Residents in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula said on Wednesday they found a beheaded corpse bearing a note signed by an Islamist militant group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, linked to the Syria and Iraq-based Islamic State in Syria and al-Sham (ISIS), accusing the victim of being an Israeli spy.

POLITICS

Leading Muslim Brotherhood member ready to testify about Raba’a dispersal

The fact-finding committee assigned to investigate the events following the mass June 30 demonstrations announced on Thursday that Mohamed Ali Bishr, a leading Muslim Brotherhood figure was going to testify about the August 2013 dispersal of the sit-ins at Raba’a al-Adaweya next Monday. In a statement issued Thursday afternoon the committee stated that Bishr said he was ready to testify alongside other Brotherhood members after an initial rejection to testify a couple of weeks ago. Bishr also told Riyad that he asked the wife and son of Mohamed al-Beltagy, a leading Muslim Brotherhood figure to testify. [Ahram Online, 9/11/2014]

Also of Interest:

No political slogans during Hajj, says minister |  Ahram Online, Shorouk (Arabic)

Former MP calls for postponement of parliamentary elections | Shorouk (Arabic)

Tahya Masr and Shafiq consider parliamentary alliance | Shorouk (Arabic)

COURTS

Nine members of rap group arrested

Police forces arrested nine members of an underground rap group called “Art Revolution” on Tuesday in Downtown Cairo. The group organized a rap session on Tuesday night in Abdel Moneim Riad Square where the police arrested twenty-four and started investigations with nine the following day. According to the police report, the nine members are charged with chanting hostile phrases against the military and the police, and organizing a rally without prior notice, prohibited by the controversial Protest Law. The defendants’ lawyer said none of those arrested have political affiliations, and that they did not organize a protest, with the event including dancing and reciting rap songs. The case is pending investigations by the prosecution’s office. [DNE, 9/10/2014]

Mahlab orders execution of court order to dissolve Freedom and Justice Party

Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab has ordered Wednesday the execution of the supreme administrative court’s verdict to dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and liquidate its assets. The liquidated assets are to be deposited in the public treasury. [Aswat Masriya, 9/10/2014]

Also of Interest:

Former Al-Ahram chairman released after settlement | Ahram Online

Policemen accused of abusing dead body referred to court | Egypt Independent

Five Brotherhood members and former MPs referred to criminal court | EGYNews (Arabic)

Eight Brotherhood members arrested | EGYNews (Arabic)

Brotherhood members arrested in Beheira for demonstrating without permission | Egypt Independent

Nine “Dunk” movement members released on bail | Aswat Masriya

ECONOMY

Egypt signs $500 million World Bank gas loan

Egypt has signed a $500 million loan with the World Bank to provide natural gas to Egyptian households. The loan will help fund a Petroleum Ministry plan to connect 850,000 Egyptians, particularly in largely rural Upper Egypt, to a natural gas grid, according to the minister of international cooperation. [Reuters, Egypt Independent, 9/11/2014]

Also of Interest:

EU signs 70 million euro grant for Egypt job creation | Ahram Online

Minister: Fifteen agreements on gas, oil exploration to be signed in days | Egypt Independent

Egyptian pound steady on official market, down on black market | Ahram Online, Reuters

Sales of new canal’s investment certificates hit EGP5.5 billion on fifth day | Egypt Independent

Plans to rent gas import terminal further delayed | Mada Masr

Egypt’s Sisi orders formation of ‘Zakat’ charity fund | Ahram Online, SIS

Egyptian official: Poverty main cause of overpopulation | Al-Monitor

Government to conduct consultations with IMF to enhance cooperation | DNE

Bilateral agreements restrict Egypt more than multilateral ones: UNCTAD’s economist | DNE

Minister of Investment: government launches economic reform plan to achieve social justice | Shorouk (Arabic)

Egypt signs Sahara oil exploration deals with US firm | Reuters, Mada Masr

SOCIETY & MEDIA

On-campus political activities banned, says Education minister

Students are banned from practicing political activities inside universities, said Minister of Higher Education Al-Sayed Abdel Khaleq. He added that he will not allow for any partisan or political agendas on university campuses. Abdel Khaleq is due to meet with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss issues regarding education in Egypt, including how to “bring back stability” to the universities before the beginning of the new academic year. [DNE, EGYNews (Arabic), 9/11/2014]

Amnesty International urges Egypt to withdraw NGO law

Amnesty International called for “urgent action” against the “draconian” Law on Associations (Law 84/2002) calling on activists to write to the Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Waly, in a statement released on Wednesday. The statement called on people to urge Egyptian authorities to withdraw the legal requirement for compulsory registration of NGOs under the Law of Associations, which the human rights organization considers “contrary to international human rights standards.” A number of Egyptian human rights organizations currently operate as law firms or not-for-profit companies because authorities refuse to grant them registration or have ignored their registration applications. [DNE, 9/11/2014]

Also of Interest:

Egyptian tribes wary of new provincial boundaries | Al-Monitor

Egyptian hunger strike campaign gains momentum | Ahram Online, Reuters

Five Popular Current members start hunger strike | DNE

Morsi supporters protest increased electricity prices | Shorouk (Arabic)

SECURITY

Militant group leaves signed note on eighth decapitated body found in Sinai

Residents in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula said on Wednesday they found a beheaded corpse bearing a note signed by an Islamist militant group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, linked to the Syria and Iraq-based Islamic State in Syria and al-Sham (ISIS), accusing the victim of being an Israeli spy. The beheading is the eighth claimed by the group in Sinai in under a month in a surge of brutal killings seemingly inspired by ISIS. The note said the man was an agent for Israeli spy agency Mossad. [Reuters, 9/10/2014]

Egypt’s interior ministry strikes ‘one of the most dangerous terrorist cells’

Egypt’s interior ministry said it concluded on Wednesday several preemptive strikes against “one of the most dangerous terrorist cells,” a statement on the ministry’s Facebook account read. Three members of the cell were apprehended by the police. The location of their apprehension was not disclosed. The cell has been recruiting members to carry out attacks against Egyptians, houses of worship, vital state institutions as well as army and police personnel, the statement read. The statement also said police arrested twenty-two members of a “terrorist cell” in Sharqiya governorate, who have set fire to and destroyed a number of electricity pylons. [Ahram Online, 9/10/2014]

Also of Interest:

Three “extremists” killed on Ain Sokhna road, says military source | Aswat Masriya

Judge’s son shot dead in Mansoura | Mada Masr

INTERNATIONAL

Two Qatari royals barred from entering Egypt

Egypt’s airport authorities have barred two members of Qatar’s royal family from entering the country due to them not carrying a visa, state news agency MENA said. The men, identified by MENA as Khalifa bin Jassim Bin Ahmed and his brother Hamad, were stopped at Cairo International Airport on Thursday morning upon their arrival from London for not carrying a pre-issued travel visa. The duo left on the same flight. [Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), 9/11/2014]

Also of Interest:

US delegation in Cairo ahead of Kerry visit | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya

Egypt reiterates ‘full sovereignty’ over Halayeb border land with Sudan | Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic)

Shoukry outlines Libyan support with Russian counterpart | DNE