Top Headlines

• Freed Egyptian American prisoner returns home following Trump intervention
• American President Donald Trump welcomes freed US-Egypt prisoner Aya Hijazi to White House
• Gunmen kill policeman in attack near Egypt’s St. Catherine’s Monastery
• Egypt’s Sisi visits Saudi Arabia to boost ties after months of tension
• Egyptian archaeologists unearth tomb of 18th Dynasty magistrate in Luxor

 Main Headlines

 Monday

• Clashes erupted in the city of Rafah, North Sinai, between al-Tarbiyeen tribe and militants from the Islamic State-affiliated group Sinai Province
• Security procedures are tightened at Red Sea highway checkpoints
• A delegation from the International Civil Aviation Organization visits Cairo to to inspect airports
• MPs suggest Facebook users pay monthly subscription to aid state surveillance
• Christians homes set on fire by a mob of radical Muslims in a town in Upper Egypt
• Tourism rates rise in Red Sea resorts over Easter holidays

 Tuesday

• Gunmen kill policeman in an attack near Egypt’s St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai
• Islamic State claimed attack near Egypt’s ancient St Catherine’s monastery
• Saudi General withdrew his statement on Egyptian offer to send 40,000 conscripts to Yemen
• Death toll from Egypt’s Palm Sunday church bombings rises to 47
• Egypt administrative court to rule on the legal jurisdiction dispute in Tiran and Sanafir case on June 6
• Russia grants 9 Arab countries visa-free entry; excludes Egypt
• US dollar is stable after Easter holiday

Wednesday

• Suspect in Tanta church bombing turns himself in to Egyptian authorities‪
• Al-Azhar slams accusations of embracing extremist ideologies
• Sisi seeks agreement to regulate filling Renaissance Dam with Nile water
• Egypt receives second Type-209/1400 submarine from Germany

 Thursday

• Freed Egyptian American prisoner returns home following Trump intervention
• US defense chief Mattis arrives n Cairo
• Egypt killed 19 Islamic State militants in Sinai
• Egypt, Sudan vow not to aid respective opposition groups

Friday

• Trump welcomes freed US-Egypt prisoner Aya Hijazi to the White House
• Egypt reopens border crossing with Egypt after security assessment
• Parliament to discuss Red Sea islands agreement within days

 Saturday

• IMF is seen signaling preference for higher borrowing costs in Egypt
• Dostour Party member arrested in Alexandria for insulting the Egyptian president online
• Egyptian soldiers are accused of killing unarmed Sinai men in a leaked video

Sunday

• Egypt’s Sisi visits Saudi Arabia as tensions ease
• Ultraconservative Islamist party starts initiative to stop violence in Sinai
• Human Rights Watch calls for end military aid to Egypt
• Egyptian-Russian summit set to be held in May
• Spanish police arrest an Egyptian man with German help for allegedly belonging to an international terror organization
• Egypt’s largest listed real estate developer Talaat Mostafa buys land for development at Egypt’s new capital

Good Reports/Read

• The endless uncertainty of pretrial detention in Egyptian prisons. Mada Masr
• ISIS attacks major Christian monastery in Egypt. Jayson Casper

And my latest on Egyptian-American activist Aya Hijazi

From Twitter

Plus

• Egyptians celebrate Sham El-Nessim in parks with pickled fish
• Archaeologists in Egypt open ancient tomb and find 1000 statues
• A very ancient Egyptian Easter: Sham El-Nessim
• Egypt ‘500kg woman’ loses half her weight after a surgery in India
• Egypt’s internet speed among world’s slowest, ranking 146 out of 150

In photos

• Marsa Alam, Sharm el-Sheikh among 10 best beaches in Middle East –Trip Advisor

Finally here are Jayson Casper’s prayers for Egypt