[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


Egypt releases detainees accused of joining a banned group

Judicial sources affirmed on Monday that the Egyptian prosecutor-general’s office has issued a decision to release a number of detainees accused of joining a banned group, disrupting public peace and security, and spreading false news.

Legal measures taken against 85 money launderer: Interior Ministry

The anti-drugs and organized crime sector at the Interior Ministry has taken all legal measures against nineteen criminal groups of eighty-five perpetrators who committed money laundering between 1 January and 15 May 2019.

Parliamentary panel recommends increasing 2019/2020 health budget to EGP 90bln

The House of Representatives' health affairs committee has recommended increasing share of the health and population sector in the 2019/2020 budget to ninety billion Egyptian pounds, with an estimated increase of 17.1 billion Egyptian pounds, as the current budget approved by the Finance Ministry stands at 73.62 billion Egyptian pounds.

Mother of iconic January 25 Revolution figure, Khaled Said, dies

The mother of an iconic face that triggered the January 25 Revolution in 2011 died Sunday.

Egypt's Sisi orders studies to maximize assets, investment returns for religious endowments ministry

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday ordered further studies to be conducted to maximize religious endowment (Waqf) assets and investment returns.

New banking bill to be referred to parliament before end of May: Egypt's CBE

A new bill on Egypt's banking sector is expected to be referred to the House of Representatives before the end of May after being reviewed and approved by the government, a well-placed source with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said.

Egypt's Sisi pardons 560 prisoners

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decree on Friday pardoning 560 prisoners, including young people and prisoners with health problems.

Is the government building a parallel bureaucracy?

Experts say Egypt's planned sovereign wealth fund is actually a new administrative body. The move is the latest in a series of attempts by the presidency to sidestep existing administrative structures to pursue its goals.

Is Watch iT worth it?

Not only are the majority of this year's Ramadan TV series produced by one intelligence-affiliated company, but viewers are only allowed to watch them online using the state’s new streaming service: Watch iT.

Foreign Policy


Egypt's Sisi discusses boosting ties with Canada's senate speaker

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed on Sunday boosting mutual cooperation with Canada during talks with visiting Canadian Senate Speaker George Furey.

Egypt backing Libyan legitimacy

Cairo has reaffirmed its support for the Libyan National Army (LNA) in its fight to uproot terrorism in Libya and for its contribution to the drive to rebuild legitimacy and promote political solutions to the Libyan crisis that meet the hopes and aspirations of the Libyan people.

Sisi, Bin Zayed discuss recent developments in Gulf region

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed in Cairo with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the recent developments in the Gulf region, particularly with regards to the sabotage of naval vessels earlier this week, the Egyptian presidency announced.

US Representative for Hawaii Edward Case visits Egypt's parliament

The visit by Representative Case was the first of its kind by a US congress member to the Egyptian Parliament in three years.

Economy


US dollar reaches lowest against Egyptian pound in two years

US dollar fell below seventeen Egyptian pounds for the first time in two years as the Egyptian pound continued to slowly rise against it at the end of transaction in various major banks in local market on Thursday.

3.7% growth in trade exchange with South Africa: ECS

The trade exchange between Egypt and South Africa has achieved a growth of 3.7 percent in 2018, registering 287.8 million US dollars, compared to 277.5 million US dollars in 2017, the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) said on Monday.

EGP 1.5 bln investments in agriculture under 2019-2020 plan: Egypt's planning ministry

Egypt’s planning ministry has said that EGP 1.545 billion have been allocated for the agriculture ministry's investments under the country's 2019-2020 plan. 

Domestic Security


Egypt security forces kill 12 Hasm terrorists in Giza, Cairo: Interior ministry

Egypt's interior ministry said on Monday that police have killed twelve terrorists from the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Hasm group in raids on their hideouts in Giza and Cairo governorates.

Explosion hits tourist bus in Egypt's Giza

A blast hit a tourist bus carrying twenty-five South Africans near the Giza pyramids on Sunday, injuring a number of people, according to the interior ministry.

Fourty-seven militants, five troops killed in Sinai raids: Army

Forty-seven militants and five Egyptian troops were killed during recent raids in the Sinai border region, the army said in a statement Thursday.

Arabic


«الإيجار القديم».. لغم النواب الذي تتجنب الحكومة نزع فتيله حتى الآن

Mada Masr discusses the debate on the controversial amendments to the old rental law.

بيان مشترك من منظمات حقوقية يطالب بإنقاذ حياة مسجون حاول الانتحار

Egyptian human rights organizations issued a joint statement, calling on Egyptian authorities to provide the needed healthcare to a prisoner who attempted suicide.

مصر | «عفو رمضان الرئاسي»: «إرهابيون» وقَتَلة من الأمن على القائمة!

Prisoners accused of terrorism were granted presidential pardon last week, in violation of the applicable measures.

القضية 741: ظهور "ربّة منزل" وهيثم محمدين ومصطفى ماهر في النيابة بعد اختفاء

Almanassa reviews the case 741 and how the state uses charges of terrorism to quell opposition.

استراتيجية الحد من الديون.. كيف نستدين بتكلفة أقل؟

The article examines the state’s debt reduction strategy and its impact on Egypt’s economy.