Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) called for allowing hunger-strike activists Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Abdel Rahman Nouby medical supervision at an external hospital following the deterioration of their medical condition.
POLITICS
Democratic Current suspends negotiations with Egyptian Wafd Alliance
The Democratic Current, an electoral alliance led by Hamdeen Sabbahi’s Popular Current, announced on Friday it has suspended negotiations over a merger with the Egyptian Wafd Alliance. The decision came in the wake of statements by Wafd Party head, Al-Sayed al-Badawy, in which he claimed a merger of the alliances would lead to failure. [Shorouk (Arabic), 9/5/2014]
Also of Interest:
Ministry of interior denies reports of reconciliation efforts with Brotherhood | EGYNews (Arabic)
COURTS
Four detained fifteen days for power station ‘sabotage’ plot
The Suez prosecution service handed four men a fifteen day preventative detention Friday accused of plotting to sabotage and destroy power stations, reported state media The four men, described by state-run MENA as “[Muslim] Brotherhood leaders,” are reported to have confessed to receiving instructions to sabotage power plants with the aim of stoking incitement against the government. [DNE, EGYNews (Arabic), 9/5/2014]
Also of Interest:
Brotherhood lawyer arrested in Beheira on charges of inciting violence | EGYNews (Arabic)
Eighteen pro-Morsi Egyptian protesters get three years in prison | Ahram Online
Alexandria judge releases four April 6 members on EPG10,000 bail each | Shorouk (Arabic)
ECONOMY
Minister says electricity crisis over, situation stable
The electricity crisis Egypt witnessed on Thursday is over, Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker said on Friday, assuring stability of the situation. Shaker also denied any no load reduction on the national electricity grid, reported state-run MENA agency. The minister said that up to 90 percent of the capacity of the national electric grid has been restored, promising full capacity restoration earlier on Friday. [Aswat Masriya, Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), 9/5/2014]
Also of Interest:
Government to receive more than EGP80 billion in loans from local banks | Egypt Independent
Proceeds of Suez Canal certificates amount to EGP6 billion | Ahram Online, Mada Masr, SIS, Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Government forms panel to settle investor-state disputes | SIS
Industry Minister: Government approves deal to favor domestic industrial products in government procurements | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
SOCIETY & MEDIA
Pro-Morsi alliance calls for Friday “retribution rally”
The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL) has called on its supporters to rally on Friday under the banner of “Revolution until Victory” to demand retribution. Retribution has become a recurring demand, the NASL said in a statement on its Facebook page, urging Egyptians to uprise on a new “revolutionary week.” The NASL also emphasized that there shall be no reconciliation with “murderers.” In response, security forces announced a state of alert in North Sinai and Kafr al-Sheikh. [Aswat Masriya, 9/5/2014]
NCHR demands medical supervision of hunger-striking activists
Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) called for allowing hunger-strike activists Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Abdel Rahman Nouby medical supervision at an external hospital following the deterioration of their medical condition. The council demanded on Thursday the transfer of Nouby to an external hospital and placing him under close medical supervision, warning that he might slip into coma. It demanded gastroscopy and medical tests for Douma, also at an external hospital. NCHR’s recommendations were issued in a statement released following the visit of its delegation to a number of hunger-striking activists in Tora prison. [Aswat Masriya, Ahram Online, AMAY (Arabic), 9/4/2014]
Also of Interest:
Egyptian belly-dancing show shelved after religious backlash | The Guardian
June 30 fact finding commission to use HRW testimonies after verification | Shorouk (Arabic)
Culture Minister: Challenges for women increased with the spread of religious extremism | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Seven electricity transformers set ablaze in Giza over technical problems | Aswat Masriya
SECURITY
Military spokesman: Sixteen militants killed, ninety-four arrested in five days
Military spokesman Mohamed Samir said in a statement on Facebook that, in a series of raids, security forces killed sixteen militants, and arrested ninety-four in the past five days. He added that the raids took place in the North Sinai, Ismailia, Daqahleya, Sharqeya, Kafr al-Sheikh and Alexandria governorates. According to Samir, twenty vehicles and fifty-five motorcycles, said to have been used in terrorist attacks against security forces, were also seized. Six terrorist hotbeds in North Sinai were also destroyed. [Shorouk (Arabic), 9/4/2014]
Also of Interest:
Under pressure, Sinai jihadists threaten more beheadings | Al Monitor
Ansar al-Bayt al-Maqdis distributes leaflets to people of Sinai saying “We are your sons” | AMAY (Arabic)
Interior Minister: Plans to secure tourist resorts | AMAY (Arabic)
INTERNATIONAL
Egypt’s Sisi to meet Ethiopian PM in New York: Ethiopia FM
Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom revealed on Thursday that a meeting is to be held between Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The two presidents are to meet on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly which will convene at the UN headquarters in New York on 16 September. Adhanom told MENA, Egypt’s state news agency, that the meeting is of great importance in terms of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed on Friday the “principles” of his visit to Ethiopia, pointing to the win-win strategy in dealing with the Renaissance Dam crisis, and affirming the support of mutual interests of both countries. [Ahram Online, 9/4/2014, Aswat Masriya (Arabic), 9/5/2014]
Also of Interest:
Sisi and Italian minister discuss fighting “terrorism” together | Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Egypt warns drivers of going further than Libya’s Tubruq | Egypt Independent, SIS
Sisi: Egypt looks forward to promoting ties with EU | SIS
Egypt spared no effort in providing aid, support to Syrians: Diplomat | SIS, EGYNews (Arabic)
Egypt, Libya seek further military cooperation | SIS
Egyptian delegation to visit Palestine, Israel to discuss Gaza reconstruction | EGYNews (Arabic)