Egypt News
Egypt eyes 5.5 pct budget deficit in 2016-17: Minister - (15 days ago)
Egypt hopes to lower its budget deficit to 5.5 percent in the 2016-1017 fiscal year from 10.7 percent in 2012/13, the finance minister said on Saturday. Egypt's budget deficit will reach 197.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($28.7 billion) or 9.5 percent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year starting July 1 after a revised 184.9 billion pounds or 10.7 percent in 2012/13, according to a
Egyptian billionaire Sawiris returns home to warm welcome - (16 days ago)
Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris returned home on Friday, ending a self-imposed exile that began after the election of President Mohamed Mursi last year, and was warmly welcomed by a government grappling with an economic crisis.Sawiris, one of Egypts most prominent Coptic Christians and a critic of Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood, was greeted at Cairo airport by an envoy of the Islamist
Column: The global power vacuum is expanding - (16 days ago)
Dont look to Washington. The United States will remain the worlds most powerful nation for years to come, but the Obama administration and U.S. lawmakers are now focused on debt, immigration, guns and growth. A war-weary, under-employed American public wants results at home, leaving U.S. officials to look for allies willing to share costs and risks abroad. Unfortunately, its not easy
Taking sides in Syria is hard choice for Israel - (16 days ago)
The dilemma Israel faces in trying to formulate a strategy on Syria two years into its civil war is symbolized by a case being heard in a small courtroom near Tel Aviv. The state is prosecuting an Arab Israeli who briefly joined the rebel forces fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad.Arrested after his return to Israel, Hikmat Massarwa, a 29-year-old baker, is accused of unlawful military
Tear gas fired as Egyptian Islamists target security HQ - (16 days ago)
Egyptian security forces fired tear gas to disperse a small group of hardline Islamist protesters who were attempting to scale the walls of the state security headquarters in a Cairo suburb late Thursday night. Around 2,000 protesters from several Salafi Islamist groups had staged a protest earlier on Thursday night outside the security headquarters against what they said was a return to the
Court jails supporters of black-clad Egypt protest group - (17 days ago)
Six men were jailed by a Cairo court on Thursday in the first ruling against a little-known group opposed to Islamist President Mohamed Mursi that the government has accused of participating in "terrorist acts". State security prosecution last month ordered the detention of the men it said were Black Bloc members on accusations that the group seeks the destruction of the country, Egyptian state
Israel's Netanyahu says would put peace deal to referendum - (17 days ago)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would put any peace deal with the Palestinians to a referendum, raising expectations that direct negotiations might soon resume following a two-year stalemate. It was the second time in just three days that Netanyahu has publicly mentioned the possibility of holding a nationwide vote on an eventual accord and came as U.S. Secretary of
MIDEAST STOCKS-Egypt hits 3-wk high after OCI tax deal; Gulf mkts up - (17 days ago)
Egypts bourse rallied on Thursday after its largest listed firm, Orascom Construction Industries (OCI), struck a $1 billion deal with authorities to settle a protracted tax dispute, while most Gulf markets gained. Cairos bourse rose 1.5 percent to a near three-week high, trimming year-to-date losses to 3.4 percent in the process.OCI shares climbed 3.7 percent, its highest close since March 12.
Egypt's Mubarak-era interior minister to get retrial on May 14 - (17 days ago)
Bikya NewsA Cairo appeals court has set May 14 for the first hearing of the retrial of Hosni Mubarak’s Interior Minister Habib al-Adly in graft and money-laundering charges.Egypt’s Cassation Court had ordered the retrial of the former minister after accepting his appeal on his sentence in March.A criminal court had sentenced Adly to 12 years in prison and fined him four million
Solar powered solutions to Egypt's energy crisis - (17 days ago)
Ahram OnlineA group of young eco minded Egyptians hold workshops on how to build low cost solar water heaters - believing the sun could be the solution to Egypt's energy crisisEgypt's fuel and energy problems are increasing at an alarming rate, but the solution may lie in one the country's most abundant resources - the sun. With electricity blackouts and fuel shortages becoming all to common, a
Egypt hits 3-wk high after OCI tax deal; Gulf mkts up - (17 days ago)
Egypt's bourse rallied on Thursday after its largest listed firm, Orascom Construction Industries (OCI), struck a $1 billion deal with authorities to settle a protracted tax dispute, while most Gulf markets gained. Cairos bourse rose 1.5 percent to a near three-week high, trimming year-to-date losses to 3.4 percent in the process. OCI shares climbed 3.7 percent, its highest close since
Egypt PM: Gov't keen on improving living conditions of workers - (17 days ago)
Egypt SISPrime Minister Hisham Qandil has voiced on Wednesday 1/5/2013 appreciation for Egypt's workers, whose efforts pave the way for a better future for the next generations.Speaking on Labor Day, Qandil paid tribute to Egyptian workers and called them "builders of this country".Loyal citizens are well aware that hard work is the only key to progress and development, the Premier said.He said
'Shameless' British fraudster jailed for selling fake bomb detectors - (17 days ago)
A British businessman was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Thursday after a judge described him as having "blood on his hands" for selling fake bomb detectors to Iraq and other countries and endangering lives for profit. James McCormick, 56, was convicted of fraud last week for selling equipment based on a $20 novelty machine for finding lost golf balls. McCormick made more than $40
MIDEAST DEBT-Qatari M&A drive may cause some to reprice credit risk - (17 days ago)
A foreign acquisition drive by Qatari companies is winning the gas-rich country international attention and economic influence around the region. But it may have a less positive effect on the bond prices of some of the companies.Blue-chip bond issuers such as Qatar National Bank and telecommunications operator Ooredoo, formerly known as Qatar Telecom, are leading the M&A drive.In the past, when
US embassy car crashes in Cairo, leaving one dead - (17 days ago)
A US embassy car has crashed in the 6th of October district of Cairo, leaving one employee dead and three injured, including a military attache who was driving the vehicle.The body of the deceased employee and the injured were transferred to the 6th of October Hospital.The military attache’s wife and daughter were reportedly in the car during the accident.The car was on the 6th of October
MIDEAST DEBT-Qatari M&A drive may cause some to reprice credit risk - (17 days ago)
A foreign acquisition drive by Qatari companies is winning the gas-rich country international attention and economic influence around the region. But it may have a less positive effect on the bond prices of some of the companies.Blue-chip bond issuers such as Qatar National Bank and telecommunications operator Ooredoo, formerly known as Qatar Telecom, are leading the M&A drive.In the past, when
Stray bullet hits Alexandria church: Egypt's Security source - (17 days ago)
Egyptian security forces have denied reports that a church in Alexandria was targeted by gunfire on Wednesday, state news agency MENA reports.Gunfire was heard by worshippers at a church in the Gianaclis district of Alexandria during dawn prayers on Wednesday.Police exchanged fire with the occupants of a stolen car, a security source told MENA. A bullet hit a nearby building and another struck
Egypt's Prosecutor orders interrogation of Bassem Youssef's team member - (17 days ago)
Egypt's prosecutor-general has ordered the interrogation of khaled Mansour who is a member of the team behind Bassem Youssef's al-Bernameg (The Programme) over the sixth episode, the satirist said on Wednesday.Inspired by Jon Stewart's The Daily Show, al-Bernameg, which airs every Friday on CBC satellite channel, is known for criticizing the government of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.In the
Egypt's professor prevented from teaching for insulting Religion - (17 days ago)
An Egyptian professor who was questioned over allegations that included insulting religion filed a legal complaint on Wednesday against the university's vice-president for preventing her from performing her job.Mona al-Brince told Aswat Masriya that when she arrived to campus on Tuesday, she was surprised to have University Deputy Shaker Rezk prevent her from teaching.She explained that he forced
Egypt PM meets Al-Azhar students as crisis lingers - (17 days ago)
Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil met with Al-Azhar University students on Wednesday to discuss a second mass food poisoning incident on campus.Qandil watched a video made by the students about deteriorating conditions at the university dormitories and heard about their problems.Dozens of Al-Azhar students were hospitalised on Monday after eating at a campus cafeteria.The incident was the
Sinai Bedouin Connecting with Jihadist Terrorists - (17 days ago)
The Media LineMany Sinai Bedouins recently celebrated the Egyptian holiday "Anniversary of the Liberation of Sinai", the commemoration of Israel's return of the peninsula which it acquired in 1967 to Egyptian sovereignty. But others continue to threaten President Mohamed Morsi's attempts to stabilize his country's volatile security situation. Egyptian military officials blame Bedouins for
Egyptian Islamists 'could undermine years of work' on FGM - (17 days ago)
International Federation of Gynecology and ObstetricsIslamist political factions in Egypt "could undermine years of work" to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country, the Egyptian Center of Women's Rights has said.The organisation's director Nehad Abud Komsan said that Salafist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, which are gaining political traction in the country, are "destroying
Egypt presidency's legal team to be unveiled soon: Sources - (17 days ago)
The Egyptian presidency will announce members of its legal and judicial consulting teams "within days," an informed source close to the presidency told Turkish news agency Anadolu on Wednesday.According to the source, the team will include 16 academics and law professors, along with judges from different courts including Egypt's High Administrative Court.The source also said the president's legal
ElBaradei: Egypt leader will need opposition help - (17 days ago)
Egypt's leading opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei said Tuesday he believes the Islamist president will eventually be forced to reach out to the opposition because his group is losing support and isn't able to tackle the country's myriad problems alone.ElBaradei, speaking to a small group of journalists including The Associated Press at his home on the outskirts of Cairo, said members of the
Brotherhood rival Abul-Fotouh complains of official obstruction - (17 days ago)
The Strong Egypt Party said today that authorities are hindering efforts by its leader Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh to communicate with the public.Abul-Fotouh, a former leading figure of the Muslim Brotherhood, who left the group after the 2011 revolution and ran as an independent candidate in last summer’s presidential elections, was scheduled to give a talk on Wednesday at Ismailiya
Egyptian Brotherhood's governance, a failure par excellence - (17 days ago)
Al-ArabiyaWhat is certain is that Egypt’s current management of the state is a failure par excellence. I even expect that the Brotherhood’s style of governance will be used as a model to teach future generations how to avoid failure, how not to rule a country. This is neither an incrimination against it nor an underestimation of it. This is truly a description that fits the reality
Ten officials charged over food poisoning at Al-Azhar - (17 days ago)
The first district attorney in East Cairo’s prosecution office has announced that ten defendants accused of culpability in a mass outbreak of food poisoning at Al-Azhar University on 1 April will stand trial on 15 May.On 1 April, over 500 students were hospitalised with food poisoning after eating on campus, leading to protests.Earlier this week, a second incident occurred at the same
Sheikh Abdullah Badr arrested for insulting Egyptian actress - (17 days ago)
Egyptian security forces arrested Sheikh Abdullah Badr on Wednesday, upholding a December 2012 court verdict against him for insulting an Egyptian actress on television.Acid-tongued Badr was sentenced on 17 December to a year in jail, with bail set at LE20,000, for insulting Egyptian actress Elham Shahin on his programme on conservative television channel El-Hafez.Shahin filed a lawsuit in
Play satirising Islamists forced off Hurghada stage - (17 days ago)
Chairman of the Cultural Palaces Authority, Saad Abdel Rahman, said that the authority did not ban the play ‘Diwan Al-Baqar’ (Salon of the Cows) by Mohamed Aboulela El-Salamooni, as was reported in the media, but rather decided to "relocate the show, to avoid problems."The play, which was scheduled to run for seven nights at the Hurghada Cultural Palace, reportedly satirises Islamists
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Ministers in Prime Minister Hisham Qandil's cabinet following the recent reshuffle (new appointees are in italics): 1. Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Mahmoud Ali El-Gizawi2. Minister of Antiquities Ahmed Eissa3. Minister of Aviation Wael Maadawi4. Minister of Communication Atef Helmy5. Minister of Culture
AP— April 15, 2013: Two bombs explode in the packed streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 140.— January 17, 2011: A backpack bomb is placed along a Martin Luther King Day parade route in Spokane, Washington, meant to kill and injure participants in a civil rights march, but is found and disabled before it can explode. White
The convenient marriage between Iran and the Arab left would have been unthinkable only a few years ago, given the traditional ideological paradoxes between patriarchal Persian Shiism, on the one hand, and leftist orthodoxy on the other.Indeed, a casual viewer of Hizbullah's Al-Manar television, or the Iranian-funded Al-Mayadin TV, these days would probably think that the two Shia propaganda
"Abdullah's appointment was done via constitutional decree; it was a sovereign act by the head of the executive and therefore cannot be reversed by court ruling," said one leading FJP/Brotherhood figure. His comments echoed earlier assertions by Brotherhood lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maksoud.The return of former prosecutor-general Mahmoud is "not going to happen," according to several government
