Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Thursday that it is not logical to mobilize international resources to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) when Egypt is prevented from accessing these resources while fighting a similar enemy internally.
POLITICS
Seven Egyptian parties join hunger strike for release of political prisoners
Seven Egyptian political parties have said they will temporarily join an ongoing hunger strike by activists both inside and outside prison which demands the release of those detained in what they say is a bid to curtail freedoms won during the 2011 revolution. According to a statement published on the Facebook page of the Freedom for the Brave campaign, the Dostour, Karama, Social Democratic, Popular Socialist Alliance, Egypt Freedom, Popular Current and Bread and Freedom parties announced a symbolic nationwide hunger strike on Saturday. They are also calling for the amendment of the protest law. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, Shorouk (Arabic), 9/12/2014]
Nour Party calls for pressure on government to set parliamentary elections date
The Salafi Nour Party said on Friday it has been in contact with several political parties in an effort to pressure the government into announce a date for the upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as issuing a law on the district law. The party has previously stated it will not announce its stance on the elections until the district law is issued. Sources within the party, who asked to remain anonymous, reportedly told Al-Masry al-Youm that the party has developed a plan to counter attempts by the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood from participating in the elections. [AMAY (Arabic), 9/12/2014]
Also of Interest:
Former Egyptian PM Atef Ebeid dies at eighty-two | Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic)
COURTS
Muslim Brotherhood’s lawyer sentenced to one year in jail
The Cairo Criminal Court sentenced on Thursday the Muslim Brotherhood’s lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud for insulting supreme constitutional court judges. Abdel Maqsoud was released on bail pending trial in another case two weeks ago. The court accused Abdel-Maqsoud along with lawyer Nasser al-Hafi of insulting the judges of the supreme constitutional court following the court’s verdict to dissolve the People’s Assembly in June 2012 after ruling that the election was unconstitutional, and one third of the winners were illegitimate. [Ahram Online, 9/12/2014]
Also of Interest:
Two arrested for trying to blow up high voltage pylons in Beheira | Egypt Independent
Twelve suspects arrested in judge’s son murder case | Egypt Independent
Five allegedly arrested for sexually assaulting woman in Saft al-Laban | Egypt Independent
Ten alleged Brotherhood members arrested in Damietta, four arrested in Suez | Egypt Independent
ECONOMY
Egypt finance minister: Funding gap estimated at $11 billion
Minister of Finance Hany Dimian noted that the Egyptian economy is suffering from a funding gap of around $10-11 billion necessary to increase the growth rate up to at least 5-6 percent in order to create enough jobs to reduce unemployment significantly. Dimian said the government is working to bridge this funding gap through business and investment reforms to increase Egyptian exports and restore the flow of tourism to normal levels. [Al-Mal (Arabic), 9/12/2014]
Also of Interest:
Investment Minister: Comprehensive plan on economic reform including restructuring subsidy | SIS
World Bank delegation visits projects in Aswan | AMAY (Arabic)
Two-thirds of the funds for Suez Canal expansion collected in six days | Ahram Online, AMAY (Arabic)
President thanks citizens for buying Suez Canal investment certificates | SIS
Egypt opens first solar-powered gas station | Ahram Online
Minister of electricity: Egypt seeks to increase share of solar energy in electricity generation | Ahram (Arabic)
Housing Ministry discusses installation of fire hydrants in “slums” of Greater Cairo | EGYNews (Arabic)
SOCIETY & MEDIA
Three killed by unidentified gunmen in Minya and North Sinai
A group of Egyptian journalists have set up a new movement campaigning against the protest law issued last. The group, Journalists against the Protest Law, called for a three-day hunger strike and a sit-in to begin on Saturday at the Journalists Syndicate in downtown Cairo, in solidarity with those detained in breaches of the widely criticized law. The planned action, joined by at least five journalists so far, will take place in rotation between the journalists, and the group will decide later on the next moves. [Ahram Online, 9/12/2014]
Also of Interest:
Prominent Egyptian journalist Ahmed Ragab dies at 86 | Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic)
SECURITY
Three killed by unidentified gunmen in Minya and North Sinai
Unknown assailants on Friday shot dead a policeman in the Egyptian southern governorate of Minya, the latest in a string of attacks targeting army and police personnel. Masked gunmen on a motorbike opened fire on an off-duty police sergeant on his way home from work, killing him along with a civilian who was passing near the site of the incident. Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen also killed an army conscript in North Sinai’s al-Arish city on Friday. The conscript was on duty at al-Zohour military camp when armed men driving a car shot him dead on the spot. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, 9/12/2014]
Also of Interest:
Two members of “Mujahedeen Brigades” arrested | EGYNews (Arabic)
Heavy security deployment in Suez | EGYNews (Arabic)
Tens of prisoners injured in Port Said jail fight | Aswat Masriya
Ten arrested, thirty-six terrorist hotbeds destroyed in security crackdown in North Sinai | EGYNews (Arabic)
INTERNATIONAL
Foreign minister says Egypt won’t be part of US alliance against ISIS
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Thursday that it is not logical to mobilize international resources to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) when Egypt is prevented from accessing these resources while fighting a similar enemy internally. Shoukry’s remarks came as a part of an international conference held in Saudi Arabia to discuss international and regional cooperation to combat terrorism in the Middle East. A statement issued after the conference, however, said “The participating states agreed to do their share in the comprehensive fight.” Egypt was mentioned in the final communique, whereas another participating country, Turkey, was not. Meanwhile, the Salafi Call issued a statement rejecting any form of foreign intervention in Arab nations, under what it described as a pretext of fighting terrorism. [DNE, Mada Masr, SIS, 9/12/2014]
US Secretary of State to visit Egypt on Saturday
United States Secretary of State John Kerry will head to Cairo on Saturday after his visit to Turkey, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a press statement. “After visiting Ankara, Turkey, Secretary Kerry will travel to Cairo, Egypt to meet with senior Egyptian officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern,” Psaki said. Kerry will hold talks with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. [Aswat Masriya, 9/12/2014]