Egypt’s Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim survived an assassination attempt unscathed when a bomb detonated early on Thursday near his convoy in northeast Cairo.

GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION

Egypt is living the worst time of its history: NCSL
A press conference was held by the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy Wednesday in the headquarters of the Labor Party where a statement was read, announcing “Nationwide protests Friday” after calling for the “return of legitimacy.” The conference was held by ten members of the coalition. Khaled Hanafy, Muslim Brotherhood member and Freedom and Justice Party representative was present, along with Ahmed al-Khouly from the Labor Party and Ahmed Abul-Nasr from the Building and Development Party. Khouly’s statement gave “examples of how the coup failed on a political, economic and civil rights level” explaining that on a “political level the coup regime is working to reinstate Mubarak’s regime and end the 25 January Revolution.” [DNE, 9/4/2013]

Government committee tasked with implementing ‘Path to Democracy’ program
The government has formed a committee tasked with implementing the government’s political program, ‘Protecting the Path to Democracy,’ laid out on August 21 which it says aims to protect the country’s democratic transition. The committee, which includes Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Bahaa-Eldin, presidential adviser Moustafa Hegazy, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, Amr al-Shobaky, and Ezz al-Din Shoukry, will offer recommendations to the National Reconciliation Commission, the National Defense Council and the Cabinet, that should ensure the continuation of the democratic process, and the safeguarding of citizens’ freedoms and rights. [Ahram (Arabic), 9/5/2013]

Also of Interest:
Egypt’s Brotherhood and allies: Back to square one, and beyond | Ahram Online
Presidential adviser discusses road map with Free Egyptians Party | EGYNews (Arabic)
Presidency clarifies Mansour’s military trials comments | DNE
Socialist Popular Alliance could accept roadmap change: Leader | Ahram Online
Egypt’s social democrats reject individual voting system | Ahram Online
Al-Jama’a al-Islamiya criticizes Morsi’s referral to criminal court | Ahram Online
“Patriotic” Sisi must rely on democracy, al-Jama’a al-Islamiya figure says | Egypt Independent

COURTS & CONSTITUTION

Former Egypt prosecutor general and deputy banned from travel
Former Egyptian Prosecutor General Talaat Abdallah, former deputy Judge Hassan Yassin and Ayman al-Werdany have been banned Wednesday from travel pending investigations by prosecutor Judge Mohamed Shereen Fahmy into accusations that they planted bugs in the prosecutor-general’s office and using their influence for profiteering and making illicit gains. [Ahram Online, DNE, Aswat Masriya, Ahram (Arabic), 9/4/2013]

Also of interest:
Brotherhood’s Beltagy detained for fifteen days for investigations | Aswat Masriya
Egypt’s constitution drafters defend eliminating controversial Sharia article | Ahram Online
Former head of EgyptAir cleared of corruption charges | EGYNews (Arabic)
Two Brotherhood leaders detained in Hurghada for fifteen days | EGYNews (Arabic)

ECONOMY

Galal: Egypt targeting budget deficit of 9 percent in 2013-2014
Finance Minister Ahmed Galal affirmed that the interim government will “adopt policy reforms, as if the IMF was in town, but not necessarily along the IMF’s policies” and aims to reduce budget deficit from 13-14 percent to 9 percent in the next fiscal year. He said that the new interim government has decided to go for a path that “is really difficult to achieve,” which is bringing about macro stability specifically in terms of the budget deficit, while adopting an expansionary fiscal policy, in addition to addressing social inequality. [DNE, 9/4/2013]

Also of Interest:
Telecom Egypt will launch a mobile network | Egypt Independent
EgyptAir cuts ticket prices by 20 percent | Egypt Independent
Egypt’s main index recovers promptly after Cairo explosion | Ahram Online
Egyptian banks register profits despite economic uncertainties | DNE
August is tenth month in a row of decline in economic activity | Mada Masr
Qatar delays conversion of deposits to bonds | Mada Masr
Egypt’s foreign currency reserves inch up to $18.91 billion in August | Ahram Online
Egypt pound strengthens at bumper $1.3 billion currency sale | Reuters

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Ministry of Endowment closes 2,200 mosques in Fayoum
2,200 out of Fayoum governorates 3,200 mosques have been closed by order of the Ministry of Endowment. The closure comes as part of a decision by the ministry to forbid non-Azhar graduates from leading Friday sermons in the mosques. [Shorouk (Arabic), 9/5/2013]

Also of Interest:
Business tycoon Mohamed Abul Enein leaves Cairo after lifting his travel ban | Egypt Independent
Egyptian journalists rally at the ministry of justice | AMAY (Arabic)

SECURITY

Bomb explodes near Egypt interior minister’s convoy
Egypt’s Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim survived an assassination attempt unscathed when a bomb detonated early on Thursday near his convoy in northeast Cairo. Ibrahim said the attack was “not the end but the beginning” of a new wave of terrorism, but that the authorities would win out. At least twenty-two people were wounded, including two policemen, a British woman, and a child. An unidentified body that likely belonged to an attacker was found at the site of the attack, according to security officials. Al-Masry Al-Youm earlier reported that two of the minister’s guards were killed, Reuters instead said two assailants had been killed by security forces in the attack. Security forces sealed off roads leading to the ministry of interior in downtown Cairo after the attack. No organization immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the biggest yet on the new government. Al-Jama’a al-Islamiya, and the Islamic Party, the political arm of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad group, denied any connection with the assassination attempt. The US Embassy in Egypt urged its citizens to be cautious following the attack. The attack was condemned locally and regionally, by the Muslim Brotherhood, Nour Party, the Popular Current, the Constitution Party, Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi, Amr Moussa, and Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, among others. Qatar’s ministry of foreign affairs also released a statement condemning the attack. [Ahram Online, DNE, Reuters, AP, SIS, Mada Masr, Ikhwanweb, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), 9/5/2013]

Armed attack kills two conscripts in Egypt’s Sinai
At least two conscripts were killed on Wednesday in an attack by unknown assailants in Egypt’s restive Sinai peninsula. The attack, which took place in the Gisr al-Wady district of northern Sinai’s al-Arish, left at least nine injured, according to Daily News Egypt. Unknown assailants also attempted to assassinate Eissa al-Kharafin, 68, a previous member of the People’s Assembly representing the city of Rafah, and prominent figure within the North Sinai al-Ramilat tribe. Meanwhile, al-Salafiya al-Jihadiya accused the army and police of intentionally misleading the public concerning developments in Sinai in a statement issued on Wednesday. The statement denied reports from the armed forces that a military operation earlier this week left eight militants dead, instead claiming that security forces had carried out arrests against people with no connection to aggression, adding that death tolls in operations in Sinai are deliberately exaggerated. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, DNE, 9/5/2013]

Also of Interest:
Banks demand security | DNE
Army lieutenant killed at Ismailia checkpoint | Egypt Independent, EGYNews (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic)

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Obama weighs Egypt aid suspension
US officials say President Barack Obama’s top national security aides have recommended that the United States suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in military and economic assistance to Egypt in response to the Egyptian military’s ouster of the country’s first democratically elected leader. The officials say the recommendation has been with Obama for at least a week but they don’t expect him to make a decision until after the full Congress votes on his request for authorization for military strikes on Syria, which is not expected before Monday. The US government, however, faces billions of dollars in potential costs if it decides to cancel foreign military aid to Egypt, Richard Genaille, deputy director of the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, said. [AP, Reuters, 9/4/2013]

Also of Interest:
Egyptian FM: Israel’s storming al-Aqsa could stoke religious unrest | Egypt Independent
Egypt’s Mufti decries Israeli construction in al-Aqsa Mosque |  Ahram Online
African Union calls on Egypt’s political forces to support transition, Brotherhood inclusion | Ahram Online