University administrations are tightening their grip on student communities with an onslaught of new security measures as they prepare for the new academic year on October 11.

POLITICS

Sisi amends Police Authority law
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued on Thursday a presidential decree amending some provisions of the Police Authority law. Under the amendments, the military judiciary alone is now the only body tasked with trying recruits accused of crimes. [SIS, 10/10/2014]

Also of Interest
Egypt’s new electricity deputy minister takes oath before president Sisi | Ahram Online
Chairman of the fact-finding committee: preparation of the first draft done | Shorouk (Arabic)
Popular Socialist Alliance leader: party ready for parliamentary elections  | Shorouk (Arabic)

COURTS

Hunger strikers Douma and Soltan remain in hospital
Prominent political activist Ahmed Douma remains in Qasr al-Aini hospital on Thursday after being admitted earlier this week. Security officials said Douma was going to be transferred to a private hospital on Wednesday but according to his wife he is still in the state-run Qasr al-Aini hospital. Douma, who is serving a three-year sentence for breaking the protest law last November, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday after repeated requests from him to receive urgent treatment for a kidney condition. Another hunger striking activist, Mohamed Soltan, also remains in hospital. Soltan’s family, in a statement on Thursday, placed full responsibility of his life on the Egyptian Ministry of Interior and the US embassy. [Ahram Online, DNE, 10/9/2014]

Also of Interest
Twenty-two Brotherhood members arrested in Alexandria | EGYNews (Arabic)

ECONOMY

Egypt discusses economic reform with IMF
Egypt is currently speaking with the IMF and World Bank Group (WBG) about the country’s reform program with financial institutions and credit agencies, according to Minister of International Cooperation Najla Ahwani. Minister of Finance Hany Qadry Dimian plans to ask the IMF delegation to set a date for evaluating the Egyptian economy in light of the recent procedures carried out to lower energy subsidies and the budget deficit. [Egypt Independent]

Also of Interest
Egypt will not ask for a loan from IMF | SIS
Egypt’s net international reserves up to $16.9 billion | Ahram Online, Egypt Independent
Egypt aims to produce 20 percent of power from renewables by 2020 | Al-Monitor
Local development minister: EGP2.4 million for 539 new projects in nineteen governorates | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Sisi requests urgent legislative reform on workers and trade unions | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Sisi directs work to increase oil and gas productions | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Egypt’s universities issue more security regulations ahead of new semester
University administrations are tightening their grip on student communities with an onslaught of new security measures as they prepare for the new academic year on October 11. Cairo University instructed professors to steer clear of any political or partisan activities on campus. Alexandria University has suspended six student groups for their alleged religious and political affiliations. At Mansoura University, students wishing to renew their ID cards will be required to sign a document obliging them to abide by the university’s discipline regulations. The Beni Suef University Council declared that students who commit actions or circulate speech that is considered offensive to Sisi would face expulsion. Higher Education Minister Al-Sayed Abdel-Khalek warned against partisan activities in universities, saying, “We do not allow students to spy on their colleagues.” [Mada Masr, SIS, Shorouk (Arabic), 10/9/2014]

Also of Interest
Three years later, hymns and calls for justice for the Maspero victims | Ahram Online, DNE
Environment Ministry warns ‘black cloud’ will hit on Friday | Mada Masr
HRW slams Sisi for delay of parliamentary elections | Egypt Independent
NASL calls for week-long rallies | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
National Council for Women confirms harassment cases in Eid decreased | EGYNews (Arabic)

SECURITY

Two bombs explode in Egypt’s Nile Delta
Two bombs exploded in different cities in the Nile Delta province of Sharqiya, causing damage but leaving no casualties, on Friday. The first explosion occurred when an improvised bomb went off on the railway tracks in the southern district of Belbeis, damaging the tracks, provincial security chief Sameh al-Kilany said. A  second blast took place on a parked public bus in  the western city of Minya al-Kamh. The blast caused serious damage to the bus but left no casualties as the bus was empty, the senior official added. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, Mada Masr, 10/10/2014]

Violence erupts in Egypt’s Mounifeya after police shoot local
Clashes broke out Friday between security forces and residents in Mounifeya province following the death of young man at the hands of the police, described as “unintentional” by security sources. Head of Mounifeya security, Major General Momtaz Fahmy dispatched security forces after receiving reports of a fight in one of the houses in the city of Ashmun. An officer’s gun was accidentally fired killing one man as security forces attempted to disperse the fight. Relatives of the deceased gathered in front of the police station, chanting against the police. Security forces fired teargas after the families tried to break into the station, sparking clashes between both parties. [Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, 10/10/2014]

Also of Interest
Bomb explodes on water line in Ramadan City | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Army kills twenty-one “extremists” in wide-scale security campaign | Aswat Masriya, SIS, EGYNews (Arabic)
Egypt’s army has destroyed 1,813 tunnels in Sinai since 2011: MENA | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Police locate bomb in residence of alleged Brotherhood member in Minya | Mada Masr
Security source: Sinai militants trafficked Africans for weapons purchase | Shorouk (Arabic)

INTERNATIONAL

Egypt can fight “terrorism” with moderate Islamic thought, says US envoy
Egypt’s foreign affairs minister Sameh Shoukry met Thursday with retired US general John Allen, American special envoy for the US led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The two discussed ways to confront ISIS and support the Iraqi government which is facing a growing jihadist insurgency. In a statement issued by the foreign affairs ministry, official spokesperson Badr Abdel-Atty said that Egypt was ready to support the United States to strengthen the Iraqi government and rebuild its capabilities. [Ahram Online, SIS, IANS, 10/10/2014]

Libyan minister of interior says Egypt to train police forces
Libyan minister Omar al-Sanky held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Ibrahim on Thursday in which both leaders agreed that Cairo would train Libya’s security forces to help fight “terrorism.” Al-Sanky – who’s in Cairo along with a high-ranking Libyan delegation for talks with Egyptian officials – said they seek to “train Libyan forces and boost their efficiency, as well as exchange information to combat terrorism.” [Ahram Online, 10/9/2014]11

Also of Interest
Cairo to host Ethiopia, Sudan for dam talks on October 16, 17 | Ahram Online, SIS
Sisi to address Gaza reconstruction conference | SIS
Assistant foreign minister: Egypt helps all Arab countries, not only Libya | Shorouk (Arabic)
Sudan’s Bashir to visit Egypt on October 18 | Sudan Tribune