقضية عنان المعتقل بسبب ترشحه للرئاسة Egypt's military judiciary issued on Tuesday a decision banning publication in the case of former General Sami Annan, hours after he was arrested and charged with crimes over his announcement to run for president
عزيز قومٍ ذَل».. قصص 4 قادة للجيش المصري كان مصيرهم الاعتقال والتنكيل» Sasapost cast a light on key military leaders who were excluded and humiliated by the military's institution.
يوميات صحفية برلمانية | البحث عن مُرشّح The presidential elections get heated following the regime's crackdown on candidates, a situation similar to the pre-2005 referendums.
عقبات في طريق مرشحي الرئاسة.. ورقة عسكرية وقضايا جنائية The National Electoral Commission announced on January 8, the schedule for the coming presidential elections, the third since the January 25 revolution.
مخاوف حقوقية من تركة 2017: القانون يحاصر الحريات النقابية والعُمالية The workers' rights unit issued a report on the status of workers in the second half of 2017.
الوطنية للانتخابات»: مليون و35 ألف تأييد حتى الآن.. و29 يناير توزيع الأكواد على المنظمات المقبولة» The spokesman for the National Electoral Commission said that it recorded one million and 350 thousand endorsements so far, noting that the body will review, on Saturday, the remaining applications of civil society organizations for monitoring the elections.
هذه مكاسب القوى السياسية من انسحاب خالد علي The article looks into Khaled Ali's withdrawal from the upcoming presidential election in protest against the exclusion of his rival, General Sami Annan, from the election race.