[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-Z of progress and setbacks for Egyptian women between two international women’s days On International Women’s Day, here is Mada Masr’s A-Z of the experiences and challenges Egyptian women have faced this year.
International Women`s Day: Egyptian cartoonist sheds light on 10 discriminatory laws against women Another International Women`s Day has rolled around, and another opportunity to honor women who have constantly called for equal rights to help pave the way to equality. In an effort to challenge people’s preconceived notions, an Egyptian caricature artist employed the most powerful tool for conveying a message: art.
On sexual violence – Feminist testimonies from Egypt Dalia Abdel Hamid writes this testimony in an attempt to answer the questions: Why do we continue doing what we do despite the heaviness of defeat? Why don’t we give up? From where do we draw the inspiration to continue?
Bodily rights – Feminist testimonies from Egypt Ghadeer Ahmed has been working on bodily rights since the revolution. Before 2011, she was a really ordinary woman.
Interview with Egypt`s first female governor: I love the challenge, there is no room for failure Engineer Nadia Abdo, the governor of Beheira, said her selection for the post of governor is, in some ways, an experiment for appointing more women in leadership positions, which means there is no room for failure. Everyone`s eyes are on her and the media is following this experiment.
Working women and policy assessment – Feminist testimonies from Egypt Mona Ezzat focuses on issues related to working women in order to show the extent to which a society believes in the principles of social justice, citizenship and the affordance of equal opportunities.
21 striking IFFCO workers acquitted by Suez appeals court Twenty-one workers from the privately owned IFFCO Oils Company were acquitted of “instigating strike action” and “obstructing production” by the Suez Criminal Appeals Court on Thursday.
Court orders detention of steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz for squandering public funds Cairo Criminal Court ordered the detention of steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz and former head of Egypt’s industrial development authority Amr Assal for illegally obtaining steel licenses resulting in the squandering of 660 million LE of public funds.
Prosecutors conduct investigations into torture, death of man in police custody The latest fatality in police custody was reported earlier this week when a young man was reportedly tortured to death after being detained for over two weeks at the Haram Police Station in the Giza governorate.
Police prevent Sunday Mass in Minya Church citing ‘security concerns Police personnel prevented a group of Coptic citizens from celebrating Sunday Mass in Marmina Church, which usually holds the daily prayers in Nazlet al-Nakhl village in the southern city of Minya, according to Minya Bishop Makaryous.
Displaced Arish Copts receive 48 apartments in Ismailia: church Some forty-eight families have received apartments in Mostaqbal City, Ismailia governorate, said Father Youssef Shoukry, the pastor of Saint Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church in Ismailia, who is in charge of the welfare of Coptic Christian families that fled systematic attacks by terrorists in al-Arish, North Sinai.
Sisi commends National Security Agency on anniversary of Mubarak-era state security breach President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi conducted a symbolic visit to the National Security Agency on Sunday coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the breach of the former State Security Investigation Services building during protests calling for its dissolution in the wake of the 25 January revolution.
The cleric and the president: Egypt’s critical power struggle President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb settled a disagreement over verbal divorce in a recent meeting, but the accord does not signal an end to the ongoing struggle for power between the state and Egypt’s largest Islamic institution.
63% of Egyptians support proposed bill to document verbal divorce: Baseera At least sixty-three percent of Egyptians are against the current practice of undocumented verbal divorce, known as "triple talaq", while only sixteen percent support it and twenty-one percent are undecided, according to a poll conducted by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research.
Parliamentary committees approve bill stipulating harsher penalties for sports team fan associations Parliament’s youth and sports and constitutional and legislative affairs committees approved a bill last Monday that stipulates harsher penalties for sports team fan associations set up in contravention of the law.
Egypt`s Supreme Judicial Council rejects bill that gives president judicial appointment power Egypt`s Supreme Judicial Council has rejected unanimously a draft bill that would grant the president of the state the right to appoint the heads of the country`s judiciary committees.
Free Egyptians Party youth boycott internal elections in protest at internecine strife A group of young members of the liberal Free Egyptians Party have said they are boycotting the party`s internal elections, the latest of a series of internal fissures hitting one of the country`s most important political parties.
Economy
February inflation rate exceeds 30% threshold for 1st time in decades Egypt’s annual inflation reached 31.7 percent in February, the highest rate in decades, stoked by the annual food inflation rate which hit 41.7 percent last month.
Update: Supply Ministry rescinds cuts in bread subsidies following protests Supply Minister Ali Meselhy announced during a press conference on Tuesday evening that the Supply Ministry would rescind the planned reduction in the quota of subsidized bread allocated to those without subsidy smart cards.
Foreign Relations
A change of tune: Foreign Ministry issues mild response to US report on human rights in Egypt Sharply deviating from its usual insistence on Egypt’s domestic sovereignty and dismissal of accusations by pointing to other parties’ transgressions, the Foreign Ministry issued a toned-down response to the United States State Department’s annual report on Egypt’s human rights record.
Disagreement between Egypt, Palestine over proposed amendment to Arab Peace Initiative Disagreement seems to be brewing within the Arab League this week between the delegates of Egypt and Palestine in light of a proposed amendment to the wording of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative pertaining to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian West Bank and other territories.
Russia, Egypt have agreed on aviation security protocol: Russian transport minister Russia and Egypt have agreed upon the final version of a bilateral aviation security protocol which aims at resuming direct flights between the two countries, TASS Russian news agency reported the country`s transport minister as saying.
Domestic Security
Province of Sinai claims responsibility for assassination of high-ranking security official The Province of Sinai has claimed responsibility for the bombing of a military convoy in Arish in North Sinai that killed a high-ranking security official and injured three other security personnel on Wednesday.
Update: Islamic State claims responsibility for explosive killing 2 police officers in Sinai The Islamic State claimed responsibility for planting an improvised explosive device alongside a road in Arish that killed two officers and injured four on Thursday evening.
Islamic State affiliate in Sinai gaining ground? Militants belonging to the Islamic State-affiliate Province of Sinai have reportedly intensified their presence in Arish, setting up a number of checkpoints on the North Sinai capital’s most populated streets.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
هل الإنتفاضات والثورات العربية مؤامرة خارجية؟ George Giacaman explores the evidence behind the dubious theory that the past Arab uprisings were the result of Western conspiracies.
Arabic
مواجع البحث العلمى فى مصر Scientific research in Egypt continues to suffer from overbearing regulations imposed by the government.
رفض دعوى إلزام الداخلية بإزالة الحواجز من محيط نقابة الصحفيين An administrative court rejects a lawsuit demanding removal of security barriers surrounding the Press Syndicate Headquarter.
الإفراج عن 263 سجينا بمناسبة الاحتفال بعيد الشرطة وثورة 25 يناير Presidential decree orders the release of 263 prisoners were released by a presidential decree issued on the occasion of the sixth revolution anniversary, Interior Minister said.
دانة غاز» مصر: 11% زيادة من النفط المكافئ بنهاية 2016 « Dana Gas company reports eleven percent increase in Egypt’s oil equivalent in late 2016.
المركزي للإحصاء»: ارتفاع معدل التضخم السنوي إلى 31.7% في فبراير الماضي«Annual inflation rate rises to 31.7 percent compared to February 2016, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
«فتنة الخبز» تتواصل فى المحافظات .. والأهالى: «فين العيش يا حكومة» The Supply Ministry decision to reduce bread supply from 3000 loaves to only 500 a day has sparks anger among Egyptians.
من الألف إلى الياء.. أسباب وتفاصيل احتجاجات الخبز في بَر مصر Egyptians took to the streets across the country protesting the state’s decision to cut down on quota of subsidized bread for those who do not hold subsidy smart card.
ما بعد المظاهرات والاعتذار: قرارات جديدة من التموين لتجاوز أزمة الخبز According to the Supply Ministry statement on Wednesday, Egyptian Supply Minister Ali Moselhy decided to raise the quota of loaves in four governorates and provide citizens with new hundred thousand smart subsidy cards, in response to the bread crisis.
المركزى: 21 مليار دولار وفرتها البنوك لعمليات الاستيراد منذ التعويم Egyptian banks earmarked 211 billion USD for import transactions since the floatation of the Egyptian pound, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank said.
هن أيضا نساء" .. عن غير المدعوات لحفل اليوم العالمي للمرأة" The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights launches a cyber campaign to raise awareness on transgender women in Egypt, whom have been unfairly discriminated against by police and society.
مقتل مسؤول أمني بارز وإصابة 3 آخرين بينهم ضابط بسيناء المصرية Egypt’s Interior Ministry says senior security official killed, three injured in an attack in North Sinai.
قلق حقوقي من استمرار التصفية الجسدية للمعارضين بمصر The British branch of the Arab Organization for Human Rights voices concern over ongoing Egyptian state’s clampdown on dissent and the impunity enjoyed by state officers implicated in killings and forced disappearances.
القاهرة تتشدد مع مبارك وعائلته: عودتهم إلى الشأن العام ممنوعة Egypt’s Illegal Gains Authority reinstated a travel ban on Mubarak and his family due to ongoing investigations of corruption.
أسعار خدمات الرعاية الصحية ترتفع بأكثر من 35% في فبراير Annual healthcare costs rose to 35.8 percent in February compared to January, according the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
بقرارات رسمية: أراض خصصها السيسي للجيش منذ توليه الحكم The report publishes the official decrees to allocate public lands to the armed forces as issued by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi since he assumed power in 2014.