83 Articles
CAIRO: After two days of debating the articulation of constitutional amendments, the Shura Council (SC, the Upper House of Parliament) gave them the green lights with four members opposing, and four abstentions, including one by a representative of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). On Tuesday, 239 members agreed on the package of 34 amendments. …
CAIRO: Members of the People’s Assembly are furious over Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Aboul Gheit’s statement that Egypt won’t cut relations with Israel over a film. The Israeli documentary film at the heart of the crisis claimed that Israeli cabinet minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer was responsible of the killing of 250 Egyptian prisoners of war …
CAIRO: A parliamentary committee has finalized the wording of 34 constitutional amendments which will be subject to a public referendum next April. The current articulation of the amendmends, say observers, is no different from those suggested by President Hosni Mubarak last December. The opposition National Movement for Change Kefaya announced that it will hold a …
CAIRO: Habib Bibawy, the theology professor who made headlines this week after being excommunicated by the Holy Synod, announced he will contest the decision in the administrative court. Noting that the move constitutes a violation of general freedoms and human rights, Bibawy, who teaches at the University of Indiana in the US, said he was …
CAIRO: The Egyptian Union for Human Rights Organizations (EUHRO) filed a complaint to the Dean of Banha University, in northern Cairo, against a book they deemed insulting to Christianity. The contentious book, authored by Professor Abdul Kader Bahrawi, is titled Studies in Difference. The book was written in the same vein as another highly controversial …
CAIRO: An independent MP announced last week his intention to set up a “popular movement to resist secularism. Mohamed Al Omda, deputy of Kom Ombo south of Luxur, wrote in a petition, which he asked members to sign: “We have noticed recently that the ruling party and its government have been using anti-religious slogans such …
CAIRO: The place of religion in the state, the powers of the presidential and nature of elections dominated the first of a series of Shura Council (SC) debates over the constitutional amendments, to which intellectuals and politicians will be invited. Presidents of 10 political parties not represented in the SC commented on the amendments suggested …
CAIRO: About 1,000 Coptic Orthodox Christians from Naga Hammady, Qena held a protest at the St. Mark Cathedral Thursday in response to Pope Shenouda III’s decision to subject Archbishop Kyrollos to a church trial. Protestors were concerned Kyrollos would be removed from his position following a compliant signed by 11 priests accusing him of mistreating …
CAIRO: The human rights committee at the People’s Assembly issued a report Monday about the health state of jailed opposition leader Ayman Nour. The report complemented a government medical committee report which concluded that Nour’s health is stable. It said that his life was not in danger as long as took his medication and meals …
CAIRO: Egyptian photographers demonstrated Saturday in front of the Journalists Syndicate to protest a decree restricting their presence in parliament to five minutes at the beginning of each session. Parliament Speaker Fathi Sorour asked photographers to the leave the assembly hall when an unflattering snapshot of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif eating watermelon seeds appeared in …
CAIRO: In an attempt to resume its role on the political scene, the Kefaya movement chose Abdel Wahab El Meseiry as its new General Coordinator. El Meseiry would lead the Movement, which calls for democratic reform, succeeding George Isaac. El Meseiry told The Daily Star Egypt that Isaac was the one who initiated the change …
CAIRO: Sawfat El Sherif, head of the Shura Council (SC), the upper house of Parliament, announced Wednesday Jan. 24 the new formation of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR). El Sherif said during the parliamentary session that only two current members have asked him personally to withdraw their memberships: Bahi El Din Hassan, head …
CAIRO: The Shura Council (SC) discussed and decided on Monday to finalize nine agreements for drilling and searching for petroleum and natural gas in Egypt. The discussion of the estimated 412-page draft agreements lasted an hour and half. Deputy Mohammed Farid Zakaria objected to the way the government pushes such important agreements through the SC. …
CAIRO: Al Ahram daily newspaper s decision to terminate the contracts of 65 of their veteran journalists and columnists caused an outcry inside the oldest state-owned newspaper in the country. Editor-in-chief of the paper Osama Saraya lost the fight against the administration and the legal department to retain his star writers. The legal affairs department …
CAIRO: Corruption will not be tolerated, Minister of Health Hatem El Gabaly told the Shura Council Saturday following fallout and public concern over the infected blood bags scandal. In an address to the health committee of the Shura Council, El Gabaly said the ongoing investigation would answer questions including how the contested company Hidelina won …
CAIRO: The Shura Council (SC), the upper house of parliament, unanimously approved on Thursday the 34 constitutional amendments suggested by President Mubarak late last year. Safwat Al-Sherif, head of the SC, said after the voting: “I hereby announce the agreement of the Shura Council on the amendments which on President Mubarak asked parliament debate. He …
CAIRO: The constitutional and legislative committee in the Shura Council started discussing President Hosni Mubarak s suggested amendments to the constitution, amid concerns that the changes would negatively affect political participation and election integrity. The discussions that started on Wednesday, a day after Mubarak presented his suggestions, are to end on Jan. 9, to be …
Cairo: National Democratic Party (NDP) members of the People’s Assembly (PA) strongly condemned Sunday what they described as a military show of strength by the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated students at Al Azhar University last week. The NDP, which comprises the majority in the PA, voiced their fears of a return to violence by Islamist groups. In …
76, 77 Committee focuses on constitutional amendments and need for amendments CAIRO: A group of intellectuals, politicians and constitutional experts have established a committee to pressure the government to undertake genuine constitutional amendments and are ready to take to the streets to further the cause of what they call crucial democratic reforms. But cracks may …
Spokesman dismisses idea that non-Copts should have say in church affairs CAIRO: Coptic researchers and intellectuals attending the Secular Vision on Church Problems Conference Tuesday demanded reform and a larger role for secularists in the running of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The conference came on the sidelines of the Coptic Church’s celebration of Pope Shenouda …
CAIRO: Security forces embarked upon a widespread campaign to deport low-rank and construction workers from the Red Sea cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada prior to the beginning of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East. The forum began Saturday and is being held until May 22, under the heading “The Promise of a …
ZURICH: Following their third conference in Zurich held from March 25-27, Coptic immigrants announced their plans to hold a fourth conference in Montréal, Canada on April 7, and another in Sydney, Australia, on May 12. Adli Abadir, leader of the Coptic immigrants, said during the Zurich conference that they intend to organize eight conferences around …
CAIRO: Perhaps in response to recent Muslim Brotherhood success in the parliamentary elections, several writers and production companies are competing to produce the first movie about Hassan Al Banna, who founded the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 and was assassinated in 1949. In much the same way that Al Banna was controversial in his life and …