Top Headlines

• Egypt court upholds ruling halting transfer of islands to Saudi Arabia
• Egypt extends participation in the Saudi-led coaltion in Yemen
• 8 policemen killed, at least 3 injured in armed attack on Western Desert checkpoint
• IMF says Egypt is progressing well with economic reform plan
• Egypt to allow Italian experts to examine CCTV footage in Regeni murder investigation
• Israel raises height of fence on Egypt border
• Egypt puts a retired football star on terrorism list

Main Headlines

Monday

• Egypt court upholds ruling halting transfer of islands to Saudi Arabia
• MP: Parliament still has final say on Tiran and Sanafir
• Egypt’s interior ministry: Lead figure in Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis killed: is killed.
• One civilian killed, two injured in IED explosion in North Sinai’s Al-Arish
• Egyptian pound Can Attain ‘Fair Value’ in six months, El-Sisi Says
• Egyptian delegation to submit report on the “crimes of the Muslim Brotherhood” to US Congress
• Egypt, Belarus working to reach a free trade agreement: El-Sisi

 Tuesday

• 8 policemen were killed, at least 3 injured in armed attack on the Naqab checkpoint in the Western Desert
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will reshuffle his cabinet soon
• Egyptian parliament has final say on Red Sea island deal’: House speaker
• S. to help Egypt restore hundreds of pharaonic era coffins
• Egypt fixes customs dollar exchange rate to help importers
• Israel raises height of fence on its border with Egypt
• Parliamentary committee approves amendment to protest law

 Wednesday

• Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis is behind New Valley militant attack: Egypt’s interior ministry
• IMF says Egypt is progressing well with economic reform plan
• Egypt puts a retired football star on terrorism list
• Sisi reopens Egypt’s Islamic museum that was damaged in a bombing
• 12 Red Sea island deal protesters are released on bail in Cairo
• Eight Muslim Brotherhood leaders were arrested at a meeting in Cairo

Thursday

• Egyptian MP urges speaker to stop the vote on Red Sea island deal
• Egyptian delegation to US has been postponed due to busy Trump inauguration schedule
• Egypt’s committee to pardon youth prisoners submits new names for presidential review

 Friday

• The Egyptian presidency congratulates Trump on his inauguration
• Militants gun down a teacher in Egypt’s North Sinai
• Egypt’sarmy chief of staff meets Libya’s General Haftar in Cairo
• Former Brotherhood supreme guide Akef transferred to ICU upon family request
• Minister: Parliament has not sent NGO law to presidency for approval

Saturday

• Egypt knocks Uganda out of the Africa Cup of Nations
• Skhirat agreement is ‘ideal solution’ to the Libyan crisis: Egyptian foreign minister
• Families of ‪Egyptians kidnapped in Libya call on Sisi ‪to end their crisis
• Egypt’s museum of Islamic Art welcomes first visitors since 2014 bombing

Sunday

• Egypt to allow Italian experts to examine CCTV footage in Regeni’s murder investigation
• Egypt extends participation in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
• Egypt is keen to change the discourse on religion: Sisi to a Canadian delegation
• Police hold Strong Egypt Party Alexandria leader and labor activist in undisclosed location
• Russia opens new consulate in Red Sea’s Hurghada
• Egypt’s prosecution detains finance ministry official four days over bribery charges
• No confirmation on 15 Egyptians missing in Libya: FM spokesperson

 Good Reports

• The details of the International Monetary Fund’s loan to Egypt. IMF
• Tiran and Sanafir: What is the deal’s fate after the latest Egypt’s court ruling? Ahram online
• Red Sea islands dispute is ‘not over’ as options are weighed. Gulf News

Good Read

• Saudi Interest in the Red Sea Islands of Tiran and Sanafir Grows as its security interests expand. Geoffrey Aronson
• Devils in the details. Nathan Brown and Mai El-Sadany
• Middle East derangement syndrome: Egypt, Turkey and Israel have all fallen prey to delusions about Trump. Steven Cook

And hope you read my piece on the Red Sea Islands

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Plus

• An Egyptian film “Mawlana” (The Preacher) tackles Egypt’s thorny issues on the big screen.

Finally here are Jayson Casper’s prayers for Egypt