Al-Sisi says securing Yemen’s key strait a top priority, via Egypt Independent

 Main Headlines

 Monday

• PM: Egypt to inaugurate ‘new Suez Canal’ next August
• Policemen has been injured while defusing a bomb in Alexandria
• Egypt spends 30 % less on fuel subsidies in the first half of the fiscal year
• Jail sentences were reduced in the famous dog killing case
• Egypt’s Sisi to meet with German parliamentary leader
• German leader states the need to “intensify” relationship with Egypt
• Egypt seeks to join China- based AIIB
• World Bank proposals for a better health care in Egypt

Tuesday

• US releases military aid to Egypt
• Qatar ambassador returns to Egypt
• White House: Obama, Egypt’s Sisi talked on the phone
• Egyptian army kills and arrests more suspects in Sinai
• Witnesses, who say police killed activist, are to be charged in Egypt
• Foreign minister: Egypt to host meeting for “Syrian national groups” soon
• 68 arrested during the anniversary of January ‪uprising anniversary were fined by Egyptian court

Wednesday

• Egyptian president welcomes the release of withheld US military aid
• Al-Sisi vows to ‘go after’ non-conforming Muslim Brotherhood
• Cabinet approves legislation maximizing penalty for digging border tunnels
• ‘Urgent recommendations’ are issued on Egyptian nationals in Yemen
• ‘National dialogue’ between Egyptian PM and political forces to begin Thursday
• “Beating, inhumane treatment at Egypt’s Abu-Zaabal prison: NCHR
• 3 militants killed in a bomb explosion

Thursday

• Gunmen launch deadly attack on soldiers in Egypt’ Sinai
• Suicide ambulance bomb were used in one of attacks on Sinai checkpoints (Arabic).
• Appeal against Mubarak verdict is postponed to May 7
• Al-Jazeera journalist says Canada is not issuing him a passport
• Egypt postpones scrapping on-arrival visas for individual travellers
• France eases travel warnings to Egypt
• Court refers 5 defendants to the Grand Mufti over Kerdasa’s violence ‪

Friday

• The Egyptian of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Sinai’s attack
• Egypt’s army chief of staff heads to Saudi for joint Arab forces talk
• Egypt hopes Iran nuclear accord will lead to stability in the Middle East
• 15 suspected militants were killed in raids in North Sinai
• Unidentified assailants shoot policeman dead in Fayoum ‪
• El-Sisi meets South African President Jacob Zuma

Saturday

• Egypt’s Sisi reassures skeptics of military intervention in Yemen
• Death toll rises to 16 in Sinai’s deadly attack
• Rights group urges Egypt to halt executions of 6 men
• Egyptian police raid radio station detain right advocate
• Egyptian court begins Mubarak’s retrial for embezzlement charges
• Prosecution refers 48 to trial over killing journalist last year
• 2 Egyptians killed in Benghazi shelling
• Two bombs explode in front of school in Giza

Sunday

• Bomb explodes over Cairo’s Zamalek island leaving one dead‪
• Egyptian militant group leader killed by security forces on Sunday
• Djibouti’s chief of staff holds talk in Cairo on Yemen
• Around 380 ‪Egyptians have fled Yemen
• Egypt refers 187 Brotherhood’s supporters to a military court
• IMF ready to support Egypt: Lagarde

 Best Reports

• Saudi Arabia, Egypt show discord over Syria Sarah El-Deeb
• The Unknown Man, and the deaths at Abu-Zaabel. Priyanka Motaparthy
• Egypt’s Press Syndicate: Struggle for journalism since 19th century Amira El-Fekki
• Egypt: Women’s rights activist among 17 facing spurious charges in security forces’ “cover up” Amnesty
• See the new down Cairo. El-Mens

Good Read

• With eye to Iran, Saudi Arabia brings back together Pesha Magid
• Egyptian government stalls effort to dub Hamas as “terrorists” Khaled Dawood
• Obama removes weapons freeze against Egypt Peter Baker
• A reform agenda for Egypt Samuel Tadros
• Egypt warily signs a preliminary Nile agreement Ayah Aman
• Arab nations have just created a joint military force. Why now? Shibley Telhami
• Easter season in Egypt, 1834. Diana Buja 

Tweets of the week 

Statement

• S. State Department’s statement on terrorist attacks in Sinai

 Plus

• Sinbad the cat’s 3,000-mile journey from Egypt to Hereford in a shipping container
• Jews of Egypt wins an award in Geneva festival
• See Egypt’s pyramids from space
• Egypt lights it up blue with the world for autism
• 38 years after his death, Halim’s nostalgia lives on

Photo

Pyramids turn blue for World Autism Awareness Day

Finally here are Jayson Casper’s prayers for Egypt