[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
High commissioner for human rights: Egypt uses state of emergency to systematically restrict civil society Egypt has used the state of emergency imposed in April 2017 to systematically silence civil society and close civic space, under the guise of countering terrorism, said United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein in a speech on Monday.
Egypt says criticism by UN human rights commissioner is `politicised, unfounded` Egypt said on Tuesday that comments made about Egypt by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights were “politicized” and “irrational.
Update: Association of the Families of the Disappeared founder disappears at Cairo airport, brought before State Security Prosecution Lawyer Ibrahim Abdel Moneim Metwally Hegazy, one of the founders of the Association of the Families of the Disappeared, disappeared from Cairo International Airport on Sunday as he was preparing to depart on a flight to Geneva to attend a session of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. He was brought before State Security Prosecution in Cairo’s Fifth Settlement on Tuesday.
Egyptian rights activist Ibrahim Metwaly detained for `establishing illegal group, spreading false news` Egypt`s High State Security Prosecution has ordered the detention of lawyer and human rights activist Ibrahim Metwaly for fifteen days pending investigation into “establishing an illegal group and spreading false news.”
Egypt court sentences 9 to death for killing bodyguard of former central bank governor A Giza criminal court sentenced on Sunday nine people to death for killing the bodyguard of then-governor of the Central Bank of Egypt Hesham Ramez in February 2013.
A diplomatic shake up with a taste of security A recent diplomatic shake up, announced in early August by presidential decree, indicates the direct role that Egypt’s security bodies, General Intelligence Services in particular, play in foreign policy management.
Interpol Removes Qaradawi, 40 Muslim Brotherhood Figures from Wanted List Despite multiple requests from the Egyptian government, the International Police Organization removed on Sunday the names of Youssef Al-Qaradawi, Wagdy Ghoneim, and about forty other members of the Muslim Brotherhood group from its red notice.
INTERVIEW: Architect Mohamed Dessouki on the desperate need to save Alexandria’s parks Mohamed Dessouki, a founding member of Save Alex, a pressure group dedicated to preserving the city’s heritage, fears that the country’s most prominent Mediterranean port city is facing a challenge in preserving its floral wealth as well as its architectural heritage.
Economy
EgyptAir resumes flights to Tokyo after four-year suspension to boost tourism Egypt’s flagship airline EgyptAir is set to resume flights between Cairo and Tokyo, Japan starting October following a four-year suspension, a statement by the airline read on Thursday.
Qatar crisis a negative for all countries involved: Moody`s Rating agency Moody`s said in a report released Wednesday that the three-month-old diplomatic dispute between Qatar and other Arab states has created uncertainty across the Gulf region and could negatively affect the credit outlook of all the countries involved.
Egypt garment exports reach $941 million in 8 months: Council Egypt`s garment exports reached 941 million USD in eight months in 2017, compared to 865 million USD in the same period last year, the readymade garments export council of Egypt announced in its monthly report on Sunday.
Foreign Relations
Qatar, Boycotting Arab States in Heated Arab League Clash The Arab League meeting on Tuesday witnessed a thirty-minute altercation between diplomats from Qatar and the four states boycotting it.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia to hold joint military drill this week Saudi air forces will engage in joint military exercises with their Egyptian counterparts in Egypt later this week.
Egyptian, Saudi air forces start `Faisal 11` joint military drill The Egyptian and Saudi air forces started on Thursday the joint military drill "Faisal 11," which Egypt is hosting for several days, the Egyptian armed forces announced.
Egypt`s Chief-of-Staff Hegazy discusses military cooperation with Japan`s state minister of defence Egypt`s Chief-of-Staff Mahmoud Hegazy met on Thursday with Japanese state minister of defense Tomohiro Yamamoto in Cairo where they discussed military relations between the two countries, the Egyptian defense ministry announced.
Egypt`s interior ministry signs joint training protocol with Italian counterpart Egypt`s Ministry of Interior signed on Wednesday a joint training protocol with Italy`s interior ministry in Rome on organized crime and illegal immigration, the Egyptian interior ministry announced.
Egypt`s FM Shoukry to fly to New York Friday ahead of UN General Assembly Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shouky will fly to New York from London on Friday to take part in the UN General Assembly, the ministry said in a statement.
Egypt`s Shoukry discusses humanitarian issues with UN, ICG officials in New York Egypt`s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry held talks on Saturday with senior figures from the United Nations and the International Crisis Group, discussing deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Middle East and ways of reducing human suffering, ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said via Facebook.
Egypt minister of electricity to address UN Nuclear power agency general meeting in Vienna Egypt`s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker headed on Sunday to Vienna as head of an Egyptian delegation attending the 61st International Atomic Energy Agency General Meeting, which will kick off on Monday
Egypt welcomes moves toward unity by Hamas and Fatah: MENA agency Egypt has welcomed new steps taken by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas`s Fatah movement to build Palestinian unity, the result of Cairo`s efforts to end the long-running feud.
Domestic Security
2 soldiers killed and 12 injured in suicide attack on checkpoint in Rafah Two armed forces soldiers were killed and twelve others were injured in an armed attack on the Dawwar Rafia checkpoint in Rafah yesterday, according to medical sources who spoke to Mada Masr, adding that the victims were transferred to a military hospital in Arish.
Chief suspect in Badrashin attack killed in shootout with police The chief suspect in the Badrashin attack was killed in a shootout after the police raided an apartment in al-Beitash neighborhood in Alexandria, said the Interior Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.
10 suspected armed militants killed, 9 police personnel wounded in Ard al-Lewa raids Ten suspected militants were killed in armed clashes in the Ard al-Lewa neighborhood of Giza when police forces raided two residential units on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry. Four commissioned officers, three conscripts and two criminal investigators were also injured in the altercation.
18 security forces killed and 6 injured in deadly Sinai attack Eighteen security forces were killed and six others injured in an explosion targeting their convoy in North Sinai on Monday afternoon.
18 Policemen killed In North Sinai Attack Claimed By ISIS At least eighteen policemen have been killed and three injured on Monday in a terrorist attack claimed by the Islamic State in North Sinai’s city of al-Arish.
Two Soldiers, Five Militants Killed in North Sinai: Military Egypt’s Armed Forces hindered a terrorist attack on Wednesday on a security checkpoint in North Sinai, killing five militants and injuring two others.
From Jadaliyya Egypt
آخر أيّام المدينة - الجزء الاول Abdullah AlBayyari examines the thematic and cultural significance of Tamer al Saad’s film, “In the Last Days of the City.”
Arabic
القصة الكاملة| تفجيرات العريش.. الإرهاب يطل برأسه مجددًا في شمال سيناء ISIS militants attacked a police convoy in Al Arish in Sinai, leaving eighteen dead and others wounded.
مصر العربية" تنشر تفاصيل صراعات النواب على رئاسة اللجان النوعية" The third convocation of parliament is slated to start on 4 October, parliamentary sources said.
السوشيال ميديا» تشعل معركة الرئاسة.. والأنظار تتجه لشفيق« Social media networks provide a platform for election campaigns challenging Sisi for next year`s presidential elections.
إبراهيم متولي.. وقائع اختفاء ناشط ضد الاختفاء القسري The Association of the Families of the Disappeared denied all the accusations against its coordinator, in a statement, and insisted that it has no political agenda but to help families to know the whereabouts of their relatives.
"تفاصيل ظهور محامي المختفين قسريا بـ"أمن الدولة العليا Lawyer and coordinator of the Association of the Families of the Disappeared Ibrahim Metwally, was brought before the Higher National Security Prosecution, after two-day disappearance over charges of forming an illegal group and cooperating with foreign organizations.
»ننشر أبرز الأخبار الصادرة في تقرير «معلومات الوزراء».. وأهمها «أسعار السلع التموينية The Cabinet Information Center issued Thursday a report on the prices of subsidized commodities among other enacted decisions.
الأعلى للإعلام» يشكل لجنة لمتابعة انتخابات الرئاسة« The Supreme Council for Media established a committee to monitor elections coverage.
)قرار جمهوري بالموافقة على قرض بمليار دولار من البنك الدولي (نص كامل The Official Gazette issued Thursday the presidential approval of the World Bank`s one-billion dollars loan agreement signed on 22 December 2016.
مصر تناقش إنشاء شبكة دولية لقضايا الإرهاب Egypt called for the establishment of an international network to address issues of terrorism.
كيف تآكلت قيمة أجورنا منذ ثورة يناير؟ The article examines the effects of inflation on minimum wages values which have considerably declined since 25 January revolution.
التعبئة والإحصاء» يبدأ إجراءات تحديث «خط الفقر» الشهر المقبل« The Central Agency of Public Mobilization and Statistics announced that it will launch a survey on poverty line in Egypt starting next month.
المركزى» ينتهى من تعديلات قانون الجهاز المصرفى خلال شهر« Egypt`s Central Bank will finalize the national banking system law within a month and send it to the State Council and Cabinet for review, Governor of the Central Bank announced.
التعويم يدفع ميزان المدفوعات لتحقيق فائض بـ13.7 مليار دولار العام المالى الماضى The balance of payments reached 13.7 billion dollars surplus, the highest since 2011.
البنك المركزى: التضخم الأساسى انخفض إلى 34.86% فى أغسطس الماضى The Central Bank announced that the annual basic inflation rate decreased to 34.86 percent in August compared to 35.25 percent in July.
بعد نقل جلستهم إلى معسكر الأمن المركزي بالشلال: تجديد حبس معتقلي الدفوف بالنوبة 15 يوما Aswan Court renewed the detention verdict for another fifteen days against twenty-four Nubians arrested over illegal protest.
الأسبوع المقبل.. انطلاق المناورات الجوية "فيصل 11" بين سلاحي الجو المصري والسعودي في القاهرة Egypt will start joint military exercises known as "Faisal 11" with Saudi Arabia by the end of the next week.
بين السياسة النقدية والمالية.. «المركزي» حائر في خفض معدل التضخم The article looks at how the Central Bank`s financial and monetary policy is likely to affect the inflation rate over the coming period.
القوائم الحمراء» للإنتربول.. كيف تُعد ومتى تُلغى؟« Mada Masr sheds light on how the Interpol functions and whether red notices have been used by Egypt to crackdown on opponents of its regime.