[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
80 Wadi al-Natrun prisoners join hunger strike protesting maltreatment More than eighty political prisoners in Wadi al-Natrun Prison’s maximum security facility, Liman 440, started a hunger strike on 5 July to protest maltreatment, according to a leaked letter from the prisoners.
Lawyer Mohamed Ramadan to remain in detention awaiting October retrial for inciting violence, due in court Tuesday over island protests Alexandria Criminal Court adjourned the retrial of rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan on Monday to 10 October, after he was sentenced to ten years prison in April for insulting the president, misusing social media and inciting violence. He is to remain in detention awaiting trial.
Mohamed Ramadan, 5 other lawyers in Tiran and Sanafir protest case to receive verdict on July 25 Alexandria Misdemeanour Court announced on Tuesday that it would deliver a verdict against six lawyers in relation to their alleged involvement in protests over Egypt’s transfer of Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia.
Battle over the Nile The Egyptian state renews its battle with Nile islands residents, contesting their ownership of land.
One resident dead, 31 police injured after clashes on Greater Cairo`s Warraq Island One citizen was killed and nineteen injured on Sunday in clashes between security forces and residents of Al-Warraq Island in Greater Cairo, according to health ministry figures. Thirty-one police personnel were also injured in the events according to an interior ministry statement, which described their actions on the island in Giza governorate as part of a campaign to remove illegal structures and encroachments on state property on the banks of the Nile.
Defeat’s possibilities: 3 activists recount 1967 as formative We speak with three politically engaged figures of different orientations who lived 1967 and were formed by it. With them, we ponder the political present through the lens of their pasts. With the slightly discomforting movement of tilting our heads backwards, we wonder what’s left of an anti-colonial liberation movement once charged with the promises of a new republic.
Cairo Criminal Court sentences two people to death over killing of police conscript in May 2013 Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Wednesday two people to death over the killing of a police conscript during protests in Downtown’s Mohamed Mahmoud Street in 2013.
Economy
IMF passes Egypt’s first loan review on condition of stronger fiscal adjustments On Friday, the International Monetary Fund approved the second loan disbursement worth 1.25 billion USD in a three-year extended fund facility agreement worth a total of twelve billion USD, the international creditor said in a press release.
Authorities took right measures to rein in inflation, reduce budget deficit: Lagarde The International Monetary Fund’s executive board has published their first review of Egypt’s economic reform program, which is supported by an arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility on Thursday.
June annual headline inflation rate stabilizes at 30.9% Egypt’s overall annual headline inflation rate for June stood at 30.9 percent, the same as figures recorded in May, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics announced on Monday.
Egypt ranks second among Arab countries in luring foreign investment Egypt has ranked second among Arab countries in attracting foreign direct investment in 2016, according to a recent report issued by The Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation.
Foreign Relations
`Countries that sponsor terrorism should not be in anti-Daesh coalition,` says Egypt FM spokesman Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said on Tuesday that it is not acceptable to have countries that support and sponsor terrorism as members in the global coalition against the militant group Daesh.
Egypt says end to Qatar crisis depends on Doha meeting demands Egypt has reiterated its concerns over Qatar`s "backing of terrorism," saying that resolving the row with Doha is dependent on the state`s "positive response" to demands issued by the four Arab countries boycotting it.
Egypt`s Sisi says `no compromises` in confronting countries that support terrorism Egypt`s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi told Arab information ministers on Wednesday that his country intends to continue confronting those countries that support terrorism.
Egypt, US should continue coordination to defeat terrorism: Egypt`s military chief Egypt`s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. General Mahmoud Hegazy told a senior US Army general on Sunday that the United States and Egypt must continue working together to meet various regional challenges, including terrorism.
Egypt and France conclude `Cleopatra` naval exercises Egyptian and French naval forces concluded on Wednesday joint naval military exercises dubbed "Cleopatra," which ran for several days in Egyptian territorial waters in the Mediterranean and Red seas, the Egyptian army announced on Wednesday.
Egypt`s Sisi and France`s Macron discuss Libya, region by phone Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and President Emmanuel Macron of France discussed the situation in Libya by phone on Sunday.
Parliament’s foreign affairs undersecretary: Italian ambassador to return to Egypt before September The Italian ambassador to Egypt will return to Cairo before September, Nicola Latorre, the head of the Italian Senate’s defense commission, told Egypt’s Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal, according to Egyptian MP Tarek Radwan, the head of the legislature’s foreign affairs committee.
Hamas delegation to Cairo concludes discussions on prisoner exchange with Israel A Hamas delegation’s visit to Cairo – in which members discussed a possible prisoner exchange deal with Israel – ended last night. The delegation, which included commander of the Qassam Brigades Marwan Issa and member of Hamas’ political bureau Rawhi Mushtahi, also discussed steps to ease the blockade on Gaza, as well as security coordination on issues relating to armed groups.
Renaissance Dam: Need for political intervention as technical negotiations get complicated Intense activity by several official Egyptian actors is underway as Ethiopia begins to pool water at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam reservoir site, which Ethiopia began without providing Cairo with official notice. An Egyptian government source told Mada Masr that Addis Ababa has started what he called an “early filling” of the dam.
Egypt`s Sisi receives Argentinian VP Michetti in Cairo Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received Gabriela Michetti, vice president of Argentina, in Cairo on Sunday, according to presidential spokesperson Alaa Youssef.
Domestic Security
5 killed in drive-by shooting targeting police in Giza: Interior Ministry Three Central Security Forces conscripts, an enlisted police officer and one other unidentified person were killed in a drive-by shooting in Giza’s Badrasheen neighborhood on Friday morning, according to an Interior Ministry statement.
Egypt police kill two men suspected of involvement in attack on Giza checkpoint: Security source Two assailants believed to be behind Friday’s attack on a Giza security checkpoint were killed on Saturday by Egyptian security forces, according to a security directorate source.
9 militants killed in Sinai, Ismailia and Giza, announce Egyptian security forces The Egyptian Army and Air Force reported killing a combined number of three militants in central Sinai and the arrest of a fourth, according to a statement made by the military spokesperson this morning, which did not mention when this took place.
Hassm member killed in house raid: Interior Ministry A member of the militant group Hassm was killed in a shootout on Wednesday when the police raided his home in Cairo. Ahmed Suwailem was accused of participating in several attacks, including one on a police patrol in Nasr City earlier in May, according to Interior Ministry statement.
Egypt`s army foils militants attempt to cross Libyan border Egypt’s army forces foiled an attempt to smuggle arms into the country through its western border with Libya, the military said Sunday.
Arabic
الكنائس تمنع استقبال الرحلات والمؤتمرات حتى نهاية يوليو Churches across Egypt suspended all visits and events until late July following security alerts.
مكلومات "الأنبا صموئيل".. الحياة دون سند Families of Coptic victims shot dead on their way to St Samuel Monastery last May struggle to make a living.
الداخلية: الإفراج بالعفو عن 109 نزيلًا و91 شرطيًا بمناسبة عيد الفطر 109 prisoners were pardoned and ninety-one released on parole on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Interior Ministry announced in a statement.
لغز تأخير انتخابات المحليات .. من هي الجهة التي تمنع صدور القانون؟ The delay to municipal elections raises question marks over who is impeding the parliament’s approval of the new local administration law.
بعد إعلان الحكومة دعم القطن.. لماذا اختفى الذهب الأبيض من حقول المصريين؟ Egypt’s government announced its decision to restore cotton production after years of decline.
ما بين منع السفر والتوقيف.. مطار القاهرة «سجن» غير معلن للمعارضين Political opponents have been subject to pressure and illegal measures by the authorities in Egypt’s airport over the past months.
بعد رفع الأسعار| العمال يدفعون ثمن الإصلاح الاقتصادي.. وخبير: انفجار وشيك Egypt’s harsh economic measures have been met with state apparatus crack down on workers across the country.
التصفية".. سلاح الداخلية لمواجهة الإرهاب" According to Egyptian security officials, the government’s war on terrorism led the Interior Ministry to physically eliminate terrorist elements instead of arresting them.
النقل السياحي يرفع التذاكر 15%.. وأسواق الخضار والفاكهة تشتعل The recent fuel prices hikes spurred increases in prices of tourist transportation tickets as well as fruit and vegetables markets.
خلال يومين: القبض على 700 مشجع للأهلي والزمالك من محيط استاد برج العرب Security forces arrested on Sunday 700 Al-Ahly and Zamalek football fans around Borg el-Arab stadium in Alexandria.
الإرهاب في سيناء: الأسئلة الكبرى Remaining questions about how to address future scenarios of terrorism in Sinai have been overlooked by the government.
»مصر | مداهمات «الداخلية»: عشرات القتلى في «عمليات استباقية Security forces killed over twenty-five suspects in raids in what it called “preventive operations,” the Interior Ministry said.
وكيل «العلاقات الخارجية» بالبرلمان: السفير الإيطالي سيعود لمصر قبل سبتمبر المقبل The deputy of Foreign Relations Committee in the House of Representatives announced that Italy’s ambassador will return to Cairo next September after long deliberations on the Regeni murder Case.
بأمر رئاسي: استبعاد مندوب قطر من لقاء السيسي مع وزراء الإعلام العرب Diplomatic sources reveal that Egypt’s presidency dismissed Qatari delegate from Arab Information Ministers meeting in the presidential palace in Cairo on Wednesday.
أهالي معتقلين بـ«وادي النطرون»: إضراب أكثر من 80 سجينًا عن الطعام احتجاجًا على سوء المعاملة Eighty of Wadi al-Natrun political prisoners went on a hunger strike since 5 July in protest against their ill-treatment by authorities in prison.
صندوق النقد الدولي يهنئ شعب مصر ويوافق على الدفعة الثانية The International Monetary Fund announced approval of the second tranche worth twelve billion dollars of Egypt’s loan.
المركزي» يعلن ارتفاع التضخم إلى 31.95% بنهاية يونيو الماضي« Egypt’s Central Bank stated that the core inflation rates increased by thirty percent during June.
الإحصاء": 12.3% زيادة فى قيمة صادرات مصر إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية عام 2016" CAPMAS published a bulletin on US-Egypt economic trade relations, recording a twelve percent increase in Egypt’s export during 2015-2016.
المبادرة المصرية للحقوق الشخصية تطلق حملة :أين تذهب أموالنا هذا العام؟ ٢٠١٧-٢٠١٨ The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights publishes a series of simplified analyses during July on the government’s management of FY 2017-2018 budget as part of its campaign titled “where does our money go this year.”