[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
Court freezes assets of Nazra for Feminist Studies and executive director Mozn Hassan North Cairo Criminal Court froze the assets of Nazra for Feminist Studies and its executive director Mozn Hassan on Wednesday, the latest development in the 2011 foreign funding case, in which several organizations face charges of receiving foreign funding with the aim of endangering national security.
Egypt rejects international criticism of NGO asset freezes The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Saturday “strongly denouncing” statements published by the European Union and United Kingdom last week, which censured Egypt following a court order freezing the assets of several prominent Egyptian nongovernmental organizations and rights defenders.
Lawyers, MPs say Tiran and Sanafir are Egyptian The debate rages on concerning the sovereignty of the Tiran and Sanafir Red Sea islands, which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi transferred to Saudi Arabia in an agreement last April.
Prosecution suspends investigations into assault of Coptic woman in Minya Minya prosecution suspended investigations into a case connected to the assault of Soad Thabet, an elderly coptic woman, on Saturday. The prosecution said that the case was closed due to insufficient evidence.
Court postpones former prosecutor general`s assassination case to Jan. 24 The Cairo criminal court postponed on Saturday the trial of sixty-seven defendants accused of killing former top prosecutor general Hisham Barakat to 24 January.
Court sentences 19 to two years for illegally protesting on Nov 11 A Cairo Court sentenced on Saturday nineteen people to two years for protesting without permission on 11 November.
Cabinet creates protests-free zone around vital facilites Egypt`s cabinet decided to keep 800 square meters in the vicinity of vital facilities as a "safe zone," where no protests are allowed.
Over 20 football fans arrested after calling for prosecution of Zamalek Club president Security forces arrested more than twenty football fans for allegedly demanding the prosecution of Zamalek Club President Mortada Mansour during the Egypt-Tunisia football match at the International Cairo stadium on Sunday.
Update: Prosecution releases 21 football fans Nasr City prosecution released twenty-one football fans from Ultras White Knights after they were arrested during a friendly match between Egypt and Tunisia on Sunday.
176 defendants in Province of Sinai case referred to military trial Egypt’s military prosecutor referred 176 alleged members of the Province of Sinai to military court on Tuesday, charging them with espionage and belonging to an illegal and unconstitutional group that aims to obstruct state institutions.
Egypt says it prevented 12,000 people from illegally migrating in 2016 Egyptian border patrol and coast guard forces stopped more than 12,000 people of various nationalities from illegally entering or leaving the country in 2016, the military said on Wednesday.
Terrorism will not end overnight: Sisi President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said terrorism will not end overnight but will take sometime, in a phone interview with private TV channel OnE.
Cabinet passes IMF loan agreement to the president Cabinet approved on Wednesday International Monetary Fund loan agreement and referred it to the president ahead of parliamentary review.
On the Arab page Jonathan Guyer examines how much connects art and comics in Egypt and the wider Middle East, even if publishing houses keep fine art and graphic narratives on different shelves.
Economy
Analysts sceptical of Egypt’s experiments in raising domestic wheat productivity Egypt’s national center for water research said an experiment it conducted into shortening the planting time for wheat, to allow two crops to be sown in the same area per season, was successful, a claim analysts had reservations about.
Health Ministry increases price of over 3000 medicines Health Minister Ahmed Rady announced an increase in the price of 3,010 medications, including 619 medicines for treating chronic illnesses, during a press conference held on Thursday.
As drug supplies run short, Egyptians turn to herbal remedies In an economic crisis that has led to a shortage of medicines, Egyptians are skipping trips to drug stores and instead turning to herbal remedies to treat every-day illnesses.
Egypt expects foreign investment in treasuries to reach $10-11 bln in one year Egypt`s Finance Minister Amr al-Garhy said in a press conference on Sunday that he expects foreign investment in treasury instruments to reach about ten to eleven billion USD in one year.
Egypt lifts budget deficit target to 10.1 pct - Finance minister Egypt’s Finance Minister Amr al-Garhy said in a press conference on Sunday that the government is aiming to control its budget deficit to between 10.1-10.2 percent by the end of 2016/17.
Foreign Relations
EU criticises freezing assets of NGO directors European Union criticizes court decision to freeze assets of two human rights activists, in a statement on Thursday.
Irish delegation arrives in Cairo to lobby for release of Ibrahim Halawa A delegation of politicians from Ireland arrived in Cairo on Monday in hopes of securing the release of twenty-one-year-old Irish-Egyptian prisoner Ibrahim Halawa, who has spent more than three years in detention without trial in Egypt.
Sisi to Irish delegation: “If I had the power to, I would free Ibrahim Halawa” An interview with Paul Murphy on the Irish delegation`s visit to Egypt.
UN security council strongly condemns Al-Arish attacks UN Security Council strongly condemned the attack that took place in the northern Sinai city of Al-Arish on Monday.
Domestic Security
7 police personnel, 1 civilian killed in attack on Arish checkpoint The Interior Ministry announced that seven police personnel and one civilian were killed and twelve others injured in an attack targeting a police checkpoint in the city of Arish on Monday. The attack was carried out near the North Sinai fire-fighting department using rocket-propelled grenades and a booby-trapped car.
Islamic State claims responsibility for Al-Arish attacks Islamic State agency A`amaq claims responsibility for the attacks in Arish on Monday, according to its website.
Egypt`s interior ministry kills 10 militants behind attacks on North Sinai checkpoints Egypt`s Interior Ministry said on Friday that it killed ten militants, behind attacks on two checkpoints in North Sinai earlier this week, in an exchange of fire.
New restrictive measures to enter Sinai New measures will be implemented starting this year imposed on those seeking to pass through the Ahmed Hamdy tunnel, which links Egypt’s main bulk of land to the Sinai Peninsula.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
هل غير الخدمة المدنية الاقتصاد السياسي للأجور في مصر Mohammad Gad examines and deconstructs the notoriously complex government wage system in Egypt.
Arabic
المحكمة العسكرية تمد أجل الحكم على «بديع» وآخرين في «بئر العبد» إلى 18 يناير Military court adjourns the trial of Mohammed Badie and seventy-one defendants accused of storming into Bir Al-Abd police station to 18 January.
وزير المالية: ندرس إصدار قانون جديد للضريبة على الدخل A new income tax law is underway, Finance Minister says.
«قومي حقوق الإنسان» يطالب بالإفراج الصحي عن «عاكف والخضيري» The National Council for Human Rights calls on officials to release former Muslim Brotherhood leader Mahdi Akef and judge Mahmoud Khediri as their health condition deteriorated.
قرار جمهوري بالموافقة على قرض تمويل من البنك الدولي The National Gazette published Sisi’s decree 505 of 2015 approving the loan agreement between Egypt and the World Bank for reconstruction and development.
اليوم.. زيادة أسعار 3000 صنف دوائى رسميا Health Ministry announced on Thursday that price increases of medications will come into effect in February.
عودة "أطفال شوارع": "كبدة ومخ".. أولاً وأخيراً Following their release, members of “Street Children” band announced that they will no longer post videos online.
دعم مصر»: لا مفر من إجراء تعديل وزارى» Egypt’s Sherif Ismail cabinet expected to introduce cabinet reshuffle to reduce corruption in local councils.
المصري الديمقراطي»: المحكمة أبلغتنا بـ«التليفون» رفض تظاهرتنا» Egypt’s Social Democratic party denounces the current protest law which is unconstitutional.
نشطاء: قرار "الحرم الآمن" للمؤسسات حظر فعلي للتظاهر في كل مصر Activists denounce the interior ministry’s decision to ban protests near “vital facilities.”
الكوميديا السوداء: حبا في جمال وعلاء.. أم كراهية في يناير؟ Controversy surrounding calls for Gamal Mubarak candidacy for the coming presidential elections raise concern among Egyptians.