Hi Mysterious 'Spellbook' From Ancient Egypt Decoded!!!

Hi Mysterious 'Spellbook' From Ancient Egypt Decoded!!!

The ancient book housed at Macquarie University.

A mysterious ancient book written in an Egyptian language called Coptic has puzzled researchers ever since it was first found as part of an extensive papyrus collection at Macquarie University in Australia in 1981.

But now, two Australian scientists say they've finally translated the 1,300-year-old text, and it turns out that the text is a book of spells, Live Science reported.

The mystery remains, however, as to who wrote the book and used the spells.

"Many such Coptic magical texts were copied or used within monastic communities, and the degree of ritual knowledge in the invocations makes clergy or monks logical candidates for their production," Dr. Malcolm Choat, director of the university's Ancient Cultures Research Center and one of the scientists who deciphered the ancient book, told The Huffington Post in an email. "But other ritual practitioners can be imagined, and of course the spells could have been cast on behalf of ordinary people who needed their problems solved."

Choat and his colleague Dr. Iain Gardner, a professor of religion at the University of Sydney, found that the text includes ritual instructions and a list of 27 spells intended to cure various ailments or to bring success in love and business.

"There are also spells for 'Someone who is possessed,' 'Someone who is annoyed at you,' 'That a woman might conceive,' 'When someone has a magic on them,'" Choat said in the email.

The language used in the ancient book suggests that it originally came from Upper Egypt, possibly near Hermopolis, an ancient town located near the Nile River.

The ancient text is now housed in the Museum of Ancient Cultures at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

Hi Egypt’s Top 5 Universities.

Hi Egypt’s Top 5 Universities.

QS University Rankings assessed the world’s top 3,000 universities, five of which could be found in Egypt.

The ranking is based on four pillars: research, teaching, employability and international outlook. The indicators that are used to determine each are academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio and international staff ratio. Each of these indicators weigh differently, as – for instance – academic reputation is weighed as 40% of the assessment, while international student ratio lies at only 5%.

According to QS University Rankings, Egypt’s top universities are:

1. American University in Cairo: Rank 360.

Whereas the American University in Cairo (AUC) precedes the other universities in terms of employer situation, faculty/student ratio, international faculty and citations per faculty, it does not top the others in the remaining indicators.

2. Cairo University: Rank between 551 and 600.

Cairo University comes in second, but tops the list in terms of academic reputation, and comes in second in employer reputation.

3. Ain Shams University: Rank above 701.

Ain Shams University comes in third overall, and also in employer reputation.

4. Al-Azhar University: Rank above 701.

Al-Azhar University comes at 4th place, but tops the indicator of international students.

5. Alexandria University: Rank above 701.

At fifth place comes Alexandria University, who also ranks fourth in terms of employer reputation.

Hi Egypt willing to send troops to future Palestine.

Hi Egypt willing to send troops to future Palestine.

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi says in published remarks that Egypt is prepared to send troops into a future Palestinian state to assist local police and guarantee Israel's security.

In comments to Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera published Sunday, el-Sissi says the troops would be stationed there temporarily to establish confidence.

In a clarifying statement later, his office said the idea is a way to encourage Israel to accept a two-state solution.

The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in April. Since then, Israel fought a 50-day war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and advanced plans to build hundreds of new homes in Jewish areas of east Jerusalem.

Israel fears that Hamas would take control the West Bank if it withdrew its forces.

Hi Why Egypt Crushes at Squash.

Hi Why Egypt Crushes at Squash.

On Friday, Egypt’s Ramy Ashour won the squash World Open—basically the Wimbledon of squash. The tournament attracts the best players from around the world. But the final game lacked a certain element of suspense: Both players, Ashour and Mohamed El Shorbagy, were Egyptian. Even that was predictable. Egyptians dominated the international rankings this year—including El Shorbagy and Ashour, three of the Professional Squash Association’s top five players based on tournament results are Egyptian. As of Friday, Egypt has won seven of the past 12 World Opens—in the history of the tournament, which began in 1976, only Australia and Pakistan have more World Open titles. Egypt’s prowess in the sport is beginning to extend to international women’s tournaments, junior tournaments, and even American college sports: Egyptian men have won the last three U.S. Intercollegiate Individual Championships, a tournament for the best players attending U.S. universities.

How did so many Egyptians get so good at squash?

The dominance of Egyptian players dates back to squash’s earliest days as an internationally competitive sport. After being invented at a British prep school in the 19th century, the sport spread throughout the empire, including to Egypt. The British built clubs for their colonial officers in Cairo and Alexandria, but Egyptian ball boys and service staff had access to the squash courts in off-hours.

The sport’s first great international champion was F. D. Amr Bey, an Egyptian diplomat who started playing while stationed in England. He went on to win six consecutive British Open championships—then the sport’s biggest international competition—in the 1930s. His success inspired Egypt’s ball boys, one of whom, Mahmoud El Karim, racked up four of his own British Open championships in the 1940s.

Egypt didn’t produce many international champions between the 1950s and the 1990s. Repeated wars and domestic turmoil during the period made it difficult for the country’s best players to travel for tournaments while based in Egypt. “All the top players left the country and lived in Europe, and that’s when the drop [in Egyptian squash] happened,” Amr Shabana, a four-time squash world champion from Egypt, told me. The best players who stayed in Egypt couldn’t tour internationally. “[T]he country was on lockdown,” Shabana said.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hits a squash ball. (Farouk Ibrahim/AP).

But in the late 1980s, Shabana, then 10 years old, and another player named Ahmad Barada, age 12, planted the seeds of Egypt’s resurgence when they started playing together at Cairo’s Maadi Club. Because Egypt’s remaining squash talent couldn’t tour, those players trained and competed in Cairo, meaning Barada and Shabana could practice and compete against some of the country’s best from a very young age. As Shabana explained, “There’s a quote that says ‘you’re only as good as the people around you.’ Around us were the best players—maybe not the best in the world, but we thought they were.” And they were also helped by the geography of Cairo, where, Shabana said, the squash clubs were all within a half hour's drive of one another. (This is in contrast to the U.S., where the major squash hubs are scattered between Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.) The result was a tight squash community centered on Cairo’s clubs. “This is the main reason squash thrived,” Shabana said. “Everybody pushed each other. This was I think quite unique.”

Beyond exposure to top professionals, Shabana and Barada had other advantages. The most noteworthy is that the rules of Egyptian tournaments permitted them to play many more matches than they would have been able to in England or the U.S. A 10-year-old Shabana competed in the bracket for players under 12, the U12, as well as the Under-14, Under-16, Under-19, and men’s tournaments, meaning he could potentially play five matches a day. More rigid conventions in the U.S. and England guide young players to compete in one bracket at a time, meaning they might only play one-fifth as many matches as their Egyptian counterparts have.

At the same time that Shabana and Barada were honing their art on the local level, President Hosni Mubarak—a squash player in his own right—was promoting squash’s prestige at the national level. In 1996, Mubarak brought a major international tournament to Egypt, and had a glass court built in front of the pyramids. Barada, then 19, reached the finals, and Mubarak congratulated him personally. Barada later reached second place in the Professional Squash Association’s World Rankings.

Shabana says Barada’s ranking gave Cairo’s young squash community a new target. Seven years later, at the age of 24, Shabana beat it, becoming the first Egyptian to win the World Open in 2003. After that, Shabana says, “the kids younger than me ... wanted to beat me.”

Mubarak, who was deposed in 2011, increased squash’s popularity, but not its accessibility. The sport remains an upper-class game in Egypt, populated by those who can get access to and pay fees for the same athletic clubs that the British built near the turn of the 20th century. Yasser El Halaby, a four-time Intercollegiate Champion from Princeton, explained to me that squash, for all the glory its players have attained, is not widely played in Egypt. He noted that there are a few thousand people who play squash in the country of some 82 million people. But the game’s profile—El Halaby says it’s Egypt’s second-most-popular sport, after soccer—means it draws some of the country’s best athletes. In most other parts of the world, this is not the case. “LeBron James is not playing squash,” El Halaby pointed out.

* * *

The reasons Egypt became so dominant in squash—the sport’s national prestige, combined with the access talented young people have to the country’s top players—persist to this day. Amr Khaled Khalifa, who in 2010 won squash’s Junior World Championship, the sport’s biggest tournament for players under 19, grew up training at the same club as and hitting with Shabana and Barada. He was just 11 when Shabana became a world champion. “I started playing squash at the Maadi Club, where world champions used to play,” he told me via email. “I had the chance to watch them training, which inspired me to take squash seriously and set my goals.” And, like his predecessors, he played as much as he could starting at a very young age, practicing twice a day and playing 15 tournaments a year.

Despite the fact that this year's squash world champion and the runner-up are Egyptian, Shabana said he believes the end of Egypt’s squash dominance is in sight. “I think it’s changing a bit,” he said. The top Egyptian players are once again living outside of Egypt due to lack of government support for the sport. “I’m living in Toronto, Ramy [Ashour] is mostly based in New York now, [El Shorbagy] is in England, and quite a high percentage of players now go to college in England and America. So there’s a gap,” he said. Though the logic works—it will be hard for the current Egyptian juniors to train with the best players in the world if none of them live in the country—Shabana’s view is contrarian. Results in junior tournaments suggest that an Egyptian successor will rise after the country’s current champion retires.

*See original article on The Atlantic: Click The Following Link Here. 

Hi Egypt acquits doctor in female genital mutilation.

Hi Egypt acquits doctor in female genital mutilation.

This undated photo provided by the Women’s Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness, shows a portrait of Sohair el-Batea, who died last year after undergoing a female genital mutilation operation by Dr. Raslan Fadl, in Egypt. On Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 a court is expected to issue a verdict in Egypt’s first-ever prosecution of a doctor accused of committing FGM. Thirteen-year-old Sohair died during the operation last year. Rights advocates say the outcome of this case could set a key precedent for deterring doctors and families in the future. (AP Photo/Women’s Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness).

CAIRO (AP) — A lawyer says an Egyptian court has acquitted a doctor charged with committing female genital mutilation that led to a 13-year-old girl's death.

Lawyer Atef Aboul Einein says the court in Dakahliya ruled Thursday that the doctor, Raslan Fadl, and the father of Soheir el-Batea were not guilty.

Aboul Einein, who has followed the case and obtained a copy of the ruling, says it was a "surprise" and warned it could open doors for "any doctor" to perform the banned procedure.

More than 90 percent of Egyptian women are estimated to have undergone the procedure, which involves the cutting off of all or part of the clitoris and the labia. In a conservative society, it is believed to control a young woman's sexual appetite.

Egypt criminalized the practice in 2008.

In this Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014 photo, women sit outside the clinic of Dr. Raslan Fadl, the doctor who performed the procedure of female genital mutilation on 13-year-old Sohair el-Batea that resulted in her death a year ago, in Aga town, Dakahliya,120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of Cairo, Egypt. Fadl is the first doctor in Egypt to be put on trial for committing female genital mutilation, after Sohair's death. But in this small Delta Village, not only is he still working as a doctor, but he has plenty of patients. Fadl’s continued work demonstrates the challenges to curbing FGM in Egypt, which has one of the highest rates of the practice in the world, at more than 90 percent. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty).

Hi Egypt hires German firm to bore transport tunnels under Suez Canal.

Hi Egypt hires German firm to bore transport tunnels under Suez Canal.

CAIRO/FRANKFURT (Reuter) - Egypt will use machines made by a German firm to bore at least four tunnels under the Suez Canal, part of an $8 billion project to expand the waterway that the government hopes will raise revenues and foreign currency reserves.

Unlisted Herrenknecht AG was discussing contract details, a spokesman for the company said on Friday, giving no details.

Kamal al-Waziri, chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces' engineering division, had said on Thursday that the army had contracted a German company to provide machines for three car and train tunnels in Port Said, the northern outlet of the canal into the Mediterranean Sea. The tunnels are being built by Orascom Construction and other Arab contractors.

Half of the budget for expanding the canal was allocated for building six tunnels, the Suez Canal Authority said last week.

Egypt has been battered by political turmoil and violence for more than three years and the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hopes the expansion will almost triple revenues from the waterway by 2023 to $13.5 billion from $5 billion.

Sisi, the former army chief who has put infrastructure mega-projects at the top of his economic agenda, called for the new canal to be built within one year, instead of the five years recommended by international experts.

The development will run alongside the existing 145-year-old waterway - the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia.

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin in Cairo and Hans Seidenstücker in Frankfurt; Editing by Louise Ireland).

Hi Echoes Of Mubarak!. Sissi is militarizing the courts system. Sound familiar?

Hi Echoes Of Mubarak!.

Sissi is militarizing the courts system. 

Sound familiar?

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has passed a law that extends the reach of the country's military courts and places all "public and vital facilities under military jurisdiction for the next two years and directs state prosecutors to refer any crimes at those places to their military counterparts," according to a report released by Human Rights Watch Monday. The new law allows for the militarization of prosecution of protesters and other government opponents -- a mandate similar to those implemented during the reign of former President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted in February 2011 at the start of the Arab Spring.

Under Mubarak, Egypt's military arrested nearly 12,000 civilians for various charges, including inciting violence at protests, during the revolution in 2011, and brought them before military tribunals. According to officials from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Egypt tried 11,879 civilians in military tribunals from Jan. 28 to Aug. 29, 2011. Of that number, more than 8,000 were convicted.

Now, under Sisi, Egypt is getting back to widespread civilian military trials. Sisi issued the new law just days after an attack in the Sinai Peninsula killed dozens of soldiers, the deadliest attack yet in an insurgency that has grown since the ousting of former President Mohammed Morsi by SCAF in July 2013. According to the Human Rights Watch report, since the ouster of Morsi, Egypt's military courts have tried at least 140 civilians. It is still unclear what charges each individual faced, but many were arrested during protests against Morsi's removal from power.

“This law represents another nail in the coffin of justice in Egypt,” Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director, said in the report. “Its absurdly broad provisions mean that many more civilians who engage in protests can now expect to face trial before uniformed judges subject to the orders of their military superiors.”

Sisi's crackdown on civilian protestors started earlier this year during the beginning of the school semester. Egyptian police officers armed with tear gas canisters stormed lecture halls at Alexandria University, arresting and wounding dozens. Students at other universities such as Bani Swaif and Assuit were also protesting the removal of Morsi. In one weekend, Egyptian police officers arrested more than 90 students. On Nov. 16, a criminal court in Cairo referred five students from al-Azhar University to the military because of their involvement in the protests. The students have been charged with joining a terrorist organization, displaying force, threatening to use violence, possession of Molotov cocktails and vandalism, according to Human Rights Watch.

“This new decree is pernicious and contrary to basic standards of justice,” Whitson said in the report. “Egypt’s authorities should annul all the military court verdicts against civilians handed down since the new government took power, and President el-Sisi needs to act quickly to amend his decree.”

Historically, Egypt's military has influenced politics. Mubarak formed strong ties between his administration and SCAF, relying on the army to take over most of the security in the country. The military, in essence, replaced the police forces. Since Mubarak's time in office, the military has remained in tact and has continued to influence the political process in Egypt. Sisi, like Mubarak, is supportive of SCAF and its power to rule in the streets.

Hi THANK YOU FOR VIEWING!.

Hi Let’s talk Micro finance in Egypt!.

Hi Let’s talk Micro finance in Egypt!.

With the new microfinance law issued this week, Egypt Business Directory looks at the microfinance landscape in Egypt.

The new law was issued last Thursday, according to the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA), and aims at regulating microcredit provided by non-bank financiers, putting them under the authority of EFSA. This concerns mainly companies and non-governmental organizations, whereas banks will continue to respond to the Central Bank of Egypt.

This aims at strengthening the regulatory framework and practices, in order to attract investors, according to the head of EFSA Sherif Samy.

Whereas the law might help resolve issues that had arisen earlier, regulatory framework and practices are not Egypt’s biggest problem in the microfinance sector.

The Economist Intelligence Unit released a report last year entitled “Global microscope on the microfinance business environment 2013”, which evaluated 55 countries according to the regulatory framework and practices, supporting institutional framework (transparency and client protection) and stability (in terms of political situation).

Egypt advanced from the 50th to the 49th rank compared to a year earlier; however, the main burden facing microfinance is political instability, which delays regulatory reforms.

Breaking down the rank, Egypt came in 41st in terms of regulatory framework and practices, while scoring 46th in supporting the institutional framework. The country came in last in the stability evaluation.

Hence, the country mainly needs to work on its institutional framework and be concerned with political stability, as well as address its “weak dispute-resolution mechanisms”, according to the report. 

In an attempt to raise awareness about the new law issued last week and give an outlook on what will happen in 2015, EFSA joined forces with conference organizer IQPC to host “Microfinance Egypt” – an event that will take place from the 20th – 21st of January 2015. The conference will include panel discussions, showcases and workshops. For more information on the event, please click here. 

In general, Microfinancial Institutions (MFIs) do not routinely disclose interest rates, and the participation in credit bureaus in Egypt is higher than Yemen, which prevents multiple borrowing.

Who regulates microfinance in Egypt?

The Central Bank of Egypt, the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority.

Who provides microfinance services? 

Four banks and over 400 non-governmental organization-microfinance institutions (NGO-MFIs), according to the Economist report.

What is the main burden?

The Economist Intelligence Unit pinpoints political instability – in reference to the removal of former president Mohamed Morsi and the new draft NGO Law.

Hi Egypt's gas exports fall 81.4% in September.

Hi Egypt's gas exports fall 81.4% in September.

- "Natural gas exports continue to drop as more production is used to meet Egypt's rising electricity demands."

Egypt's exports of natural gas in September declined 81.4 percent compared to the same period last year, the state-run Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) reported on Thursday.

The value of exports totalled $18.1 million, compared to $97.1 million in September 2013.

Meanwhile, natural gas production fell 12.2 percent lower than its September 2013 level, totalling 3.01 million tonnes of natural gas, compared to 3.4 million in the same month of the previous year.

Electric power generation accounted for some 68.7 percent of natural gas consumption, up from 59.6 percent a year before, reflecting Egypt's efforts to meet rising domestic demands for electricity.

"There have been no new concessions in the period from 2010 to 2013, which resulted in decreasing exploration areas to only 27 blocks during 2013, down from 53 in 2010," the minister of petroleum, Sherif Ismail, said earlier this week.

Delays in explorations are a result of mounting debts to foreign oil and gas companies following the 2011 uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak.

Gas producers currently receive about $2.65 per 1,000 cubic feet, far below the prices paid in the North Sea and elsewhere, reported Reuters last month. But Ismail said this week that the ministry plans to free prices in one of several attempts to encourage explorations.

Exports of crude oil and other petroleum products were valued at $321 million, down 20 percent from $401 million in September 2013.

Meanwhile, domestic consumption of petroleum products rose 26.1 percent year-on-year to 3.2 million tonnes.

The United Arab Emirates pledged $9 billion worth of petroleum products starting in September, to be sent over a year.

Egypt's production of Brent crude and petroleum condensates, such as gas oil and naphtha, dipped by 1.5 percent year-on-year in September to reach 2.9 million tonnes, according to the IDSC.

Hi Exclusive: New mixed-use development unveiled in Cairo.

Hi Exclusive: New mixed-use development unveiled in Cairo.

French studio Vincent Callebaut Architects has revealed a muti-purpose complex for Nasr City in Cairo, Egypt.

The project is designed to obtain a LEED Gold Plus standing and features a solar roof, green terraces, sky villas and vertical gardens and solar heating tubes.

The Gate Residence is composed of 1000 apartment units with a health club and spa, fitness centre, business centre, restaurants, cafes, retail spaces and a medical centre.

The building’s spine is formed by a central street called the Boulevard. Arranged in U-shapes, the rectangular apartment buildings branch off the Boulevard.

The surfaces of the housing units are stacked layers of e-low glass, polished with white stone and features suspended garden balconies. The commercial levels have two different facades.

The entire roof of the complex is turned into a community garden featuring food gardens, orchards, infinity pools and sports areas, while the two plots are connected by sky bridges.

With the aim to limit its own carbon footprint, the building recycles part of the generated waste as grey water, while a system of mesh surface and second skin of white steel and cables integrates photovoltaic cells, thermal tubes, and vertical gardens.

Vincent Callebaut also built structural Megatrees to function as passive cooling systems, inspired by the technology behind wind catching towers (Malqaf) originally developed by Ancient Egyptians.

Egypt Media Roundup (November 17).

Oil Reserves in the Mediterranean Open New Front between Cairo and AnkaraAl-Akhbar reports on the increased tensions between Cairo and Ankara following the trilateral summit between Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt. 

UAE Adds Dozens of Groups to New 'Terrorist' ListTom Finn writes on the United Arab Emirates newly released “terror” list consisting of eighty-four organizations including Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and United States and London-based organizations.

Security:

Police Arrest Forty-Two Muslim Brotherhood Members in Fayoum RaidPolice has confiscated weapons from the arrested Brotherhood group, according to reports. 

Masked Men Claim Thursday's Attack on Naval Ship in YouTube Video
Mada Masr reports.

Has ISIS Reached Sinai?
Khaled Okasha writes on the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis’ allegiance to the Islamic State.

The General’s Law in SinaiThe Economist argues Egypt’s military crackdown on militants in Sinai is making matters worse.

Egypt Struggles in Sinai, Militant Group Releases Video of October AttackMiddle East Eye repots on the gory video a Sinai militant group has released of the attack on a security checkpoint in October. 

We Are Losing the War on TerrorWael Eskandar argues state restriction of public space and expression leads to the rise of terrorism, and sheds light on state’s terrorist acts to oppress political dissident. 

Human Rights and Rule of Law:

Could Things in Egypt Get Much Worse?
Muftah reflects on the human rights conditions in Egypt.

Is George Orwell from the Brotherhood?Ahmed al-Dariny reflects on the police arrest of a student possessing George Orwell’s novel “1984.”

Nightmare Continues for Children Rescued from Abusive Orphanage
Following the three-year sentence on orphanage manager Osama Othman for child abuse, reports claim the rescued children are facing similar mistreatment in another facility, Mada Masr reports. 

Fact-Finding Group Set to Blame Islamists for Egypt's Post-30 June ViolenceGamal Essam El-Din writes, “Report from fact-finding committee on post-Mohamed Morsi violence will blame Islamists for attacking Egypt's Coptic Christians.”

Egypt Escalates Repression against Human Rights Groups and NGOsSharif Abdelkouddous writes, “A sense of malaise plagues activist circles, with energies largely spent supporting the thousands in prison.”

Egyptian Rights Group Divided Over Pro-Regime Support
Ahram Online reports on the fierce disagreement between two leaders of the Ibn Khaldun rights center.

Minister Sends Mixed Messages on NGO Crackdown
Mada Masr reports.

Ministry of Solidarity: Nine Foreign, Eight Egyptian Organizations Legalized their StatusAl-Masy Al-Yaum reports on NGOs’ legalization status following Monday’s NGO registration deadline.

Not the Time for Human Rights?
Dina Iskandar argues dichotomizing the need to establish human rights laws in Egypt from the need to fix the economic situation and resolve the security issue will not lead to stability anytime soon.   

 Virginity Tests, Vile Bodies: Stories from Sisi’s EgyptA Paper Bird releases three stories on the pervasiveness of sexual harassment in Egypt with reflections on al-Sisi’s government’s imposed restrictions on male and female protesters, and all forms of political dissident.

Appeal Verdict for 'Gay Wedding Video' Set for 27 DecemberEl-Sayed Gamal El-Din reports. 

The Burden of EducationMai Shams El-Din writes, “Middle-class professionals recount difficulties of finding good schools for their kids.”

Searching for Public SpaceHeba Afify writes on the changing perspectives of public space in Egypt socially and politically.

Press and Media Freedoms

Al-Jazeera English Chief Says More Must be Done for Journalists in Egypt JailAmanda Meade reports.

Egypt Decree Could Lead to Release of Jailed Australian al-Jazeera JournalistPatrick Kingsley writes, “Edict on deportation of foreign prisoners raises hopes that Peter Greste could; be freed before the end of his sentence.”

184 Violations Against Foreign Journalists in Egypt Since January 2011 – Rights GroupThe Cairo-based Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) releases a report on the violations foreign journalists face since the January 25 Revolution.

Economy:

OneraSystems Offers to Build Ninety-Million Dollar Solar Power Plant in EgyptWaad Ahmed writes, “OneraSystems offers to build four solar power plants following cabinet approval of feed-in tariffs; renewable energy bids to be decided 26 November.”

Washington Defends Egypt Investment Drive, Despite Human Rights ConcernsAyat Al-Tawy writes while the United States has sent the largest-ever business delegation to Egypt, a portion of the annual aid “remains frozen.” 

US Trade Mission Upbeat on Sisi Leadership; Vows Investment Deya Abaza writes, “Largest-ever United States business delegation to Egypt eager to invest in light of recent economic reforms, practices 'economic diplomacy' while skirting around civil liberties issue.” Click here to read Ambassador David Throne’s remarks on the United States’ Chamber of Commerce’s Business Mission to Egypt.

University Protests:

Five Al-Azhar Students Sent to Military Court for 'Torching University'
Ahram Online reports.

The Falcon Has Landed: The Problematic Rise of Egyptian Private Security
Alessandro Accorsi and Giovanni Piazzese write, “The hiring of a private security firm to guard Egypt's public universities raised tensions between the state and students at the start of a new academic year.”

Reports and Opinions:

Curse 25 January, It Is Easier    
Esam Sayed Ahmed argues Egypt’s regime has managed to direct the people’s anger towards certain groups.

Losing Hope in Iran and Egypt
Parastou Hassouri writes on the reminiscence of deciding to leave Egypt as a result of the deteriorating political and economic conditions in the country with her parents’ decision to leave her home country (Iran) following the 1979 revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. This article is translated and published in Arabic.

The Holy Path to Tourism
Pesha Magid writes on the state’s intention to boost religious tourism in Egypt.

Interview: Maersk Talks with Egypt Government on Suez Canal ExpansionSalma Hussein writes, “Maersk, the major player in commercial shipping in Egypt and the Suez Canal, laments a lack of government enthusiasm for expansion plans that would serve mutual interests.”

Under the Ships in the Suez CanalJuli Berwald writes on the environmental concerns arising from the Suez Canal which may increase with the Canal’s expansion project.

Parliamentary Polls to be Held before End of March, Says al-Sisi
Ahram Online reports that no specific date was set for next year’s parliamentary elections.

Nour Party Distances Itself from Sex Tape Allegations, Files Charges against MediaMada Masr reports.

In Arabic:

لذلك لم يرد الشباب على الرئيس

Tamer Abu Arab reflects on the political oppression and economic hardships Egypt’s youth is facing under al-Sisi’s government.

الرضا بالانكسار؟

Mustaf al-Najjar argues that Egyptians must keep hope alive in spite of the human rights violations and oppressive tactics used on political activists in Egypt.

مصر تكسر أعداءها

Abdelrahman al-Tarir argues Brotherhood supporters are the source of terrorism in Egypt. 

عن بعــض عناصر الأزمة المصرية

Amr Hamzawy writes on the domestic and regional elements that are exacerbating the security situation in Egypt. 

اتّفاق الإسلاميّين في مصر حول داعش: هل يعني أنّهما وجهان لعملة واحدة؟

Reham Mokbel argues Egypt’s Islamists have forged an agreement against the Islamic State, although they do not see eye-to-eye on domestic issues. This article is translated and published in English.

الفلاّحون المصريّون يتوعّدون حكومة محلب بإجراءات تصعيديّة

Rami Galal writes on farmers’ threats to strike to call attention to the industry’s conditions in Egypt. This article is translated and published in English.

المحاكمات العسكريّة: خصم من اختصاصات القضاء لمدّة عامين

Ahmed Fouad writes, “President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a new law, whereby the perpetrators of assaults against public and government facilities shall be referred to military courts.” This is article is translated and published in English.

الأمعاء الخاوية... معركة المقاومة التي يخوضها المعتقلون في السجون المصريّة

Ayah Aman writes, “At least 110 Egyptian political prisoners are on hunger strike to protest their treatment, receiving assistance from activists who are highlighting their plight.” This is article was translated and published in English.

المجلس الأعلى للصحة، مقترح من المبادرة المصرية لإصلاح المنظومة الصحية بالتعاون مع وزارة الصحة والسكان

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights releases a proposal to the government to develop the Supreme Council for Health Services in Egypt. This statement was translated and published in English.

حمدين صباحي: نحتاج إلى دولة العقل والعلم.. لا جمهورية الخوف والظلم

In a two-part article, Hamdeen Sabahi reflects on the socioeconomic conditions in Egypt.  

متى نرى حكّامَنا يخالفون الهوى؟

Osma Farhat reflects on the ways of achieving true democratic transition in Egypt.

لا.. لسنا "كُلنا فاسدون"

Fadi George counters the popular notion among Egyptians that they are all corrupt in light of the fatal bus accident in al-Buhaira.  

إعادة صوغ الهوية: البروباجندا المؤداة ١٩٥٨-١٩٦٥

Ismael Fayed writes on the military-backed regime’s exploitation of social unity and nationalistic rhetoric since the 1950s.

الشروق» تنشر حيثيات الحكم على متظاهري الاتحادية: «قصدوا تكدير السلم العام وإثارة الفتن»

Al-Shorouk releases details on the court ruling against the Ittihadiya incident defendants.  

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Maspero II: The Sequel

Medrar TV reports on Ali Abdelmohsen’s second-part exhibition entitled: “Maspero.”

Next to Here

Medrar TV reports on “Next to Here,” a photography exhibition that presents the work of eighteen young photographers from the North African and the Middle East.