[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
The death of a Tora Prison complex employee on Friday who tested positive for COVID-19 is raising concerns that the pandemic might spread to Egypt’s overcrowded prisons, where there has been a documented lack of healthcare provision.
Ongoing arrests of social media personalities on morality charges
Maher, who has more than 350,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, was arrested from his home in the Cairo neighborhood of Sherbeen yesterday, according to news reports. He is the first well-known man to be arrested in what appears to be a sweep targeting social media users. Four female social media personalities, including a teenager who was arrested after she spoke out about being raped, have been taken into custody within the last two months on public morality charges.
Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court rules to dissolve Building and Development Party
The Political Parties Department at the Supreme Administrative Court accepted a request by the Political Parties Affairs Committee to dissolve the Building and Development Party, and liquidate its funds.
Egypt’s health minister and medical syndicate head discuss challenges facing medical teams
The Egyptian Medical Syndicate (EMS) said in a statement on Sunday that Health Minister Hala Zayed and the head of the EMS Dr Hussein Khairy agreed on opening a twenty-four-hour channel of communication between them, so that the problems facing medical teams can be solved directly.
Claims of coronavirus cases at Borg El-Arab Prison are baseless: Egyptian security source
An Egyptian security source dismissed on Saturday claims that there are coronavirus infections at Borg al-Arab prison.
Initial investigation into the death of Dr Walid Yehia Abdel-Halim after he had contracted the coronavirus revealed that "some aspects of administrative deficiency" have occurred in dealing with the infected doctor at the hospital, the health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Foreign Policy
Cyprus’ Anastasiades, Egypt’s Sisi discuss regional, bilateral issues by phone
Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades conveyed to Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the European Union’s appreciation of Cairo’s efforts in fighting terrorism and in combating illegal migration in a phone call on Friday.
Egypt's Sisi discusses Libya developments with France's Macron in phone call
Egypt’s consistent strategic stance towards the Libyan crisis also includes, according to Sisi, putting an end to all foreign interference in Libya's domestic affairs that would further exacerbate the current situation, which constitutes a threat to the security and stability of the entire Middle East and Mediterranean region.
Economy
Egypt producing 7.2 bcf per day of natural gas: Cabinet
Egypt’s production of natural gas stands at an average of 7.2 billion cubic feet (bcf) per day, the cabinet said in a statement on Saturday.
IMF approves medium-term, $1.186 bln budget for FY 2021/23
The IMF said the approved gross administrative budget for FY 2021, which covers all administrative expenses less receipts (primarily from external sources to help support capacity building activities and excluding lending income), has been set at 1.186 billion dollars.
Electricity Holding targets investments of LE32.4B in 20/21
The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company targets investments of 32.4 billion Egyptian pounds during next fiscal year 2020/2021, according company’s chairman, Gaber Desouky.
Bourse gains LE 5 billion in early trading
The Egyptian Exchange (EGX) indexes achieved collective gains in early trading on Sunday prompted by the purchases of Egyptian and Arab institutions and investment funds.
Domestic Security
19 takfiris killed in North Sinai operations, 5 army personnel 'killed or injured': Armed Forces
Egypt’s armed forces has killed nineteen “takfiris” in North Sinai during anti-terrorism operations last week, a statement by the military read late on Saturday, with operations resulting in the “death or injury” of five army personnel.
Egypt reports a daily record of 1,289 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths on Friday
Egypt on Friday reported the highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases and deaths with 1,289 new cases and thirty-four deaths.
Egypt's Press Syndicate records total of 11 coronavirus cases among its members
Egypt’s Press Syndicate said coronavirus infections among its journalists rose to eleven, including three deaths, head of the syndicate Diaa Rashwan said.
26th Egyptian doctor dies from coronavirus: Doctors Syndicate
According to Ibrahim al-Zayat, a member of the Medical Syndicate’s board, Abul Ela is the twenty-sixth doctor to pass away from COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus in Egypt, according to the syndicate’s figures. The syndicate said that over 330 doctors in Egypt have been infected by the coronavirus.
More Egyptian MPs test positive for coronavirus
Four Egyptian MPs are being quarantined at private hospitals after presenting symptoms of the coronavirus pandemic, Mahmoud Fawzi, secretary-general of Egypt's House of Representatives, revealed Sunday.
Authorities across Egypt begin enforcing face mask rule
Authorities across Egypt began enforcing a ministerial decree ordering people to wear face masks in public, with fines imposed against any violators, to help stem the soaring coronavirus outbreak.
Arabic
مدير مستشفى صدر العباسية السابق: مصابو كورونا في مصر أكثر من المعلن
An Egyptian doctor has caused controversy over the number of coronavirus cases in the country which may be higher than the reported figures.
كيف تعايشت المصانع مع «كورونا»؟
Mada Masr examines Egyptian factories’ measures to deal with the coronavirus crisis.