Top Headlines

• Russia to resume flights to Egypt, halted after 2015 bombing
• Egypt raises security level around churches ahead of Christmas
• Egypt’s giant Zohr gas field starts production
• Egyptian presidential Shafiq hopeful apologizes to arrested supporters
• Egypt’s FP Shoukry: Sending an Egyptian force to Yemen is not an option
• An Egyptian army delegation visits South Sudan to discus straining of the S. Sudan’s army

Russian President Putin with Egypt’s Sisi in Cairo

Photo via Reuters 

Main Headlines

 Monday

• Putin, Egypt’s Sisi discuss restart of flights, sign nuclear deal
• Egypt FP Shoukry: Sending Egyptian forces to Yemen is not an option
• CBE Governor negates Ethiopian Dam funding by banks in Egypt
• Egypt’s Salah win the BBC footballer of the year award for 2017
• Egyptian singer Sherine is suspended for two months from singing over Nile comment

Tuesday

• Egyptian singer Sheema sentenced to 2 years in prison for “inciting debauchery”
• MP introduces draft law stipulating death penalty for rapists of women and children
• An Egyptian army delegation visits South Sudan to discus straining of the S. Sudan’s army

Wednesday

• Egyptian security forces have arrested three supporters of presidential hopeful and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq
• Egypt FM denounces Jerusalem move at Istanbul summit
• Committee to Protect Journalists names Egypt as third top jailer of journalists
• Construction of first nuclear reactor of Dabaa station to start after Christmas holidays

Thursday

• An Egyptian activist is sentenced to 3 years prison on terrorism charges, criticizing state
• Egyptian appeals court upholds prison sentence against actor Amr Waked for vandalizing a car

Friday

• Russia to resume flights to Egypt, halted after 2015 bombing
• Egypt to open Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Saturday for four days
• Cyprus, Egypt, Greece agree to bolster maritime security

Saturday

• N. council mulls an Egyptian draft text for U.S. Jerusalem decision to be withdrawn
• Egyptian presidential hopeful Shafiq apologizes to arrested supporters
• Egypt’s giant Zohr gas field starts production
• Egyptian leftist, liberal parties launch new civil democratic movement
• Egyptian companies will have priority in Libya reconstruction: Libyan finance minister
• Egypt’s Grand Azhar Imam Tayyeb: Jerusalem Arab city for over 6000 years
• Egypt’s defence minister Sobhi, French counterpart Parly inaugurate Rafale training center

Sunday

• Egypt raises security level around churches ahead of Christmas
• Egypt’s security forces deter attack on a checkpoint in Rafah
• US vice president Pence will not be meeting any Christians during his three-day visit to Egypt and Israel
• Egypt military court sentences 14 people to death for the 2015 Alexandria deadly bombing
• Egypt’s military prosecution orders release of 237 Zamalek Ultras fans detained over football-related violence

Good Reports

• Why did Twitter suspend a Reuters journalist’s account in Egypt? Wafaa Heikal
• Egyptian womenget inheritance rights. Ayah Aman
• ISIS tries to pin blame for Egypt mosque attack on Christians. Jardine Malado
• Egypt takes big step toward financial transparency and inclusion. Rami Galal
• Cairo, vibrant and budget-friendly, is ready again for the world stage. Lucas Peterson

From Twitter

https://twitter.com/btelawy/status/941011043387658240

https://twitter.com/maitelsadany/status/942050669397200896

https://twitter.com/7yhy/status/941655089940492288

https://twitter.com/fqadi/status/942335493114646528

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/940612219766796288

Plus

• New discoveries in Aswan including child burials, small Artemis statue
• Egypt reopens historic library in Sinai after renovations
• New Egyptian-made smart car could soon replace the tuk-tuk
• Up close with Egypt’s small but growing tango community

Finally, here are Jayson Casper’s prayers for Egypt