[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
Egypt's journalists syndicate affirms support to press freedom Egypt's Journalists' Syndicate stressed in a Tuesday general meeting the importance of freedom of the press in the country following controversial measures taken against two major media outlets.
Four journalists suspended from work, fined over a false image of Sisi’s mother Four journalists working in the state-owned Al-Helal magazine have submitted two memorandums to both the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate and the National Press Authority on Wednesday, appealing a decision issued earlier this week to suspend them from work for fifteen days and to issue them fines between 4,500 and 12,000 LE, Radwan Adam, one of the suspended journalists, told Mada Masr.
RSF launches campaign for Shawkan amid spate of journalist arrests An online campaign in solidarity with detained photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, popularly known as Shawkan, was launched by Reporters Without Borders on Tuesday, amid a recent spate of journalist arrests.
Disappeared journalist appears before Alexandria prosecution, to be detained for 15 days An Alexandria prosecutor’s office ordered on Sunday the detention of journalist Hossam al-Wakil — who has been missing since December of last year — for fifteen days pending investigations into charges of joining an illegal group and disrupting public peace, his brother Hazem al-Wakil told Mada Masr.
Press coverage controversy over Al-Masry Al-Youm editor replacement Hamdi Rizk was appointed editor-in-chief of the daily Al-Masry Al-Youm this week, replacing Mohamed al-Sayed Saleh who was dismissed after running a controversial headline during last month’s presidential elections.
Release order given for 7 out of 23 Ahly football fans after almost a month in detention State Security Prosecution ordered the release, pending further investigation, of seven out of twenty-three Ahly Football Club fans on Thursday, after almost a month in detention following 6 March clashes at Cairo Stadium. One of the fans was released on Tuesday after the death of his father, lawyer Mokhtar Mounir told Mada Masr.
Egypt court upholds death sentences against 4 defendants in 'Ousim terrorist cell case' Egypt's Court of Cassation upheld on Sunday death sentences against four defendants convicted of terror-related charges, including two in absentia, in the 2015 "Ousim terrorist cell case.”
Military court hands preliminary death sentences to 36 accused of St. Peters and St. Paul Church attack, Palm Sunday bombings Thirty-six defendants were handed preliminary death sentences for charges related to the Palm Sunday and the St. Peter and St. Paul Church bombings by a military court on Tuesday. A final verdict is expected on 15 May, pending review by Egypt’s grand mufti.
Draft law on sequestering Muslim Brotherhood assets approved by parliamentary committees Two committees of the Egyptian parliament approved on Sunday a government-drafted law aimed at regulating the procedures for sequestering, managing, and disposing of the assets of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
Egypt parliament approves law regulating National Council for Women Egyptian MPs approved on Sunday a new twenty-three-article law aimed at regulating the National Council of Women, bringing it in line with the 2014 constitution and international conventions signed by Egypt, according to a report prepared by parliament’s social solidarity committee.
Egypt's parliament approves extension of nationwide state of emergency for three months Egypt's parliament approved in a majority vote on Sunday a presidential decree extending for three months a nationwide state of emergency.
Egypt's former top auditor to appear in military court next week The former head of Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization, Hisham Geneina, has been referred to a military trial 16 April, his lawyer Ali Taha announced on Thursday.
Economy
Egypt's unemployment rate falls to 11.8% in 2017: CAPMAS Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 11.8 percent in 2017, from 12.5 percent in 2016, CAPMAS announced on Monday.
World Bank to provide Egypt with $500 million for education reforms in public schools The World Bank is providing a 500 million USD investment in Egypt’s five-year education reforms, a statement by the group said.
Egypt to auction 10 or 11 oil and gas concessions in Mediterranean: Minister Egypt will auction ten or eleven oil and gas exploration blocks in the Mediterranean, petroleum minister Tarek al Molla said on Tuesday.
Foreign Relations
Egyptian FM discusses Iranian intervention with Arab ministers ahead of Riyadh summit Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed the latest regional developments concerning Iran and its intervention in Arab countries' affairs with his Arab counterparts in Riyadh on Thursday, the Egyptian foreign ministry said.
Egypt's President Sisi arrives in Saudi Arabia ahead of Arab Summit Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi arrived on Saturday to Saudi Arabia ahead of the 29th Arab Summit scheduled to start on 15 April in Damam, Al-Ahram reported.
Egypt condemns Houthi ballistic missile attack on Riyadh Egypt has strongly condemned the firing of a number of ballistic missiles by Houthi fighters in Yemen at several Saudi cities, including Riyadh, on Wednesday, an Egyptian foreign ministry statement said.
The Arab region is facing a 'serious crisis,' says Egypt's Sisi at Arab Summit Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that Arab countries are facing unprecedented threats, while criticizing regional states that aim to increase their influence in Arab countries.
Egyptian President Sisi meets with Palestinian leader, Libyan PM on margins of Arab summit Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met late on Saturday with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj in Damam, Saudi Arabia, on the margins of the twenty-ninth Arab summit.
Egypt to open Rafah border crossing for three days Egyptian authorities will open Sinai’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza for three days starting Thursday, according to the embassy of Palestine in Cairo, official Palestinian news agency WAFA announced on Wednesday.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry expresses “extreme concern” over Western strikes on Syria Egypt’s Foreign Ministry expressed its “extreme concern at the current military escalation on Syrian territories,” following airstrikes carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning by US, British and French troops against targets linked to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Egyptian Special Forces travel to Bahrain for joint military drill Members of Egypt’s Special Forces departed the country on Saturday for Bahrain to participate in the joint training military drill “Khaled Bin Al-Waleed 2018” with Bahraini counterparts, a statement by the Egyptian Armed Forces said.
Egypt, UAE launch joint military exercise in Red Sea Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have launched a joint military training exercise off Egypt's eastern shores dubbed Khalifa 3, Egypt's armed forces said in a statement on Tuesday.
Portuguese president to visit Egypt's parliament Thursday Portuguese President Rebelo de Sousa will begin a state visit to Cairo on Thursday, during which he will meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and with the speaker of Egypt's parliament, Ali Abdel-Aal.
Egypt rejects Ethiopian and Sudanese statements on GERD talks' failure An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman has rejected comments by Ethiopian and Sudanese officials that he said blamed Egypt for the failure of a recent round of tripartite talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Russian delegation inspects Cairo airport security measures ahead of arrival of first Russian flight since 2015 A delegation from the Russian Ministry of Transportation inspected on Tuesday security measures at Cairo International Airport one last time before the arrival of the first direct flight from Moscow to Cairo since Russia suspended commercial flights between the two countries in late 2015.
First Russian Aeroflot flight arrives at Cairo airport ending two and a half year ban Cairo International Airport received late Wednesday night its first Russian flight in more than two and a half years, ending a ban by Moscow on direct flights to Egypt following the October 2015 deadly crash of a Russian Airbus A321 shortly after taking off from Sharm al-Sheikh airport.
Domestic Security
Source: At least 20 military personnel killed in Province of Sinai Qusayima attack, as media reports 18 military funerals At least twenty military personnel were killed in a militant attack on an Armed Forces encampment in Qusayima in central Sinai on Saturday, a security source told Mada Masr, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Egyptian Army says 27 'takfiris' killed, 114 suspects arrested as part of Operation Sinai 2018 The Egyptian army and police in North and Central Sinai have killed 27 “takfiris” and arrested 114 suspects, twenty-one of which had criminal records, during the past few days.
Arabic
(أرشيف القهر في الربع الأول من 2018 (يناير-فبراير-مارس El Nadeem issued a report on the systematic human rights violations across Egypt's governorate during the first quarter of 2018.
بعد حبس «عادل صبري» وحجب «المصري اليوم».. الصحافة المصرية إلى أين؟ The article discusses the future of journalism in Egypt amid the state crackdown on freedom of expression.
عقارات الإسكندرية.. قنابل موقوتة Elbadil examines the causes of frequent building collapses in Alexandria.
زيادة أسعار 600 دواء قريبًا.. أعباء جديدة على الفقراء Prices of more than 600 medicines are expected to rise, according to the Minister of Public Affairs.
رفع الدعم عن الكهرباء والوقود لا مفر منه.. واعتراضات النواب مسرحية The government plans to lift subsidy on electricity and fuel.
في استراتيجية مصر 2030: لا أحد يرى العمال! The article discusses how Egypt's vision 2030 marginalizes workers.
«اتصالات النواب» تنتهي من «جرائم المعلومات» .. وتغلظ عقوبات مديري المواقع وتحمي «حسني النية» The parliament's Committee on Communications and Information Technology approved on Thursday the controversial draft law against cyber crimes, imposing penalties on internet users who perpetrate acts that threaten national security.
كم زيادة يتحمّلها المواطن حتى تتخلص الحكومة من دعمها للوقود؟ Mada Masr discusses the effects of rising prices on citizens.
تأجيل محاكمة 41 من متهمي «شبكة تجارة الأعضاء» لـ28 أبريل Cairo Criminal Court adjourned the trial of forty-one defendants in human trafficking case to 28 April, for the completion of the defense hearing.
رئيس الوزراء يفرض حظر التجول ببعض المناطق في شمال سيناء Prime Minister Sherif Ismail announced a curfew in some parts in northern Sinai, according to the Official Gazette.
فيديو..«برلماني»: 1.4 تريليون جنيه موازنة الدولة لعام 2018-2019 The new budget for FY 2018-2019 is estimated to be the highest in Egypt's history, reaching 1.4 trillion Egyptian pounds.
حصاد العملية الشاملة.. من واقع بيانات القوات المسلحة Masr Al-Arabia examines the Armed Forces statements on the outcomes of the Comprehensive Sinai Operation 2018.