Al-Azhar University Brotherhood students announced on Thursday that they would begin a new round of protests, coinciding with the start of the new school year on Saturday.

POLITICS

Egypt forms committee to draft law for Nubian resettlement
Plans to develop a new city around Lake Nasser in the south of Egypt were put in motion on Wednesday after the minister of transitional justice ordered the formation of a committee to draft a law overseeing the project. The draft law will lead to the development of Nubian areas and the shores of Lake Nasser near Aswan in Upper Egypt. The region is linked with Nubians, who were displaced from their homes in 1964 to make room for the Aswan High Dam and its resulting artificial lake, Lake Nasser. [Ahram Online, 10/8/2014]

Also of Interest
ElBaradei declines to testify before June 30 fact-finding panel | Egypt Independent
Presidential decree issued pardoning prisoners for October 6 and Eid al-Adha | Ahram Gateway (Arabic), EGYNews (Arabic),

COURTS

Hunger striker Mohamed Soltan moved to Cairo hospital
Mohamed Soltan, on hunger strike for more than eight months, was transferred to an intensive care unit after his health deteriorated dramatically, Amnesty International said Wednesday, calling for his immediate release. Soltan’s brother said Thursday that Soltan has been moved to hospital due to internal bleeding – which he said could be in the detainee’s brain, according to medical tests. The Freedom for the Brave movement has continued to call for Soltan’s release, saying that he is suffering from a genetic disease that causes blood clotting and as such lacks the necessary medical care in prison. [AP, Ahram Online, 10/9/2014]

Also of Interest
Trial of 205 Brotherhood members to resume on October 11 | EGYNews (Arabic)
Finance, education officials referred to trial on corruption charges | Mada Masr
Official Gazette publishes details on dissolution of Freedom and Justice Party | Shorouk (Arabic)

ECONOMY

Egypt inflation slows in September
Egypt’s annual headline inflation rate fell to 11.1 percent in September, from 11.4 percent the previous month, state statistical body CAPMAS announced on Thursday. [Ahram Online, Reuters, 10/9/2014]

Work conditions in Egyptian public sector better than private businesses: Report
Only 58 percent of Egyptian employees have a legal contract with their employer, according to a report by Egypt’s official statistics body released on Wednesday. More than 90 percent of Egypt’s paid workers in the government and public sector have social and health insurance compared to less than a quarter of private sector workers. [Ahram Online, 10/8/2014]

Also of Interest
Finance Minister to unfold Egypt’s economic reform program at WB, IMF meetings | SIS
IMF: Only 5 percent of Egypt’s firms use banks to finance investment | Egypt Independent
CAPMAS: Egypt’s housing market slowing sharply in 2012/2013 | Egypt Independent
Investment Minister: 95 percent of fertilizer factories’ needs to be provided for by November through gas imports | DNE
Eid holidays raise occupancy rates in Red Sea and South Sinai hotels | DNE
Abdel Nour: Egypt aims to build twenty-two industrial complexes in fourteen provinces | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Brotherhood students announce protests at Al-Azhar amid heightened security
Al-Azhar University Brotherhood students announced on Thursday that they would begin a new round of protests, coinciding with the start of the new school year on Saturday. Meanwhile, Al-Azhar University Vice President, Ibrahim al-Hodhod, confirmed that any students or faculty members accused of violent attacks will be expelled or fired. Meanwhile, security measures at Cairo University are already in place in anticipation of the new school year. These include new, black steel walls, surveillance cameras, and bomb-detection devices. Heavily armed riot police also have permanent positions directly outside the campus. [ONA (Arabic), AP, 10/9/2014]

Also of Interest
Business class metro in Egypt? | Egypt Independent
Egyptian photojournalist in jail without trial for fourteen months | The Guardian
Letter from scientists prompts Suez Canal conspiracy theories | Mada Masr

SECURITY

Police use teargas to protect Upper Egypt police station from attack
Police prevented a crowd from breaking into a police station in Upper Egypt’s Aswan on Wednesday to free a number of detainees held in the building. Police dispersed the crowd with tear gas and arrested six of the assailants. The crowd was attempting to free a group detained after being accused of involvement in a fight. Dozens of the detainees’ relatives threw stones at the police station, leading the police to fire teargas. [Ahram Online, 10/8/2014]

Also of Interest
Two Sinai militants killed, four arrested in army raid | ONA (Arabic)

INTERNATIONAL

Egypt’s prime minister rejects any foreign intervention in Libya
Egypt on Wednesday reiterated its support to Libya as well as its rejection of any interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring North African country. The comments were made by Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab following talks with his Libyan counterpart Abdullah al-Thinni in Cairo that Egyptian official hailed as “significantly important.” In a meeting with Thinni on Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gave directives on offering assistance to Libya, and instructed the ministries concerned to discuss these issues and to find solutions to them. On Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Libyan counterpart, Mohamed al-Dayry. [Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), 10/9/2014]

Also of Interest
Egypt’s foreign minister meets with Sudanese counterpart | Aswat Masriya, SIS, EGYNews (Arabic)
Egypt slams Israeli practices against Palestinians | SIS
Kerry, Ashton to visit Egypt next Sunday for Gaza reconstruction conference | Aswat Masriya (Arabic), Shorouk (Arabic), Ahram Gateway (Arabic)