A court in Cairo has banned “all activities” by the Muslim Brotherhood. The ruling on Monday applies to the group, its NGO and “any organization derived from it,” presiding judge, Mohamed al-Sayed said.

GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION

Army will not nominate candidate for Egypt’s presidency: Spokesman
Egypt’s Army spokesman, Colonel Ahmed Ali, said that the military will not nominate or support any candidate for the presidency, as popular calls increase for army Commander-in-Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to run for the position. Ali said these calls are a ‘popular sentiment.’ He reiterated that the Armed Forces does not intend to field or endorse a candidate for the presidential elections. Regarding the military’s role if violence were to erupt in universities and a need for intervention arose by the beginning of the new year, Ali said, “We cannot intervene without a decision issued by the president or an official government request to preserve national security and protect lives. In that case, we will not be late.” [Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, SIS, 9/22/2013]

Brotherhood rejects member’s apology to nation
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has distanced itself from an apology to the nation by one of its senior members. Salah Sultan, who was later arrested on Sunday, wrote a controversial article for the website of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party in which he apologized to Egyptians for the group’s “errors” during its tumultuous year in power. Brotherhood Secretary General Mahmoud Hussein al-Amin said on Thursday that Sultan’s article represented his “personal viewpoint” and “did not express the group’s position.”  [Ahram Online, 9/20/2013]

Also of Interest:
Borhamy: Salafi Call will not nominate presidential hopeful | Egypt Independent
Egypt government says no arrest powers were given to university guards | Aswat Masriya
Al-Muslimany meets youth representatives in Presidential Palace | DNE
126 stolen artifacts are being sold in Israel, says antiquities ministry | Egypt Independent
Presidential adviser: War is our destiny | Egypt Independent
Minister of Endowments meets Nour and Popular Current delegations | DNE
PM Beblawi: Egypt won’t tolerate terrorist groups | Aswat Masriya

COURTS & CONSTITUTION

Egypt constitution ready by end November: panel
A new Egyptian constitution replacing the one suspended on president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster will be put to a referendum by November’s end, Mohamed Salmawy, spokesman for the panel drafting the charter said Sunday. He said the panel has already approved about one-third of the articles, especially those dealing with “human rights and liberties.” He also said they are likely to completely rewrite the constitution, saying “every single article of the constitution is going to be amended or changed or deleted or a new one added.” Meanwhile, Salafist Call spokesperson Yasser Borhamy criticized the committee and accused it of attempting to weaken the country’s “Islamic identity.” He slammed proposed amendments put forward by an earlier ten-member committee of jurists, including changes to Article 4 (removing consultation to Azhar on all matters relating to Sharia) and 81 (removing the part which says freedom exists “as long as it does not contradict the first section of the constitution,” which includes Sharia law and Al-Azhar’s authority to preside over its interpretation). Al Jama’a al-Islamiya also criticized proposed to amendments to Article 3, to which doctrinal principles are the main source of legislation governing the personal and religious affairs of Christians and Jews. The group announced in a statement that changing the article to refer to “the principles of the laws of non-Muslims” would open the door to laws that allow incest and same-sex marriage. Al Azhar representatives in the committee also expressed concerns over amending this article.  [Ahram Online, Reuters, DNE, Egypt Independent, Mada Masr, Aswat Masriya, 9/22/2013]

Egypt court bans Muslim Brotherhood group
A court in Cairo has banned “all activities” by the Muslim Brotherhood. The ruling on Monday applies to the group, its NGO and “any organization derived from it,” presiding judge, Mohamed al-Sayed said. The judge at the Cairo Court for Urgent Matters also ordered the “confiscation of all the group’s money, assets, and buildings” and said that an independent committee should be formed by the Cabinet to manage the money until final court orders are issued. A Brotherhood source told Ahram Online the verdict would be appealed within ten days. The court did not immediately make public the grounds for its ruling. The lawsuit was filed by the leftist Tagammu Party. A court in Alexandria will also decide on December 23 whether the Muslim Brotherhood should be labeled a terrorist group in Egypt. [Ahram Online, Reuters, Aswat Masriya, AP, Egypt Independent, 9/23/2013]

Also of interest:
Muslim Brotherhood leader Sultan arrested, referred to State Security | Mada Masr
Retrial of Mubarak era PM Nazif, interior minister al-Adly, over license plate corruption adjourned | Ahram Online
Egypt’s Kerdasa arrest toll reaches 130, including “chief suspect” | Mada Masr, Ahram Online, DNE, Egypt Independent
Farmers’ representative in Egyptian constitution committee dies in road accident | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya
Mubarak sues doctor who leaked recordings of private conversations| Ahram Online
Doctor who leaked Mubarak audios summoned for interrogation | Egypt Independent
Court renews detention of Al Jazeera Egypt crew members pending trial | Ahram Online
Khosous sectarian violence case adjourned to October 26 | Ahram Online
Six referred to military court in Salloum | DNE
Judicial sources: Qaradawi among wanted figures on airport arrival lists | Egypt Independent
Egyptian authorities arrest twenty-eight people for Alexandria clashes | Aswat Masriya
Official denies excluding candidates for judicial posts for political reasons | SIS
Tamarod joins calls for a mixed political system in the new constitution | DNE
Moussa: constitution is for all | DNE, SIS
Women’s affairs advisor urges bigger role for women in constitution | SIS
Salmawy: Panel keen on entrenching religious freedoms | SIS
Children’s rights group submits proposals to Constituent Assembly | DNE

ECONOMY

Minimum income deemed “unjust” by economists and activists; Labor divided
The recent government decision to set minimum income at EGP1,200 has been met with strong criticism from many economists and activists, who say the figure is too low and is contradictory to the government’s claimed pursuit of social justice. Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF) head Abdel Fattah Ibrahim stated that the new minimum wage does not cover the worker’s full income, which includes his wage as well as a variable salary, such as bonuses. These exceed EGP1,200 at present. The new minimum income decision has also had its proponents, such as Popular Current spokesman Hossam Mo’ness, who hailed the decision as the “grandest decision since the 25 January revolution.”  Minister of Manpower and Immigration Kamal Abu Eita, for his part, said that “the minimum wage decision made by the cabinet is the first step towards the restructuring of the wage system in Egypt.” Meanwhile finance minister Ahmed Galal says the new minimum wage increase could cause unintended consequences to the economy. Deputy Prime Minister Hossam Eissa’s statements on the matter suggest that that the government took the decision hastily. [DNE, Egypt Independent, Ahram Online, 9/22/2013]

Also of Interest:
Transfer of $1 billion from Kuwait to CBE set for next week: Ramez | DNE
Egyptian central bank cuts interest rates for second time in a row | Ahram Online, DNE
Market registers highest gains in six weeks | DNE, SIS, Amwal al-Ghad
Egypt sees 0.5 percent drop in tourists in first eight months of 2013 | Ahram Online
Low turnout on food supply despite new school year, commerce chambers say | Egypt Independent
Wheat stocks to reach three million tonnes by October: source | Egypt Independent
Bank loans achieve 8.2 percent growth during Morsi’s term, versus 6.7 percent a year earlier | DNE
Egypt leads e-commerce sales in MENA says Visa study | DNE
Supply ministry calls for price caps on fruits and vegetables to protect consumers | DNE
CAPMAS: 1.17 million Egyptians officially worked abroad in 2012 | SIS
Electricity Minister: Egypt’s nuclear project postponed until a new parliament elected | SIS
Abdel Nour: QIZ returns reach $1 billion annually | SIS
Egyptian finance minister says returning deposit to Qatar won’t affect cash reserves | Amwal al-Ghad

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Muslim Brotherhood students protest as the new term starts
Protests “to support legitimacy” were held in several universities on Sunday, on the first day of classes. Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam al-Erian called on students to put aside their differences and protest against the Egyptian government. He said that “the hope for humanity” lies with the Egyptian youth who are the “base” of the revolution. At Cairo University, hundreds of students responded to the call and held protests. A protest was held on Saturday by student members of the Muslim Brotherhood at Mansoura University. Students in the Nile Delta town denounced what they described as the military coup which ousted Morsi in July, and chanted against both the military and the police. Due to the protests, clashes between Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters and opponents broke out close to schools and universities in Cairo on Sunday. Eleven students were also injured as supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi clashed with supporters of Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Sunday at Zagazig University. Meanwhile, Cairo Security Chief Osama al-Saghir said that a plan to secure schools and universities in Cairo has been put in place, including the deployment of security forces at all schools and universities. Al-Saghir said that any attempt to threaten the security of students will be dealt with firmly and forcefully. The Interior Ministry is coordinating with school and university officials to implement security orders in the vicinity of their campuses. These measures include preventing any cars from parking around the fences. [SIS, Mada Masr, Egypt Independent, DNE, Ahram Online, Reuters, 9/23/2013]

Also of Interest:
Labor unity is a red line: ETUF | DNE
Labor divided over multiple-unions | DNE
Rights groups call for bill to fight terrorism | Mada Masr
Islamic cleric heckled by Brotherhood juniors on campus | Ahram Online
Egypt’s Islamists to protest at UN headquarters against Foreign Minister | Ahram Online, DNE, Aswat Masriya
Egypt competes with world’s unhappiest nations | Ahram Online

SECURITY

Roadside bomb wounds two soldiers in Egypt’s Sinai as security operation continues
Egyptian security officials say a roadside bomb struck an armored military vehicle in the restive northern part of Sinai Saturday, wounding two conscripts. The officials gave no further details on the attack. They say elsewhere in Sinai on Saturday security forces arrested sixteen suspected militants, including a man wanted in connection to the abduction of six policemen and a border guard earlier this year. Army and police forces on Monday launched sweeping security operations in North Sinai villages as part of a continued counter-terror campaign in the region. Eyewitnesses said explosions were heard as the army launched air raids in the villages of Toma, al-Zaheer and Moqataa in Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid. Security forces also battened down on border villages as well as villages south and west of Arish. A security source said this widescale security campaign has led to the arrest of more than 350 militants since the start of the operations more than two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdes and Mujahideen Shura Council broadcasted videos with scenes of what it described as “the military operations in Sinai and the destruction of residential buildings and residents’ properties.”[AP, Egypt Independent, 9/23/2013]

Also of Interest:
Security forces arrest thirteen after storming another Minya village | Egypt Independent
Egyptian Arrested for Naming Donkey After General | AP
Explosion in Suez leaves no casualties | Egypt Independent

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Civilians will not face military trials, Egypt FM tells Kerry
Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on Sunday assured his American counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry that civilians arrested during recent protests across Egypt would not face military trials. Fahmy “said that all of the people who are under arrest will be put through the normal judicial process, he said specifically not military court,” a senior US official said, asking not to be named. The Egyptian minister also told Kerry that “there are time limits” on how long those arrested can be interrogated for and that “there are time limits on the entire process,” the US official said, adding that he was not specific and the US administration intended to seek further details. [Ahram Online, SIS, 9/23/2013]

Also of Interest:
Egyptian business leaders to gather in NYC for International Economic Reform Forum | Ahram Online
Egypt’s tourism minister visits Germany and France, will ask them to lift travel bans | Ahram Online, Egypt Independent, SIS
Netherlands, Belgium lift travel ban to Egypt ban | SIS
Attempts against Egypt-Kuwait relationship have failed: al-Muslimany | DNE
AmCham president: Political tension between the United States and Egypt will not reflect on trade | DNE
Irrigation Minister: South Sudan did not sign ’Entebbe’ agreement | SIS
Hegazy: President to visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE | SIS
Russian ambassador in Cairo: Egypt to return to its regional role | SIS