An explosion occurred in the vicinity of Cairo University on Wednesday, leaving 10 injured, reported state television. The blast, which occurred outside the university’s main gate, left four police officers, two conscripts and four citizens injured, state television reported, citing the ministry of interior.
A fact-sheet prepared by Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs put the death toll for terrorism acts which took place since January 2011 and until April 2014 at 971, including 664 security personnel.
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SEC prepares for elections; No cabinet reshuffle
The Supreme Electoral Commission (SEC) decided Wednesday to form provincial committees for the upcoming parliamentary elections in governorates across Egypt. The commission decided that each provincial committee will be headed by the president of the preliminary court of each province. Commission spokesman Medhat Idris said the provincial committees are responsible for accepting membership requests for the elections. They will commence their work after the election dates have been announced by the SEC, which had called on all voters to verify their information on the electoral role to ensure that listed details are correct. In addition, there will be not be a cabinet reshuffle before the parliamentary election, a presidential spokesperson has said. At a meeting with journalists on Tuesday, Alaa Youssef added that the presidency was keen to hold the election as soon as possible. [DNE, Aswat Masriya, Ahram Online, 10/22/2014]
Also of Interest
Former PM in talks with parties on parliament elections | Egypt Independent
Egypt’s police stations to have units to monitor human rights abuses | Ahram Online
Nasr City Cell defendants handed lengthy prison sentences
Twenty-five men received jail sentences including life in prison on charges of planning terrorist attacks in Egypt and establishing a terror cell. The defendants, who belong to the ultra-conservative Gamaa Jihadiya group, were arrested in October 2012 and charged with establishing a terrorist cell in Cairo’s Nasr City district with the aim of plotting terror attacks throughout the country. Twelve of the defendants received life in prison, while the others received jail terms ranging from fifteen to seven years. One person was acquitted. The Nasr City cell was the first major terrorist cell related to al-Qaeda that was arrested in Egypt after the 2011 uprising. [Ahram Online, DNE, Mada Masr, 10/22/2014]
Three students to stand trial for protesting inside Azhar University
Egypt’s prosecution ordered on Wednesday the referral of three Azhar University students “who belong to the Muslim Brotherhood” to a criminal court on charges of staging protests on-campus. The defendants are accused of violating the protest law, joining an armed terrorist group and rioting. Security forces arrested students “who chanted against the army and the police and raised banners that had slogans offensive to the police and the University head” last week, according to the prosecution. [Aswat Masriya, 10/22/2014]
Also of Interest
Alexandria lawyers accuse police of “attempted murder” | Aswat Masriya
Freedom and Justice Party submits formal objection against party’s dissolution | DNE
Egypt targets budget deficit of 8 percent within five years, says finance minister
The Egyptian government is planning to trim its budget deficit to 8 percent of gross domestic product in five years by restructuring energy subsidies, the country’s finance minister said on Tuesday. Gradual fiscal reforms relating to taxation and controlling ineffective spending on subsidies will also push public debt down to 80-85 percent by the 2016/7 fiscal year, Hany Kadry Dimian said. Budget deficit has grown from 8.1 percent of GDP in 2009/10 to 12.6 percent in the 2013/14 fiscal year which ended in June. The government forecasts a 10 percent deficit in 2014/15, according to the state budget. Economic growth is also slated to reach 6 percent in the “medium term” as “mega-developmental projects” and tax reform will boost economic activity, Dimian said. [Ahram Online, 10/21/2014]
Egypt plans cash benefits in early 2015 to offset subsidy cuts, says minister
Egypt will introduce two new cash benefits early next year as part of government efforts to minimize the impact of subsidy cuts on the poor, a government ministers said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government raised fuel prices by up to 78 percent shortly after he took office in June—a step that his predecessors had shunned for fear of sparking unrest in a country where millions live in extreme poverty. The price hikes were accompanied by a patchwork of relief measures including free transport in army buses to offset increases in the cost of public transport. But the government will have to offer the hardest hit Egyptians more help, like the new cash transfers, if it is to successfully implement the next phase of subsidy cuts to reduce a budget deficit that exceeds 10 percent of GDP. In an interview for the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit, Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali said the initial phase of the two schemes would target about 2 million people in Upper Egypt, the impoverished rural south of the country, at an initial cost of 2.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($350 million). [Reuters, 10/21/2014]
Also of Interest
Egypt turns to illegal buildings to tackle housing crisis | Reuters
Egypt needs billions to upgrade telecom infrastructure says minister | Reuters
Egyptian revolution activist Asmaa Mahfouz banned from travelling
Prominent revolutionary activist Asmaa Mahfouz was prevented from leaving the country on Tuesday. Mahfouz was boarding a flight to Bangkok when security officials at Cairo Airport told her she was on a travel ban compiled by the prosecutor-general. No reasons have been given by the authorities and Mahfouz has not commented on the matter. Mahfouz was among the prominent youth figures who called for January 25 revolution. Last year she was deported from Kuwait, where her husband works as a doctor, for unspecified reasons. Since her return to Cairo, Mahfouz has kept a low profile. [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, 10/22/2014]
Also of Interest
ANHRI condemns cut-off on live talk show | DNE
Police forces return to Al-Azhar University | DNE
Mahlab says government trying to control universities | Egypt Independent
Policeman killed, another injured in Upper Egypt shooting
A policeman was killed on Wednesday in a drive-by shooting in southern Egypt, the latest in a wave of attacks targeting the country’s police and troops. Unknown assailants opened fire on a security checkpoint in the northern part of Minya, killing the driver of a police vehicle and injuring an officer, according to provincial security head Osama Metwalli. Security forces were combing the area in search of the culprits. Also on Wednesday, a security official denied initial reports of an improvised bomb in Gharbiya’s city of Kafr al-Zayat, northwest of Cairo. Osama Bedir told state news agency MENA that the minor explosion happened when a worn out battery of a motorcycle caught on fire. [Ahram Online, 10/22/2014]
Explosion outside Cairo University injures ten
An explosion occurred in the vicinity of Cairo University on Wednesday, leaving 10 injured, reported state television. The blast, which occurred outside the university’s main gate, left four police officers, two conscripts and four citizens injured, state television reported, citing the ministry of interior. A fact-sheet prepared by Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs put the death toll for terrorism acts which took place since January 2011 and until April 2014 at 971, including 664 security personnel. [Aswat Masriya, AP, 10/22/2014]
Also of Interest
Homemade bomb blasts in Tanta, two injured | Aswat Masriya
One person shot dead, two injured in Sinai’s Rafah | Aswat Masriya
Shots fired from Egypt wound two Israeli soldiers
An Israeli military spokesman said that two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a “cross-border attack from Egypt.” Peter Lerner, Israel Defense Forces spokesman for international media, made the statement on his official Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon. Lerner said those injured are two infantry members – one man and one woman – from the mixed-sex combat unit Caracal Battalion. Israeli daily Haaretz said troops have been sent to the scene. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Senior Israeli military officers were convening to assess the situation following the attack, said Avichay Adraee, Israeli army spokesman for Arab media. He quoted another spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces as saying that “the army would not hesitate to respond to any attacks on its soldiers or citizens.” [Ahram Online, DNE, Egypt Independent, AP, Reuters, 10/22/2014]
Justice minister defends judiciary, pre-trial detentions to EU rep
Justice Minister Mahfouz Saber claimed Egypt has no prisoners under administrative detention, and that all detainees are being held according to a prosecution order or judicial verdict, during a meeting with the European Union’s special convoy for human rights Stavros Lambrinidis on Tuesday. Lambrinidis has held several meetings with ministers in Egypt during his current visit, which takes place two weeks ahead of Egypt’s periodic review by the Human Rights Council. Lawyers and activists have criticized the prosecution for prolonged pre-trial detentions, which have meant the incarceration of hundreds without formal charges or sentencing. There are also concerns the judiciary has been used to target opposition figures. [Mada Masr, 10/22/2014]
Also of Interest
Egypt’s police to train African security personnel | DNE
Egyptian ambassador to UN calls for end to Palestinian occupation | DNE
Egypt calls for ‘return of the Libyan capital’ | DNE
Egyptian, Ethiopian foreign ministers prepare for joint meeting | DNE
Libyan tribal leaders gather in Cairo for unity talks | DNE