[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.]
Elections
Egypt parliamentary elections to start 17 October
The first phase mid-October and the second in late-November for Egyptians in Egypt.
Political parties face internal problems
Although the date of the parliamentary elections is expected to be announced soon, many political parties are preoccupied with internal problems.
Endowments Ministry asks preachers not to run for parliament
The Endowments Ministry has appealed to its employees not to run for the upcoming parliamentary elections and to be "fully dedicated to their missionary message through pulpits and mosques."
Public Coalition receives calls for alliance in parliamentary polls in Egypt
Safwat Abdel Azim, the general coordinator of the Public Coalition to Support Egypt and the President, said the coalition is currently mulling over these requests.
Egypt to set timetable for parliamentary polls Sunday amid parties` disarray
While preparations for the parliamentary elections will shift into high gear on Sunday, the country`s political parties are still in a state of disarray.
High Elections Committee announces guidelines for upcoming parliamentary elections
During Sunday`s press conference the HEC spokesperson confirmed that elections would be held in accordance with lists of political parties as well as individual candidates.
Economy
Socialists back September demos on civil service law
The Popular Socialist Alliance Party said it stands by employees objecting to the Civil Service Law adopted in March.
Egypt enacts income tax cuts, formally suspends capital gains tax
Egypt has officially lowered its income tax rate for individuals and companies from twenty-five percent to 22.5 percent, scrapped an added five percent tax on the country’s highest earners, and suspended a ten percent tax on capital gains.
Trade deficit up twenty-nine percent in May
The state statistics agency CAPMAS reported.
Italy’s Eni finds ‘supergiant’ gas field in Egypt’s waters
Italian Energy firm Eni announced on Sunday the discovery of a gas field off Egypt’s Mediterranean coast that could potentially yield thirty trillion cubic feet of lean gas, enough to satisfy Egypt’s natural gas demand for decades.
Egypt bans rice exports
Trade Ministry says the decision is aimed at meeting the needs of the local market.
Political Rights
Former army chief: Sisi repeats Mubarak, Morsi mistakes
“He is an ordinary man, and there are other more efficient leaders in Egypt,” Hamdy Weheba told Al-Masry Al-Youm in a recent interview.
NGO report: Violence up 14-20 August
Violence rates soared in the period 14-20 August with more attacks targeting security forces, says a coalition of NGOs detecting violence rates ahead of Egypt’s undetermined parliamentary elections.
Egypt`s Al-Tahrir newspaper suffers financial crisis, closure expected
Although the reasons for the newspapers possible closure have been cited as mainly financial, some have argued that there are also political motives at play.
Egyptian court issues preliminary death sentences to two Morsi supporters
They were found guilty of torching the administrative prosecution building and a communication tower.
Egypt`s court sentences Brotherhood leader, seven others to twenty years in prison
An Egyptian criminal court sentenced on Monday leading Muslim Brotherhood member Mohsen Rady, along with seven other alleged members, to twenty years in prison over violence-related charges.
Egypt`s interior ministry says Sharqiya police action was a ‘protest rally’ not a `protest`
Interior ministry official claimed that the two-day sit-in held by lower-ranking police officers in front of Sharqiya’s security directorate falls under the category of a “protest rally,” explaining why neither the Protest Law nor the Terrorism Law was applied.
Egypt`s lower-ranking officers: A struggle for fairness or an abuse of power?
Lower-ranking police officers in Egypt call for social and economic demands from interior ministry, as the government seeks to bolster their public image
Egyptian police arrest death-sentenced former Islamist MP
A Muslim Brotherhood leader, Hassan Abo-Sheashaa, was arrested Saturday in an apartment in Cairo.
Protesting police in Sharqiya reach agreement with Interior Ministry
The spokesperson for the protesting policemen in Sharqiya, announced the end of the sit-in on Monday after Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb had agreed to comply with their demands 5.
Foreign Ministry launches English blog to `correct misconceptions` about Egypt
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday the launch of a new English blog to “enhance its communication with the world” and to address “inaccurate” reports about Egypt in foreign media.
Rights groups call anti-terrorism law `a blow to the Constitution`
The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) released a report on Wednesday describing the recently issued anti-terrorism law as “a new blow to the constitution.”
Update: Detainees go on hunger strike to protest assaults in prison
Several jailed activists in Wadi al-Natroun Prison have gone on hunger strike to protest mistreatment, the Freedom for the Brave campaign reported late Wednesday.
Despite deaths and rampant abuse allegations, rights council says all is well at Aqrab Prison
After visiting the notorious maximum-security Aqrab Prison to investigate accusations of abuse, on Thursday the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) claimed that such reports were exaggerated and that all the inmates were treated well.
Foreign Policy
Sisi and Putin celebrate stronger ties between Russia and Egypt
"We plan to increase wheat exports and we discussed the possibility of Russian participation in wheat production in Egypt,” Putin said.
Russia’s Rosneft to supply Egypt with gas
The Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft has signed a deal to supply Egypt with liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Pope Tawadros II to discuss Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia
Pope Tawadros II will discuss concerns about the Renaissance Dam with the leaders of the Ethiopian Church when he participates in the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Ethiopia on 27 September.
France in talks with Egypt over helicopter carriers: Reuters
France is in talks to sell two Mistral helicopter carriers to Egypt after their sale to Russia was cancelled earlier this month, two sources close to the matter said on Wednesday.
Egypt seeks best offer for nuclear plant
Egypt and Russia are still negotiating several financial and technical issues on an offer presented in June by a Russian firm on establishing a nuclear power plant in Egypt, the Egyptian presidential spokesman said.
Sisi embarks on Asian tour Saturday
President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi embarks on Saturday on an Asian tour that will take him to Singapore, China and Indonesia.
Saudi Arabia to provide 2.9 billion USD to Egypt
Al-Mal weekly newspaper quoted informed sources on Sunday as saying that Egypt would receive financial assistance and soft loans from Saudi Arabia in the form of 2.9 billion USD.
Domestic Security
Three militants killed in North Sinai raid
Security sources in North Sinai announced that three militants belonging to Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis were killed and seven more were injured during an aerial raid south of Sheikh Zuweid village on Sunday.
Sixteen, including former police officer, accused of forming IS linked terrorist cell
The accused are all from Egypt’s Sharqiya governorate, and are charged with forming a terrorist cell linked to Islamic State and headed by the former policeman.
Al-Jazeera Journalists Trial
Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to three years in prison
The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Baher Mohamed to three years in a maximum security prison.
International criticism over fresh Al-Jazeera prison sentences in Egypt
Ahram Online reports.
Foreign criticism of Al-Jazeera verdict is politically motivated: Egypt`s foreign ministry
The Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs lambasts international criticism over the recent Al-Jazeera staff court ruling.
EU condemns Al-Jazeera journalists jail sentences
The European Union deems the Al-Jazeera journalists trial outcome as a "setback" for freedom of expression in Egypt
US `concerned` by Egypt court ruling on Al-Jazeera reporters
"We urge the government of Egypt to take all available measures to redress this verdict, which undermines the very freedom of expression necessary for stability and development," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
Canadian government submits requests for Sisi pardon or deportation for Fahmy: Amal Clooney
Clooney said she is hoping that president El-Sisi would intervene in the case adding that "he has said in the past that he would".
Foreign Ministry summons UK ambassador over comments on Al Jazeera trial
The Foreign Ministry stated that Casson’s comments constituted “unacceptable interference in the rulings of the judiciary.”