[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
On Warraq Island, popular democracy defies secret state plans Since declaring its intention to vacate Nile islands, the state’s strategy regarding Warraq Island has gone through several stages: from the use of violence, to negotiation, to legal persecution.
Two activists detained in Tiran and Sanafir protest case Two Alexandrian activists were taken into detention on Saturday while attending a court hearing for protesting without permit against the Tiran and Sanafir maritime border agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Activist Mahienour al-Massry Detained During Court Hearing Rights lawyer and activist Mahienour al-Massry, along with Bread and Freedom Party member Moatasem Medhat, were detained Saturday during a court hearing in the Alexandria on charges of participating in unauthorized protests against the Tiran and Sanafir maritime border agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Police raid Merit Publishing House, detain volunteer Police raided the downtown premises of Merit Publishing House on Sunday night and detained one volunteer, Mohamed Zein, according to lawyer Mohamed Eissa. Zein is scheduled to appear before the Abdeen prosecution early on Monday for questioning on allegations of being in possession of unregistered books without ISBNs.
24 Nubian Protesters Released in Aswan Moreover, a number of Nubian activists have been arrested, on 7 November, protesting the death of prominent Nubian activist Gamal Sorour, for ‘medical negligence’ following a diabetic coma.
Young Egyptian Expats in Rare Parliament Visit A group of Egyptian youth living abroad visited the Egyptian Parliament in a rare visit.
We need to talk, indeed! “#weneedtotalk” elicited strong reactions from some Egyptians, ranging from mockery to anger and outrage. As they pointed out, “we talked, and look where it got us.”
Egyptian Singer Sherine Abdel Wahab to Face Trial for ‘Offending the River Nile’ Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab to face trial after making a joke about the Nile carrying diseases during a concert held in the United Arab Emirates, last January.
Preliminary Death Sentence for Defendant in Coptic Priest Murder Case A Cairo Criminal court released a tentative death penalty verdict against the defendant in the case of Coptic priest Samaan Shehata’s murder.
Egypt Receives Official Warning From UN Lawyer Over Closure of Churches Fellow of the UN High Commissioner for Minority Affairs, Joseph Malak, sent a warning on Sunday to Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and other officials, urging them to stop the closure of churches. He added that the government will be given one-week to reopen the closed churches and adhere to the law and constitution.
Egyptian prosecution summons 'Sheikh Jackson' star El-Fishawy for questioning over 'contempt of religion' A Cairo prosecution has summoned actor Ahmed al-Fishawy for questioning over accusations of “contempt of religion” in his recent movie Sheikh Jackson.
Egypt parliament to discuss law to safeguard 'historical and religious symbols' from media defamation Egypt's parliament is to discuss a law aimed at safeguarding "historical and religious symbols" from media defamation.
Economy
Q3 2017 sees slight decrease in unemployment rate Egypt’s unemployment rate witnessed a “limited decrease” in the third quarter of 2017, according to a statement issued by Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics on Wednesday. Unemployment reached 11.9 percent between July and September of this year, compared to 12.6 percent in the third quarter of 2016.
Egypt's Sisi inaugurates Middle East's largest fish farm Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated on Saturday the Middle East’s largest fish farm in the country’s Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.
Egypt is Building World’s Largest Seawater Desalination Plant In continuing efforts to fulfill its growing water needs, Egypt is set to build the largest seawater desalination plant in the world in the Red Sea city of Ain Sokha, head of the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority, Kamal al-Wazir, said earlier this week.
Egypt Intends to Cut Fuel Subsidies Amid Fuel Cost Surge Egypt’s government seeks to remove subsidies on petroleum products within the coming years, Oil Minister Tarek al-Molla told reporters on Sunday.
Toxic burning of rice straw in Egypt down 13-15% in 2017: Minister Egypt's environment minister Khaled Fahmy has said that the toxic practice of burning rice straw at the end of the harvest season has reduced this year by thirteen to fifteen percent.
Foreign Relations
Q&A with German MP Stefan Liebich: Revealing German arms exports to Egypt Germany’s arms export policy in the Middle East came under fire from the country’s opposition MPs and media outlets this week. In reply to a parliamentary inquiry submitted by Stefan Liebich, a left-wing Die Linke party MP, the German government confirmed that it had authorized weapons and arms exports worth 1.27 billion euros in the third quarter of 2017, 871 million euros of which are due to be exported to non-European Union or non-NATO states.
Young Egyptians to Present MUN Resolution before UN Security Council Around fifteen young Egyptian people will be selected to present a resolution read out during the Model United Nations session held as part of the World Youth Forum earlier this month before the United Nations Security Council, said Amr Seda, one of the Presidential Leadership Program students and one of the participants in the MUN.
Egypt’s Water Share of the River Nile Is a “Matter of Life or Death”: Al-Sisi on Ethiopian Dam Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed in a speech on Saturday that no one can touch Egypt’s water share of the River Nile.
Concerns Arise in Egypt After Failed Agreement on Ethiopian Dam Studies Report A tripartite ministerial meeting that was held in Cairo on Sunday failed to reach a consensus on the introductory report pertaining to the regional impact of the Ethiopian dam, Egypt’s minister of irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aaty said.
Egypt informs US of 'deadlock reached' in Ethiopian dam studies Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry informed Sunday US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of a deadlock in the process of carrying out studies on the effects of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam on downstream countries.
Saudi Arabia Denies Claim Egypt’s Former Interior Minister Advising Crown Prince Following the publication of an article in The New York Times Tuesday claiming that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking advise from Egypt’s notorious Mubarak-era Interior Minister Habib al-Adli, the Saudi embassy in Washington is now denying the claim.
Updated: Egypt says date of Hariri's visit still undecided Egypt denied late on Sunday that Saad al-Hariri, who announced his resignation as Lebanese prime minister from Saudi Arabia on 4 November, will visit Cairo in the next couple of days to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
France's Macron discusses Middle East developments with Egypt's Sisi in a phone call Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received a telephone call Saturday night from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during which they discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and ways of achieving stability and peace in the area, the French Elysee presidential palace announced.
Arab League secretary-general urges UN to address Iran's hostilities against Arab countries Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged the United Nations on Sunday to prevent Iran from pushing the region to the “edge of an abyss,” saying that the missile recently fired from Yemen into Saudi Arabia represents an act of hostility against all Arab countries.
Egypt's Sisi meets world Evangelical churches delegation in Cairo Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met on Sunday a delegation of leading figures from Evangelical churches around the world as part of the Egyptian Evangelical Church's celebration of the start of the Evangelical Reformation 500 years ago.
Domestic Security
Clashes between Jund al-Islam and Province of Sinai: The return of Al-Qaeda? Militant group Jund al-Islam announced on Saturday that it engaged, for the first time, in clashes with militants from Province of Sinai – the Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt – in mid-October, in response to what it called “the Baghdadi-led Khawarij targeting Muslims and laying siege to Gaza.”
Police arrest Libyan citizen accused of involvement in Wahat Road attack Egyptian security forces have arrested a Libyan national accused of involvement in the Wahat Road attack on 20 October, according to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry on Thursday.
New security measures at military-owned Arish cement factory after contracted drivers halt work A high-ranking military delegation visited the Armed-Forces’ Arish Cement Company factory in North Sinai one week after armed militants attacked contracted drivers, according to an administrative source in the factory. Following the visit, the company instituted new precautionary security measures to address the spate of attacks on the factory’s personnel.
Egyptian military court upholds death sentences of 15 N. Sinai terrorists A high military court in Ismailia has rejected appeals by fifteen terrorists convicted of killing soldiers in North Sinai, Al-Ahram Arabic reported on Monday, confirming the death penalties issued to them.
Arabic
تحديات السيادة الغذائية في العالم العربي "مصر نموذجا" The paper examines the challenges of food sovereignty in the Arab world with a particular focus on Egypt.
التأمين الصحي الشامل» بين الخصخصة والحماية من غلاء العلاج» The article discusses the comprehensive health insurance bill on Egypt's health sector.
هنا الوراق.. الديمقراطية الشعبية لمواجهة خطط الدولة السرية The article discusses the several stages of the residents' battle with the government to contend ownership over Al-Waraq island.
انخفاض القوة الشرائية يحافظ على تراجع الواردات في أغسطس The trade deficit fell by 26.7 percent in August while Egypt's imports increased by 3.31 billion USD, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
التعبئة والإحصاء»: تراجع البطالة إلى 11.9% في الربع الثالث من 2017» Unemployment rate dropped by 11.9 percent in the third quarter of 2017 compared with 12.6 percent last year.
التأهل لكأس العالم: تسييس الكرة في مصر Ziad Akl writes about the political use of football in Egypt
«حلول برلمانية لأزمة سد النهضة .. وهذ مصير «الضربة العسكرية Analysts discuss parliamentarian solutions to the prolonged Renaissance Dam crisis.
البرلمان يستعد لتقنين المواقع الاليكترونية بزيارات ميدانية MPs discussed on Tuesday seven articles in the draft law on the organization of the press and media, and unveiled plans to legalize websites, the Chairman of the Committee on Information, Culture and Antiquities said.
مشروع قانون "المنظمات النقابية".. المعارضون يرفعون الجدال للسيسي Politicians, parliamentarians and workers' representatives joined together on Monday to address President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi with a memorandum demanding him to intervene against labor union bill, which is currently being discussed by the parliament.
انتكاسة جديدة في مفاوضات سد النهضة.. ومطالب بتدويل القضية The spokesman for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced the failure to reach an agreement with Ethiopia over the Dam construction.
(إرهابي «الواحات» الأجنبي يسرد تفاصيل دخوله إلى مصر عبر الحدود الليبية ومن ساعده (فيديو The article reports the interview of captured foreign terrorist in Al-Wahat operation.